Nothing bad comes from planning. Think about it – planning for a meeting, a business trip, a conference, a special occasion all go over more smoothly if you’ve done a little planning in advance. From the simple list of materials you need to even the outfit you are going to wear, the best outcome of all these instances starts with planning.

Why should it be any different when it comes to teaching? Whether you are teaching math, swim lessons, English, or ballet – lesson planning creates great results for teachers and students. And we all know, happy students lead to happy parents!

5 benefits of using lesson plans 

Great lesson planning includes a few required components: an outline of your lessons, a list of materials needed and the projected outcomes for your students. Whether you plan these learning outcomes for a single student or for a group of them, you’ll need to consider what teaching strategies you’ll use within your lessons.

Lesson planning may seem like an old school concept for some, but it’s definitely still a ‘thing’. That’s why we developed a list of the top 5 benefits of using lesson plans in your youth activity center, so you can start implementing lesson plans at the start of the new year or session.

1. Students respond well to consistency

Knowing that every student in every class is getting consistent training for their skills keeps you confident in the program you are running. While not every swim lesson will be working on their backstroke at the same time, there are plans to progress to that skill eventually in their journey through your program.

2. More organization leads to less stress

Lesson plans create a sense of organization that will have your teachers feeling at ease when they are in the classroom, gym, studio, or pool. Feeling organized will help them to focus their complete attention to the students in class instead of worrying about what they are going to cover in class next .

3. Allows teachers to focus on their strong suit

Teachers are in their position because that is what they are good at – teaching! Let them be good at what they do in the classroom by having lesson plans to act as a simple guideline in class. You want your teachers to be able to put their best foot forward at all times.

4. Everyone has a clear goal in mind

Lesson plans help you and your teachers establish the end goal for each level of classes you offer. Going into the year with the expectation that all level II ballet students can do a solid double pirouette lets your teachers, students, and even parents know what skills are the focal point for the year.

5. Easy evaluation of skills

With established objectives for the class, teachers can quickly evaluate a student’s progress. Being able to easily see where a student stands in achieving a skill helps teachers to communicate accomplishments with parents as well.

How can you manage your lesson plans?

Creating lesson plans is one thing. But, then how do you manage them?

Jackrabbit Class, the leading cloud-based class management software, includes the ability to add lesson plans to your classes. Any time there is a lesson plan attached to a class, the lesson plan is also visible in the staff portal.

With lesson plans available at your teacher’s fingertips (literally), it is much easier for them to follow the lesson plans for their classes without extra effort or preparation.

So, you know lesson plans are beneficial and how to manage them is taken care of. Now, you just need to get to planning!

How do you get started using lesson plans in Jackrabbit Class?

You want to implement lesson plans but let’s be honest here – adding something else to your plate is not an option. Not to worry. Jackrabbit Class is here to help!

Jackrabbit Class is currently working on an connection with LEAP! Learning. LEAP! Learning has lesson plan templates available as well as a library of lesson plans that may be perfect for your program. If nothing else, the templates may stir some creative brainstorming for you.

LEAP! Learning has much more to offer beyond lesson planning. Stay tuned for more progress on Jackrabbit’s exciting and new connection with LEAP! coming up.

Ready to give lesson planning with Jackrabbit Class a try? Sign up today for a free 30-day trial – no strings attached.

Get started with Jackrabbit Class!