Coplanning lessons is a collaborative work structure that leads to refinement in teaching practices, articulated curriculum, and student learning. Many lesson-planning templates are available; hence, as colleagues meet to coplan lessons, they should first dialogue about the lesson-planning models they use and select one that is mutually agreeable. Figure 3.1 is an example of a template that teachers have used in their collaborative work. In many instances after teachers coplan lessons, they individually teach the lessons in their classrooms and collect samples of student work. Then they meet, compare the student work generated by the lesson, and dialogue about how they might tweak the lesson. In other cases, if trust is present and schedules permit, the teachers may coteach the lesson.
Many teachers use coplanning to produce interdisciplinary lessons. One pair of teachers developed an integrated English and social studies lesson. Another pair created an integrated math and science lesson. After coplanning three lessons with a colleague, a teacher offered the following reflection:
Working together with a colleague enabled me to witness how another person thinks about organizing for instruction, presenting content, planning for student engagement, and assessing learning. My resources have expanded and the quality of the lesson and student work is enhanced.
Figure 3.1. Template for Collaborative Lesson Planning
A Template for Co-Planning Lessons - table
| Opening Activity (focus task, pre-assessment, overview, purpose, outcomes): |
| Instruction, Modeling, Checking for Understanding: |
| High-Quality Engagement (rubrics/success criteria for work, graphic organizers, comparison tasks, interaction strategies, summarizing, note taking): |
| Guided Practice (with teacher monitoring; making midcourse corrections; providing feedback; remediation): |
| Critical Thinking Skills (which thinking skills are involved and how will students demonstrate these?): |
| Independent Practice (independent work within the classroom or homework): |
| Social-Emotional Learning (personal relevance, acceptance of diversity, sense of belonging, empathy, collaboration structures, handling relationships): |
| Additional Topics for Discussion (e.g., use of technology; student work to be assigned): |
Source: From Peer Coaching to Enrich Professional Practice, School Culture, and Student Learning (pp. 47–48), by P. Robbins, 2015, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.