Learning Domains

In our Lesson Planning Workshop we discuss learning domains and effective lesson planning.  As an educator who has been in the business of teaching for over thirty years, I am continually amazed at the fact that so many practicing teachers do not ever stop to consider that children learn in different ways.  Please allow me to give you a hypothetical situation.

Suppose that Mr. Smith were to create a lesson plan for his fifth grade social studies class.  Now, Mr. Smith’s lesson plan consists entirely of, (1) reading a chapter in the book, (2) a lecture, (3) a series of questions at the end of the chapter and (4) a test.  Unfortunately this is a traditional social studies lesson plan that is used much more often in American education today than should be.  I liken this type of lesson planning to the “one size fits all” philosophy.

Please allow me to use this same “one size fits all” philosophy to the field of medicine.  Suppose that Dr. Jones walks into the hospital and goes to the third floor.  He gives the head nurse a chart with prescriptive medicine for all the patients on that floor.  As the nurse reviews the medication, she is relieved.  Everyone gets the same medicine.  She definitely won’t need to worry about getting the patients’ medicine mixed up.

Ridiculous? Of course it is.  We would never assume that all the patients on a particular hospital floor would need the exact same medicine.  Why then are we so prone in education to assume that all students can learn in the same way, at the same time, with the same materials?

As you become more and more involved in the teaching of students, I hope that you will also see the value of, and need for, you to have a clear understanding of the various learning domains.  You should incorporate them into your effective lesson plans.

Recently, I have seen commercials on television for a particular cancer treatment center.  I’m not sure of the name, but it doesn’t really matter.  The commercial has an older gentleman telling about his experience with the treatment center and how wonderful it was.  He concludes by saying that the center did not just treat his cancer; they treated him as a whole person.  The same thing is true with education.  We can not just teach social studies, or math, or English, etc.  We must teach the whole student.

About two years ago, I was asked to attend an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting for one of our second grade students.  This particular student, I’ll call him Johnny, was suffering from Cerebral Palsy.  He had a great deal of difficulty writing because he could not control the muscles in his hands enough to write legibly.  The solution to Johnny’s problem seemed rather clear to all of us at the meeting except the classroom teacher.  We suggested that the teacher allow Johnny to complete his assignments using a computer – the teacher had five student computers in her classroom and a printer.  Needless to say, I was astonished when the teacher said that she was opposed to this idea.  Was her opposition due to the fact that she thought Johnny would be better off making whatever feeble attempt he could to write?  No.  Was her opposition due to her feeling that Johnny would be better off if he would make every effort to overcome his handicap? No.  Her opposition was due to her opinion that it would be unfair to the other students. 

Now, I understand that we are not discussing how we should accommodate handicapped students.  However, I believe that this teacher missed the point on two counts.  The first and obvious was the fact that fairness to the other students was not at issue here.  What was at issue was what was fair to Johnny.  But I also believe that the teacher also misunderstood that fact that “fairness” itself was not even at issue.  Being able to complete assignments was a right that Johnny had.  We did institute a plan where Johnny could use the computer to complete his assignments.

There is even a larger issue that the teacher missed in this situation.  That issue is that learning is made up of the various domains that we discuss in our Lesson Planning Workshops.  Evidently the teacher either does not realize the existence and importance of the various domains.  I believe that, had she been aware of this aspect of learning, the whole issue of using a computer would have been immaterial to her. 

Lesson Planning

It is one thing to be aware of the learning domains, and an entirely different thing to use that knowledge effectively.  I know that I should change my oil every 3000 miles or so.  However, if I don’t change my oil, simply knowing about it is of no use to me at all.  So, how do I make the knowledge useful to me?  When I have my oil changed, the technician gives me a little sticker to put on my window to remind me to change the oil.

When I first started teaching, we used a “Lesson Plan Book.”  The pages of the book were divided into little squares that we were supposed to write our “lesson” in.  Can you guess what my lesson plans consisted of?  Well, it was things like, “read chapter 2,” do questions 1-4 on page 37,” and “discuss the Civil War.”  Not exactly the most progressive lesson plans that ever existed. 

Effective lesson plans are like a road map.  They tell us everything we need to know about the lesson and how to present it.  It leaves nothing chance.  Effective lesson plans provide a much needed structure for the teacher.  It provides a logical progression from objective to evaluation.  The plans are based on learning goals and objectives, they provide accountability for skills being taught and an opportunity for teacher reflection.  Obviously, much more than my lesson plans of thirty years ago that stated, “do questions 1 through 4 on page 37!”

There are several good models for creating effective lesson plans.  The Madeline Hunter Model is an excellent example.  To be an effective teacher, you must have an effective plan.  As my dad used to tell me, plan your work and work you plan.  Teaching is no different.