Syllabus & Lesson Planning Tina Bachman, TADP Coordinator

Objectives Discuss: 1. Rationale for creating syllabi & lesson plans. 2. How to create an effective lesson plan. 3. Sample syllabi & lesson plans.

Syllabi What it is – A schedule, outline, contract: tells students about the course, in some cases sells the course What it isn’t – Notes, lesson plan, bibliography Essential: Contact info (email, office, office hours, phone#), course materials (texts, articles, websites, media links), assignments & due dates, grading scale/breakdown, schedule of topics covered Helpful: Extra resources (readings, tutoring, writing help, websites), classroom policies (re: food, computers, phones), assignment policies (group, individual work), plagiarism policy

Lesson Plan Rationale for lesson plans: Maintain focus on student learning Stay organized and on topic Gives students a sense of direction Help support student learning outcomes Avoid being the absent minded professor

Components of a Lesson Plan Anticipatory set Statement of objectives Instructional input Modeling Check for understanding Guided practice Independent practice Instructional input: Lecture, demo, instructions, explanations Check for understanding: read faces, body language, ask questions Modeling: Demonstrate; show what you tell Guided practice: Help students start practicing new skills and applying new knowledge Independent practice

Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan 1. Outline learning objectives. 2. Develop introduction. 3. Plan specific learning activities. 4. Plan to check for understanding. 5. Develop a conclusion and preview. 6. Create a realistic timeline.

Resources LESSON PLAN SPECIFIC: Hunter, Madeline. Enhancing Teaching. New York: Macmillan, 1993. Teaching Assistant Development Program. University of California, Riverside. “Resources.” www.tadp.ucr.edu. Terrill, John. “Creating Effective Lesson Plans.” Teaching Assistant Development Program. University of California, Riverside. Spring 2013. EFFECTIVE TEACHING at the UNIVERSITY LEVEL: Bain, Ken. What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2004. Lang, James M. A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008. Svinicky, Marilla and Wilbert J. McKeachie. Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. 13th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011.