What do the lesson plans look like?

[Pidge]

I'm still trying to decide between teaching in the U.S. and teaching in England. Right now, England is in the lead, LOL.
What do the lesson plans look like? Are they brief or do they go on for pages?
I'm curious because I just saw a "sample" lesson plan from the U.S. and it had TEN headings for one primary lesson. Good grief.
Here in Canada, no one writes 'em that long. Anywhere from a few sentences to a
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paragraphs.

[clarabelle]

If a student teacher is in, it can be up to 2 pages long for one lesson! But, in my experience, plans consist of usually an introduction, main teaching, Main activity and plenary section all on one line and in boxes. In one school I'm at I don't even get a plan written down, it's all verbal!!!!!

[NuttySupplier]

It also very much depends on whether an OFSTED inspection is looming or not!

I get a weekly timetable, literally on A4 in a table format from the teachers my main school, with the learning objectives and brief description of the activity which will fulfil that learning objective. Then there's separate sheets for Literacy and Numeracy which are much more detailed, but no more than 3 pages for the whole week, and a lot of that is repeated stuff, like key vocabulary for the lesson etc.

I'd be looking at cost of living if I were you trying to decide! Much, much cheaper in the US, not that I'm trying to put you off Pidge!!!
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[Pidge]

I hear you, Nutty! But the U.S. seems extremely restrictive in their teaching, especially compared to Canada. I don't think I'd enjoy it. We're more laid-back over here.

Do you ever have to hand in your lesson plans to the Headmaster for approval?

[NuttySupplier]

From what I see, this again varies... I've taught where we had to hand it in to the Head on the Thursday before the Monday start, but I teach in one place now where they don't even seem to write anything some weeks!

I'd say from what I've seen, and what I'd like to see, the 'norm' is to put your weekly plans, more detailed for Lit and Num, on the school server the week before. That way, the lit and num coordinators can have access to it to check, any parallel teachers or other coordinators can see what's happening across the school, and the head teacher can check whenever they want to too. And that way, if there's a supply teacher in unexpectedly, then the plans are on the server anyway!

[NuttySupplier]

Have a look at the standards site, the numeracy stuff in particular shows how prescriptive lesson plans should be... try here for a very prescriptive 5 day lesson block on fractions and decimals for Year 6 (10/11 year olds):
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A lot of teachers are just printing these off and using them completely as written... but I'm not sure there's enough differentiation in them!

[clarabelle]

Pidge, are you a fellow "Family Guy" lover?!

[NuttySupplier]

And I've still not seen it before! Is it like The Simpsons? Or more like King of the Hill?
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[clarabelle]

Like a naughty version of the Simpsons. It's hilarious!

[Pidge]

Yes, I love the old Family Guy. They brought it back, I watched one episode and didn't find it near as funny as the "classic" episodes.
I love Stewie, I find him hilarious. I've got a very twisted sense of humour.