Photo by: TeroVesalainen via Pixabay
I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to remember all my passwords. I have so many that my mind is exploding trying to retain them! As we move closer to the new year I pledge to make a list of all my passwords and keep them safe. As an instructor, I think it’s also a good practice to make a list of the critical items we need to remember before we teach. This way we can be prepared for every training session!
I have been a trainer for many years now and have put together a master checklist of things I do before each training session. My checklist includes:
Check Your Equipment
Are all audio-visual aids, projectors, and necessary electronics in good working order?
Check Your Audience Facts
Do you know who you are training? Do you know what’s most important to them? Do you know what they want to learn and why they are attending your training?
Check Your Course Design
Are you aligned with adult learning principles? Was the course designed with plenty of hands-on practice? Do you have a variety of teaching and application methods in place to ensure engagement?
Check Your Training Room
Is it tidy, clean, and ready for a new group of learners? Are all white boards clean, previously used flip charts discarded, markers in place, and materials ready?
Check Yourself
Are you mentally ready to deliver the training session? Did you get plenty of rest the night before? Did you eat a good breakfast? Are you ready to put your problems aside and give your learners your best effort?
Certainly, there are more than five items to check before we deliver training, but these are some of my favorites. In general, it is a good practice to create checklists for yourself as it’s impossible to remember everything to do, say, and think before we teach. So, the more organized you are leading up to the training, the better your performance will be!
In our Advanced Instructional Techniques workshop, we have many checklists to help you facilitate strong training sessions! The Handling Leader Anxiety checklist, for example, is an excellent tool to help with your preparation.
What do you include on your master checklist?
Lynne has been a course leader with Langevin since 2007. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Penn State University and a Master’s degree in Education from Boston University. After working many years in human resources and sales, Lynne transitioned into training, her true passion, where she’s been facilitating since 1994. Her training philosophy is simple—learning should be fun! The essence of a good instructor is someone who can make complex things easy to understand and fun to learn. In her free time, you’ll find Lynne cycling, hiking, downhill skiing, and scuba diving.