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Being Tea Teacher Training – Module 7
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Being Tea Teacher Training – Module 7

April 5, 2021October 6, 2021 Post a comment

This is the seventh installment in a series where I share my experience taking the Being Tea Teacher Training offered by Suzette Hammond. A seven-month-long course sounded very intimidating before I first began, but time has really flown quickly. This module marks the end of my individual sessions with Suzette.

I’ve gotten some messages asking about the purpose of this course. Unlike other tea education platforms, like World Tea Academy, it is not a certification program. The Tea Teacher Training is more for self-development and skill-building. Suzette uses her experience as a tea educator to serve as a coach for students. We also gain a support system of fellow tea educators that continues after the course has been completed.

Module 7: Self-Care & Creating a Personal Practice

This section of the course focused on taking care of ourselves to prevent burnout. Even when the subject is something fun like tea, it’s important to consciously take steps to ensure that we are the best teacher we can be. That can mean something different for everyone, but I was happy to see Suzette include this aspect in the course. Having been writing about tea for over a decade, I have definitely experienced burnout before. It’s really important for me to learn about and enjoy tea for its own sake without putting any expectations on that.

We were asked to sign a self-care waiver stating that we would commit to a regular tea practice of 10 min a day/1 hour week. That is something that I’ve meant to do for a long time but somehow putting it in writing makes it feel like I am being held accountable.

While being a tea educator is not subject to the same systemic stress, we still serve a dynamic range of student needs that require balancing against our own needs. And if teaching is something you feel particularly drawn to personally (versus something that is required of you by an employer), you may be extra sensitive to the weight of being a steward for the care and experience of other people.

Suzette Hammond, Being Tea

We also discussed imposter syndrome, scarcity mentality, and the importance of valuing your work. The tea industry is still quite small and compensating the work of writers and educators is not yet normalized. This is something that I have personally struggled with quite a bit so it was helpful to get Suzette’s perspectives.

I am a bit sad to have these modules come to an end. It has been a challenging journey that has definitely helped me grow and improve as a tea educator. The good news is that Being Tea offers a graduate-level alumni community. This includes regular meet-ups for discussions and community support, plus ongoing general education classes and events

The next step for graduation is for me to teach my practice classes. One is required to be a Tea 101, but the other can be on any tea topic that I choose. I’ll be sure to follow up with one last wrap-up blog post once they have been completed.

Catch up on the other Being Tea Teacher Training modules

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Module 6

Module 7

Final Thoughts

Being TeaEducationTea

About Nicole Wilson

Nicole Wilson is a tea writer and educator who has been sharing her love of the leaf online for more than a decade. Her website, TeaforMePlease.com, is the longest continuously running tea blog written by a female author. In 2018, she won the World Tea Award for Best Tea Blog. Every week you can expect to see reviews of specialty teas and related products, informative articles, reports on important events, and more.

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Do you love to drink tea, but wish you knew more about it? I'm here to help! The world of specialty tea is massive so it can be a lot to take in. On this blog, you'll find over 1,000 articles and tea reviews to start your journey. I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have!

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