Preparing to Teach a Pre-Designed Model Course
Image credit: Marina M., Pexels, 2026
When I began teaching in 2004, my school provided a pre-designed curriculum that teachers were expected to adapt to meet the needs of diverse learners. My colleague in a nearby school was not given a curriculum, and was tasked with generating daily lessons to meet a set of learning outcomes and standards.
The debate between pre-packaged curriculum and designing from scratch is a longstanding debate across all levels of education. Which format is better for students? Which is better for teachers? Research suggests there isn’t a simple answer. There are benefits and challenges with each.
For example, a packaged curriculum can benefit education by giving everyone a clear and consistent learning experience while reducing the amount of curriculum planning teachers have to do (Brown & Kang, 2024). At the same time, according to Dr. Christina Compton (2022), if you're provided with a standard course curriculum, "there’s often a surprising amount of tweaking and adapting involved to make sure the curricula fits the [academic] calendar…and most importantly, that it meets the needs and interests of all students."
If you are teaching a pre-designed model course, here are professor tips for preparing to teach:
Prime your Teacher Mindset: My teaching colleague who began without a curriculum used to envy that I had content and a structure to follow, especially when things got busy for him. I, on the other hand, longed for more autonomy and found ways to bring out my voice. In retrospect, I see the value in having a set, flexible pathway to keep my students moving toward learning outcomes. Keep in mind that both pre-designed curriculum and open-design instruction are still common across in-person and online courses, and neither have been documented as "better or worse." It is the teacher who can bring out the best learning from students. This teaching mindset toward pre-packaged content can boost student investment and learning.
Complete the Course First! Students are the ones to complete a course and not the professors, right? When accepting to teach a provided course curriculum, whether online or in-person, sitting in the "seat of the learner" before you start to teach helps you as the professor to understand what students will experience along the way. What is clear about the content? What is unclear? Which parts might be easy to complete with AI, and how can you frame expectations to invest students in responsible AI use? Doing the coursework yourself will help you proactively direct students. When several colleagues are teaching the same course, I find it useful to divide it out and meet together as a collaborative educator preparation process - and we have fun doing it.
Completing, or at least studying, the course as the professor also allows you to become versed in the content to guide students and respond to their questions. Though you've been hired as the expert educator, packaged curricular content might include readings, resources, and a structure or cadence with which you are not familiar. Part of academic preparation also involves becoming familiar with the content and course structure.
Ask Questions: As you review pre-designed course materials and structure, more than likely, you will have questions about what is required and what is flexible. If you're teaching in person, are you expected to cover the sequence as is? If you're teaching an online course, are you able to adjust the structure and flow based on your professional discretion or perhaps replace a reading with something you find more relevant? Note down questions and ideas for what you'd like to change, what you'd like to keep as is, and reach out to your Academic Leadership to determine what's possible.
Interact with Your Students: In any modality of structured curriculum, including teaching online asynchronous courses, humanize the learning experience where possible. Students are counting on professors to enhance their personal and professional growth within and beyond the readings and resources. In what ways will you ensure students feel your professor presence and investment in their personalized learning of structured course content?
Communicate proactively: Providing announcement (NYU login required) reminders to students in your LMS can help students navigate structured course content and expectations.
Be responsive: If weekly reflections or online discussion posts are part of the pre-designed student learning experience, respond to students' posts to enhance accountability and offer a human response.
Provide feedback: Provide clear, meaningful feedback on student assignments to push their growth and include resources to enhance a specific learner's experience or area of interest.
Check in together: Consider inviting students to 15-minute office hour check-ins to get to know them personally, supplement and support their learning, and give them a chance to ask you questions.
Convey your expertise: Include supplemental resources specific to your niche interests as the professor. Students are excited, above all, to learn from you.
Continuously Learn About Teaching Pedagogy and Technology: The landscape of learning and teaching is always changing. Consider attending a Nexus workshop (NYU login required) accessing Nexus resources to stay active in your own professional development.
References
Brown, C., & Lenger Kang, R. (2024). Beyond the package: Analyze, adopt & adapt curriculum. Center for Professional Education of Teachers, Teachers College, Columbia University. https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/teaching-today-episode-summaries/beyond-the-package-analyze-adopt-adapt-curriculum
Compton, C. (2022, June 17). Adapting packaged curricula: Promising practices for making it your own. Center for Professional Education of Teachers, Teachers College, Columbia University. https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/adapting-packaged-curricula-promising-practices-for-making-it-your-own
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