CFI Lesson Plans

[Coney]

I've recently begun composing my first lesson plans. However, I'm a little confused about what info the ELEMENTS section is supposed to contain. Please advise. Thanks! -- JJC

 

[bob loblaw]

I don't know if you know this or not but there is an excellent book on the market called ' Flight Instructor Lesson Plans.' Do a Google search for it. It is a spiral bound white book with red lettering on it and has a commander on the front cover. Buy this book and it has lesson plans for Private, Instrument Commercial already done for you. The author is Edwin Quinnlan. I bought this book and used it for my CFI initial checkride. The FSDO Inspector said, " I will give you ten minutes to write up a lesson plan for S-turns across the road." I openned the book and pulled the lesson plan out within 10 seconds and said here you go.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

I've recently begun composing my first lesson plans. However, I'm a little confused about what info the ELEMENTS section is supposed to contain. Please advise. Thanks! -- JJC

If using a lesson plan with "elements" it refers to the pieces that make up the big picture of what you are teaching.

Lets say, for example that you are teaching power-off stalls. The "big picture" is to perform a stall entry and recovery. The "elements" are the pieces of knowledge and skill that you need in order to do it properly. The elements are the pieces that make up the whole. Think about it for a moment. Break a stall down into it's component parts:

aircraft control
understanding the aerodynamic effects (including the potential for a spin)
relative lift on the wings
the use of rudder to maintain coordination
the use of visual, kinesthetic and instrument cues
engine control
maintaining situational awareness
maintaining straight and level flight

You can continue to break it down even further.

It sometimes sound kind of hokey, but the exercise of doing a few of them helps focus your attention on all the little things your student must understand and be able to do in order to do the maneuver properly. A lot of them are basic stepping stones that were covered n prior lessons, but understanding them and how they fit in can also help you identify the pieces instead of seeing your student do it wrong and not being able to figure out why.

 

[Coney]

If using a lesson plan with "elements" it refers to the pieces that make up the big picture of what you are teaching.

Lets say, for example that you are teaching power-off stalls. The "big picture" is to perform a stall entry and recovery. The "elements" are the pieces of knowledge and skill that you need in order to do it properly. The elements are the pieces that make up the whole. Think about it for a moment. Break a stall down into it's component parts:

aircraft control
understanding the aerodynamic effects (including the potential for a spin)
relative lift on the wings
the use of rudder to maintain coordination
the use of visual, kinesthetic and instrument cues
engine control
maintaining situational awareness
maintaining straight and level flight

You can continue to break it down even further.

It sometimes sound kind of hokey, but the exercise of doing a few of them helps focus your attention on all the little things your student must understand and be able to do in order to do the maneuver properly. A lot of them are basic stepping stones that were covered n prior lessons, but understanding them and how they fit in can also help you identify the pieces instead of seeing your student do it wrong and not being able to figure out why.

Thanks, Mark! This makes more sense now. Seeing a good example like that made the difference. -- JJC

 

[cessnajockey454]

I googled the book and found it but it says its not in print anymore and not available. Where do you buy it at?

 

[Acadia]

[FONT=&quot]Write your own. Or at the very least re-write someone else’s so you are likely to learn more about what you are teaching. I am not talking about regurgitating the PTS. I am talking about actually teaching which is something quite a few CFI’s suck at.[/FONT]

 

[aloft]

I googled the book and found it but it says its not in print anymore and not available. Where do you buy it at?

I found my copy on that jetcareers.com site (thanks ESF! :nana2.

Call Marv Goldens, I seem to recall seeing a few copies there last time I was in there (in Aug).