A lot can happen in a few moments- especially in a fast-paced classroom. What if you missed the first few minutes of instruction in a class you are already having difficulty in? Chances are that you won't feel so hot on a class that you're not doing well in, so you'll come in late and do even worse. This lesson serves to help illustrate that and emphasize the importance of coming on time to school and other things in life.

Circle Up

Avoid the Obvious

Tell the class that you’re going to teach them how to make a paper crane. Give them each a piece of paper and encourage them to follow along, step by step. However, after a few steps, tell the students to leave the class for a moment. When they return, you will have progressed a few steps, and it will be difficult for them to figure out what to do next because of what they missed.

Define Terms

Punctuality – the quality or habit of adhering to an appointed time… coming on time frequently

Make It Relevant

Ask the students to identify the classes that they find the most difficult, then discuss how missing a lesson may make a class seem more difficult than it would otherwise be. Ask the class to identify how missing instruction could make it much more difficult to succeed in the classes.

Raise the Emotion

Ask the class members to share things they hope to do during their lives, such as "get my driver's license" or "become a doctor". List the responses in a column on the board, then help the class guess what would happen if they missed instruction when preparing for these activities. Relate this to missing instruction time at school.

Main Point

· Most people learn best and can most easily master information when they are present for all of the instruction that is offered.

· Most people have problems learning and mastering information when they miss some of the instruction that is offered.

· Most people have great difficulty learning and mastering information when they miss all of the instruction that is offered.

· Many classes that seem to be very difficult may actually be relatively simple to master if you receive all of the instruction offered.

· Learning can be easy when you're there to learn.

Debrief

Consider how you personally feel about being on time, and if you feel good about it. If you’re on time, why? Why would you come late? How did you develop this habit? Would you like to change it?

Break