My experience of learning by teaching

Just recently, I realised I have been at 11 different institutes. I started off in 2009, so it's been a long 12 years. Most appearances were as a guest lecturer, but at one institute, I have been consistently teaching a course too.

So here's my attempt to explain the cliche behind my "great learning experience" of teaching.

1: Talk about your passions, and people will seek you out

I started out in marketing research, and every time I met my professors, I told them how the reality was so different from what was being taught to us in the classrooom, and that I would love to add that to the students. This constant interaction was what got me my first teaching assignment.

Once things began and people knew I was interested in this, I just kept getting more invitations.

2: You will fail first, and that's ok. Keep improving.

My first session was to a group of Executive MBA students on a weekend morning. And I was horrible. I was rejected right after the demo session. But thankfully, I gave it another shot, and then another, till I got good at it.

3: Always ask for feedback. Specific, detailed feedback.

The only reason I got better is that I asked for specific feedback. I explained to the class that I will take the feedback seriously, specify the questions, and then, keep time for students to fill up the forms at the end of the session without rushing through it. It helped me tremendously!

The negative pointers helped me improve, while the compliments boosted my confidence. So it worked both ways. Over time, I used this to also test out something new, and see if students picked on it, liked or disliked it.

4: Prepare for the session, and help others too

Like any other presentation, you will notice a marked difference between a prepared one and an unprepared one. You will sense it in the 'moood' of the room too, even though no one is actually speaking. And to get better at the preparation, it helps circulating your notes. In a way, it keeps the pressure on you to refresh the material for the next sesssion even though you are talking to a new crowd.

5: Share your experiences with others

It sounds like a repeat of the 1st point, but it's a bit different. The more you share, the more you will attract like-minded people, share notes, and improve your own work. And it also works because you will get to speak to more interested, more passionate crowds. Just like your regular job talent, this talent too is in high demand and low supply. So you will end up getting a better experience of talking.