One of the greatest lessons that I have learned in my years as an educator is to always be prepared. Start by being prepared for class.  You should never walk into the classroom thinking “I wonder what we should do today?”   Make sure to create an agenda for the day and build a lesson plan to support that agenda.  Review your lesson plan and be ready to present the material.

Sometimes things happen in the school that will knock you off your game plan. So, don’t forget to have a backup plan in mind in case your first plan falls apart.  Whether the computers are crashing or the blow dryers are continuously blowing the circuit breakers, if you have a variety of activities, exercises, and project ideas always ready, no matter what happens to your plan, you will have something to fall back on if needed.

Additionally, you have to be prepared for a variety of student moods.  Students come into school and may be excited, apathetic, cranky, crying, and on and on. Always have a class opening in place that gets them focused on the day’s class.

If you walk into the school prepared for the day, no matter what comes at you, you will be able to handle it.  Remember, proper preparation and planning promotes positive performance!