Mixed Feelings

I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience about lesson planning. I know for a fact that it is not a simple as I thought. Not only was it my first time making a lesson plan, but it was my first time that I had been exposed to the ASSURE model as well.

The ASSURE model was quite different from what I have been exposed too. But using the ASSURE model is definitely an experience for me weather it was good or bad. Well, I will not say I totally dislike the model. However, as simple as the model sounds, I found it somewhat complicated. Even though it was complicated, I mostly had a difficult time organizing my thoughts and ideas towards my lesson plan. I would constantly put it off because it was so frustrating to do. I felt frustrated because I knew exactly what I wanted to teach but could not find a way to make it into a complete lesson. I wanted to teach the students something that is worthwhile like The Latte Factor by David Bach. I knew exactly what the students would be doing but I did not exactly know how to organize my thoughts.  

So, I kept searching on the internet for other lesson plans that would be similar to my content area and thinking to myself how am I going to start this lesson off. Not only was I frustrated with myself, I was also frustrated with some of my classes because I felt I was not learning anything and that I had to learn everything myself on my own time. I really did feel like it hopeless. But one day when my fellow classmate asked if can use power point for the lesson plan, a light bulb light up and I thought of an idea that would help with the lesson planning process.

So, basically I had a rough draft of my lesson plan and the information I need to complete the lesson but it was not detailed enough. To make detailed, I went through the process of how exactly I would teach the lesson and thought how the “Latte Factor” (Bach, 2004) would be explained. This is when I made an actual power point for the lecture of what I am going to show to my students if I was actually teaching the class.  It was a long process but I feel that it was worth it. Again it was not easy because I was going crazy trying to organize it and to see how the lesson was going to flow. It took may trails and constant practice of what I was going to say and what I would be doing to get the students involve. But overall, as frustrating and time consuming it was I learned a great deal of preparing a lesson plan. Not only was I able to complete it I was able to input information according to the ASSURE model. Even though I am not quite comfortable “Analyzing learners, Stating objectives, Selecting instructional methods, media, and materials, Utilizing media and materials, Requiring learner participation and Evaluating and revising the lesson” (Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J.D., and Smaldino, S.E. , 1999), it was a learning experience for me.

 

 

Reference:

Bach, David (2004). The Automatic Millionaire. New York: BROADWAY BOOKS.

Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J.D., and Smaldino, S.E. , (1999). The ASSURE Model. Retrieved August 30, 1008, from The ASSURE Model Web site: http://www.unca.edu/education/edtech/techcourse/assure.htm