Teaching
from Experience: How to Get Started
It's been
18 years since I first began teaching adults and I still find it an invigorating
and profitable experience. Teaching adults has taken me all over the country
and abroad, given me visibility in my community, brought interesting new
people into my life, and led to the publication of my first book. Every
class I've taught came about as a result of my own experiences.
Once you recognize
that the things you know how to do could be valuable to others, how can
you turn that expertise into a profitable teaching experience? Here are
some things to keep in mind before you pick up the chalk.
Some
adult programs are experience-oriented, others demand credentials. You
need to determine which are which. Even community colleges offer
non-credit courses taught by non-academics, so don't rule out any possibilities
until you've done your homework. Ask for catalogs from as many programs
as you can locate in your area. Besides the obvious, don't overlook places
such as the YMCA and similar non-school organizations that offer classes.
In many areas,
independent adult ed programs are being started. These programs are especially
open to creative, even offbeat, program ideas. You may have a class that
would be appropriate to several venues, each with its own audience. Research
every local possibility.
Solicit
wish lists from local programs. Independent programs and community
colleges are often tuned in to similar programs in other cities and try
to duplicate successful topics not offered in their area. In addition
to your own class ideas, you might find a topic on the wish list that's
perfect for you to teach.
Call
the program director to discuss your ideas. If they like your
class topics, they may ask for a written proposal. A savvy program director
will be knowledgeable about the students whom they serve and can suggest
changes that may make your class more attractive to their audience. Take
advantage of their expertise.
If
you haven't already done so, write a class proposal. Different
schools have different ideas about what needs to be included in a proposal.
Some will want a description that's the length and format of the class
descriptions published in their catalogs; others will want a more detailed
description that includes your course objectives, a step-by-step outline
of your class, and a copy of the handouts you'll be using. The best class
descriptions have a catchy title, a clear description of the content,
and a short teacher bio. Make every word count.
While
it may be good for your other business or your community visibility to
align yourself with an adult ed program, make creating and delivering
a good class your top priority. No program wants teachers who
view this as an opportunity to do a long commercial for themselves. Check,
also, on the school's policy about marketing other products and/or services
through your class. In some places it's strictly prohibited, while more
entrepreneurial programs encourage marketing as long as it's handled tastefully
and is appropriate to the class.
Realize
that teaching adults is quite different from teaching children.
Adults show up with varied backgrounds and more expectations. While most
adult learners are wonderful, once in a while you'll have a student you
wish had stayed home. Don't let the occasional thorn keep you from sharing
your great information and thoughts with the kinder students.
Teacher
payment plans vary, so ask about your options. Some programs
offer an hourly teaching rate while others pay a percentage of each student's
enrollment. If your class needs to be limited in size, you'll probably
earn more if you take the hourly fee. On the other hand, if you expect
to attract a large group, you'll want to take advantage of being paid
a percentage. Don't be afraid to negotiate as generous a deal as you can.
Don't
be dismayed if your first classes are small. This can actually
be an advantage if you're inexperienced at teaching. Keep improving your
material and build your confidence through repeated practice. If you really
believe in your subject and give it your best shot every time, your enrollments
are bound to grow. In the event that you miscalculated interest in your
subject, go back to the drawing board and see if a new subject or angle
might be a bigger success.
If you discover
that you enjoy working with adult learners as much as I do, you'll find
continuing opportunities to expand your teaching. You can enlarge your
repertoire to include other topics or you can offer your classes in other
geographic areas.
Teaching can
be a wonderfully portable occupation that can contribute to your growth
as well as to the growth of your students. Once you've taken a class idea,
smoothed out all the bumps, and proven it's a winner, you'll find new
ways and places with eager new students waiting for you to show up.
There's
more where this came from.
Order Winning Ways now!
|
