Are you a teachable teacher? Are you open to learning when you are teaching or explaining something? The best teachers I have met are always willing to learn- while they are teaching. They are willing to challenge and expand their truth. My all-time favorite teacher once thanked me for all the things he learned while he was teaching me.

Many teachers, counselors, consultants, and parents are relatively set in their way of teaching. It is up to the student to flex into their way of doing things. The teacher is, after all, the master or expert.  This static approach of teaching is limited.

Different people learn in different ways. The way the teacher learned may not make sense to the student. Effective teachers are willing to teach from the perspective of the student. They get into the student’s world with them and explore with them a way to learn the material. Many times the teacher may not know ahead of time how he/she and the student are going to connect the dots. This takes a willingness to trust yourself in finding an inroad with the student.

Each time the teacher is willing to discover a new way of presenting the material, his/her understanding of the subject expands. Because the teacher was willing to get out of their own world (comfort zone), they see the material from a new perspective. The perspectives of the student and teacher often have a synergistic effect on each other. They team up and collaborate to solve the challenges together. Growth to both parties in inevitable.

And… good teachers are artists. They will creatively present the material in a number of ways until the student gets it. They rarely teach things the same way. This selfless stretching to adapt to the student allows the teacher and the student to have breakthroughs and discoveries.

It is what keeps the teaching fresh and relevant (and not boring).

About author:

Michael Hoffman’s passion is guiding people to create the life that they want. The demands of our current culture often take people away from their dreams and the individual expression of their being. Michael believes people have left behind some essential elements of being human including connecting with and genuinely caring about each other.As a transformational speaker, Michael conducts “Metamorphosis” retreats, classes, and individual and couples sessions to allow people to reclaim the life they want. These venues allow people to see the possibilities and inroads available to them. Participants are walked through their entire change process or metamorphosis into their desired life. The experiential work draws primarily on Zen thought, Native American ceremony, rites-of-passage, personal belief systems, and Jungian dream-work and symbolism.Michael also maintains a “meta blog” to provide knowledge, skills and awareness for unfolding your new life. He is compiling his knowledge of emotional and spiritual development into books to further assist people in creating a more harmonious and cooperative way of life.Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1987 and Master of Social Work in 1996. Michael is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) in the state of Washington. In addition to his formal education, Michael studied and apprenticed with a Zen Master and spiritual teacher for 22 years to learn how to affect change with people. He has worked with people professionally since 1986- mostly as a psychotherapist.Michael currently resides in Spokane, Washington.

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One Response to “Good teachers are artists”

1. Eve Hogard says:

   January 20, 2012 at 9:38 am

   love this post! teaching and learning and teaching and learning … the perfect synergy thx, Michael!