HourSchool

Guest post by Phill Pappas

Things to think about when staring at the Hourschool website, and considering whether or not you are going to take a class or teach a class.

What am I going to teach?

Well, what are you good at? I make the best poached eggs out of anyone that I know, so I’m going to make host an egg poaching class in my kitchen, at home, class minimum three people, maximum five (my kitchen isn’t very big), and I’m going to use roughly two dozen eggs and a bottle of white vinegar, so I’m going to add a two dollar cover charge. 

What do you know? Do you know what you know? Is that a weird question? I suppose, if you’re anything like me (you probably aren’t) then you might find it a bit uncomfortable talking about the things that you know about, I mean really know about. As in, “Oh, yeah, I know how to do that, because I’m really good at it.” Do you consider yourself an expert on that subject or that thing? Do you think that you are simply good at something, but feel a slight reservation when announcing to people, “Yeah, I know everything there is to know about lawnmower repair.” Well, luckily for you, you can browse the HourSchool suggested class list, and teach what’s there. If you don’t want to teach one of those, but you are inspired by someone else’s suggestion, then offer to teach that class. We don’t want you to be precautious about teaching; we want you to teach. 

Consider why you’d like to teach, or why you like to learn? 

There isn’t enough space on this blog post to come to a altruistic conclusion of why I/we like learning, or, conversely, why we like teaching, so I’ll just say this: I don’t care who you are, sharing knowledge with someone in either direction, as a teacher or a student, is an amazing thing. Because, on the surface it has a lot to do with the skill, information, or “new thing” that you’re learning or teaching someone, but going just one layer deeper it’s about the interpersonal relationship that is created between people. We want you to teach, or learn, and connect you with people who are into the similar hobbies and interests as you. 

Sign up, sign in, teach, learn, and get people to join you… 

Teach a class, teach a class, I don’t want to sound redundant, but you should really teach a class. It’s really easy to do. I mean, really easy. So why aren’t you? Sign up, and once you do, get people to take your class. Or if you want to take a class, but the class still needs a couple more people to fill up, talk to your friends, email people, accost a stranger on the street (don’t actually do this one). We are offering you a way to get involved in your community, and with your friends. This platform is not complicated, but it is worthwhile. Get inspired, learn, inspire someone else, teach, allow yourself the ability to have an idea, a thought, an fleeting moment of inspiration, grab that, and turn it into reality, turn it into knowledge, a new skill, new friends. This is a platform for you to get involved. What would you like to get out of it?

Best,

Phill.

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Phill lives and writes in Austin, TX. Check out his site here.