I used to dislike teaching, and I would always refuse when someone asked me to teach about design or anything else. Why? Because I didn’t know how to teach. No one had ever taught me. I’m self-taught in almost every aspect of my life, from soft skills to hard skills. I don’t want to model my teaching style after my school teachers because I found them boring.
I’ve acquired my knowledge and skills from various resources in a random, unstructured way. When I want to learn something, I just look up tutorials or case studies. For example, if I want to learn how to write a contract, I’ll find a tutorial for that, or if I want to learn how to create an animation icon in After Effects, I’ll search for an After Effects tutorial. My learning process doesn’t follow a structured path from basic to advanced; it jumps back and forth between these levels based on what I want to learn at the time.
When I’m asked to teach, I struggle to know where to start and what to teach next because I lack a structured learning journey or curriculum.
Now, as the lead of the creative department in my office, I’m expected to share my knowledge and experience with my designers for our team’s growth. My boss wants me to teach everything I know to help the designers grow and make a greater impact on the company. We’ve set up a schedule for 30 minutes every Wednesday for me to share my knowledge with them.
The first session didn’t go well. I stuttered, didn’t know how to start, and wasn’t prepared. However, it made me realize what I need to improve.
While I’ve always loved learning, I’ve never paid attention to how mentors on online platforms teach. Now that I have to teach, I’m analyzing their teaching methods, learning how they start and end classes, and how they transition between topics.
After breaking down their methods and making several attempts, I’m slowly getting better at teaching. I’m starting to develop my own curriculum based on my experience. I’m also gaining confidence and planning to share my skills and experiences on social media, YouTube, my website, or possibly a podcast. I want to share everything I’ve learned in my 12 years of work in various creative industries, including soft skills, hard skills, and my experiences. So, stay tuned!
