Long Term Planning
InTASC Standard #7: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
As a teacher, it is important for me to be aware of what the goal for the year is and what the timeline for the content is. Looking through the long term plan gives me perspective about how to align the curriculum for reading, writing and small group instruction to make sure that the information being covered is being reinforced as much as possible. Long term planning also allows for me to review the groups that are created for small groups and for intervention groups. An intervention group may be different than a small group because there is a difference in a skill group versus a reading level group. Fundation long term planning allows me to be more prepared as a teacher to see what skills are covered and when they are covered throughout the year.
Above you can see the long term planning calendar. This calendar allows me to take a look at what the days of the year look like as we plan out the weeks that Fundations requires and how long each unit will be. Having an idea of the long term planning calendar allows me to spend more or less time with different skills. I can also prepare small groups and intervention groups with students when I have a better idea of what the outline of the year looks like. Even though the year long plan is outlined for me, it is a general outline. As a teacher who is aware of the needs of my students, I need to make the changes to make sure that my students have the best chance of being successful.
Above you can see a long term planning that I have created for myself to see the overall timeline of Fundations for the year. This plan allows me to take notes and be focused in each unit. Once a unit is completed, I am able to take notes to see which students or groups need more assistance and where they might need that assistance.
Below you can see an edited and annotated version of the long range plan for Fundations. At the end of each lesson or time period, I am able to reflect and make the notes about what students might need additional support in and what students excelled at. Not only this, but I am allowed to write notes about what I want to carry into the next week and from unit to unit when it comes to reviewing the assessments and check-ups from week to week. Not only are these changes easier to change when looking at the long range plan, but the anecdotal notes are all in one place for me to continue planning for the long term in both whole group, small groups and intervention groups during Fundations and reading block.
Below you can see an edited and annotated version of the long range plan for Fundations. At the end of each lesson or time period, I am able to reflect and make the notes about what students might need additional support in and what students excelled at. Not only this, but I am allowed to write notes about what I want to carry into the next week and from unit to unit when it comes to reviewing the assessments and check-ups from week to week. Not only are these changes easier to change when looking at the long range plan, but the anecdotal notes are all in one place for me to continue planning for the long term in both whole group, small groups and intervention groups during Fundations and reading block.
Conclusion:
Being able to look at the planning and timing of a curriculum throughout the year, allows me to see the bigger picture and where I need to push students to reach goals, where I can simply reinforce and where it is simply a reminder of information. Being able to be reflective through the units of Fundations allows me to make changes, not only in Fundations, but in reading, writing, guided reading and other small groups throughout the year. I am able to differentiate and take the baseline information from Fundations to guide the instruction for groups that I am meeting with and how they function when working independently.