Everyone has skills they might want to teach the people around them, but how to teach is an entirely different skill set. Things that seem straightforward with years of practice may confuse beginners, and some people have trouble translating industry jargon that’s become second nature into laymen’s terms so newbies can understand it. In this article, we’ll go over some common roadblocks people run into when they try to share their knowledge with others and how you can overcome them to share your skills with the world.
1. Assuming Prior Knowledge
One of the most common mistakes that people make when they start teaching is assuming prior knowledge. This can show up in several forms, but one of the most common is thinking things like, “Well, everyone knows that!” As common sense as something may seem, not everyone is coming to your course with the same background knowledge as you. Even something as simple as regional dialects can play a role, such as how shopping carts may be called trolleys in the UK or Australia and buggies in the Southern and Appalachian regions of the United States. While all these words refer to the same item, not everyone will know all three words. The same concept applies to other categories of knowledge, such as how to wash a surface or develop a color scheme for an art project.
You can overcome this roadblock in two main ways: breaking down each foundational concept into small chunks and linking to multiple external resources where people can get more information.
Solution 1: Breaking Down Foundational Concepts
Breaking down foundational concepts into small chunks may seem condescending at first because you’re so experienced, but this can provide helpful context to someone without your background. Think of it like making a simple meal, such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Many adults can make this meal without thinking about it, but when you break it down into each individual step, it may look like:
- Get out two pieces of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, a plate, and two butter knives.
- Set the pieces of bread next to each other on the plate so that the side facing up on each piece will match perfectly with the other piece.
- Using one of your butter knives, scoop out a small amount of peanut butter and spread it evenly in a thin layer on one piece of bread.
- Using your other butter knife, scoop out a small amount of jelly and spread it evenly in a thin layer on the other piece of bread.
- Put the pieces of bread together, with the sides that are spread with peanut butter and jelly facing each other, on the plate.
That’s a lot of steps for one simple sandwich! However, if you remove even one step from that list, someone who has never made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before might be confused. Try to approach making tutorials like this to make sure your students understand all the steps they need to take to execute their project.
Solution 2: Linking to External Resources
If you don’t have time to break down each individual step, another way to avoid assuming too much prior knowledge is to link to external resources that can break down these steps for you. Helpful resources to link to may include dictionary definitions of industry terms, YouTube tutorials, infographics, and blog posts that explain things more in-depth. Try to highlight these links to ensure they are easy for students to access if they have questions.
2. Unclear Learning Goals
Setting clear learning goals has a myriad of benefits, such as motivating learners, showing how each section builds on top of the last, and offering a way to measure progress through a course. Unclear learning goals have the opposite effect, leaving students unmotivated or even frustrated by what feels like a lack of progress. Some common mistakes that lead to unclear learning goals are not setting milestones throughout a course and not having a measurable explanation of what learners will be able to do by the end.
The Solution: Clear Learning Goals Throughout
Start with what you want learners to know by the end, such as how to create a graphic design template or how to write a blog. Then, reverse engineer that to figure out what learning goals you should have for students at various stages of learning. For example, if I were to create a 4-week course on blog writing, the learning goals might look like this:
- Week 1: Be able to research and select a topic that is appropriate for the website you’re writing for.
- Week 2: Understand how to write a blog post that makes sense, from start to finish, guiding readers through the process.
- Week 3: Format your blog post in a way that makes it readable for people and optimized for search engines.
- Week 4: Complete SEO best practices and any final touches so your blog post is ready to publish and can drive results.
With this set of learning goals, you can clearly see how each week builds on the last and works toward the final learning goal: creating a blog post that is ready to publish and can drive results. This helps students understand how everything they’re learning will culminate in a finished product and helps to keep everyone on track. It also gives you regular opportunities to share feedback with learners, so if there’s a problem, you can correct it before they’ve spent too much time going in the wrong direction.
3. Overwhelm with Technological Advancements
Technology is changing faster with each passing year, and that inevitably impacts teaching. For example, remote learning used to involve VHS tapes or correspondence courses, whereas now it can include live video calls and instant messaging. Teaching solutions that would have been top-notch a decade ago may seem clunky and dated now, which can make it challenging to figure out the best way to teach the skills you know so well. In addition, technology related to skills is changing, so it’s important to keep your own skills up to date so you aren’t teaching learners things that would have been helpful before but are now irrelevant.
The Solution: Dedicate Time to Learning New Tech
On a recurring basis, set a reminder to review technological advancements and see where your current teaching methods may fall short. Depending on your industry, the right frequency for you could be anywhere from once a month to once a year, but the key is consistency. Try to set aside separate times to research teaching tools, such as video conferencing platforms, and industry- or skill-specific tools, such as new photo editing software if you’re teaching photography. As you continue learning and trying new things, you can help yourself and your students stay on top of current technology trends.
Sharing Your Skills with Confidence
Now that you are equipped with strategies to overcome these three common roadblocks, you’re ready to start sharing your skills with confidence! Remember to enjoy the process where you can, and always stay open to questions and feedback from the learners you’re helping. Teaching is a great way to help other people learn, but one of the most rewarding parts is how it also teaches you new things about your industry and how people understand it.
If you want to learn more about all things marketing and graphic design, be sure to check out the Matcha Design blog for our best tips and tricks.
