Fail to plan, plan to fail.
If wanted to take a trip to New York, I would not just jump in my car and drive east. There are certain requirements that would have to be meet. That's when a plan comes into play. First, I would have to ensure that the car is running according to manufacturer standards, example are the tires in inflated to the proper amount. As with everything in life you have to have a plan if you want to ensure a successful venture. Teaching is not different. If you walk into the classroom with no guide as to what you are doing then students will know that you are not a prepared person and will use this to their advantage, and that is not the purpose of them being in class. The student will in turn their attention to finding your faults, rather than focusing on the course.
I totally agree. Everytime I have arrived at class without a clear idea of my lesson, it has always been less than effective.
Plan, plan, plan!!!
I really like your analogy. How many times do students actually anyone get an idea to do something without thinking it through. If they think it through they would take the time to plan. If not a person usually gets burned.
If as an instructor you are not prepared the students pick up on that rather quickly. If they are aware they will try to pin you down on things you obviously do not know. If things are planned and you know your stuff the students can not tear apart your lecture or your plan of instruction. If things get off course remember take a deep breat and get back on course to things you know and are familiar with.
Hi Lupe,
Thanks for sharing with the participants your strategy for being prepared to teach. As a new instructor you have a very clear idea of how and what you need to do to be prepared as an instructor.
Keep up the good work. Welcome to the profession of educating the next generation.
Gary
When we fail to develope our course outline for the days lesson, we not only loose our students to an hour or so of wasted energy but also to a loss of what could have been the most important learning experience of the day. Each day brings new learning tools to us and a new sense of direction. Waste not want not! Time and energy are our most valauble tools for learning, most importantly when our plan is in action the outcome is most successful, leaving both the educators and students a feeling of accomplishment. Thankyou Garcia for allowing me to express my feelings on such an important lesson for a new college instructor.Mojica
Nicely stated, and great replies here too. I intend to try to have an alternate plan ready as well as my intended plan.
Hi Kathleen,
Yes, all these things will go wrong at one time or another but just as you have said with good planning you will be prepared for these events and continue on with your instruction.
I always have a Plan B ready since Plan A seems to fail me on a frequent basis.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
The difficulty is when all of the planning has been done and that unforseen thing happens... the AV equipment fails, a participant asks a question you cannot answer on the spot, one page was out of order when you printed up materials... I think good planning also gives us feelings of confidence that lend themselves to the ability to handle these situations with grace.
That is an excellent analogy. Once the car is obtained and a goal destination decided on, one also needs the map on how to get there.
I would bet that if we didn't plan we would end up being embarassed past no return. The students would eat us up. you reputation is a stake in all situations. I just can't see how that would happen, If throwen into unknowen territoy you must be honest with the situation
Excellent response, Raquel! You are on target by identifying one of the core ingredients to effective teaching: instructional planning. This is what an instructional plan might include:
-The learning objectives of the lesson; what do I want students to know or be able to do in order to achieve the desired outcomes?
-What specific skills do they need in order to accomplish the objectives?
-What do they bring to the table that I can utilize and maximize?
-What resources do I need and have in order to effectively implement the lesson?
-What teaching methods and techniques will I use together to introduce and implement the lesson?
-How will I measure student mastery of the topics, procedures or applications?
Perhaps these planning questions might help as a platform to some of your other posted questions as a newer instructor. Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm!
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge/CEE
