The best lesson plans can always be affected by the many unexpected interruptions of the school day and the school year. While you can't always know in advance what is going to happen, just being aware of the potential for interruptions can help you to handle them when they arise. As you get more experienced in teaching, you will learn to smoothly glide over these unexpected bumps almost as if they don't exist. Here are some of the unexpected events you might encounter: Announcements in the middle of your lesson Students being called out of class Paperwork that must be completed by students or by you in class Fire drills School emergencies Changes in school policy that might affect your lessons Changes in district policy which might affect what and how you teach New assessment demands Visits to your class by administrators Visits to your class by custodians for emergency repair work Presentations by guests The key to success for all of these unexpected events is your reaction. Considering the ones that involve your students and take place in the middle of teaching, if you act as though they are temporary and get right back into the groove of your lesson, your students will react to you. Regarding the events that don't affect your immediate teaching, remember that there are some things beyond your control and some things within your control. It is often said that wisdom is the ability to know the difference between those things you can control and those that you cannot. Do what you can to prepare yourself as much as possible and then act with wisdom when the unexpected happens, as it inevitably will.