Teaching for the Stars

Something I’ve learned a lot about during training (and post-training as well) is how to teach. It’s a bit different from doing a presentation, though there is some overlap. I just did some teaching recently, so I decided to write about my experience.

The way I tackle any big project essentially goes like this, and preparing to teach is no different.

  1. List the major/overarching components of the task at hand.

    In this case, for me, the tasks were: 1) preparing content, 2) collecting advice/tips, 3) logistics of session, 4) rehearsing (and getting feedback), 5) public speaking, and 6) setting up on the day of the session.
  2. Break down each major component/stage into smaller, manageable steps. To make this easier, I imagine myself at each of those stages and ask myself: “What do I need to accomplish for each stage? What do I need to know/do before I can accomplish it?”
  3. Assign each step a deadline, and build your schedule off of that.

The Process

1. Preparing Content

  • Ask: “What helped you understand this concept?” Focus on understanding the why behind each step, rather than just the how/what, and think more like someone who’d be attending the enablement session.

    As you develop the content, you may run into some errors or issues; take note of those, so that you can talk about them while teaching, as they could be common pitfalls for others, as well.
  • Document the steps.

    If you’re providing a starter workbook, it helps to reverse-engineer each exercise and document as you go for two reasons: 1) you refresh your understanding of the concept and 2) you have a clearer idea of how to best teach it.
  • Once you’ve prepared all the content, make a new folder holding just the materials you’ll need on the day of the actual session.

2. Collecting Advice/Tips

  • Copy-and-pasties: Elaine’s big brain idea, have a list of things that the person helping you monitor the chat can easily access to copy and paste in the chat for the attendees’ convenience.

    This list can include code/formulas being used in the exercise (you can/should still write it out and explain it during the session, but pasting it for the attendees allows them to follow along much more easily), links to resources and other exercises (like Workout Wednesdays / Alteryx weekly challenges), etc.
  • During your introduction, set expectations for how to ask questions during the session.
  • Think about how to engage your attendees. Mel suggested checking for audience understanding in between exercises by pausing between them and asking attendees to use the “Raise hand”/other emoji buttons within the meeting platform (if teaching remotely).
  • Narrate everything you do. Everything. Another one from Mel, this is how you ensure everyone is able to follow along. You saying “Now I’m going to return to the upside-down triangle to create a calculated field” gives your attendees time to catch up/switch between the presentation window and their own starter exercises, etc.
  • If something goes wrong, stay calm and troubleshoot it together.

3. Logistics of Session

  • If possible, find someone to monitor the chat (if teaching remotely/hybrid) and rehearse with (do this early to avoid scheduling issues and to force yourself to finish preparing content before the rehearsal).
  • Observe someone else’s teaching.
  • Find out attendees’ skill level, the platform the session will be run on. Imagine the day of the session – what else do you need to know?
  • Tech Setup: Set up your computer/materials beforehand. Acquire/locate a second monitor if possible (makes teaching so much easier when teaching remotely), increase the size of your cursor, download Zoomit (and practice!), obtain a headset/webcam/HDMI cable/etc.

4. Rehearsing

  • With every step you take in the demo, I ask myself these two questions: 1) What will help them learn? (Using plain language, moving slowly), and 2) What won’t?

    For 2), identify possible distractions that could keep them from paying attention to you, and call them out before beginning the exercise.

    For example, if your blank starter workbook has some pre-built calculated fields, but the components haven’t been built yet, the calculated fields will have a red ! next to them. Explain what the error is, and let them know you’ll be showing them how to build those components soon.
  • Practice juggling two screens, multiple windows/programs (Tableau/Alteryx, Zoomit, PowerPoint, Excel, your browser, etc.)
  • Test out the steps you documented earlier. Are you able to reference them quickly if you need to during the session? If you’re going to send out the steps after the session, are they also clear to people other than yourself?
  • If you don’t have a lot of time to rehearse, prioritize the tricky bits.
  • Demonstrate, explain, and troubleshoot common errors.
  • Record yourself after rehearsing a few times, so that you’re more comfortable with the content. Watch it to take note of common verbal fillers, where you struggle to explain things, etc.
  • When finding people to rehearse, try to find people who don’t have as much experience with Alteryx/Tableau/the content, as they’ll be able to gauge whether someone can follow along with you.
  • Meet with the person helping you monitor the chat to not just run the whole session through, but to also discuss what they should be looking out for during the rehearsal (in terms of filler words, etc.), how to alert you when someone in the chat wants you to repeat something or has a question, when to send a relevant resource, etc. Prepare a list of “copy-and-pasties,” and let your chat monitor know when they should be pasting things to the chat.

5. Public Speaking

  • Speak calmly (but not monotone), like an NPC (for the gamers) or an airplane pilot (for non-gamers). I basically think of public speaking as being the pilot making the announcement before takeoff, or the stuff they say in the flight safety video you have to watch in case of emergencies – they’re authoritative, calm, and informative.
  • Something that used to make me really uncomfortable with public speaking was how I was pretty sure my face looked weird/funny while talking. To get past this, I would present in front of a mirror (or with my webcam on) to get used to it (and also reassure myself that my face wasn’t actually doing weird things).
  • Show/demonstrate what you’re building up to. Showing why we would build something paves the way for understanding how and what to do to accomplish it.
  • Again, narrate everything you do. Whenever possible, pair each step with why you did that over something else, which will help them understand/remember it better, and point your cursor at whatever you’re talking about on the screen.
  • Don’t be afraid to pause – say that you will, and then take the pause. The pause allows people to think and process – you, too! (During presentations, time seems to pass faster, but remember you have more time to say everything you need to say than you think.)
  • Use plain language whenever possible (as appropriate / depending on skill level).
  • Circle back to your introduction of the concept at the beginning of the session to show how everything relates.
  • Zoom in whenever possible: calculated fields in Tableau, configurations/results in Alteryx, etc.

6. Setting Up on the Day of the Session

  • Have a folder of everything you need for the session. This can include: the datasets, the blank starter workbook, starter with steps (your own copy for referencing during the session), and the slide deck.
  • Make sure the things you need open for the session are on the right screens (e.g., blank starter workbook on the screen you’re sharing, the workbook with the steps on the one you’re not, etc.).
  • If presenting the slides from your browser (or otherwise sharing your browser during the session), hide your bookmark bar to avoid visual clutter/distractions. Along that vein, make sure your desktop background is appropriate.
  • Make sure you have everything you need within easy reach physically as well, like your headset, mouse, charger, HDMI cable, etc.
  • Arrive 5-10 minutes early to chat with the session’s organizer(s), check your camera angle (if you haven’t done so already), etc.

Scheduling/Assigning Deadlines

Once you’ve broken down everything into steps, put together your schedule. I like to start with the hard deadlines – i.e., the ones that you have with other people, and scheduling everything else around those meetings. I’ll also group together all the administrative tasks (sending out meeting links, reserving a room, etc.), Tableau, slides, etc.

I like to rehearse a lot (helps with memory and refreshes my own understanding of the topic), so I always make sure to account for that when planning out my schedule.

Final Tips

  • Find out the skill level. This will help with developing your content and gauging how many exercises to include/how difficult those exercises should be.
  • It’s a lot to juggle multiple programs (Zoomit, Tableau, the meeting platform, etc.), all while keeping an eye on your audience. That’s why it’s important to simulate the teaching environment as much as possible for your rehearsals, as well as to practice with other people and have someone to help you monitor the audience, if possible (whether teaching remotely or in-person).
  • Keep your content organized. Have a folder holding all the material you’ve been working on (script, solutions, any drafts of workbooks/workflows, etc.) throughout the week, and then create a new folder holding just what you need on the day of the session.
  • Help your chat monitor/people you’re rehearsing with help you – go through the logistics of the session together, and when making a list of copy-and-pasties for them, bold the formulas/calculated fields/important stuff in the steps of the workbook to make it easier to find them in the wall of text. Prepare your questions, the agenda for the rehearsal/meeting, what you’d like them to look out for while you present, etc. ahead of time. (And thank them too, of course!)
  • Don’t stress so much!!! Trust yourself!!! You’re doing all this preparation for a reason, and that’s so that you can make it the best possible experience for both your audience and yourself :)
Author:
Vivian Ng
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