BE PREPARED: FIVE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

A teacher can never precisely predict what will happen in any given lesson. The students may or may not be motivated on a particular day, an outdoor activity may be met with rain, a piece of equipment may turn up missing or broken, or a host of other unanticipated events may unfold. When a lesson does not go according to the plan, a skillful teacher is prepared to accommodate the change and meet the new challenges. Research suggests that experienced teachers give thought to selected and unpredictable aspects of the lesson and have contingency plans ready. Some of these plans are prepared before class, and some are formulated as the class progresses. If you can answer the following questions before the start of each lesson, you should be prepared for most contingencies and be well on your way to an organized, purposeful lesson.

WHO AM I TEACHING?

Analyzing and identifying student backgrounds, interests, and lifestyles allows teachers to tailor activities and teaching styles to fit the particular personalities in class and to select activities better suited to students when changes are deemed necessary. As changes develop in students (e.g., frustration, boredom, skill mastery), the activities or teaching style can be altered to accommodate the learners' traits. In teaching sports and physical activities, it's particularly helpful to understand the students previous experiences and knowledge in sport and physical activity, personality traits and motivation, current fitness levels, and personal interests.

WHERE AM I TEACHING?

The facilities and location of instruction may significantly affect the lesson. Construction work near an outdoor court has a way of distracting students' attention and drowning the teacher's words. Knowing the size and condition of the learning area helps in selecting class activities. Recognizing the possibilities of rearranging facilities to accommodate learners is also useful information. Locating alternative areas for teaching and knowing how to quickly get there can often salvage a lesson when the primary teaching station becomes unavailable.

Student comfort and safety should be prime considerations. It's difficult to learn new skills with the sun in your eyes or while shivering from cold. And knowing how an injured student can be treated or evacuated for assistance are two pieces of information possessed by every prepared teacher.

WHAT DO I HAVE to TEACH WITH?

Skillful teachers find novel and clever ways of using equipment and supplies to help someone learn a new skill. Taking a mental inventory of available equipment gives a teacher an advantage when selecting alternative activities during the lesson. For a novice teacher, a beanbag is something to be tossed and caught. For the experienced teacher, a beanbag isn't just for learning to throw and catch; it can also serve as a boundary marker, a target, a tool to teach balance, or a host of other options depending on the needs of the teacher and students. Many experienced teachers have found ways to make needed equipment and have discovered imaginative learning devices in such places as kitches, garage sales, and storage rooms. Those who make the most of available resources are generally able to find solutions to any teaching challenge.

HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE?

Knowing the time available for instruction is an important element for keeping the lesson well paced and moving toward the established goal. When deciding to make a change, consider the time remaining so that a class can maintain balance between its opening, main body, and closing. Changing activities with only a few minutes left in the lesson, they are better made sooner than later. If the current activity is in need of changing but little time remains, perhaps a discussion with students may be a better option than prolonging a failing activity. Experienced teachers will always reserve a few minutes at the end of the lesson for a review and summary. A lesson is orchestrated, and in order for the flow and momentum to build, teachers need to tbe aware of time.

WHAT AM I TRYING to ACCOMPLISH?

Perhaps the most important question when preparing a lesson is what you are trying to accomplish. When the lesson fails to accomplish its original intent, have a clear vision of the lesson's mission to make appropriate in-class decisions. In determining the quality of the lesson or the appropriateness of a particular activity, first check to see whether the activity is moving the lesson toward the intended goal. If not, changes are needed for the lesson to be successful. When things begin to unravel in a lesson, your first question should not be "What do i do now?" but rather "what are we trying to accomplish here?". The answer to the second question will often lead to an answer to the first.

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND BE PREPARED