Teachers - GirlDevelopItSanDiego/VolunteerInfo GitHub Wiki

We don't require any teaching experience, just that you're comfortable with the subject matter. We have a variety of curriculum that have been developed by other GDI chapters. Teachers are free to use them in their entirety, adapt, etc - we just like to give our teachers something to work from! We also welcome any other class ideas!

Our teachers receive a percentage of the proceeds from each class (We charge about $10 an hour per student each class).

If you have an idea of something you'd like to teach, or any questions, please let us know!

What to Expect as a GDI Teacher

###Welcome email (We can send a sample upon request): This email is sent 5 to 7 days before the class welcoming the students to the course. It covers what to expect and logistical details such as parking/directions/etc. You may want to add "pre-homework" (things to look at before the class) or remind them to download the software they need.

Think about what you want them to do/know before class while composing this.

If the class is NOT sold out by this time, a separate email be sent to each new sign-up after it is sent. You can do this by clicking on their Profile and Email on the upper right.

###Class: Go around and get to know the students as they come in before class (same for TA's).

Introductions: we ask the students to stand up, state their name, why they're taking the class and answer a silly question (such as if you could live in a TV show for a week, what would it be). The TA's go next (please ask them to specify if they are a Mac or PC user), then the teacher. For teacher's introductions, we ask:

  • Give a little background on your professional history
  • Explain why you’re an expert at what you’re about to teach
  • Make it clear that no question is stupid, and people can raise their hands or speak up at any point. This is important because we want to stress an empowered learning environment. It also includes following up with questions asked by repeating them and explaining them as clear as possible, never assuming previous knowledge of a subject.
  • Briefly review what they will learn by the end of the series
  • Remember to not use jargon during the course, or to explain what it means.
  • Always keep font size in mind and make sure everyone, especially in the back, can see it.
  • Project your voice! You want to be sure everyone can hear you.
  • Breaks can be provided at your discretion. For longer classes, a stretching break or exercise activity is recommended. Here are a few polite phrases to remind students to stay on track if necessary: "Good question, that isn't what we're covering here, let’s talk about it at the end of class" or "Excuse me, please hold the commentary until we have a break."

Always leave 5 minutes at the end of class for students to take our survey. We will send the link to you beforehand.

###After class:

  • Thank the TA's for volunteering their time. Remember, they’re not getting paid.
  • Plan to stay at least a half hour after the class ends to answer questions.
  • If possible, as soon as possible after the class is over, do a quick brain dump of your own personal thoughts about how the class went with the organizer and TAs. Capture as much of this as you can while it’s still fresh.
  • Send a thank you email to the members, reiterating anything that was confusing or raised a lot during Q&A with a survey link asking for feedback (which I'll provide). We'll use this to improve the class for next time. Have a beer and pat yourself on the back, you just helped a bunch of people!