First of all, you need to know the energy that flows in your classroom. Some classrooms have a very hyper and enthusiastic energy, and other classrooms have a very dry, tired, and negative energy. If your classroom is hyper, then you need to have lessons that are not going to increase that energy because it will make the students uncontrollable. The real challenge is for those who have dry and tired energy from their students. If you realize that your class is always “spaced out†or constantly tired, then you need to think of a lesson plan(s) that will be energized and modern.
After determining the energy of your class, it is a good idea to observe about five to six of your colleagues. Try to observe them on the days that they will be teaching the material that you intend to teach. While observing your colleagues, take notes. Take notes on their techniques, methods, teaching approaches, and the colleagues’ energy and personality. Also, take notes on the students. Take notes on how the students respond to the teacher or professor. When you take notes on the students, you will be able to see what works and what does not work from your colleagues.
When your observations are done, talk to your colleagues. Ask them questions. Ask them why they use the techniques that they use. Ask them what inspired their lesson plan. Ask them how long they have used the method and lessons that they use. Ask them what they did previously and why they changed it. Ask them if they notice an increase of student success with the lessons that they use.
Be sure to review all of your notes. Review your notes on your colleagues, and review your notes on the students. Take everything that you liked from each colleague and put it down on a list. Take everything that you did not like and disregard it. While reviewing what you liked from each colleague, ask yourself, “why did I liked these elements, and how can I incorporate them into my lesson plan?â€
Finally, put them all together. Take each little thing that you liked, and put all the components together. Be sure that all of these components are intertwined smoothly. When you are putting everything together, you have to ask yourself, “How can I make all of this my own, but still keep what I liked?†Or ask, “What new things can I bring to all of these components to make it one lesson plan?†When you take a little of each lesson that you observed and put it all together, you can come up with something original. You can come up with something that is modern, new, and will hold the students interest, while they are learning at the same time.
