How to Write a Classroom Teacher Syllabus

A teacher syllabus is helpful for teaching a new course.

A classroom teacher syllabus is an organized guide that provides helpful suggestions on how to introduce a subject and teach a series of lessons on a particular topic. This pamphlet is distributed to teachers who are new to the school or those instructors who are assigned a new course. The teacher syllabus contains recommendations that the teachers can use; for example, how to adhere to the curriculum approved by the school district and how to handle classroom situations. The procedure is the same for most subjects, but the details will vary according to the specific subject of the syllabus.

Things You'll Need

• Attractive coversheet

Instructions

1. Use an attractive paper to create an original design for the cover. Print the title of the syllabus in the middle of the page. Place the school district's name in the lower right hand corner. Indicate the name of the superintendent followed by the table of contents on the first page of the syllabus. Also, print the author's name or names of the committee members if the syllabus is written by several people. Plan the material to be used in the pamphlet.

2. Write a course description and objectives. Vary these details according to the topic of the individual syllabus. For example, designate the specific writing goals for a syllabus designed for a writing course. Mention that this course will prepare students for mastering the written language, which is essential for doing well in other classes as well as being proficient in a professional career and daily life.

   Elaborate on how mechanical drawing skills are used if the syllabus is for that course. Gear the objectives toward preparing interested students for taking more advanced drafting courses and ultimately using these objectives as they plan a future vocation.

   Enumerate in a foreign language syllabus the skills the students should attain, such as being able to carry on a conversation in the language, read a book or magazine, as well as gain an extensive vocabulary.

   Incorporate suggestions that demonstrate how the students can realistically achieve these objectives.

3. Explain different types of essay writing, such as narrative, contrast or comparison or argumentative essays. List descriptions of each type of essay writing in the methodology section. Incorporate instructions on writing these essays, including finding a topic, organizing an outline, as well as using appropriate sentence structure and mechanics.

   Mention methods of teaching students letter writing, oral or written reports or research papers. Emphasize the importance of revision. Prepare guidelines for evaluating grammar and spelling. Include correction symbols for essay writing and explain how to correct each error.

   Allow for diagnostic examinations and remedial work for those students who require more help and attention. Suggest individual conferences to evaluate the skills learned.

   List and explain in a mechanical drawing syllabus, for example, possible activities or methodology that teachers can use to achieve the desired goals. Include drawings to be taught and evaluated. List drafting tools and procedures. Cover topics, such as lettering and perspective drawing, and supplement these materials with illustrations. Detail methods that teachers can use in most classes, regardless of subject matter, such as discussion, committee work, reports, written work and oral presentations.

4. Prepare classroom work sheets and provide them in the syllabus for the teachers to distribute. Devise questions to be answered in a social studies syllabus. Develop fill-in-the-blank sheets for use in a language arts syllabus for practicing "who" and "whom" or agreement of subjects and verbs principles. Provide paragraphs with errors for students to correct for homework. Print model essays for students to study.

5. Mention textbooks that teachers generally assign for this subject matter and provide textbook recommendations for additional research. Suggest that pupils keep a record of any references used in their work.

Tips & Warnings

• Edit the syllabus and staple the pages or have a professional bind the work.

• Give the copies to the chairperson or principal for distribution, as needed.

References

• "Multidisciplinary Writing in Senior High School"; Lillian Koppel etc.; 1980
• Honolulu Community College: Syllabus Example Classroom Course
• University of Alaska Southeast: Faculty Handbook Sample Syllabus

Resources

• Iowa State University: Learning Centered Syllabi