Teachers create their lesson plans either through weeks of preparation or within the same day they teach it to their students. Many try to make their lessons memorable and creative but sometimes their ideas don’t work the way they want them to. 

I believe teachers deserve to have some freedom over how they create their lesson plans. With this freedom, they must understand what is an appropriate way to deliver the lessons their students are learning. For some teachers it consists of presenting slides, having students work collaboratively, or searching for innovative ways to engage their students. Perhaps that is creating a game to learn vocab words or using music to memorize key terms. This is the beauty of teaching, being able to teach what you love in all sorts of creative ways, but sometimes one can teach something that may be offensive.

An incident with the teacher at John W. North High School is a reflection of a lesson that hurt and offended many. It was culturally insensitive and mocked the Native American community. It made many uncomfortable including myself. Watching a video of the North teacher’s lesson, I question if this situation could have been avoided. What if another teacher was in the room, could they have stopped the lesson? What if the lesson plan was first reviewed by another colleague? What if… what if… what if? Anything can be avoided; but how can that be achieved?

Researching more into teachers’ curriculum, I came to a conclusion that if the “lesson plan” that the North teacher had presented was reviewed by other colleagues it is a possibility this incident would have never occurred. There is a chance someone would have spoken up, criticizing the way the teacher was attempting to have their students use it to memorize a math term. What one person sees as acceptable may not be the same for another person. In our society, we have different perspectives and that’s why it is important to bounce our ideas off of each other. This way we can see all viewpoints. We may even discover that what we think is a good idea is actually harmful. 

And so my questioning began, how do teachers come up with their lesson plans? According to the North teachers I interviewed, they come up with their lesson plans by seeing what is required for their students to learn in the curriculum they teach. They ensure that what they are teaching will cover the materials needed for their students to understand, based on the standards they must follow. They look for the best ways they can engage their students and grow their excitement to learn. 

Every teacher has a different way of teaching and they have autonomy as to how they present the material their students need to understand. 

“I think we have a lot of freedom. We have a lot of ability to really develop things that we think are going to resonate with our students. But it comes with a level of responsibility that as teachers, I think we really have to not only take seriously but really consider pretty consistently” Ms. Shields, a literature teacher here on North’s campus, states.

 It’s important to understand the freedom one has and how to appropriately use it. If teachers don’t have autonomy as to what they teach we would all learn the same. Schools will seem robotic and there will be no creativity. In each subject, however, there is more room for a teacher to be creative compared to other subjects. For instance, in math, there really isn’t much room for creativity like there would be in literature class. 

Mrs. Schive, a math teacher on campus claims, “In teaching, teachers follow different ways to come up with their lesson plans because they teach different things.” 

That is the beauty of teaching, you can choose what you are passionate about and educate others in the best way possible. 

Coming up with lesson plans, teachers are generally influenced by their colleagues or their students. This is where the concept of bouncing off ideas or your audience plays a role. Personally, these are two qualities I believe to make an outstanding teacher. When a teacher can relate their lesson to you personally it leaves an impact on you. 

“My students do, depending on the demographic of my students, depending on the reading level of my students, depending on where my students are. So if I have students that are lower like I might have a class that’s lower than another class, or I might have a novel that has a higher reading level than what my kids are, that’s going to determine what I pick,” Ms. Preston, a literature teacher here on North’s campus, said.

Along with these influences, there are general protocols that teachers follow. These protocols help them construct an appropriate lesson plan for their students. An example of a protocol teachers have to follow is a Scope and Sequence Curriculum Guide presented by Riverside Unified School District. Literature teachers use this guide to help them come up with plans and cover all the material needed. 

Ms. Preston claims, “it’s a paper that we have that they give to us, and outlines every quarter of the standards. The suggestions of different readings we can do, the enduring questions, and the essential questions that they want us to cover during that quarter.” 

This allows them as teachers to organize their ideas and create an outline for their plans. 

For Mrs. Schive it is different because she is a math teacher. There isn’t really a general protocol they follow but they do follow the concepts given in the curriculum they teach. They deliver their lesson plans based on what they are expected to teach to their students.

 For Ms. Shields, a general protocol she follows is by making sure her students are in an environment they feel safe in. She follows the RUSD protocol by making sure her lesson plans are effectively going through the standard provided. It is important to create a space for students to develop their ideas and learn as much as they can.

At the district level, thinking about getting your students in the audience that you’re talking to. Thinking about being culturally sensitive, culturally appropriate, thinking about age appropriateness, and all of those other things as well,” Ms. Shields said. “Being a teacher there are just kind of natural guides. In order for me to build the best possible relationships and build the best possible lessons for my students.”

Seeing what happened with the North teacher I began to wonder if teachers ever get their study plans approved by other colleagues or administrative personnel. I know all teachers have different ways of educating but do they ever review each other’s plans? Does a teacher ever take the time to do the lesson plan for another teacher to see if it is effective or may need some improvement? 

“Most of the evaluation and review of teachers’ lesson plans occur during their first two years. There is a process where you are a student teacher so you can develop the skills needed to properly teach your students. All teachers have different methods that work for them so what can work for one teacher may not work for another teacher,” Ms. Shields said. “[As teachers we] always assess and look at what we do, and always assess how that’s going to impact and or affect who we’re teaching,” 

Here on North’s campus lesson plans aren’t turned in but teachers collaborate to develop ideas when needed. Teachers discuss their plans but for Mrs. Schive, it is difficult to share her ideas because she is the only IB Math teacher on campus. 

The North teacher’s incident could have been avoided if teachers conducted a test run of their lesson plans for other colleagues to receive feedback. I believe if this lesson plan was talked through someone may have spoken up on the fact that the way the math term was being taught was not appropriate. It was not culturally sensitive and nor was it necessary.

Ms. Preston states, “Yes I believe it could have been avoided if it had been talked out. Or maybe, you know, [they] had consulted maybe different members in [their] department. I believe it could have gone a whole different way, a whole different direction.” 

We don’t know what the North teachers did to make up their plan but I agree with Ms. Preston that it could have been avoided if others reviewed the plan. I’m aware that the incident has been going on for the past seven years and it was in North’s yearbook but did other colleagues really know what the lesson plan consists of? Or did they just see and think nothing of it?

This situation has impacted many, including teachers. It’s important to have a welcoming and safe space for students to learn. This situation with the North teacher made many students uncomfortable and this has impacted some teachers to take the time to discuss it in class. This situation has led teachers to be more alert to their students. 

 According to Ms. Shields, “Teachers are trying to create those spaces where their students feel safe and where their students feel included and where their students don’t feel like they are outcasted in some way.”

“It makes me much more cognizant. It makes me make sure that I’m aware of my kids which I am anyway, but it makes me way more cognizant of or it starts with my kids and the sensitivity of their culture,” Ms. Preston claims.  

For literature, there are concepts in novels that are spoken about so to Ms. Preston she must create a classroom where students can discuss these realities. The incident with the North teacher has built even more awareness for Ms. Preston as a teacher. 

One of the most important aspects of being a teacher is reading a room. In my opinion, a teacher should understand when their students are confused or uncomfortable. They should also reflect on their lesson plans. With reflection, teachers are able to see how they can improve their ways of teaching to help their students understand what is given to them. 

What happened with the North teacher is not a reflection of how North’s campus is. Neither does it speak for how teachers teach on campus. To be able to reflect on something done is a vital step to improving. The North teacher should have been able to read the room of their classroom as it is one of the qualities teachers should obtain. In my classes as a student, I can see my teachers adjust to the mood of the room. Whether that is clarifying something or maybe even realizing that their class needs a day extra to study. 

Someone’s always going to have a different perspective on what you believe in. I wondered if teachers were afraid of the repercussions if they taught something against students’ views. For Mrs. Shields, she doesn’t fear the repercussions because she wants all her students to have a voice. To be able to have a discussion in her class and be open to each other’s opinions. 

What happened with the North teacher has affected students and teachers in many ways. If I were a teacher I would question if my lesson plan can go viral. This is not necessarily a way the teachers I interviewed think but they understand it is a possibility. 

I remember one time during lunch a teacher had a presentation on their board and in big bold letters, it said: “no recording” on the board. In that instant, I questioned if a new fear of students recording was unlocked. It’s already an initial dislike to be recorded that’s why teachers ask their students to ask them before they record. 

“I don’t fear them recording me, but I don’t really like to be on video for any reason. I don’t enjoy seeing myself on video. So I don’t fear that but I don’t. It’s not really something that I would enjoy seeing. However, I will say that, you know, with our long stint as virtual teachers, I have quite a few videos of myself teaching. And I use those to help support students in class, especially if they’re absent particularly this year,” Mrs. Schive said.

The incident with the North teacher has caused much commotion within our district and rightfully so because it was culturally insensitive to the Native American Community. However, it is not a reflection of John W. North. North, a beautiful, diverse, and welcoming campus. From my past three years here I’ve seen students care for each other, make others feel at home, and overall always have a positive attitude. 

“And I don’t like the negative attention brought to our school. Because North is a phenomenal school with phenomenal teachers and phenomenal kids. And I don’t want this to paint a negative connotation of what a Husky is and what we do. There’s a reason we have the kids we have in the program” Ms. Preston said.

Any situation can be avoided but what happened can’t be erased.