How do we take our learners on a journey that appears smooth and effortless? How do we make our classes learner-centered instead of instructor-centered? How do we appear to be Subject Matter Experts, even when we are not? The answer is simple. Always take the time to review.
We all know the importance of conducting reviews with our learners during the workshop, but did you know that it is equally important for us, as instructors, to take the time to review a course before we go into the classroom? Review should always be part of our preparation. Now it may be a “no-brainer” to review a course before we roll it out for the first or second time. But what about the courses we have taught so many times that the words flow effortlessly off our tongues? As one of my favorite quotes declares, “To teach is to learn twice.” We may feel that we have mastered the course because we are comfortable with the content and flow therefore there is no need to review. I would caution us all not to take that attitude because there is such value in a review, even if we know the course well.
I find that there is always something new to discover about a course. The first time we roll out a course we are basically delivering the foundation – the skeleton. In fact, for many of us it is our hope to “Be Alive at Five” the first time we roll out a course. However, each time we teach a course we get better. And each time we review a course, we are able to place more meat on the bones. It’s been my experience that no matter how many times I have taught a course, each time I review it, I discover something new I can say or do. It is important for us, as trainers, to continue to have those light-bulb moments so we can stay fresh and on top of our game and not become bored with our material.
So, when learners tell us how the course flowed effortlessly, or how knowledgeable we were, you can smile, add a wink, and let them know the magic is in the review.
Linda
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Hi Linda,
I am a trainer for Wawa and I will be doing a presentation that relates to training at an upcoming meeting. I love your thoughts on reviewing training material throughly, our processes and new programs are constantly changing. Do you have any more information on this topic that I can use in my presentation?
Hi Danny,
Thank you for your comment. I would need to know more about your presentation and the factors around the constant change in your processes and programs to be helpful. However the key point in the topic of review is instructor preparation. Instructors should be given the time to learn the courses they will be delivering. If they are constantly given new courses because of the changes that you mentioned, they should be given ample time to learn them so that they are set up for success. I wish you all the best with your presentation and perhaps we will see you in one of our Langevin courses.