It Takes More Than Knowledge to be a Great Teacher

I’ve been teaching NLP and a number of other disciplines for almost 25 years. I’ve taken a lot of classes on various subjects from post masters NLP training to pilates. I’ve watched and experienced superb teachers and abysmal ones. Below is a compilation of what I’ve learned about training expertise and plain old practical knowledge.
The best teachers….

1. Have knowledge of their subject and keep updated in the subject. They take classes in their subject from other experts
2. Teach to the class. This means that the teacher assesses (by asking questions and getting a intuitive feel for the participants) the level of understanding and teaches to that level
3. Watch their students while teaching to get visual and verbal feedback that what they are teaching is being understood.
4. Pace their students to enhance learning after taking in verbal and visual feedback. Too much material or too fast causes anxiety and stress responses in students. Too slow or not enough material causes boredom.
5. Will challenge the students to go beyond where they are now but not so far beyond that it causes the students to become discourage.
6. Knows that skill learning takes place through repetition, practice and understanding 
7. Know that learning is progressive and procedural. When introducing new concepts, reminding students that they already know how to do part of the new process and making certain that there is a step by step procedure will help students gain confidence as they learn 
8. Know that when shifting paradigms, the student cannot learn if they are comparing the new paradigm to something they already know. 
9. Demonstrate their ability to teach in all sensory channels – visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Therefore, the teacher must be open on all sensory channels. 
10. Know that talking over students’ heads to impress them with knowledge fosters discouragement. 
11. Know that pacing students present model of the world will help lead them into expanding that model or changing to a new more empowering model. 
12. Know that acknowledging progress, no matter how little, encourages a student to learn more. 
13. Know to praise the effort being made. This produces mastery of material.
14. Know that there must be a balance between challenge and skill to produce a flow in learning.
15. Knows review is a powerful learning tool if done a week after the introduction to new material. 
16. Have the basic presuppositions: People are learning systems, they are designed to develop and improve, they are designed to communicate and they are hard-wired for success.
17. Demonstrate what they are teaching! Teaching a skill is not imparting data. Students naturally model their teachers. In order to do something with skill, the teacher must be able to behaviorally demonstrate the skill. 
18. Foster a ‘can do’ mind set. 
19. Understands the learning process and if teaching adults, adult learning models.
20. Knows that practice makes perfect only if you practice perfectly. Bad training can lead to bad learning and misunderstanding and stifling of skills 
21. Tells relevant stories to give examples of knowledge taught
22. Is always patient and keep a sense of humor
23. Is more concerned with the quality of material rather than the amount 
24. Is organized and clear about their outcomes for teaching and plans ahead
25. Has more than enough to present
26. Can be creative in developing (on the spot) new material to help with the learning process.
27. Is resourceful and stays in a resourceful state regardless of what happens while teaching. Never gets angry or inappropriately emotional with a student or singles out a student in a derogatory way.
28. Sets boundaries at the beginning of the class and throughout class. Is always in control of the class
29. Maintains rapport with students
30. Never makes a student wrong but lets them discover their own learning
31. Says, “I don’t know”, if they don’t and is ok with it.
32. Loves to hear, “Oh, I’ve never thought of it that way!”
33. Train like they will never master it.
34. Respect their students
35. Are aware of their hand gestures and use them to encourage participation.
36. Follow a procedure and are consistent
37. Love teaching

Here are some guidelines which I wrote for the mentor program at the Dallas Camera Club. These apply to any teaching situation:


• Be Patient and keep a sense of humor.
• Keep instructions positive ('do this' rather than 'don't do this')
• Avoid jargon - or if you can't then explain them and better still provide a written glossary
• Be prepared to adapt the pace according to the performance
• Encourage, and be kind and thoughtful - be accepting of mistakes, and treat them as an opportunity for you both to learn from them
• Focus on accomplishment and progress - recognition is the fuel of development
• Offer praise generously


• Prepare the trainee - take care to relax them as lots of people find learning new things stressful
• Explain the job/task, skill, project, etc - discuss the method and why; explain standards and why; explain necessary tools, equipment or systems
• Provide a demonstration - step-by-step - the more complex, the more steps - people cannot absorb a whole complicated task all in one go - break it down - always show the correct way - accentuate the positive - seek feedback and check understanding
• Have the trainee practice the job - we all learn best by actually doing it - ('I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand' - Confucius)
• Monitor progress - give positive feedback - encourage, coach and adapt according to the pace of development

Guidelines for Students and Mentees:
• Be clear and organized about the help you want before contacting a mentor; be clear about what you want to do or how taking a training or class will improve your life
• Participate in class by asking relevant questions. Avoid taking class time to tell about your experience unless specifically asked. Avoid teaching from your seat.
• Be respectful of others’ time in class room
• Turn phones off and off of the table. Never spend class time while someone is teaching to check phones and other technology not relevant to the class
• Take responsibility for your own learning experience by practicing what you are learning
• Use several teachers/mentors – each may have valuable techniques they can teach you
• realize that if they cannot answer you promptly that they are busy with other concerns
• Know that if a mentor indicates that he/she cannot help you at the moment of your call that it is not personal
• Never address problems with the class in front of the class. Have a personal conversation ‘offline’.

See my Guide to Good Training on my websitehttp://www.nlptrainingconcepts.com/ under RESOURCES