Sacrificial Lamb

Lesson plans, are the life blood for subbing. They inform us of what classes we have, when we have them, and oh yeah, what the heck to do with them.  However, not all lesson plans are created equal.  I have seen the OCD planner, who has left multiple pages of plans, which dictate down to the minute teaching, and phrases.  And also, the slightly less concerned plans, where you are lucky if they mention every class that they teach, let alone when and where.  Thus, the plans themselves are of the utmost importance.  Here are a few of the "best of" plans I have ever seen.

 

1) The Minimalist.

     Upon entering the classroom I see a stack of packets, that have an attached sticky note, (STICKY NOTE) which states, (in colored pen) "Do this packet, BACK UP PLAN, show this movie." Uh really? Not I have five classes, at these times, and I would like you to try and do these packets, and then a marked up packet, but rather a sticky note, and a half with a backup plan.  Also, the inclusion of the backup plan, makes me think that maybe, just maybe, more precise plans might have been ideal.

RATING 2/10

 

2) The Forgetful.

    On this fateful day, I was given plans, which included instructions for 5 classes.  These instructions were roughly, a sentence and a half long. No big deal.  Thankfully, each class was reading the same book, and the plans simply indicated which page each class was on.  While, these plans seemed minimal, they were at the very least effective.  The troublesome part came during lunch time, when I was hunted down by a hound-like, science teacher, and sternly told that "YOU HAVE AN ADVISORY." Meaning in more gentle terms, there are 15 wild 7th graders in your room, jazzed up on chocolate milk, and lunch dunkers, ripping down the walls.  Upon calming said wildlings, I quickly pulled out my trusty sub plans, (all sentence and a half of them) and indicated to, the hound-like, stern talking science teacher that nowhere on my plans was there a mention of an advisory.  "Oh ... ... ... (it seemed maybe I had stumped the stern talking science teacher) I guess she forgot." Ah yes, she forgot, FORGOT, to add any mention of an entire class.  NO BIG DEAL. 

RATING 4/10

3) The Confident.

    The confident, could probably be the most bipolar of lesson plans.  They generally leave some bare bones outline, of a fantastic lesson plan, and then expect you to fill in, (wing it) for the rest.  It is as if, they meant to leave you a great, meaningful lesson to teach, but either got bored, distracted, or changed their mind, and simply refused to finish the rest. For example, I once encountered a lesson plan for a 10th grade class, block schedule, (82 unyielding minutes) that instructed me to have the students write for 40 minutes, "about spring, or rain, or something." Upon reading this, bursting out laughing, and questioning the sanity of this teacher, I thought, she does remember they are 16 years old right? "Spring, or rain, or something?"  FOR 40 MINUTES, why don't I just roll around in raw meat, and sacrifice myself to the wolves, because that is what these plans will do for me. Luckily, the think on your feet, or die, instinct kicked in, and I was able to impromptu a lesson, of which, the students not only enjoyed, but were able to write about for 40 minutes. 

RATING 3/10