Plan the class around one observable outcome, not a promise to teach everything. Find out what students already know, organize short explanation-and-practice cycles, and reserve time to decide what they should do next. The teaching plan and the business paperwork belong in the same workflow, but not in the same lesson.
“Beginner” can mean a person who has never seen a rack, someone who has attended one demonstration, or a player who knows the turn sequence but struggles to make decisions. A single class description cannot quietly assume all three are starting in the same place.
1. Establish the starting point before class
Ask a few practical questions at registration: have you played American Mahjong before, have you used the card your class teaches from, and are you comfortable with the basic draw-and-discard sequence? Use the answers to choose the session, not to rank students publicly.
For true first-timers, plan orientation and supported mechanics. For students with the basics, choose a narrower practice goal such as following a guided sequence or explaining a Charleston choice. A workbook designed for practice is not automatically a complete learn-from-zero curriculum.
2. Prepare three different sets of materials
For the learner: the legitimate current card and reference materials your class uses, the physical equipment required, and only the practice pages needed for this session. The National Mah Jongg League's store lists its own card and instructional book for NMJL-style play. State clearly what is included in your class and what students obtain separately.
For the teaching table: your demonstration setup, an accessible view of the tiles and a way for students to ask questions without interrupting every explanation. Check seating, lighting and whether everyone can actually see what you are pointing to.
For you: the run-of-show, roster, attendance record and a private place to note follow-up needs. Payment terms and business records should not be scattered through the student's practice pages. Keep learner contact information off publicly shared table paperwork.
3. Use a schedule as a pacing aid, not a certification claim
Here is an example ninety-minute structure for a guided practice class whose learners already know the basic turn sequence. It is an original planning example, not an official curriculum or a promise that first-time students will master the game in one meeting.
| Minutes | Purpose | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Welcome and starting-point check. | Do learners have the assumed prerequisites? |
| 10–25 | Demonstrate one target task. | Can each learner describe what they are watching? |
| 25–45 | Supported practice. | Where is a prompt still needed? |
| 45–70 | Repeat with less prompting. | Can learners explain a choice or complete the task? |
| 70–80 | Discuss recurring questions. | Which misunderstanding needs another demonstration? |
| 80–90 | Recap and next-step recommendation. | Is the appropriate follow-on practice clear? |
For a two-hour session, add planned practice and a suitable break rather than automatically adding another thirty minutes of lecture. For absolute beginners, change the content and outcome; do not simply run the same plan more slowly and keep the same mastery promise.
4. Cycle through explain, show, try and review
After explaining a task, show it with the approved materials, let students try it, then ask what influenced their choice. Use a small example the class can examine rather than presenting every exception at once. When a rules question arises, check the relevant current source instead of turning a convenient teaching shortcut into an official rule.
Let learners ask for another demonstration. A quieter student may need a chance to describe the task without a faster player answering first. With several tables, decide how assistance will work before advertising the group size. Do not promise personal instruction at every table if one teacher cannot deliver it.
5. Track a useful observation, not just attendance
Attendance says who was in the room. A short session note says what to do next. Record the target task, the support still needed and the next practice step. “Needs another guided demonstration before independent play” is more useful than “struggling.”
Avoid claiming improved skill simply because a student completed a page. Ask for a brief explanation or another attempt with less prompting. Treat the observation as a teaching aid, not a formal qualification or a promise about future wins.
6. Make the end of class a clear handoff
Finish with one manageable next step: repeat a guided exercise, bring a question to the next class, or attend a supported practice session. Say explicitly when an unassisted open-play group would be a poor match for the learner's current starting point.
For a host planning the follow-on gathering, the club-night guide covers attendance, room setup and changes. For a focused decision-practice session, the Charleston guide offers a way to discuss reasoning without reproducing proprietary card hands.
Before students arrive
- The class description states its starting point and scope.
- Each learner knows which materials to bring or obtain.
- The lesson has one observable outcome and protected practice time.
- Attendance and private administrative records are ready.
- You know how to help more than one table without overpromising.
- The next-step recommendation is built into the closing minutes.
Choose teaching support, not a replacement for instruction
The Instructor Kit combines lesson resources, class organization and business-administration tools. The smaller Lesson Plan Starter focuses on guided ninety- and 120-minute plans and associated forms; check its prerequisite and license details before choosing it for your class.
Neither option is a league-issued card, a certification or a substitute for knowing and checking the rules you teach. Review current Etsy contents and licensing, and choose the pack that fills your actual preparation gap rather than buying overlapping products.
Original MahjongTableFlow class-planning guidance. The timetable is an illustrative editorial example. Official cards and instructional materials are supplied by their publishers; MahjongTableFlow is independent and does not reproduce proprietary winning hands or claim league endorsement.
