Resources

Throughout this book we have been developing the image of the work of planning and preparation in terms of a three storey building. The first, second and third storeys consist, respectively, of long-, medium- and short-term planning. To this image we may now add a set of windows, representing educational resources ΓÇô the thinking being that resources enable pupils to look out at the world, whilst also helping to shed light.

This chapter, then, is concerned with the key questions con- cerning resources at the stage of planning and preparing to teach. Which resources, of what type, should we use? How should we select or create them? What should we plan to do with them?

Resources and their use

LetΓÇÖs switch metaphors for a moment and think of resources as levers. Just as one can gain mechanical advantage through leverage ΓÇô itΓÇÖs easier to open a door by pushing at the side farther from the hinge, for example ΓÇô so resources can make teaching more powerful. To gain the most leverage, however, we need to select resources well and to use them effectively. This requires careful planning and preparation.

Here we can make use of a simple model. Think of a triangle. At one point we have the teacher. Teachers here have a dual role: they are both resources in themselves and users of resources.