Creating Effective Lesson Plans

Teaching with Valor Podcast: A Veteran Teachers Perspective

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Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast that dives deep into the art and science of teaching, helping you grow from lesson to lesson and day to day. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re tackling a fundamental question that every teacher has to face: How do I create effective lesson plans?

Creating a lesson plan isn’t just about filling time or covering content; it’s about crafting a meaningful learning experience that engages students, challenges them, and helps them build essential skills. Whether you’re teaching kindergarten or high school calculus, a strong lesson plan provides the structure that transforms your classroom from a space where facts are memorized to a dynamic environment where real learning takes place.

But what does an effective lesson plan look like? What are the elements you need to include to make sure you’re not just covering the material, but engaging students at a deep level? And how can you ensure that your plans stay flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of your learners?

In today’s episode, we’ll explore how to design lesson plans that are clear, engaging, and adaptable—whether you’re teaching at the elementary, middle, or high school level. We’ll also discuss strategies for aligning your lesson plans with learning objectives, pacing your lessons to maintain student engagement, and incorporating assessments that give you real insight into student progress.

And for our parent listeners, stay tuned for a bonus segment where we’ll answer a common parent question: What can I do to support my child’s learning at home based on their teacher’s lesson plans?
Show Notes
For more information on this topic checkout the following resources:

• Understanding by Design (UbD) by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe: A framework for backward design and creating lessons that focus on big ideas and essential questions.
• Edutopia – Lesson Planning: www.edutopia.org - Resources for lesson planning across grade levels and subjects.
• Teachers Pay Teachers: www.teacherspayteachers.com - A marketplace for creative and effective lesson plans shared by educators.
• The Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson: A guide to creating lesson plans that meet the diverse needs of students.
• Khan Academy: www.khanacademy.org - Free lessons and resources for students and teachers on a wide range of subjects.

Stay tuned for more episodes, and remember, every student is unique, and every classroom can be a place where all students succeed. Keep teaching with valor!