Whether you are teaching a one-day seminar or a 12-week certificate class, a curriculum will serve to help you organize your lessons and reach the class goals. A curriculum, handed out at the beginning of the course, gives students an idea of what is expected of them and what they can expect from you. The more thought you put into writing the curriculum, the smoother your class will run.
Instructions
1. List all the topics you want to cover in the class. Write your first list in a brainstorming style, putting down everything that you feel is important without nay thoughts of the final curriculum or how you plan to present it.
2. Break up the list into categories and set up timelines for each category. Eliminate the least important details that won't fit in the allotted time. Include time limits for breakout sessions, group discussions, lectures and breaks. At the end of each session, write down what the homework assignments will be and when they will be due.
3. Leave room for changes as the course progresses. Be flexible and prepare for discussions or questions to exceed your expected time limits. Other topics may end earlier than expected, especially when teaching non-credit classes to adults, the best laid plans can be disrupted. Stick to your curriculum, but when necessary, make adjustments as you go.
4. Add extra items to the curriculum when you are writing it so that you will have prepared topics to fill any sudden voids. They can be listed on the curriculum under a separate category, which states: "if time allows, these subjects will also be covered."
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