Programming and Planning
Scenario
“Her (Amy’s) supervisor asked to see her program. After ‘flicking’ through Amy’s folder she said, “it was vague and that it did not contain the elements of a good program.” As Amy’s supervisor turned to leave, she reminded Amy that whilst she had obtained Graduate Competency as a New Scheme Teacher it was important that she re-planned her teaching and learning program she keep in mind the evidence required for her to gain Professional Competency. With that she was asked to re-present her program in 2 weeks time...Amy sat down to re-write her program. Her anger turned to retrospection. Was her program really vague or was it a mismatch in expectations? Either way she needed to produce a program that had the elements of a ‘good’ program. ”
How to write a program
The NSW Department of Education and Communities recommends that a beginning teacher develops a program on a term-by-term basis and works from a detailed day book to record lesson content and evaluations (NSW DET, 2001). The Department also recommends that teachers use the Quality Teaching Model elements including Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment and Significance to guide them in their programming and planning (NSW DET, 2001; NSW DET, 2003).
Within their program, beginning teachers must refer to Curriculum documents including :
· Key Learning Area syllabuses and supporting documents,
· any school-based specialist programs and;
· the school’s current scope and sequence documents (NSW DET, 2001).
In the programming process, they must also consider the School policies including:
· the school welfare and discipline policy,
· the homework policy,
· the student assessment and reporting policy,
· excursion procedures,
· day book records and/or programming requirements and;
· the training and development policy (NSW DET, 2001).
Beginning teachers should consider the school’s resources including:
· the library,
· classroom equipment and resources,
· sport equipment and facilities,
· school hall and;
· computer technology and facilities (NSW DET, 2001).
The NSW Department of Education and Communities recommends that beginning teachers participate in collaborative grade, team or stage programming to enable them to gain knowledge, understanding and skills from their fellow colleagues about programming and planning. This type of collaborative approach to program development provides support and reassurance at the initial steps of a beginning teachers teaching career (NSW DET, 2001).
Within their program, beginning teachers must refer to Curriculum documents including :
· Key Learning Area syllabuses and supporting documents,
· any school-based specialist programs and;
· the school’s current scope and sequence documents (NSW DET, 2001).
In the programming process, they must also consider the School policies including:
· the school welfare and discipline policy,
· the homework policy,
· the student assessment and reporting policy,
· excursion procedures,
· day book records and/or programming requirements and;
· the training and development policy (NSW DET, 2001).
Beginning teachers should consider the school’s resources including:
· the library,
· classroom equipment and resources,
· sport equipment and facilities,
· school hall and;
· computer technology and facilities (NSW DET, 2001).
The NSW Department of Education and Communities recommends that beginning teachers participate in collaborative grade, team or stage programming to enable them to gain knowledge, understanding and skills from their fellow colleagues about programming and planning. This type of collaborative approach to program development provides support and reassurance at the initial steps of a beginning teachers teaching career (NSW DET, 2001).
What do you include in your program?
Within a teacher’s program, information should be included under the following headings in this sequential order:
1. Title Page
2. Table of contents
3. Weekly timetable
4. Philosophy of Teaching
5. Situational Analysis: A situational analysis should include information about the school and the school environment.
6. Classroom management: This should include positive classroom management strategies including a rewards system and disciplinary classroom management strategies. The school’s Student Welfare and Discipline Policy must be considered here.
7. Class list
8. Class Profile: A class profile should give an overview of the students in a particular class. Information about students with literacy difficulties, numeracy difficulties, or behaviour problems, their speech, handwriting, health conditions, allergies, how students get to and from school, students who are gifted and talented and students who are required to wear glasses should be included. An example of a class profile can be found below.
1. Title Page
2. Table of contents
3. Weekly timetable
4. Philosophy of Teaching
5. Situational Analysis: A situational analysis should include information about the school and the school environment.
6. Classroom management: This should include positive classroom management strategies including a rewards system and disciplinary classroom management strategies. The school’s Student Welfare and Discipline Policy must be considered here.
7. Class list
8. Class Profile: A class profile should give an overview of the students in a particular class. Information about students with literacy difficulties, numeracy difficulties, or behaviour problems, their speech, handwriting, health conditions, allergies, how students get to and from school, students who are gifted and talented and students who are required to wear glasses should be included. An example of a class profile can be found below.
edpd_class_profile_example.docx | |
File Size: | 81 kb |
File Type: | docx |
9. Special Needs Students
10. Term Overview: To assist all beginning teachers and Amy, a ‘Term Overview Template’ can be found below. This ‘Term Overview Template’ provides a clear and concise one-page outline of all KLA’s that are to be taught over the course of the term. This will enable teachers like Amy to see the specific topics to be covered on a weekly basis.
10. Term Overview: To assist all beginning teachers and Amy, a ‘Term Overview Template’ can be found below. This ‘Term Overview Template’ provides a clear and concise one-page outline of all KLA’s that are to be taught over the course of the term. This will enable teachers like Amy to see the specific topics to be covered on a weekly basis.
edpd_term_overview.docx | |
File Size: | 69 kb |
File Type: | docx |
11. English Program: A 'KLA program template' has been included to assist teachers in their programming and can be found below. It can be used for programming all Key Learning Areas and will provide teachers like Amy, a clear structure for their programs while giving them the flexibility in their planning. The program template also allows teachers to differentiate the learning experiences to ensure all students reach their optimum potential.
edpd_kla_program_template.docx | |
File Size: | 58 kb |
File Type: | docx |
12. Mathematics Program: A specific ‘Mathematics program template’ has also be found below. A different template has been incorporated for Mathematics programming as Mathematics lessons that maximise student outcomes are those that are explicit and highly structured.
edpd_maths_program_template.docx | |
File Size: | 79 kb |
File Type: | docx |
13. HSIE Program
14. Science and Technology Program
15. Creative Arts Program
16. PD/H/PE Program (Brady, 2003; DET, 2001).
In conjunction with a program, teachers should work from a day book. The day book should complement and correspond with the program. The day book must provide an outline of the daily activities and when these activities are occurring. Within the day book, it is also beneficial to include ‘priorities for today,’ ‘things to remember,’ ‘meetings and activities,’ ‘students absent’ and ‘lesson notes’ which is a section used to evaluate the lesson or write student assessment notes. A day book template that allows beginning teachers to include this information can be found below.
14. Science and Technology Program
15. Creative Arts Program
16. PD/H/PE Program (Brady, 2003; DET, 2001).
In conjunction with a program, teachers should work from a day book. The day book should complement and correspond with the program. The day book must provide an outline of the daily activities and when these activities are occurring. Within the day book, it is also beneficial to include ‘priorities for today,’ ‘things to remember,’ ‘meetings and activities,’ ‘students absent’ and ‘lesson notes’ which is a section used to evaluate the lesson or write student assessment notes. A day book template that allows beginning teachers to include this information can be found below.
edpd_daybook_template.docx | |
File Size: | 59 kb |
File Type: | docx |
How does this relate to the National Professional Standards for Teachers?
Professional Knowledge
Focus: Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
Graduate: 2.1.1Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Focus: Content selection and organisation
Graduate: 2.2.1 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Focus: Curriculum, assessment and reporting
Graduate: 2.3.1 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Graduate: 2.1.1Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Focus: Content selection and organisation
Graduate: 2.2.1 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Focus: Curriculum, assessment and reporting
Graduate: 2.3.1 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Professional Practice
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
Focus: Establish challenging learning goals
Graduate: 3.1.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics
Focus: Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
Graduate: 3.2.1 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Focus: Select and use resources
Graduate: 3.4.1 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Focus: Establish challenging learning goals
Graduate: 3.1.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics
Focus: Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
Graduate: 3.2.1 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Focus: Select and use resources
Graduate: 3.4.1 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.