Lesson Plan - Part 2: Help please...

I once received an email from my supervisor regarding lesson planning. She complimented a teacher for writing his lesson plan in detail where he provided her with a lot of information about the activities that his group does. Maybe due to my over-sensitivity, I felt a little offended by her comments because I'm the exact opposite--I write just enough in the prescribed lesson plan form, and once in awhile I write in great detail.

In my previous entry about lesson plan, I mentioned how writing a lesson plan can be an utter burden to a teacher as supposed to a guiding tool especially when he/she sees it as a mere unavoidable task for a teacher. Don't get me wrong... I'm all for lesson planning, in fact I think life goes smoothly when well-planning is done. But when writing a lesson plan becomes a "must-do-or-else" task for a teacher, the purpose of a lesson plan gets lost.

I understand the whole accountability of what's happening in the classroom, and a way for supervisors like program coordinators or departments heads to know the day-to-day of a teacher is by reading the lesson plans. That's a good start... But shouldn't there be a follow up or some sort of Q&A on the quality of the lesson plan? It shouldn't stop at "I have received your lesson plan. Thank you." email.

If you had a supervisor who comes to you with your lesson plan scribbled all over with comments, you're one lucky teacher! If you got called for a meeting with your supervisor regarding your lesson plan, you would be on your way to becoming a better teacher! I bet it's frustrating and annoying  because it might feel as if someone is constantly criticizing you... But hey, isn't that what helps you be more aware of how you are as a teacher, thus later makes you a better teacher? I call this kind of person a "superb supervisor!"

Kids love games! - Part 2: Bingo is B-I-N-G-O

A reader asked me about a game that she/he can play in their English class with 4th and 5th grade students, and I immediately thought of a game called BINGO...

Who doesn't like playing BINGO? I think it's one of those games that never gets old and boring because of that one moment when someone calls out, "BINGO!" and everybody cheers! :) It's a game that can be played across age groups with as little as 2 people, and incorporate any topics.

I usually play BINGO at the end of a unit to review materials, although sometimes I do it at the beginning to assess my students' prior knowledge and to start a discussion about the connection between the words. You can play BINGO using any kinds of topics, and it's very easy to prepare.

How you can play BINGO in class (click to see samples): 

1. English : review topic-specific vocabulary e.g. occupations, body parts, kitchen items; grammar-related vocabulary e.g. homonyms, prepositions
2. Math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, shapes, and many more... Your students won't realize that they're learning their times table! 

Do you mind substituting for Mr. XYZ today? Oooohhh...

How many times has somebody come up to you in the morning and asked you this question, "Excuse me, Ms. ABC... Could you substitute for Mr. XYZ today after recess?" Hopefully not too often...
Now, how many times have you said, "No?" Hhmm...

As much as we'd like to stay on schedule and be with our students, some things are just out of our control--bad cough, sudden fever, sick child, unpaid water bills, car wreck, and many more (hopefully not because of plain laziness to get up and drive to school, hehehhe...). When this happens to a colleague, somebody has to step up and still make things happen in class. That's where a substitute teacher comes in...

In some schools, they have designated substitute teachers on call, but in other places, they have to rely on each other. Every now and then, I get asked to substitute for a teacher. Now, I generally don't have a problem with being a substitute teacher, if and only if, I know the students and the materials. But often you get asked to substitute in a class that is known for its oddly annoying behaviors and is insanely rowdy, right? And to top that off, the absent teacher leaves no materials for the kids. So, what to do now?

I often hear that students don't respect a substitute teacher and it can be a nightmare for teacher. So the first thing I'd do is to get the students' respect first and foremost!

• I always carry these items with me to the class I substitute: a marker, something to write with, and a quiet chime!