CLASSROOM
ENVIRONMENT
LESSON PLANS
Overview:
A lesson plan is a structured document that outlines the steps and materials needed to guide the facilitator through classroom instruction. It serves as a roadmap for delivering content, ensuring that key learning objectives are covered and that learners stay engaged throughout the lesson.
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Relevance to Adult Learning:
For adult learners, a well-constructed lesson plan is essential in maintaining clear learning objectives, relevance, and engagement. It ensures that facilitators can create lessons aligned with adult learning principles, such as active participation, practical application, and connecting new knowledge to prior experiences. The structure provided by the lesson plan helps adult learners understand what they will learn, why it matters, and how it will benefit their personal or professional development.
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Tool Use:
Use this tool when developing a new course or lesson by filling in specific sections, such as learning outcomes, instructional strategies, and assessments. The lesson plan acts as a flexible guide, helping facilitators organize their content while adapting to the needs and pacing of the adult learners.​​
Additional Tools:
Use in Manufacturing Facilitation:
In manufacturing training or facilitation, this template assists in crafting lessons that are focused on practical, skill-based outcomes. Facilitators can align the lesson plan with the specific competencies and learning outcomes required in manufacturing settings, ensuring that each lesson moves learners toward mastering essential technical and operational skills.
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Praxis and Reflective Practice:
After delivering a lesson, facilitators should engage in reflective practice by evaluating the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and learner engagement. This ongoing reflection enables facilitators to adjust future lesson plans based on what worked well and what could be improved, ensuring continuous improvement in both instruction and learning outcomes.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & REFERENCES
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Planbook. (n.d.). Keep organized: How an effective lesson plan improves classroom management. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://blog.planbook.com/lesson-plan-classroom-management/
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Ramadan, M. (2018, September 11). Six things must be included in a lesson plan. Elttguide. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://elttguide.com/six-things-must-be-included-in-a-lesson-plan/
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Tate, M.L. (2012). Sit and get won't grow dendrites (2nd ed.). (pp. 133-140). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M.B. (2017). Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults (4th ed.). (pp. 163-164, 370-398). Jossey-Bass.
FIRST DAY OF CLASS
Overview:
The first day of class can be both stressful and hectic, so it is crucial to have a clear plan in place to ensure the classroom, materials, and technology are well-prepared. This preparation helps set a positive tone for the course and allows for the smooth introduction of the class structure and expectations to new learners.
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Relevance to Adult Learning:
For adult learners, entering a new learning environment can feel overwhelming. By ensuring that the classroom is organized, the materials are ready, and the expectations are clearly communicated, facilitators can reduce learners' anxiety and help them feel more comfortable and prepared to engage. This tool promotes transparency and sets the stage for an adult learner-centered environment by introducing the class structure and learner responsibilities from day one.
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Tool Use:
This checklist serves as a guide to ensure all necessary preparations are completed before learners arrive, such as setting up materials, arranging the classroom, testing equipment, and preparing the course introduction. It should be used both in the lead-up to class and during the initial moments when welcoming students.
Additional Tools:
Use in Manufacturing Facilitation:
In manufacturing training, this checklist ensures that all equipment, tools, and safety materials are in place and operational, and that the class structure is clearly communicated. This reduces downtime and ensures that facilitators and learners can focus on practical, hands-on learning right from the start.
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Praxis and Reflective Practice:
After the first day of class, facilitators should engage in reflective practice to assess what went well and what could be improved for future sessions. By reflecting on the organization of the classroom, student reactions, and the clarity of expectations, facilitators can make adjustments that improve the learning environment and enhance the effectiveness of future first-day experiences.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & REFERENCES
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​Davis, J.R., & Arend, B.D. (2013). Facilitating seven ways of learning: A resource for more purposeful, effective, and enjoyable college teaching. (pp. 31-69). Stylus Publishing.
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Tate, M.L. (2012). Sit and get won't grow dendrites (2nd ed.). (pp. 133-140). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Teaching Channel. (2017, August 1). New teacher checklist: Your plan for the first day of school. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.teachingchannel.com/k12-hub/blog/new-teacher-checklist/
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Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M.B. (2017). Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults (4th ed.). (pp. 163-164, 370-398). Jossey-Bass.
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Wong, H., & Wong, R. (2024). Effective teaching. Teachers.Net Gazette, 21(11). Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.teachers.net/wong/AUG14/