My Top 3 Tips for New Online Teachers

Class creation, for me, has been a big and wonderful adventure.

The thing is, adventure can be full of mishaps and pitfalls. Without that it wouldn't be an adventure! But when you don't know how to navigate those speed bumps, they turn into mountains that are very difficult to get past.

Having been a teacher for six years at Skillshare, and being in the process of licensing my first course with a school, I've learned quite a bit. 

The first very valuable lesson I learned, is that creatives seem to struggle with tech.

Tech can be a huge stumbling block for creatives. That isn't to say that we can't figure it out! And knowing that we struggle with the same things is encouraging. I didn’t feel quite so alone after finding that out.

We can figure anything out for the sheer reason that we are highly creative. Problem-solving may be even more accessible to us than for other types of people. The thing is that I've had to approach class creation like it was just another creative project. But how is that done when there is so much tech involved?

That's when it's time to break things down into little tiny steps. It takes an immense amount of patience and dedication to learning this. But I have some good news…

I'm here to help you! I don't know everything there is to know about all editing software apps. However, I do know the basics. That means I can guide you and give you a leg up where you might be stumbling.

In the coming months, I am working on content that I'm hoping will make your life easier as a new class creator who happens to be a creative. 

My first tip? Start small.

This may not seem like much, but this advice is gold! Many experienced teachers I know, wished they done things more simply in the beginning. What do I mean by start small? When you are planning your very first or even second class, you're going to want to make a splash. You're going to want to prove to yourself and to others that you can do this. And you can!

However, there is a lot to learn in this process, and you don't want to take on so much that it becomes a tsunami of unknowns. I know countless would-be teachers that have quit after their first class because they shot for the stars when they should have been shooting for the moon.

I put together some guidelines that would have helped me keep it simple for first few classes.

Try for a 20 to 30 min class tops. Anything longer could burn you out before you get going.

Keep your equipment simple. Trying to learn how to use new equipment while you’re trying to learn how to teach is not advantageous.

Don't be afraid to be you. Honestly, seeing and hearing yourself on camera is not easy. I still cringe and want to turn away from my screen regularly, however, you will get used to it. The main thing you're selling is you, so it is necessary. Don't try to be like any other teacher, presenter, or YouTuber, because people will see through it. Besides, your uniqueness will give you an edge you don't even know you have yet. Being your natural self is your best option.

Once you have about 3 to 6 classes under your belt, you can start to get more creative and experiment without the risk of falling out of love with class creation. My hope is that the tips I'll be sharing with you and in these newsletters will keep you on track and enthused to keep going in your class creation journey! 

Have questions you want to see answered? Just click the button to send them to me via email and I will see if I can work them in.

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