How to Prepare To Teach a Course

Teaching a course at any level requires knowledge, authority and the ability to anticipate and answer questions. Your students will expect to learn things they did not know, and to attain the tools necessary to continue learning in whatever subject you are teaching. You may be teaching in front of a few students, in a large lecture hall or online. Whatever the case, you should prepare to teach a course by determining its learning objectives, developing a syllabus, and making lesson plans.

EditSteps

EditDeveloping a Syllabus

1. Establish your goals for the course. Having clear objectives for your course will help you know exactly what to teach, and will help your students realize what they should be learning.^[1] Objectives are meant to give you a way of measuring whether you and the course have achieved what you need to.^[2] Think about:^[3]
   
   • Who are your students?
   • What curricular needs do they and/or your department have?
   • What would you like students to have achieved by the end of the course?
2. Include a statement of learning goals on your syllabus. Write out a set of learning goals for your course (using action verbs) and include it as one of the first sections on your syllabus. You don’t need to have a great number of learning goals for your course; including a few well-thought out goals is best. You don’t have to only teach what is included in your stated goals, but they will serve as a guide. Some examples of learning goals used in actual courses are:^[4]
   
   • Demonstrate the ability to read, evaluate and interpret general economic information.
   • Apply research methods in psychology, including design, data analysis, and interpretation to a research project.
   • Communicate effectively in an oral presentation.
   • Formulate a well-organized argument supported by evidence.
   • Identify major figures and ideas in peace movements from around the world.
3. Think about how you will assess if students are learning.^[5][6] Once you have developed a set of learning goals, you will want to make sure your students are meeting them. Typically, you will determine this based on how students perform on the assignments you provide, but there are other options as well. You will want to write a more or less detailed description of assignments/assessment tools to include in your syllabus. Some typical ways of assessing learning include:
   
   • Quizzes and exams
   • Learning activities (fill in the blank, practice equations, etc.)
   • Presentations
   • Writing assignments (essays, research papers, etc.)
   • Portfolios that gather and introduce a collection of finished work
   • Self-reflective exercises (ask students to describe what they have learned from the course)
4. Develop rubrics for your assignments. In order to determine how a student is performing on any given assignment, you'll want a rubric. Rubrics help you measure student achievement by comparing it to certain levels that you've set. Most rubrics operate on a points or letter-grade scale, such as A/B/C etc. A rubric has four components:^[7]
   
   • A description of the task. This should be a clear set of instructions about what you are asking students to do, such as write an analytical essay or conduct a scientific experiment.
   • Characteristics you will be rating. These are the skills, knowledge, or behavior that you will be observing and grading. For example, you might measure clarity of language for an essay or use of the scientific method for an experiment. Usually, these are listed in rows on the left of the rubric sheet.
   • Levels of mastery. These levels measure how well the student displays the rated characteristics. You can use names (e.g., Exceeds expectations/Meets expectations/Below expectations) or grades (A, B, C, etc). Usually, these are listed in columns across the rubric sheet.
   • Description of each characteristic at each level of mastery. This will explain what each characteristic looks like at each level of mastery. For example, you might say something like "Student has fewer than 5 grammatical errors" for an "A" level of mastery in "clarity of language."
   • You can find many samples of rubrics online,^[8] or you can ask fellow instructors in your department to share theirs with you.
5. Consider course policies. Aside from teaching the content of a particular course and giving assignments, you will also need to articulate expectations and requirements for managing the course. Consider, for instance:^[9]
   
   • Will students be required to purchase textbooks or other materials? Or will they be optional? How will you ensure that course materials are affordable? Will students have to purchase materials all at once, or can they stagger the purchases throughout the term?
   • What will your grading policy be? Your institution, department, or supervisor might require a certain grading policy. If not, you will have to determine how different components of a course will factor into a student’s overall grade or evaluation.
   • Will you accept late or incomplete assignments? Will you allow students to resubmit assignments on which they did not perform well?
   • Is attendance required in your course? If so, how will you keep track of it, and evaluate it? If it is not required, how will you ensure that students are meeting your learning goals?
   • Will you allow students to use electronic devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.) in class? Not at all? Only at certain times?
   • How will you accommodate students who may have special needs? Many institutions have an office dedicated to this concern; if you are not sure if yours has one, ask your supervisor about it. This office may even require that you include an accommodation statement on your syllabus, so check with your department.
6. Draft a course schedule.^[10] Figure out how many weeks and class meeting there are for your course in a given term, and sketch out a basic calendar. Decide which topics, readings, concepts or activities will be covered each session. In addition, schedule examinations, when assignments are due, and any other important dates. You can modify your schedule later, if you need to, but always think about how to schedule your course to help students meet your learning objectives.
   
   • For instance, you might plan to cover more complex topics and assignments later in the term.
   • Likewise, you might schedule activities early in the term that help you see how prepared students are for the course, and to identify any areas that might need special attention.
   • Think about scheduling assignments and activities at a pace students can handle. For instance, you might not want to assign a major assignment immediately before or after a major examination.
   • Remember to block out holidays or other days on which your school is closed. Nothing is worse than working out a beautiful syllabus only to find out that you have scheduled an exam for a holiday.
7. Write a version of your syllabus. The specific components of a syllabus, as well as the order in which they appear, will vary based on the course and/or institutional requirements. However, syllabi commonly include sections on:^[11]
   
   • Basic information (course title and/or number, meeting times, office hours, contact information)
   • A course description
   • Learning goals
   • Materials (books or other supplies required for the course, and/or a list of helpful resources)
   • Requirements (examinations, writing assignments, presentations, participation, etc.)
   • Grading/evaluation policy
   • Course management policies (attendance, use of technology, etc.)
   • Statement on accommodation
   • Statement of honor code (describing expectations to combat plagiarism, for instance)
   • Schedule of class meetings, examinations, assignments, and other significant dates.

EditCreating a Lesson Plan

1. Determine your learning objective(s) for each particular class session. Just as your course as a whole has several broad learning objectives, defined on your syllabus, each lesson plan should outline specific goals. If you have designed your syllabus and course schedule well, this should not be too difficult. Think about:^[12]
   
   • What is the day’s topic? (reading, concept, method, etc.)
   • What do you want students to learn?
   • What do you want students to be able to do or understand at the end of class?
2. Think about how to manage your class time. Your lesson plan should incorporate an amount of activity that is appropriate for the time allotted for the class. Don’t try to do too much, but also make sure that class time is used effectively.^[13]
   
   • Some find it helpful to write out a rough timeline for each lesson. For instance: “We will spend 10 minutes on activity A, then 20 minutes on activity B….”
   • Prioritize activities and/or learning objectives. Place those that you definitely want to cover with students early on in the lesson. If there are others that are optional or could be omitted if you are pressed for time, place them near the end of the lesson plan.
3. Set an introduction, middle, and end.^[14] You can help students understand the information given in a lesson if you preview it for them beforehand, then summarize it afterwards.
   
   • Try giving students a brief introduction at the start of class that explains what you will cover that day (activities, key points, concepts, etc.).
   • After covering the material of a lesson in the middle of a class, close by summarizing what you have done in the session. This helps students retain information. You can also ask students to self-reflect on what they have learned in a discussion or written form.
4. Write out the lesson plan, if desired. You don’t have to write down your lesson plan if you don’t want. Even if you do, it doesn’t need to be a lengthy document. Whether it is written or just “in your head,” just make sure that your lesson plan outlines learning objectives in a way that is effective for you and your students.
   
5. Be ready to alter your lesson plan. Your lesson plan doesn’t have to be fixed. If you notice that a particular activity isn’t working well, for instance, you can move on to something else. Alternatively, if it seems that students want to or need to spend more time on a particular topic or activity, you can do so. Be flexible with your lesson plan, as long it helps to meet your learning objectives.
   

EditManaging Your Course

1. Talk to other instructors about your course. You can learn a lot about teaching by discussing ideas with other instructors. Talking to instructors who have taught the same or similar courses can help you when you are planning your syllabus and lesson plans. You can also gain ideas from them throughout the term.
   
2. Learn who your students are. You don’t need to become best friends with your students. Knowing something about their backgrounds, interests, and future plans, however, can help you teach them more effectively. If you are familiar with your students, you can foster an inclusive classroom environment.^[15] Likewise, students are more likely to be engaged in a course if they feel that their instructor understands and cares about them.
   
   • You can ask students to fill out a brief survey at the beginning of a course that describes any of the following: their background, reason for choosing the course, similar courses taken, interests, etc. You can also meet with students individually in office hours to get to know them.
   • Model diversity and inclusiveness for students by accounting for multiple points of view on a given topic. For instance, if you are teaching “American Literature,” make sure that the course acknowledges a range of perspectives, including those of Native American, European, African, and Asian descent as well as other heritages and perspectives, such as LGBTQ writers. You could do this by including a wide variety of readings, for instance.
   • Don’t assume that students will contact you if they have problems or questions about a course. They might be busy with other courses or work obligations, or be unsure of how to approach you. Be proactive and ask students frequently if they have questions or concerns.
   • Have high expectations for all your students. If you expect that they can and will succeed, they are more likely to. Identify those students that need more assistance, and work to provide it. Don’t assume that a student from a certain background will or will not succeed just because of that background.
   • Don’t assume that all members of a group will share the same opinion. Respect your students as individuals.
   • Have a reasonable policy for accommodating students who will be absent for religious or cultural events, services, and holidays.
   • Don’t assume that students who don’t participate much don’t care about your course. Some students are shy or unaware of how to participate. Identify these students and work with them to develop ways they can be engaged in your course.
3. Keep in touch with your students. You will want to make sure that students can contact you throughout the term, including outside of class hours. Email is a good option, but it is also a good idea to keep regular office hours where students can visit with you and ask any questions about the course or assignments.^[16]
   • If you are teaching an online course, you can either keep office hours (if you have a physical office students can easily visit), or virtual office hours via video conference, email, a forum, etc. Instructors teaching traditional courses can also make use of virtual office hours, if they like.

EditTips

• You can find lots of sample syllabi online, especially by searching on institutional websites.^[17]
• Many institutions have centers devoted to teaching and learning. If yours has one, contact it for assistance in preparing and managing a course.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Prepare to Teach Creative Writing
• Teach Chemistry

EditSources and Citations

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