Six Months Prior>>Three Months Prior>>One Month Prior>>During and After
Six Months Prior
- Define course goals.
- Determine course content.
- Think about appropriate teaching methods.
- Begin reviewing possible texts.
- If team-teaching, begin discussing course goals, teaching philosophies, course content, teaching methods, and course policies, as well as specific responsibilities for each instructor.
Three Months Prior
- Begin to develop course schedule and syllabus.
- Develop teaching methods and tools.
- Determine how you will evaluate student learning: plan assignments and exams.
- Order text(s) and other materials, including films, videos, or software.
- If planning to use instructional technology or multimedia equipment, reserve a classroom that has all the necessary components.
- Contact guest speakers.
- Arrange field trips and other activities.
One Month Prior
- Define course policies.
- Refine the course syllabus.
- Begin to compose lesson plans or lecture notes.
- Seek training on how to use instructional technology and multimedia systems; have any necessary additional software installed.
- Call bookstore to make sure books have arrived.
During and After
- Take a few, brief notes after every class session; these notes will remind you of what went well and what you would like to change after the course has concluded.
- Review student evaluations.
- Refine the course design, responding to student evaluations and reflecting on your own evaluation of the course.
*For further details on the course-planning process, see Planning a Course.
© 2009, The Teaching Center, Washington University in St. Louis