Need some kind thoughts and helpful ideas

FAOL Community Sound Off
1

I have taken the National FlyFishing in the Schools training. I have the curriculum, the equipment, the location, the students, and 17 years experience teaching History…

WHY DO I FEEL SUCH TREPIDATION ABOUT TEACHING A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS HOW TO FLYFISH FOR THE NEXT WEEK??

It will go well, right? Tell me it will go well!!!

Any tips gladly accepted.

2

It will be fine! but, just in case, take some pliers, you can use them to remove hooks from hands or twisting inatentive ears to get some attention!
All the best.
Mike

3

With your experience, I probably don’t have to tell you;

  1. Tell them what you’re going to teach them.
  2. Teach them what you said you would.
  3. Tell them what you taught them.
    Then have your students;
  4. See one, Do one, teach one.
    That way they can practice what they’ve learned by sharing. Smiles and positive attitudes go a long way.

I’m betting you will be very pleased with the outcome.

4

Here are some thoughts.

Unlike with History (very unfortunately), every student you have is there because they truly want to learn the subject.

You are not there to teach. You are there to share your knowledge and experience.

You will not be doing the grading; the fish will.

If the fish fail to pass a student, it will not affect his/her GPA or college admissions.

Even those who fail to catch a fish will have a great day.

Failing students will probably beg to repeat the class.

5

Barbless Hooks!!

6

Watch out for left handed casters. Automatically stepping up to a students left side can make Jack’s suggestion very important.

7

No hooks…the NFFS uses velcro “flies” and CasTargets to hook the velcro in. But good idea for first actual outing…for the ears…all barbless for hooks…for that reason

8

So it’ll be like the Driver Education classes I teach…cool

9

If you can teach Drivers Ed you obviously have nerves of steel. Just buy a wide brim hat and some good sunglasses before you move to the hook stage, it’s the same thing as being sure the air bag is turned on on the passenger side of the car.

10

Driver ed = classroom. Only a couple of high schools left in CA which teach Driver Training

Sunglasses for the students is good idea though

11

Above all else, have fun!

12

It’s a life skill. Once they learn they will always have the ability to catch fish so you are giving them a gift. Something rare and outside of the traditional curriculum. They’ll love it.
Watch for the lightbulb going on. It’s a hoot.

13

tell them is OK to laugh at themselves as they learn to cast. do not let them get so intense that they get upset when they see someone else do better than they do. unlike in many classes you can see very clearly who is doing better and worse.