LINKING TEACHER PLANNERS: THE JIGSAW METHOD

The Jigsaw Method of linking planners is one I have used and implemented several times. It is a clean-cut and straightforward way of ensuring that your staff and the curriculums offered are linked together. It begins with creating an overarching Educational Framework, based on your school’s vision, and then developing the individualized planners in such a way that each one connects, as you can see below:

This diagram of the Jigsaw Method has been done on a very basic level, and both the Language Framework and the Transitional Framework (see also The Role of Planners in Curriculum Mapping) offer a more in-depth explanation of planners designed using this method and the impact they can make.

As shown in the above simplistic diagram, the last column in the mainstream teacher planner is the starting point for a specialist teacher. With the Jigsaw Method, individual teacher planners can change in order to further learning and inspire professional growth; and any column, row or box in the grey areas can move as long as the yellow columns remain constant. Think lock and key scenario – if you change the lock, the key will no longer fit, and the desired effect of the linking the planners will be lost.

Once all the planners at a school have been designed, you end up with a complete puzzle that is encompassed by your school’s vision (Educational Framework) and each puzzle piece within represents a particular subject area and the staff members that teach it, as shown below:

The Jigsaw Method is ideal for schools that:

• want to create a strong cohesive teaching culture.
• are interested in providing staff with individualized planners dependent on subject area.
• are open to allowing teachers to pre-plan units to a certain extent, for example, a school following the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). If a mainstream planner can be completed a few weeks prior to commencing a new unit, then specialists will have the time to plug in their unit plans to better support them.

For some schools implementing the Jigsaw Method in addition to planners designed using the Symbiotic Method is the best way forward, as the symbiotic planners offer even more fluidity and flexibility. It really all depends on your school’s vision and what you hope to achieve.

Is the Jigsaw Method the right fit for your school? Contact us to learn more.

Further Reading

The Power of Planners
Individualized Teacher Planners: Do They Really Work?
How to Use Planners to Change Mindset
Ensuring Relevance and Purpose in Learning
Is YOUR School Suffering from Planner Malfunction?

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