Lesson Preparation, How much time do you spend? Options

[barry-clari]

Whilst I certainly do (as you can tell!) spend a lot of time planning the best possible lesson that I can, I am always prepared to go off on a tangent or to not get through everything that I intended.

I feel sure that the best scenario is careful planning combined with flexibility!

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I feel sure that this is the best scenario too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I could talk about the 'tick-box' mentality you mentioned above Cyrilla, but it'll only serve to make me fed up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Allannah]

Something barry said made me think - it is now the 'done thing' in schools for the children (including the four year-olds) to be told what each lesson's 'learning intention' is before it starts. (They then do the lesson then have a plenary in which they say 'I have reached my target. I have learned xxx.') (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

I no longer state the 'learning intention' at the start of the lesson but I do carry out a form of plenary at the end where I ask the children (mostly groups of 5) to tell me what they have learnt in the lesson. This was hard work at first because their 'you didn't tell us what we were going to learn' attitude kept their minds closed but now they've got used to it I feel that the fact that they have to vocalise their learning has led to increased self-awareness and had the knock-on effect of improved practice sessions.
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[Hedgehog]

Each two-hour solfege class takes around two hours to prepare for. Preparation for a day's workshop would take around 3 hours or so.

So - my grotty maths tells me that I teach a minimum of 21 groups a week and the planning time for that is, at the very least, 11 and a half hours. Eeep. I don't think I ever worked it out like this before!

I am so pleased that you have said how long it takes you to prepare for classes, Cyrilla, even with all your experience. Last year I took on a small classroom music teaching job, and when I explained to the head how long it took me to prepare, I was led to believe that I was taking too much time and trouble over preparation (I was a novice at teaching primary classroom music). Clearly I wasn't overdoing it at all! (The job has ceased to exist now - money's been diverted elsewhere. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif))

[Violinia]

I agree with Cyrilla that the best thing is to have careful lesson plans but also be prepared to be flexible.

I also run a string group in one of the schools I teach in, and do hours and hours of preparation for this every week. When I mentioned (conversationally) how much time I spend on it to the Head and Deputy Head of Music there, they said 'oh no! you shouldn't spend all that time...' but on the other hand they're very pleased with the string group and tell me it's the best it's ever been. Perhaps I do spend too much time, but if you want to get it right and do something special - it does take time and I can't see any way round it. Lucky I don't mind!

Violinia

[Cyrilla]

I could talk about the 'tick-box' mentality you mentioned above Cyrilla, but it'll only serve to make me fed up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Ah - 'the 'tick-box' mentality' - don't you just love it??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Barry - we will discuss!!!

I no longer state the 'learning intention' at the start of the lesson but I do carry out a form of plenary at the end where I ask the children (mostly groups of 5) to tell me what they have learnt in the lesson. This was hard work at first because their 'you didn't tell us what we were going to learn' attitude kept their minds closed but now they've got used to it I feel that the fact that they have to vocalise their learning has led to increased self-awareness and had the knock-on effect of improved practice sessions.
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Whilst I don't doubt what you've said, Allannah, I still can't help but feel that for me, I just prefer what feels to me a more 'natural' or 'organic' way of learning. I would personally hate it if I was asked to analyse exactly what I had learned in every single solfege lesson (for example) - it would just all feel too analytical. From time to time I do ask, 'What do you think you are learning by playing this game?' but I certainly wouldn't do it all the time. Even my lovely whizzy Guildhall Y5/6 or my wonderful 16-18 year-olds - I wouldn't do this constant checking on what they've learned - I can see for myself exactly what they know/understand/can do through the activities they undertake during the course of the lesson.

Please don't see this as a criticism, Allannah - I know it's the 'done thing' these days - but it's just not for me...

I am so pleased that you have said how long it takes you to prepare for classes, Cyrilla, even with all your experience. Last year I took on a small classroom music teaching job, and when I explained to the head how long it took me to prepare, I was led to believe that I was taking too much time and trouble over preparation (I was a novice at teaching primary classroom music). Clearly I wasn't overdoing it at all! (The job has ceased to exist now - money's been diverted elsewhere. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif))

One of my Hungarian teachers, who is in her early 60s (looks 40 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ) who is one of the very, very best teachers - a real queen of methodology - tells me that even after 40 years of teaching she still does a lesson plan (albeit in note form) for every single class she takes. (Hammerklavier has her as his solfege and methodology teacher all year *envy*.) People often say to me, 'Why do you have to keep writing lesson plans? Surely you know what to do by now?' Mmmm, yes, to some extent - but one never stops learning and therefore one is always incorporating new repertoire and teaching techniques, and of course how one lesson goes informs the planning of the next - what needs to be repeated, or left for a while, or repeated but using new repertoire, who needs extra help with an activity, who could be stretched more, what needs to be introduced consciously or unconsciously, etc etc etc.!

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[Allannah]

Whilst I don't doubt what you've said, Allannah, I still can't help but feel that for me, I just prefer what feels to me a more 'natural' or 'organic' way of learning. I would personally hate it if I was asked to analyse exactly what I had learned in every single solfege lesson (for example) - it would just all feel too analytical. From time to time I do ask, 'What do you think you are learning by playing this game?' but I certainly wouldn't do it all the time. Even my lovely whizzy Guildhall Y5/6 or my wonderful 16-18 year-olds - I wouldn't do this constant checking on what they've learned - I can see for myself exactly what they know/understand/can do through the activities they undertake during the course of the lesson.

Please don't see this as a criticism, Allannah - I know it's the 'done thing' these days - but it's just not for me...

No offence taken, Cyrilla. Everyone approaches their teaching differently and this approach works for me. It's not quite the formal approach that I made it sound in my original post, more a chat/question/answers whilst they're packing away and I'm setting their practice for the week ahead. It's certainly made some of the daydreamers more switched on!

[JudithJ]

People often say to me, 'Why do you have to keep writing lesson plans? Surely you know what to do by now?' Mmmm, yes, to some extent - but one never stops learning and therefore one is always incorporating new repertoire and teaching techniques, and of course how one lesson goes informs the planning of the next - what needs to be repeated, or left for a while, or repeated but using new repertoire, who needs extra help with an activity, who could be stretched more, what needs to be introduced consciously or unconsciously, etc etc etc.

I have to say that all sounds like an awful lot of work. However, as one of Cyrilla's students, I also have to say that all that preparation shines through in every lesson. They are always pitched at just the right level, always moving forward, and always caring for the needs of the group as a whole and each student individually.

[clair de]

Just wondering..

How much time (roughly) do you normally spend on preparing for an instrumental lesson (from beginer to diploma levels)? For school teachers, how long do you spend on preparing a class lesson?

And how much time do you spend on preparing for a theory lesson?

Do you usually go through the teaching materials beforehand?

For private teachers, do you usually end the lesson exactly on time (within 2 mins) or would you let the lesson over- run a bit?

cheers.

As a school teacher, preparing for a class lesson was hours before the start of each term( excluding meetings with other Year 2 teacher on what to cover and how to adjust any planning that was already in place) and each half term . In addition, about an hour each evening (after marking e.t.c. from that day's work), and every Sunday afternoon preparing for the week ( final adjustments and any extra bits including appropriate adjustments for pupils where required).

I won't go into the assessing of each pupils literacy work ( reading and writing levels), numeracy, science as well as well other subjects.

Phew.....don't get me on to being a school teacher! I'm so fortunate to be able to transfer my skills to being a music teacher!!

I was lucky to have had good training on planning and assessment when doing my PGCE, and am relieved to be able to do it now on my terms, using common sense...without the government breathing down your neck , wanting you to fill out form after form e.t.c.

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[Cyrilla]

Now you all know why I don't ever want to be a class teacher again!!

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[clair de]

Now you all know why I don't ever want to be a class teacher again!!

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Me too...ran away fast, and still running.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[Cyrilla]

Good for you, clair de...I actually got out of full-time class teaching after I'd done the job for 11 years. I always knew that it didn't quite 'hit the spot' as there were bits I loved and quite a lot that I didn't! This was before the music really kicked in - I used to have this dream of having a children's bookshop with a brothel over the top (thus combining two of my interests and talents (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ) but then music just gradually took me over. When the National Curriculum came in I could see the writing on the wall and decided to take the plunge and go part-time in various places. Best decision ever!

PS Apologies for the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) above - afraid I've always had a streak that likes to shock people but it's been dormant for a while...

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[sonataform]

PS Apologies for the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) above - afraid I've always had a streak that likes to shock people but it's been dormant for a while...

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I for one was appalled. Surely the more profitable enterprise should be at street level so as to maximise your income? It is this lack of business sense that took the Great out of Great Britain.

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[maggiemay]

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[Cyrilla]

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[sarah-flute]

PS Apologies for the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) above - afraid I've always had a streak that likes to shock people but it's been dormant for a while...

Is it only me who read that as Cyrilla liking to streak to shock people? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)