Instructors Guide – Best Practices for Teaching with Confidence

Our most successful instructors are clear, confident and relaxed in front of the camera. Throughout your lessons, don't be afraid to smile, speak casually, and show your personality. Students love seeing instructors having fun — there's no need for your course to feel formal. Check out these best practices for teaching with confidence.

• Appear comfortable and confident by using your hands as you would when talking to a friend. Think of it as a conversation with the camera, rather than a lecture.
• Look directly into the camera as though someone is standing right behind it. Even better - ask a friend or family member to help you out.
• Speak clearly and naturally. Stick to a moderate pace, and allow your tone to go up and down. Don't be afraid to show enthusiasm and excitement! Avoid long pauses and distracting "ums" and "ahs." These are often inevitable, so simply do a few retakes when necessary or edit them out later.
• Refer to your outline. Avoid long-winded, rambling explanations by sticking to the main talking points or script you prepared.
• Don't forget to smile! Especially at the beginning and end of your video, a smile will help set a friendly, relaxed tone for your videos.

It can help to watch someone else on screen to loosen you up for your own on-camera debut. Here are some amazing video courses we've seen where the instructor is comfortable, confident and having fun:

Present in a way that Inspires Action: Presentation Skills:

How to Begin Your Presentation with Simon Sinek:

Looking for feedback on your videos? Share your introduction video on the Travitor Help Community for helpful feedback from other instructors, or email it to us at support@travitor.com.