5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Strengthen Your Teaching Skills (Even Without a Class of Your Own)
When people tell me they want to teach in higher education but don’t yet have a class, I light up. Because that’s actually one of the best times to hone your skills. You’re free from the immediate pressures of grading and course prep, which gives you space to build habits, perspectives, and practices that will serve you for years.
If you’re in that position, here are the 5 things you can do right now:
1. Follow thought leaders and teaching centers online
LinkedIn has quietly become one of the best spaces for teaching and learning conversations. Following Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs), along with educators and facilitators who share openly about their practice, gives you a constant stream of new ideas. You start to see patterns, debates, and innovations — and that shapes your own perspective. A few I follow are Brian LeDuc, Sarah Silverman, Joshua Eyler, Derek Bruff, and Nicole Poff.
2. Connect with people who are already teaching the courses you want to teach
It’s likely that the class you’d love to teach is already being taught by someone. Reach out to them. Ask how they got there. Learn about their preparation, their path, their mistakes. These conversations are often generous and illuminating — and they can help you build relationships that may open doors later.
3. Observe other professors — with intentionality
Ask a professor if you can sit in the back of a classroom. Watch how they start class. Notice when students lean in versus when they check out. Pay attention to body language, timing, and energy. It’s not about copying someone’s style; it’s about training your eye to see how teaching works in practice.
4. Practice facilitation in any context you can
Teaching is facilitation. It’s about guiding people through a process of discovery. You can practice that outside of a classroom: leading a workshop, facilitating a team meeting, coaching peers through a project. Every one of those experiences builds your ability to listen, adapt, and hold space.
5. Read and reflect — and then connect it to action
Books on teaching and learning (I shared 10 I’d start with!) are invaluable. Read one and then write down one idea you’d try if you had a class tomorrow. Keep a running list. That way, when the opportunity comes, you’re ready to teach from a place of intentionality rather than scrambling.
The bottom line: you don’t need a class to start becoming a teacher. You need curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn from every context around you. By the time you step into that first classroom, you’ll already have a foundation most people don’t start building until week one.
