09:34
Faizan
If you have been called upon to teach a parenting class, you may be unsure of how to begin. Teaching a parenting class is similar to teaching any class-all you have to do is analyze your audience, decide on a curriculum or a set of topics to cover and create or collect your presentation materials and handouts.
- Decide what type of parenting class you would like to teach. If a specific organization or person asked you to teach a class, chances are you have been told what type of class to organize. If you are allowed to pick the topic, however, some you might consider would be parenting a baby, parenting a toddler, parenting a "tween," parenting a teenager, parenting a college-aged student, single parenting, parenting a spirited child, etc.
- Consider becoming a certified parenting class instructor. Various programs on the Internet offer certification classes and certificate programs. Although it is not necessary to obtain official certification to be a good teacher, such programs may lend more authority to your teaching status.
- Pick the specific objectives that you would like to cover in your class. If you are teaching a class on how to parent an infant, you may want to cover the first year of a child's life or just the first six months. You may want to include life skills such breastfeeding, bottle feeding, diaper changing and basic illnesses; or you may want to aim your instruction only toward behavior modification and child psychology.
- Set the dates and times for the class. Logic dictates that if you wish to cover a large variety of topics, your class may need to be held over several days or weeks; alternately, you could plan a day-long seminar or even offer a "webinar" over the Internet.
- Enlist the help of your class sponsor to purchase materials for the class such as mock babies, posters, diagrams, props, booklets, worksheets and textbooks. If you choose to purchase a pre-packaged parenting class kit from a well-established organization, it may already have a wealth of materials such as instructor training guides, worksheets and pacing suggestions.
- Advertise your parenting class. Depending on the reason you are teaching the class, you may require just a little or a whole lot of advertising. Consider placing an ad in the local newspaper, creating a website for the class series or putting leaflets at local hospitals and pediatricians' offices.
- Teach your class. Afterward, provide a feedback form to the participants. Ask them to tell you what they wish you had covered, what was most and least helpful and any positive comments or constructive criticism they have to offer. Modify your instruction to incorporate these ideas for your next parenting class.
Posted in: Parenting & Family
