Be prepared
lesson planning can seem relatively easy, but it is important to be prepared for class each day. you never know which questions students will ask!
China,
Right you are about lesson plans being guides. They are just that so when your class does go off track you can have the needed discussion and then come back to the topic and move forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree being prepared is very important! You should prepare yourself the day before. Lesson plans alwyas help you to stay on track but sometimes you have those questions that make you get off track and also student that want you to go futher into detail with a topic because of not clearly understanding.
Ndidi,
You can't be over prepared. It is always good as you say to review and try to anticipate what questions might be asked. On the other hand it seems that no matter how prepared you are there are always questions asked that you don't know the answer to and as a result you and your students get to research the answers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Apart from our lesson plann which help to guide the teachers, it is always a good plan to prepare for your class even after doing your lesson plan to read through the chapters you are goin to teach like was saidby somebody " you never know what question student will ask".
Elizabeth,
Go ahead have them find the answer and then report on it at the next class. This will get them involved as well as direct them to ask questions that are relevant because they will end up answering them if you don't know the answer. As you know a lot of students ask questions just to challenge the instructor or derail the discussion so by having them answer the questions this does not happen.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I do believe you have to come as prepared as possible for class each day. THere will always be once when a student ask you a question you do not know the answer to. I am always honest and state it is a good question. I always state I will do my best to find out the answer to their question. I research and answer them the next day. I never thought of having them research and present the answer to class. I might use that next time.
Emily,
If you lose the confidence of your students you are going to have a very difficult time being the learning leader. This is why you have to be prepared each and every time you enter the classroom or lab.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
So important to be prepared otherwise students may laugh at you.
I agree! I spend several hours researching various topics that "may" come up in discussions.
Dejan,
When we do this we can get an understanding of the types of supports needed by our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
i think it is important to put ourselves in students shoes.
Melanie,
This happens to me as well. Just goes to show that learning is an ongoing process for us all.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have been teaching this class for years, but I still get a question every now and then that I just don't know. I will turn it around and ask them what they think and offer extra points to research it. Or, I confess and research it myself and give them the answer the following day
