CFI lesson plan question
02-02-2014, 02:15 PM
#1
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Joined APC: Oct 2007
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 204
CFI lesson plan question
Is it better to make your own lesson plans (it takes me about 3-4 days per lesson plan, out of 39 lessons), or to buy a pre-made lesson pan such as
The Backseat Pilot
and then modify those lesson plans to aircraft and personal preferences?
It looks like it will take me months to make my own lesson plans, so Im wondering if that time spent would be better put to use by studying and modifying pre-made lesson plans.
Any advice?
The Backseat Pilot
and then modify those lesson plans to aircraft and personal preferences?
It looks like it will take me months to make my own lesson plans, so Im wondering if that time spent would be better put to use by studying and modifying pre-made lesson plans.
Any advice?
02-02-2014, 04:11 PM
#2
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Posts: 834
Many of us had the same question. I chose to make my own and feel I was much better off for it, so were my students; after all, the object is not just to pass the CFI exam, it is also to function effectively and professionally, Etc. Even making your own lesson plans, you will still be studying and modifying. Making your own also allows you to tailor the plans to your teaching style, a specific aircraft, Etc. The plans are also a living document of sorts and you will find the need to modify them. Just doing the research required will make you much more knowledgeable. If you take shortcuts, someone will pay in the end. Don't look at the CFI as just another rating. It carries a big responsibility and involves lots of work. Good luck!
02-02-2014, 04:57 PM
#3
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Don't spend the time and energy required to make your own lesson plans. You aren't reinventing the wheel and you aren't getting paid to do it. DO, however, steal someone else's and tailor it specifically to the person and aircraft. That half hour will translate into a world of difference.
I came from a training system with a standard syllabus for all students, and standardized isntructors who could be easily swapped between students. I still took the time before each lesson to review a student's history and figure out what needed work and what could be skipped. It works.
I came from a training system with a standard syllabus for all students, and standardized isntructors who could be easily swapped between students. I still took the time before each lesson to review a student's history and figure out what needed work and what could be skipped. It works.
02-02-2014, 05:58 PM
#4
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Posts: 292
this is a tough question. I did both, made quite a few of my own before I used backseat pilot. What I highly reccomend as a time saver is get the backseat pilot lesson plans, and then go through and customize it to you needs. I did not fly a DA-20 that was aircraft in the lesson plans. So for the sake of my students I went through and changed it to the Archer specs. (There is a "student" portion you can hand out to ur student) At the same time you "make it yours" so to speak. That way you know what the lesson plan has in it. I actually started using these before I read them through (just changed the aircraft stuff to my needs, airspeeds, limitation etc) and the order it was presented, or the verbage it used was different that I expected. So it caught me a few times as i was presenting w/ students.
02-02-2014, 07:47 PM
#5
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Joined APC: Feb 2013
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by Toonces
Don't spend the time and energy required to make your own lesson plans. You aren't reinventing the wheel and you aren't getting paid to do it. DO, however, steal someone else's and tailor it specifically to the person and aircraft. That half hour will translate into a world of difference.
I came from a training system with a standard syllabus for all students, and standardized isntructors who could be easily swapped between students. I still took the time before each lesson to review a student's history and figure out what needed work and what could be skipped. It works.
I came from a training system with a standard syllabus for all students, and standardized isntructors who could be easily swapped between students. I still took the time before each lesson to review a student's history and figure out what needed work and what could be skipped. It works.
If you are teaching at a standardized 141 school just use the plans the school uses.
Last edited by CFI Guy; 02-02-2014 at 07:48 PM. Reason: Typo
02-27-2014, 04:55 PM
#6
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Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 204
I also have another question, Ive noticed making my lesson plans that each plan is about 10+ pages of content, right now Im on Aeromedical Factors and thats aready 12+ pages.
Is that normal for a beginners lesson plan? Im assuming you cut them down once you hold onto some of that knowledge?
Ive noticed most premade lesson plans are 3-5 pages.
Is that normal for a beginners lesson plan? Im assuming you cut them down once you hold onto some of that knowledge?
Ive noticed most premade lesson plans are 3-5 pages.
03-05-2014, 09:25 AM
#7
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The length is really dependent on the lesson topic being presented. But Aeromedical Factors is one of the longer ones. Off the top of my head, I think mine was 7 or 8 pages. How you format it is another thing. I've noticed a large chunk of people that use full sentences for the whole thing, while others stay true to an outline of key points and phrases. If I used full sentences, I'd be spending too much time looking at the paper.
Premade lessons won't always have everything that you need on there for yourself. The converse is also true, they may have too much info that you don't need there. I wouldn't worry about the length too much. Include whatever you need to include to adequately teach the lesson.
Premade lessons won't always have everything that you need on there for yourself. The converse is also true, they may have too much info that you don't need there. I wouldn't worry about the length too much. Include whatever you need to include to adequately teach the lesson.
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