‘Mise en Place’ for the Virtual Classroom Facilitator

Foodies and chefs will recognize the French phrase, mise en place  (pronounced MEEZ ahn plahs), which translates to “put in  place.”  In the world of cooking it means having all your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start cooking.  It’s tempting to jump right in and turn on the stove as soon as your first few ingredients are ready to go.  But great chefs know that it pays to prepare everything in advance to prevent problems and avoid chaos in the kitchen when it’s time to put meals together.

If you facilitate in the virtual classroom you know that there are factors that can derail session, some of which are out of the facilitator’s control, but others that a facilitator can mitigate.  One key to successful training in the virtual classroom is meticulous planning and preparation, just like the mise en place technique.