Comprehensive planning is essential to instructional success in the classroom for many reasons. First, my own confidence in teaching the class will be in effect if I have taken the essential time to plan, construct, and review the content and activities I'll be teaching and utilizing in the class. Second, I'm the leader of the team; if I'm not prepared, the students will not have a successful learning experience. Third, a thorough planning and design of the material to be presented will ensure that, if some technical glitch or other wrinkle in the fabric arises, I'll be prepared to take the information in another direction or to move to Plan B. One cannot have a Plan B without planning. Success in the instructional aspect translates into a win/win situation for both the instructor AND the students.
Without exception, I have found the more thoroughly I plan, the better the lesson goes. After I teach a lesson, I start planning for the next time I will teach it. I look at what when well, and where there is room for improvement.
Ryan,
Right you are. With all of this preparation come confidence in the ability to be the learning leader and this sets the stage for student engagement and enhanced learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The more time you have to plan and prepare the better resources you will be able to incorporate into the class.
Jodi,
Instructors that "wing it" end up having challenges from their students. We do need to be prepared and ready to present our content with confidence.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The instructor needs to be more prepared than the student. We want to make sure the topics that are being covered are in line with the objectives of the overall school. An instructor definitely does not want to go into the classroom and "wing it".
Ashley,
My experience as well. I don't understand my colleagues that come into class at the last minute without any preparation and then complain because the class did not go well. You get what you invest and you have outlined how to become invested. Thanks.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find that the more prepared I am--the more comfortable with the material I will be presenting that day--the smoother the delivery goes. This helps the students achieve the day's objectives more efficiently. The more planning I do, the better the lesson is, for both students and myself.
I teach 6 week modules. I have to plan ahead and map out each class to ensure all objectives are covered completely. It is easy to get behind if you don't. Challenging returning students takes lots of time and effort.
Julie,
You did a good job of being prepared for the first class meeting. I like to open a new class with introductions and then an ice breaker where the students interact with each other and share some of their life experiences. These activities help the students to get settled into the class as well as help me get a feel for the demographics of the students so I can plan my instructional choices for future classes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As in my case, I am a first time instructor and was extremely nervous and apprehensive my first day. Having the materials prepared adequately ahead of time and being more familiar with the subject matter would have alleviated a lot of stress for me. Also, I don't want to come across to my students as being unprepared, especially on the first day because first impressions mean a lot.
Mark,
Right you are. It is unfair to students to not be prepared because as the learning leader you are helping to shape their future through the instruction you provide.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Nothing will turn a student off quicker than having an instructor who is not prepared, especially if he/she isn't any good at faking it.
Dean,
Good point and a career killer for sure. If you are not prepared it is easy to lose control of the class and quickly find yourself in a situation that is almost impossible to work out of.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If you are not prepared you look like a bozo in front of the students. You're stumbling and fumbling and you're not giving off a good impression to the students that you're competent to teach the course.
Sharon,
Great point and one I support a lot. Being organized gives confidence to the instructor while demonstrating to students that their instructor is a professional. To do anything less is to short change the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As an instructor, having a well developed lesson plan, and supporting materials prior to the start of class ensures you can focus on developing the student's knowledge and meeting the learning objectives. Students appreciate an organized instructor, who has a clear plan with well developed learning activities. This assists in student engagement and retention.
The course textbook contains significant theory and research results. I use supplemental material to connect the topics to real life circumstances.
Sheretta,
To step into a class and not be prepared is to say "I don't care enough about you as learners to get ready for the class.". This is not only disrespectful but also unprofessional. We have to be prepared to the best of our ability each and every time the class meets.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Because in order for you as a professional instructor to facilatate your class you will need all the imformation for the subject matter at hand. Being prepared will help you do this better, it will also help you stay on track with your lesson.
