Standard 2: Planning and Instruction/Implementation

An effective teacher is able to plan and implement effective, developmentally appropriate lessons and curricula based upon sound principles of content knowledge and skill development.

Through my student teaching experience, I have learned the importance of and the advantages to proper planning, not to mention the actual process of effective planning. Essentially, planning is a teacher's ticket to freedom. Planning helps a teacher to solidify the purpose, process, and success indicators of a lesson beforehand. This gives them the freedom to focus on getting the most out of each moment in the classroom.

I have found that planning hooks and closures along with questions that are key to understanding the material are all important components of a lesson plan. It is also very beneficial to visualize the lesson and look for possible hang ups in the lesson.

Good planning makes effective instruction possible. An effective teacher must be able to follow a plan, but know when to digress from that plan when a teachable moment presents itself. Teachers should engage students through various modes of instruction that respond to the diverse needs of students.