Ever consider writing a love letter to your future students?
It’s a powerful way to release your doubts and fears and get clear on what you want to teach. Michele – whom I co-created TeachNow with – wrote one that I’d like to share with you as inspiration for your next course creation and marketing efforts.
My dear student,
I used to bang my head against the wall, thinking it was difficult to
connect with you. I thought you were indifferent — or even hostile
— to my offers. I thought I had to convince you or exhaust myself
with over-giving in order to make you want my work.
I realize now that you have been looking for me, as much as I was
looking for you. Now, I’m relaxed, focusing on making sure I share
plainly what I offer, sharing little tastes of my work, and getting
the word out in fun, easy ways so you will run across me easily in
your search.
When we begin working together, I resolve to give you the just-right
amounts of information and transformation so you’re neither
under-stimulated nor overloaded. May I be sensitive to your capacity
— and to my own enthusiasm. May I remember that the things I’m
learning right now are NOT the same as the things you need to learn
from my program right now. And that you may learn best from your peers
in the program, from other resources, or from tools I set up online or
in audio or video or pdf formats. What a relief to remember I don’t
have to be the source of everything.
When your questions and needs bring up something I hadn’t thought of
yet, I promise not to go into one of my funky freak-outs: it doesn’t
mean I’m not a good teacher or that I “shoulda thought of that!” –
just that I am lucky enough to be in learning from you.
Thank you for learning with me,
Michele
Now it’s your turn. Write a letter to a student you want to serve. Picture him or her as you write. Just one student for one offer. Stay focused. (I know, that can be hard. This isn’t about everything you will ever teach, just this class or course.)
Share your fears and frustrations. Imagine your student answering back, helping you focus on giving her what she needs and wants. Allow yourself to release being a “helicopter teacher” and paint a picture of how you would love to work with your students.
Love,
Jen
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