Teachers Alter Planning to Improve Learning

Teachers prepare lessons with learning in mind, and all teachers monitor their lessons closely
with a growth mindset. If the lesson doesnt provide optimum learning, teachers will alter their
plans in order to improve overall learning.
Milepost 1
Year 2 teachers made changes to their plans for Geography Skill 1.10 where students made
maps of real places using pictures and symbols. In the first image on the left, teachers planned
for students to make maps of their classrooms. Teachers observed that the learners were able
to create the maps with limited support from the teacher and were operating at a mastering
level. In the second image on the right, teachers made adjustments to their plans to offer more
rigorous learning. Students were given the task of designing maps of one floor in their school
using what they learned about birds eye perspective. Students worked in groups to survey a
floor in the school and create their maps. Students were highly motivated by the challenge of
creating maps that covered a larger space and included more detail.

Milepost 2
Year 3 teachers planned a project based on the ICT 2.5 Skill during the Active Planet Unit. The
first photo shows the original plan for the project which allowed 2-3 days.

After 2 days working on the project, the teachers met and discussed how to improve learning
through this project. They noticed that the students were highly motivated and were naturally
extending their learning. They also noticed that there were a few specific editing skills which
needed to be reviewed. The teachers decided to integrate this project with literacy as well as
extend the timeline to increase and improve learning.

The teachers altered and created a new plan for the project following the needs of the students.

Milepost 3
Senior teachers had students start a knowledge harvest activity before the holidays; however,
they only had one period. The students needed to create a roller coaster on a simulation
website and then draw and label it to show what they knew about forces, energy, sound and
light. The students needed more time to explore the fun-factor and novelty to be able to really
settle down and share their knowledge. They repeated this activity after the holidays. Students
already knew what to do and were immediately able to set up a roller coaster and draw and
label their plans. This time, teachers were able to see what they knew more clearly.

Original Lesson

Altered Lesson

Improved student work after the altered lesson

Teachers Planbook
The Mandarin teachers take notes from each lesson every day to reflect on what learning took
place, they record how the students were learning, how successful the lesson was, and what
can be improved upon.