Emergency Lesson Plans
Has anyone had to deal with "emergency lesson plans"? I was told by a supervisor that they are standard.
The school where I work requires instructors to keep a folder of emergency plans on file in the office. It has proven helpful on many occasions. For instance, if a teacher is unexpectedly absent, and no sub is available, other teachers are tapped to cover that class..sometimes only for a half hour. Having very general emergency plans keeps everyone on the same page.
You made a good point, Jennifer. I teach web design, and if for some reason the Internet is not working or some other technical issue is happening, I'd probably have to fall back on facilitating a theoretical discussion, or perhaps talk about current trends in the industry. As you mentioned, the students don't want to feel it was a waste to go to class that day, especially if they have a long commute.
Thomas,
I agree. Instructors should expect that obstacles will occur, during the course of a class. Keeping emergency lesson plans ensures that the class does not suffer, when the instructor is out for a session.
Tremayne Simpson
Thomas,
I agree. Instructors should expect that obstacles will occur, during the course of a class. Keeping emergency lesson plans ensures that the class does not suffer, when the instructor is out for a session.
Tremayne Simpson
I had to deal with one last week, when I was caught trying to return from San Francisco to San Antonio with all the bad winter weather resulting in delayed or cancelled flights. Fortunately, a special "substitute" lesson plan had been submitted every semester for such an emergency. It worked perfectly. You should always have a lesson plan you can "pull off the shelf" for these unexpected absences from class.
It is always a good idea to have a backup plaqn in case the technology you are using does not respond
after teaching a certain subject for so long you know automatically what needs to be covered and how long you have to present it.
Janice,
This is an excellent example of why emergency lesson plans are essential. Ensuring that the substitute instructor is prepared for the class session, not only assists them, but it also provides the students with a viable class session, in the absence of their instructors. Students should never think that a day is "wasted" if their instructor is absent.
Tremayne Simpson
I had my first experience with emergency lesson plans last month. I agreed to substitute for a fellow college instructor who had a family emergency and she was going to be out of town for 3 classes. Her emergency lesson plan read "teach chapters 4, 5, and 6". That was it. I was not familiar with the subject, I did not have a textbook and I had two days to prepare for the first 2 hour lecture. I ended up investing A LOT of time and energy into preparing lesson plans for those students and I felt that I learned a lot from that experience. Sometimes learning what not to do is just as valuable as learning what to do. I now have a better appreciation of what I need to have in my emergency lesson plan and I know that the lesson plan needs to be complete so that someone else can step in and teach the lesson.
yes I agree, I was asked to fill in for an instructor who called out sick and I had no material to teach the lesson, I had to wing it. It was stressful for me.
Emergency lesson plans are vital to students if the regular instructor is not available. But unfortunately they sometimes do not coexsist with the regular plans. Instructors should provide a project that will compliment the lessons that are being done during the week and change that project to compliment each week. Not hard if you are teaching the same class all the time.
Yes I agree, a back up is very important. I work with motorized units and from day to day they can have a mind of there own. I aways try to have a solution for a problem, by incorperating a diagnostic into the trouble and kill 2 birds with one stone.
wendy,
I agree. It is important that instructors implement different approaches, especially when presenting difficult material. I find that it is best to assume that the students will struggle with adapting to the "difficult material" and create a strategy to present it in a diverse series of activities (perhaps a lecture and discussion, followed by an activity that will enable them to apply the concept).
Tremayne Simpson
I learned the hard way that I have to be prepared with a "back up plan".....especially when teaching difficult material. If the students don't seem to be grasping the material, I try to have a different approach to the subject matter ready to go.....
Yes I have had to have emergency lesson plans, I think of them as when we were in school and had to stay in on rainy days.
Emergency lesson plans are important just in case you are out for an emergency and the instruction for your students will not be hindered from learning because of your absence.
Patricia,
I agree...it always seems as if the copiers are broken, right at the time that you need them the most. It is a good idea to post all course-related documents to the student portal, so that the students can access the materials, just in case copies are not available for them.
Tremayne Simpson
I try to keep all copied material printed ahead of time. The copier is frequently down making it impossible to make copies. Plan ahead. Emergency time can be an assignment that is moved for many reasons. It can also be used at the end of the term if not beforehand.
William,
Generally, it is a good idea for instructors to keep "emergency plans", just in case an unforseen issue occurs. Emergency plans generally take the form of a planned activity or collaborative assignment, for instances when a substitute is assigned to the course, that is not credentialled to teach the class.
Tremayne Simpson
