4 tips on how to be a powerful instructor...

Twenty years ago, while living in Japan, I created a breathing exercise (sort of karate kid-ish in nature) to use as a class warm-up, and it has become a signature part of the teach-to-care approach. Each step of the exercise represents a key to successful teaching. They are the following:

Short (mijikaku) - be brief

From the heart (kokoro kara) - be sincere

Simple (kantan ni) - be clear

Direct(chokusetsu) - be specific

Those qualities form a robust way of teaching. They have served me well. Now I incorporate the breathing warm-up into teacher training sessions and speaking events because it is a fun way to help teachers remember the practices that produce the best results.