# Writing a Syllabus Others Can Reuse

A class does not need a written outline. But if you write one down, another member can teach your class when you cannot, and the class can run again and again. The **Fusion 360 Basics** and **Practical AI** outlines in this book are good models; this page describes the pattern they follow.

## Put it in two parts

- **An instructor outline:** everything the person teaching needs.
- **A student handout:** a one or two page take-home card with the key steps, shortcuts or habits, so students can repeat what they learned at home.

## What a reusable instructor outline includes

1. **The basics up top:** class name, length, level (for example "complete beginner"), and any prerequisites. Leave the instructor and date blank so anyone can use it.
2. **A class flow at a glance:** a table of sections with start times and durations, so the instructor can check the pace during class.
3. **Before class:** what students must do in advance (install software, create an account, bring a laptop) and the text of the email that tells them. Send it about a week ahead and again the day before.
4. **Section by section:** for each section, the key point to make, the steps to demonstrate, and a short practice moment for students.
5. **Common mistakes to head off:** the places students usually get stuck, and the fix for each. A table of "problem, cause, fix" works well.
6. **Instructor notes:**
   - a before-class checklist (projector, loaner equipment, props, a finished example),
   - pacing tips, including what to cut if you run short on time and what to add if you have extra,
   - how to handle a student who cannot or will not do a step.
7. **What to learn next:** a short list of next topics and good outside resources.

## Write it so it stays true

- **Avoid details that go stale.** Do not tie the outline to a date, a specific group of students, or product prices. If something in the class depends on menus or settings that change often, add a note telling the instructor to check them the day before.
- **Use the shop's own rules.** If the class touches equipment, point to the tool's SOP page and say that the class does not replace a check-off. Check-offs are recorded in Journeyman (https://journeyman.waukeshamakers.com).
- **Write plainly.** Short sections, numbered steps, and the words you would actually say.

## Publishing it here

When your outline is finished, ask a knowledge base editor to add it as a new chapter in this book (outline and handout as separate pages). Drafts stay in Google Docs until then. See **Editor's Handbook: Writing for the Knowledge Base**.