Are you teaching others?

I often talk to people who don’t think they can teach anyone. They either don’t know who they could teach or do not feel they know enough to instruct others. Almost every time, I can come up with someone who needs instruction and provide evidence that they know more than enough to be a teacher.

We can all teach someone, you just have to be confident in what you know.

I was confronted with this fact just last week as I went on a field trip with my oldest son, who is in kindergarten. I’ve been on field trips, but never as an adult and with Levi’s class. I figured I would have some responsibility and that’s what Levi told me: I would be in charge of a group of his classmates. I am comfortable watching over Levi and his friends, but I didn’t know the rules. Do I meet at the school and follow the bus or meet them at the location? How do I get checked in? Levi took his lunch; do I put my lunch with his or keep it separate? I managed, and executed quite well if I do say so myself! Following the lead of other parents and taking advice from Levi was a no-brainer for success. Levi was more experienced than I was and was able to help teach me what I didn’t know. If a 6 year old can teach this old dog new tricks then what can you teach others?

It came naturally to my son to tell me how things went on a field trip. Sometimes for us it can be hard to teach others because we think we don’t know enough, aren’t experienced, or we might just be too scared and prideful to tell others what we know. Just like Levi can teach me, you can teach others. Share your knowledge and experience with those around you. You don’t have to be a defined “expert” to share what you know. Technically, if you know more than anyone else in the room then you are an expert in that subject.

I love the phrase that says, “See one, do one, teach one.” I heard it in the medical field and it relates to visualizing, performing, and regurgitating when learning new skills. If you have seen or read about something then you know more than the person who has never seen it. You know more about the things you have done than the person who has only seen it. And if you have done it, you can teach what you know to those who have never done that task.

Just like Levi taught me about his class field trips, I challenge you to take what you have seen and done and teach someone who wants to learn what you know. You will be surprised how much you know and how revolutionary some things can be to others when they seem so common to you.