Tips and Tricks for an Exceptional Demo Lesson

Demo lessons are important because it allows you to showcase your skills as a teacher. This includes classroom management, time management, collaboration, lesson planning and more! Luckily EarlyDay is here to help you settle those nerves. 

Here are a few tips and tricks us that will help you prepare for your upcoming demo lesson:

1. Ask questions
   Do not assume that you know what a school wants. Ask the school what they expect to see. For example, did they want a read aloud, art activity, or morning meeting activity? Ask how many students there are, if there are any modifications you need to make or any other factors you need to consider. Take into account what educational approach or philosophy they follow. Asking questions is a sign of interest and shows that you want to  put your best foot forward.

2. Come prepared
   Do not assume that the classroom will have the materials you need for your lesson, unless the school says otherwise. Bring enough for each student. It is also highly recommended to write out your lesson plan. Your lesson plan is a cheat sheet to help you keep track of your lesson. Bring two copies, one for the director or whoever is observing you, and one for yourself. 

3. Practice
   Once you have a sense of what your lesson plan is going to be, you can practice implementing your lesson in front of your friends, family, or even the mirror. This way you can get feedback from them on how to improve your lesson, if any. You will see yourself  making minor adjustments the more you practice. If you go into your demo lesson without practicing, there is a higher chance that you might’ve missed something and by that time, it will be too late to reverse the issue. 

4. Ask for feedback
   After you complete your demo lesson, you should always ask for feedback. Ask if there was anything you could improve on, and if there was anything that you did well on. Even if you don’t get this job, you can always apply the feedback to your next demo lesson! You’ll find that with each demo lesson you do. Asking for feedback also shows that you have a desire to improve and be a better teacher! 

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