Efficient
Ultimatley a well compiled lesson plan contributes to you becoming a more efficient instructor and creating a positive learning enviroment.
As my father always said. Failure you to plan is a plan to fail. A good lesson plan enables the instructor to hit all the points for the day. As an instructor myself, I have a tendancy to get so excited about certain topics that I may not get though my entire lesson plan if it is not typed out and orderly.
Alexadner,
I agree. The structure of the lesson plan should be based on the instructor's approach to time management. For instance, some instructors need to have "highly detailed" lesson plans, whereas others only need simple "bullet points" to outline the session. I advise instructors to use the style that they are comfortable with and to not simply "copy" the style of another instructor.
Tremayne Simpson
yes, there will be items we favor so we will talk about them with more enthusiasm and we may tend over look some items with out a good lesson plan..
I am totally guilty of this; there are topics I absolutely love and topics I absolutely loathe. I think a valid solution is scheduling a guest speaker to come in and cover the subject matter giving us 'trouble.' I have to say that 95% of every course I teach there is something I love and the other 5%, field trips and guest speakers! The students get so much more from speakers that are excited about what they are talking about, and it gives the students a reprieve from my ramblings and soapbox rides.
William,
This is a valid point. Students usually are aware when their instructor is presenting a topic that they are uncomfortable with or typically not fond of. This would be a great opportunity to bring in a "another voice", video or expert in the field, to discuss with the students.
Tremayne Simpson
I try to be as organized as possible, it just makes life easier! I think a lesson plan helps the instructor be more organized, but ultimately it mostly helps students be more organized and plan their time more efficiently. They know what they will be doing not only on "that day", but throughout the course and plan for it.
