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[I've been too busy to follow this thread closely, but wanted to contribute
a tidbit, so excuse me if I'm accidentally beating a dead horse with this
point.]
Best advice I ever got before teaching my first ENG 101 class:
Don't set yourself up as God! Don't come across as being the authority on
the subject because the minute you stumble, nothing else you ever do will
restore you credibility in the eyes of your audience (the vultures!). So
along with Lori's advice to "know it cold", temper yourself with "don't be
cocky".
Always be honest with your audience & if you don't know the answer, say you
don't know BUT THAT YOU'LL FIND OUT and get back to them. Then DO get back
to them publicly if possible (or the old credibility is kaput again).
So right at the start, either directly or indirectly, tell them that you
*aren't* the expert; you just know more than they do about it and are here
to *facilitate* their learning. If you come off as Einstein, terrific; if
you don't, no harm done. Credibility problems solved!
Teaching a subject, formally or informally, usually means you'll end up
learning something yourself about the subject each time (if you do it
right).
Sally Marquigny Network Imaging Systems
sallym -at- msmailhq -dot- netimage -dot- com Herndon, VA
