Build Your Class

Build Your Class:
A Workshop to Develop Your Art of Teaching

Facilitated by Joanne Zerdy, PhD and Will Daddario, PhD

Overview:
Through our classes and workshops, we have engaged with dozens of inspiring mental health professionals, yoga instructors, artists, doulas of all stripes, medical professionals, energy workers, massage therapists, community organizers, and grief educators. Many of these individuals have expressed a wish to offer their skills and expertise to their clients and community members through classes, workshops, and other kinds of learning events, but they have also admitted to a lack of knowledge or feeling of intimidation about how best to construct and facilitate engaging classes.

Drawing on our experience as university educators, online course facilitators, doctoral researchers, and grief workers, we would like to support the teaching and learning of those who have a desire to educate within their communities. While effective and exciting teaching practices can certainly develop through apprenticeships, keen observation, and a self-directed gathering of information, we know that teachers benefit by working directly with experienced educators like us.

Learn more about our story HERE. Read about our approach to teaching/learning HERE. Read’ Will’s blog on pedagogy HERE.

Testimonial:
"Joanne and Will are empathic and strong educators. The experience was insightful, healing and creatively expansive. Each week I felt an opening. The class asked me to look at the intent for my offering and that really revealed the heart of my plan. What easily followed were the details and structure of my class with support from Joanne and Will as well as the entire cohort. Joanne and Will ask you to reflect on your past learning experiences and use that data to create your ideal offering, to share a part of yourself as well as your unique content. The mix of self-reflection and practical tools to create structure were so helpful. I would recommend this workshop to anyone in a leadership position looking to create a class or offering." - Chelsey Shannon (Creativity & Arts Coach)

TESTIMONIAL:
“Joanne and Will are doing amazing work and I thoroughly enjoyed the Build Your Class Workshop. I recently restarted my bachelor's program for Agriculture Education and taking this class before jumping into courses was the BEST thing I could have done to prepare. I felt so much more confident and caught my footing so much faster in school. This offering inspired a personal examination of my pedagogical views and understandings that I just have not received in formalized education. This is a solid offering for those wishing to show up in their teaching spaces authentic and solid." - Johnnie Stone (Nutritionist & Massage Therapist)

Testimonial:
“I had no idea what I wanted to teach when I signed up for this class, but I knew I had resources in a niche area of life that I wanted to share with people-- I just didn't know how. Joanne and Will made learning about teaching approachable, fun, and truly profound. If there's something on your heart that you want the world to know but you don't know where to start, this class will help bring it out of you. Joanne and Will are so kind and constructive with their feedback that they could help you find the best way to teach a class on dirt and make it interesting! I am so grateful to them and the other people in my cohort whom I got to learn from. Highly recommend this class— power to the teachers of the world!” - Theresa Desautels (Filmmaker, death doula, tax advisor)

Workshop Details: 

Our 4-Week Workshop supports the teaching and learning practices of those who are building their own in-person or online offering. Whether you have been hard at work crafting a class or workshop for your clients or community OR you are in the initial design phase of an offering, this workshop is for you.

Our next workshop will meet online on Sundays, September 1, 8, 15, 22 from 2-4pm EST // 11am-1pm PST

BUILD YOUR CLASS provides you with:

• Assignment prompts to flesh out your ideas;

• An introduction to learning objectives and why they matter;

• Ideas for various activities that you might wish to include in your class/workshop;

• Opportunities to talk through and receive constructive feedback on your offering;

• Devoted time in a small cohort of supportive peers to deepen your thinking about teaching & learning;

• Encouragement to manifest your ideas;

• A one-on-one session with one of us to continue refining your ideas OR to debrief about your class once you’ve held it.

The first two weeks of the workshop introduce you to engaging approaches to teaching and learning . The last two weeks provide you with opportunities to test and refine your ideas and receive constructive, supportive feedback.

Workshop topics:

Week 1: Reflecting on your learning & Developing your approach to teaching

Week 2: Engaging learners through in-class activities

Week 3: Refining your class/workshop proposal

Week 4: Testing your ideas

All workshop materials - assignments, readings, recordings - will be made available to you via a Shared Google Drive Folder. Classes will be recorded for those who cannot attend live.

Through the workshop, participants gain:

• Insight about their own learning experiences;

• An enhanced confidence in teaching or facilitating;

• An ability to speak to why their class/workshop matters;

• Ideas for specific activities to include in their offering;

• Awareness about how they might wish to introduce themselves to and frame their class for their participants;

• Continued contact with and support from us (through email conversations; by having us circulate their offerings; etc.).