10 tips for learning from good teachers

You might be thinking, “I’m not interested in being a teacher or teaching.” That’s fine, but you’ll agree with me that when we give a PowerPoint presentation at work, or even when we’re just arguing about an idea, we’re essentially All play similar roles.

For this reason, I believe that all “professional” teachers amateur Sometimes we can benefit from reflecting on and trying to internalize some aspects of being a good teacher.

Let’s go there and display them in order:

• 1. They rehearse…even in the kitchen
• 2. They have a Plan B… and a Plan C
• 3. They control the environment, but are not controlled by the environment
• 4. They care about their image.
• 5.They are actors too
• 6. They dominate what they present…no more, no less
• 7. They are facilitators, they don’t “feel like professors”
• 8. They Motivate Participants
• 9. They take into account the dynamics of the class
• 10. Display content summary

Feeling overwhelmed? Logically, this could scare even the most drawn-out person!

I offer a deal: read them all and stick with the one or more that resonate most with you. Finally, the next time you get an opportunity to present your work, your ideas, etc., try to put them into practice.

If I can convince you of this, I’ll be very satisfied!

1. They rehearse…even in the kitchen

It’s a good idea to put a sticky whiteboard with markers on your refrigerator. For kids at home, drawing is fun and helps us explain our ideas better.

It’s okay to take your laptop into the kitchen and show fun videos to the family over dinner, but it’s better to get used to drawing instead. There are two reasons:

• On the one hand, we must strive to express ourselves better.
• On the other hand, we activate another “brain channel”, such as attention to the picture we are creating.

2. They have a Plan B… and a Plan C

Murphy’s Law says, “If something can go wrong, it will.” It’s used a lot especially in engineering. Optimism is great, but it’s not enough when you have to teach. The “everything went well in rehearsals” kind of thing kept happening. I can’t explain it…”.

So, even if you are lazy, you should be prepared to deal with emergencies. Example: Have a PDF copy of the presentation, print it out (or at least a script of it) in case the file fails. It’s even possible to have a personal laptop ready for use if your regular laptop goes down, or know how to activate HubSpot on your phone if your Wi-Fi stops working.

3. They control the environment, but are not controlled by the environment

There is a need to view technology as an ally and eliminate phrases like “technology and I don’t get along.”

• If you are presenting in a classroom or living room, you must know about the monitor or projector, its remote control, cables, adapters, etc.
• If presenting virtually, you must know which program to use, such as Zoom, Teams, or Skype. Try this first as they may contain updates that remove the button or change the configuration.

A very useful extra tip: it is also possible to use our mobile phones to connect to virtual meetings as an attendee without sound or camera. This way we can see what is being shared without having to ask the audience.

4. They care about their image.

When we put ourselves in front of others, our choice of clothing, our overall appearance, affects us in two ways:

• It should give us confidence and make us feel good
• It should not take center stage or distract from others.

If presenting virtually, controlling lighting and contrast is key. Even put a light on us. It’s uncomfortable, but we eventually get used to it and the participants really appreciate it.

If we wear glasses, there are two things we need to pay attention to: be careful of reflections and keep the glasses clean.

Finally, rotate your laptop or camera screen so that it is centered on the screen. And wallpaper. Whether it’s natural or virtual, we have to be careful that it’s not distracting and that it supports the message we want to convey.

5.They are actors too

Have you ever thought about it? When you listen to someone present an idea, you don’t just pay attention to it. You also (unconsciously or unconsciously) analyze appearance, gestures, tone of voice, silence… and “artist

“professional.

It’s not about being nervous about being viewed this way, it’s about being aware of it.Again, nothing beats practicing and asking questions feedback to others. Moving your hands appropriately or staying deliberately quiet without using fillers (uh, um, okay? Yeah?) is possible and improves results exponentially.

Absolutely sound advice: record yourself. The simplest and most effective. Just don’t be too hard on yourself.

6. They dominate what they present…no more, no less

Among teachers, the so-called “curse of knowledge” is well known, which means that sometimes you can’t explain something simply because, as an expert in it, you tend to beat around the bush and provide a lot of technical detail.

Another common mistake is trying to become a super expert on the subject we have to present on. It creates anxiety in us, which is an impossible task because there is always something to know.

Good teachers know exactly what they want to demonstrate. point. Participants won’t feel nervous if they ask some advanced questions: they’ll write them down and answer them after the course.

7. They are facilitators, they don’t “feel like professors”

Words matter, right? This is why good teachers call themselves “facilitators” of learning. This is not about becoming the greatest expert on the subject, but rather about facilitating and helping participants learn the course content.

Surely you remember that teacher (from high school or college) “you could tell he knew a lot” but you learned nothing in his class. Unfortunately they are no exception.

It’s a very common mistake to think that any “expert” can be a teacher. We’ve all suffered from it.

To be a good teacher, you don’t have to be a “super expert,” but you need to understand teaching techniques: comprehensive content, clear presentation, engaging participants, summary after class, etc.

8. They Motivate Participants

“Tell me and I’ll forget,

Show me and I will remember,

Involve me and I will learn”

Modern neurological research confirms what Confucius said more than 2,500 years ago. The key to learning is for participants to “participate”, practice, and take initiative. Note that we say “participants” rather than “students” or “students” for a reason (see previous point).

Of course, to do this you have to use the most appropriate power for each situation. This takes time and effort. It requires losing shyness and gaining confidence. Also, control time and ensure goals are achieved. But the results achieved are definitely worth all the effort.

9. They take into account the dynamics of the class

Good counselors plan each lesson like a brass band concert. They knew you couldn’t give your best in every song and had to avoid a dip in energy, so they intelligently alternated faster songs with ballads in an attempt to end with a satisfying “crescendo” to the crowd.

Furthermore, in the classroom, attention is a scarce resource. If it’s virtual, it can be through Teams or Zoom, or even more. Thus, in the ladder that every good teacher prepares for class, more theoretical demonstrations are dynamically alternated and balanced with participation and, of course, breaks.

Let’s remember that research shows that after 20 minutes, adults are no longer able to maintain 100% passive attention. Asking random or directed questions is an easy resource to break up the monotony.

10. Display content summary

Again we turned to science: It turns out that we focus first on the beginning and end of the presentations we receive. This is how our brains work.

Therefore, we must grasp the beginning of the meeting and prepare in advance. We must provide context and determine what and how program content will appear.

Before concluding the course, it is important to review the key ideas presented. We will allow participants to solidify this knowledge more, and we will help them make a “mental summary” of what was presented.

So, in the interest of “leading by example” and not “exaggerating” the article, I ask you to go back to the beginning of this article, re-read these 10 points, and try to put into practice the one that resonates most with you.

It’s an honor. Until the next post!