Start and End with the Linchpin

Overview

Everything that is taught should somehow tie into the linchpin – after all, the entire topic might fall apart if the student doesn’t understand it!

General

1. Remember, the linchpin is what keeps the wagon wheel together
   1. Just like the wagon wheel, the linchpin keeps the lesson together by identifying a single concept or statement
   2. Figure out the one thing that keeps your lesson together
      1. Example – In heart failure, it is essentially “pump” failure because the heart is a pump
2. Begin organizing your lesson on the linchpin
   1. Add concepts that connect to the linchpin
   2. Any pictures that help drive the point home
   3. Did you add anything that somehow could confuse or alter the student’s understanding of the topic?
      1. If so, how necessary is it and how does it tie into your linchpin?
3. All actions and speaking points should somehow tie into the linchpin
   1. Sometimes we have to go review information – try to tie it into the linchpin
   2. Even if it doesn’t directly tie in, connect it in some way
4. Our pedagogy is built on the need-to-know information, not the added bonuses.
   1. The linchpin is the crux of your lesson
   2. If they can live without the info, it’s just fluff, or doesn’t tie to the linchpin, then consider leaving it out.
      1. However, if it makes the user ask why, and you can explain it in a few words, go ahead and add it!
5. Tie your points back to your linchpin
   1. Connections and linchpins are crucial to the student’s understanding
   2. Make sure that you use your points to drive home the linchpin so that they can begin to gain their own understanding of topics!

Assessment

In the document that you started, write down your linchpin for your first lesson. Work with your coach to help develop your linchpin and then think about connecting concepts and how you would tie all the lesson concepts altogether.