Q2 . “ As an introvert , I hate being the center of attention and the thought of standing in front of people and teaching is anxiety inducing . But it ’ s something I ’ d love to try and do … any tips ?” Boy do I relate to that anxiety - I was that kid who would break out in a sweat giving a class presentation in front of 5 people ( I went to a very small school haha ).
Something that helped me at the beginning of my teaching journey was meticulous preparation . I ’ d map out my curriculum step-by step and then recruit family or friends as volunteer students for a class practice run . I ’ ve actually utilised my local cake club a few times for this purpose too . Just make sure you select friends who can offer constructive criticism to help you improve the class experience . Those trial runs helped immensely - they helped me to refine the class , feel more in control and gave me the confidence to take the plunge and teach .
Here ’ s a little gem my speaking coach once shared with me - “ Teaching isn ’ t about you , it ’ s about your students ”. Sounds simple , right ? But that sentence was a game changer for me - it helped me to shift my focus from my own nerves to the eager faces in front of me . Suddenly it wasn ’ t about me , it was about empowering my students to unleash their creativity and ensuring they had a blast in the kitchen learning something new .
Q3 . “ I can ’ t afford to buy all the equipment I ’ ll need for my students … I know there ’ s always going to be an expense up front , but I can ’ t justify it .” I get that this can feel daunting , but in my opinion , you don ’ t have to break the bank to kickstart your teaching journey . Think small to start with - focus on projects that require minimal tools ( and therefore less upfront expense ). I ’ m talking about classes that mainly involve hand modeling fondant or a buttercream cupcake class where students use 2 basic nozzles to create a variety of designs .
I ’ d also recommend reaching out to your friends in the cake community and see if anyone is willing to lend you their tools . I ’ ve actually borrowed tools from my local cake decorating club and it ’ s been a life saver !
Oh , and don ’ t underestimate what you might find at your local dollar store . For the very basic tools , opting for cheaper alternatives can be a real money saver . For example ; cheap plastic cutting boards or cheap clay modeling tools ( vs your standard cake modeling tools ) - they ’ ll do the trick just fine !