chapter 3 absract and reflection

This chapter introduces to us the backwards planning model and the three steps that are associated with this model. This model was designed to teach the "big ideas" within any given content area, so that we as teachers don't overload the students with boring information that they will forget in a few days down the road. Throughout the chapter it is stressed that improving student learning in a content area is better then flying through the material so that it can all be put on one big giant standardized test. The model shows us how to make a lesson/unit plan by going backwards and starting with the established goal. From there a teacher can make a clear plan that anyone could follow!

Now after having used the backward design model, so far all of us love it. We now know what teachers have to go through every time they want to create a class lesson plan. We like the fact that so far it is pretty easy to do based on the fact that we develop the goal first and then proceed from there. We believe that it may be more work for the teacher, but it will help the students out more in the end that is what the teacher is there for. They are there for the students and even though it makes more work for the teacher it ends up being better in the end. We strongly feel that this makes the teacher better and that allows for the students to learn more and feel comfortable about the stuff that they have been taught. We think that it should also be mandatory for all teachers to have to create a lesson plan using the backward design plan and that all of the schools in Maine should be made to do this. We agree with out teacher Dr. Grace when she says that it only makes us better when it comes time to teach! She will find a way for all of us to become successful in planning lesson plans and units based off of the backward design model!