What to do when plans change… by @ThisIsLiamM

Name: Liam
Twitter name: @ThisIsLiamM
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Head of Year
What is your advice about? What to do when plans change…

1: Try something new. It’s a chance to give that idea a go that you’ve not had time to fit it.

2: Practise some times table facts, vocabulary or number bonds. Hopefully in a fun, interactive and engaging way.

3: Grab some technology (desktops, laptops, tablets etc.). Get online and do the learning there.

4: An impromptu PE lesson (if space allows).

5: If no one is looking, play a game of ‘Heads Down Thumbs Up’ or ‘Who Stole My Pencil?’ But, shhhh.

Planning by @TLPMrsF

Name: Rebecca Foster
Twitter:  TLPMrsF
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: English
Position: Lead Practitioner
5 Bits of Advice About: Planning

1. Plan backwards – what do you want students to be able to do, know or show by the end of the lesson? Then work out how to get there (where before how).
2. Think about how you can hook them from the moment they walk into the classroom (a piece of music, an image, a challenging question, you in fancy dress…).
3. Get students to show you what they already know or can do. Pay attention at this point so you know who needs more support or more challenge.
4. Model. This might be through the use of an exemplar or you talking through HOW to approach a question.
5. Let students get on with it and offer a range of support to allow ALL students to achieve.

Planning a Lesson by @AFosterTeach

Name: Andrew Foster
Twitter name: AFosterTeach
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Performance & Learning (previously History)
Position: Head of Performance & Learning
What is your advice about? Planning a lesson

1: Write down how long you will spend planning the lesson before you start. You can always spend more time on any lesson but as time is finite, that doesn’t mean you should.

2: Start with what you want the children to know & understand by the end of the lesson. Get as much detail on this as you can in the time you have allowed yourself.

3: “Why should they care about this?” is a good question to ask of the specific content of your lesson. Know the answer well enough to argue its case convincingly.

4: If your exposition is supported by arresting visual images, your pupils will retain more of it. Gather & incorporate as many of these as you can in the time you have allowed.

5: Recall through testing increases retention. Incorporate low-stakes testing into every lesson to increase learning.

Planning by @Isleworthmaths

Name: Noel Stoddart
Twitter name: Isleworthmaths
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Maths
Position: Assistant Head
What is your advice about? Planning

1: Look at resources your colleagues have shared; you’ll know who has the best lessons.

2: Build a short list of resource websites you know and trust.

3: Decide on a resource and work with it. Do not spend hours choosing between resources.

4: Check the resource and then check it again. Mistakes you’re not aware of undermine pupil confidence in you but mistakes you know about can be used to address misconceptions.

5: The resources you use are secondary in importance to the quality of your questioning. Plan the questions you will ask and include them in your lesson plan. Pppb.

Planning by @MRPepperHistory

Name: Joe Pepper
Twitter name: @MRPepperHistory
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): History
Position: Teacher of History
What is your advice about? Planning

1: At the end of the lesson what do you want your students to take away? Start at the end with a “Golden Nugget”.

2: Try to find something that hooks the students in at the beginning of the lesson. Make it meaningful.

3: Planning in sequences – it helps to map out where you are going.

4: Cut the fat – try to consider whether an activity is necessary in helping you reach your objective.

5: No lesson is perfect (few are, ever). Teach it, Reflect on it and Try it again.

Planning in Primary by @jon_brunskill

Name: Jon Brunskill
Twitter name: @jon_brunskill
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Head of Year
What is your advice about? Planning in primary

1: Don’t reinvent the wheel. There are already great lesson plans/resources for inserting apostrophes or column addition or whatever; use them.

2: Start by thinking about what you’d like the children to know, THEN choose the most effective method activity for them to learn this.

3: Break down any skill that requires more than one step into an algorithm, and explain it in the lesson. Keep it displayed until they don’t need it any more.

4: Work on your subject knowledge. Become an expert in the topic your teaching and ooze enthusiasm and passion in the lesson.

5: Plan in regular multi choice quizzes (children love them) to help you organise which knowledge is most important, AfL, and improve the kids recall of key facts.

Planning and Teaching by @heatherleatt

Name: Heather Leatt
Twitter name: @heatherleatt
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Senior LA Adviser
What is your advice about? Planning and teaching

1: Keep on top of planning. Make time to do it properly.

2: Don’t worry if a lesson plan doesn’t work or goes awry. Reflect on why this happened, chat it over with a colleague and makes changes for next time.

3: Run ideas past someone else or do some collaborative planning if you’re struggling with a topic. Asking advice can save you from reinventing the wheel!

4: Plan backwards; start with being clear about what you want the pupils to have learnt by the end of the lesson and then plan how you’ll get them there.

5: Don’t be afraid to deviate from the plan if it’s not working with the class. No need to follow a plan slavishly if it’s clearly out of step with pupils’ needs.

Planning by @LMisselle1

Name: LLeadbetter
Twitter name: LMisselle1
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Deputy/  yr 6 teacher
What is your advice about? Planning

1: Tell them why they are learning this- how is it useful.

2: Never been afraid to go off on a tangent. Follow their questions and interests.

3: Try to add little stories/ interesting snippets of info.

4: Never be afraid to admit you don’t know. Learn something new together.

5: Plan a lesson you would enjoy learning.

Planning by @he4therw4t5on

Name: Heather Watson
Twitter name: @he4therw4t5on
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Headteacher
What is your advice about? Planning

1: Plan with your peers, it’s  the best way to get to grips with the process.  Plus it allows you to bounce your ideas off others.

2: In the first few years of teaching you’ll be building your confidence & awareness of the learning cycle. ALWAYS reflect on what the children have learnt.

3: When you are evaluating your lessons be sure to focus on the learning. Evaluations should be specific relating to the LI and feed into the next phase of planning.

4: Don’t try to do everything!! Take things at a pace that suits your pupils and include them in evaluation.

5: Have fun and build a classroom based on mutual respect. Be kind to all, look after yourself and don’t let anyone dim your light of enthusiasm.

Long Term Planning by @Teachingexperim

Name: Jen
Twitter: @teachingexperim
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: Chemistry and Physics
Position: Teacher
5 Bits of Advice About: Long term planning

1. Know when the ‘hard’ deadlines are, if mocks are after Christmas you need to make sure you’ve taught everything they need by then.
2. Use the school calendar to work out when your going to lose lessons due to trips or all day assessments.
3. Using tip 1 and tip 2, work out how many hours of contact time you have and how many hours of content you need to teach. Squash things accordingly.
4. Plan in what I call ‘bounce/squeeze’ lessons, so you can adjust your teaching to your students needs, and move faster or recap when required.
5. Be realistic, don’t teach a hard topic last lesson on the Friday before Xmas. Plan for fun; this is where science has the advantage as I just set things on fire!