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One of the best ways a teacher can prepare for class, is by developing a lesson plan. Personally, I feel that establishing a positive, confident, and effective learning space is highly based on the classroom organization. Creating a lesson plan can make sure that all three things listed above can be achieved. In the following paragraphs, I will dive into specific detail as to how this can be done. To begin, by preparing a lesson outline in advance, the teacher will maintain control over the class and never have to pause and figure out what the next steps are. The lesson plan is essentially a check list that teachers can use to ensure that everything within the course book for that day is covered and understood by the students. Maintaining control over the classroom will provide students with more confidence in the teacher, as well as help build a better rapport between the teacher and the students. On another note, a lesson plan will always contain a learner objective. The learner objective is what the teacher would like all students to comprehend by the end of that specific lesson. A learner objective can often be missed if a teacher arrives to class without a plan. Speaking from experience as a student, I can tell when a teacher has not adequately prepared for the lesson. Often conversations can become never ending and lead to topics that are not relevant to the course. It can become confusing for students when there appears to be no specific structure present. By writing down what the teacher would like the students to know and understand by the end of a class, the teacher can then base a productive and time efficient lesson to achieve that goal. Study materials can also be prepared in advance to aid any students that may be struggling. Furthermore, by developing a positive rapport with students by demonstrating organization, the students are more likely to be engaged in classroom activities and assignments. From a personal standpoint, when students are more engaged in the classroom, it leads to better performance outcomes. I have found that with my professors, if they are not interactive with the students or organized, it causes confusion and self-doubt about learning the material. However, whenever my professors have come to class prepared, optimistic and are open to classroom engagement, I have absorbed material and been motivated and confident that I can handle the course. To conclude, a teacher with successful students is a teacher well prepared. A lesson plan is a simple task that can impact the final results of the students. It is important to note that when developing a plan, there can be wiggle room in case something pops up. Does a lesson plan need to be followed word by word? Absolutely not! The main intention of a lesson plan is to have a structured guideline to help achieve the learner objective for that specific day. It is a simple and quick task that can go a long way. I believe that teachers of every level and every course should be constructing a lesson plan prior to class. To quote Benjamin Franklin, “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.”
