Maximizing Each Lesson

Because Curriculum and instruction are the vehicle used to respond to the students and their needs teachers need to focus their attention ensuring each lesson is important, focused, engaging, demanding and scaffolded to the students ensuring the maximum likelihood that each learner and student will obtain the content being taught.


To show students how each lesson is important start your lessons by telling them what you what them to know, what they need to understand, and how the topic relates to their education.  Once you are sure the students have the same vision of what you want them to know you can focus your attention on the important aspects of the curriculum being taught.

Move the students attention to the essential learning goals outlined in the lesson.  By ensuring their focus is now on the learning goals you ensure that the lesson doesn't get off on a tangent but is clear and directed towards the goal.  This will motivate the students and teacher to learn the key concepts.

One of the most difficult things we do is to ensure the lesson is engaging.  If we plan accordingly we can create excitement for even the most mundane subject.  How?  Provide choices for learning that support discovery.  Find activities, songs, videos, or real world examples that provide the students a connection to the content.  Ask questions that engage the students.  Spur conversation that supports the curriculum and instruction.

It is vital that each lesson provides the students with the ability to stretch their understanding.  We must ensure that our students know they can gain the information being taught if they attempt to reach for knowledge.  You must know your students and support them in their pursuit of knowledge.

When we know and understand our students it becomes easier to require and even demand work that is suited to their own abilities and goals.  This is different for each student but can be done by using all the tools in our toolbox.  Using graphic organizers, group work, modeling, and other strategies we adjust the requirements to suit the student and class with out sacrificing the curriculum and instruction.