Linda Gojak, the president of the NCTM, wrote an excellent article that starts with whether to flip or not but then focuses on what should drive us in lesson creation– no matter the instructional strategy. And in case you missed it on the “flipping front,” Shelley Wright at the Powerful Learning Practice blog joins many others in rethinking the flipped classroom model. She hits a nerve in her readership, as many comments are in response.

Back to Linda’s article, here is a listing of the questions about math lesson creation that she provides. Look to replace your subject matter wherever you find “mathematics,” and you will have an excellent construct to help in your lesson creation efforts. Do read the article in full, as Linda provides excellent, helpful information.

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“Considering some questions about the process can be helpful when deciding how you will structure and present a lesson:

  • Is this instructional approach appropriate for the grade level of students at this time?
  • Can I adapt this strategy so that my lesson incorporates the NCTM Process Standards and encourages students to make sense of the mathematics?
  • Does this lesson build from a rich mathematical task?
  • What questions can I ask students that will encourage them to think more deeply about the mathematics that I want them to understand?
  • How can I encourage rich discussions with and among students as they develop understanding and apply the mathematical ideas in a variety of contexts?
  • Will my instruction help students to reason and make sense of the mathematics in the lesson?
  • In what ways do I anticipate students will represent their thinking about the mathematics?
  • How does the mathematics in this lesson connect to previous concepts as well as future concepts?”