Catechetical lessons (e.g., Bible and confirmation classes) should be planned no less than sermons. Each lesson should have an objective that can be simply stated. Just as it is true that one does not truly know something if he can’t state it simply, neither can one teach clearly if he does not know what he intends to teach. Parish pastors are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what must be taught. How can one fit a lifetime of Christian catechesis and scriptural knowledge into a series of new member confirmation sessions? “You can’t teach everything. There is simply too much to know and too little time to teach it. Planning involves choosing” (Coupland 34). Just because I have covered something or something came up in discussion does not mean I have taught it.
A good lesson outline will include preview and review in both the opening and closing of the lesson, review being one of the most effective teaching techniques. Lesson questions should be prepared beforehand, even if they do not all end up being used. Especially important questions can be shown via handout or slide. Open-ended questions often begin with the words “why?” and “how?”.
Daniel B. Coupland, Tried and True: A Primer on Sound Pedagogy.