This first step—choosing a subject—is more critical than it might seem. It’s where your personal enthusiasm, experience, and the audience’s needs intersect. You don’t need to be a professor or a published expert to teach adults. In fact, many great adult education courses come from people who are simply passionate and skilled in an area that others want to learn about.
Many new instructors feel uncertain because they’re trying to be “perfect” or overly academic. But the goal here is not perfection—it’s connection and practicality. If you can clearly communicate something useful, you already have the foundation.
As a member of the Sacramento State Renaissance Society, you bring a lifetime of knowledge, experience, and curiosity to the table. Choosing the right subject to teach is a powerful first step in turning that experience into something meaningful for others. Whether you’re looking to share your professional insights, personal interests, or hard-earned life lessons, finding the right topic can make your teaching experience more enjoyable, engaging, and impactful.
When you teach something you’re genuinely passionate about, your enthusiasm becomes contagious. Adult learners—especially peers—respond to energy and authenticity. If you’re excited about what you’re sharing, your students are more likely to stay engaged and connect with the material. That passion also helps make your preparation more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Equally important is leaning into your own expertise. As a retired professional, you already have deep experience that others can learn from, whether it's rooted in your career, volunteer work, or personal pursuits. You don’t need to be a formal educator—just someone who has something valuable to share and the willingness to guide others through it. Confidence comes naturally when you teach from what you know well.
Relevance is another key ingredient. Adults tend to be highly practical learners. They want information and skills that apply directly to their lives—whether it's navigating technology, exploring creative expression, managing health and wellness, or gaining insight into current events or history. When your topic meets a real interest or need, your course becomes immediately meaningful to your audience.
Choosing your right subject sets you up for sustainable success. When the topic fits your passions and strengths, it becomes easier—and more rewarding—to offer your program again, refine it, or even develop a series. Many Renaissance Society members find great joy in teaching not just once, but year after year, building community and friendships along the way.
Remember, the best subjects are those that you care about, have experience with, and that offer real value to fellow learners. As a Renaissance Society program leader, your lived experience is your most powerful asset—and sharing it can make a lasting difference in the lives of others.
Passion and Interest:
When you're genuinely passionate about a subject, your teaching becomes more natural and engaging. Learners can sense when you care—and that authenticity builds trust and motivation in the classroom.
Example:
If you’ve always loved photography and often get compliments on your landscape shots, that’s a sign. You don’t need to start with a masterclass on advanced editing. Instead, offer something approachable like “Smartphone Photography for Beginners”—a topic that sounds doable and immediately relevant to many adults.
Passion keeps you energized through the prep work and gives your teaching a unique flavor that no one else can replicate.
Discovering your passion doesn’t have to be a mysterious or overwhelming process. Often, it's about paying attention to what already lights you up in everyday life. Here are several practical exercises and examples to help someone uncover their passion, especially with teaching in mind:
1. Reflect on What You Love Doing (Even for Free)
Ask yourself:
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What activities make you lose track of time?
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What would you do even if no one paid you?
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What topics do you naturally bring up in conversation?
Example:
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You spend hours researching new tech gadgets and explaining them to friends—maybe your passion lies in technology education or digital literacy.
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You love organizing events or planning trips for friends—perhaps your passion includes event planning or travel planning.
2. List Your Hobbies and Interests
Write down everything you enjoy doing—no matter how small or unrelated it seems.
Example:
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Cooking, journaling, gardening, sketching, video editing, gaming, birdwatching.
Then ask:
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Could I teach a beginner program on any of these?
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Could I turn one into a short workshop?
3. Ask Friends and Family: “What Do You Think I’m Good At?”
Sometimes other people can see our strengths more clearly than we can.
Example:
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A friend says, “You're always great at explaining things calmly.” That could be a signal you’d excel at teaching communication, mindfulness, or soft skills.
4. Notice What Problems You Naturally Solve
What do people come to you for help with?
Example:
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People always ask you to help set up their phones or troubleshoot their laptops—maybe your passion lies in teaching basic tech skills to seniors or beginners.
5. Review Your Bookmarks, Podcast Listens, or YouTube History
What do you gravitate toward in your free time?
Example:
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You watch a lot of personal finance channels—you might enjoy teaching “Budgeting Basics for Beginners” or “How to Start Saving with a Low Income.”
6. Think About What You’ve Overcome or Learned the Hard Way
Your past challenges often give you valuable insight that others need.
Example:
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You’ve figured out how to manage ADHD as an adult—maybe you could teach a workshop on “Time Management for Neurodivergent Learners.”
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You went from hating exercise to loving it—maybe a class on “Getting Started with Fitness for Non-Gym People.”
7. Do a “Passion Journal” for One Week
Each day, jot down:
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What energized me today?
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What bored or drained me?
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What did I enjoy learning or talking about?
By the end of the week, patterns will emerge—this gives clues to your passion.
Passion isn’t always a loud “aha!” moment—it’s often a quiet, consistent thread running through your life. Once you identify it, teaching becomes a natural extension of sharing what you love.
Experience and Expertise:
You likely already have areas of strength based on your career, hobbies, or life experience—even if you haven’t thought about them as “teachable.”
Ask yourself:
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What do people often ask me for help or advice with?
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What skills have I used repeatedly at work or in my personal life?
What challenges have I overcome that others might be going through?
Identifying your experience and expertise is a key step in creating a program that feels authentic, valuable, and confidence-boosting to teach.
Here are practical examples and prompts to help you reflect and recognize what you already know well, often more than you think.
1. Look at Your Job History
Even if your work doesn’t seem “teachable,” you’ve built skills that others want to learn.
Examples:
Retail or customer service experience → Teach “Handling Difficult Customers” or “Sales Skills for Beginners.”
Project manager → Share “Time Management Tools for Busy Professionals” or “Intro to Project Planning.”
Construction or trade work → Offer “Home Maintenance for First-Time Homeowners” or “Basic Carpentry Skills.”
Prompt:
What have you done at work that others rely on you for?
2. Think About Skills You Use Without Thinking
Some skills feel so second-nature that you forget they’re valuable.
Examples:
You're always organizing your home or workplace → Teach “Decluttering 101” or “How to Organize a Small Space.”
You fix your own car or bike → Share “DIY Car Maintenance for Beginners.”
Prompt:
What do people say you’re “naturally good at” or “always know how to do”?
3. Review Volunteer or Side Project Experience
Even unpaid work counts if you gained useful, transferable skills.
Examples:
Volunteered to help seniors with technology → Teach “How to Use Your Smartphone” or “Staying Safe Online.”
Organized a local fundraiser → Offer “Planning Events on a Budget.”
Prompt:
What projects have you completed (paid or unpaid) that you’re proud of?
4. Tap into Hobbies You’ve Practiced for a Long Time
A hobby you’ve done for years makes you more experienced than a complete beginner—and that’s all you need to start teaching.
Examples:
You’ve been baking for 10+ years → Teach “Sourdough for Beginners” or “Easy Cakes from Scratch.”
You’ve edited videos for fun → Offer “Video Editing Basics with CapCut or iMovie.”
Prompt:
What hobby have you stuck with that others are curious about?
5. Look at What You’ve Learned the Hard Way
You don’t need formal credentials to teach a lived experience. Your personal growth can become a guide for others.
Examples:
Managed your finances after debt → Teach “Getting Out of Debt 101.”
Successfully changed careers → Share “How I Pivoted Jobs at 40+” or “Resume Reboot Workshop.”
Prompt:
What have you learned through personal challenge, trial and error, or self-teaching?
6. Ask, “What Do People Ask Me For Help With?”
This often reveals what others already see as your expertise.
Examples:
Friends ask for your help writing resumes → Teach “Resume Writing for Career Changers.”
People ask for your advice on parenting toddlers → Offer “Positive Discipline for Ages 2–5.”
Prompt:
What types of questions do friends, coworkers, or family come to you with?
You don’t need a certification to be qualified—you need enough understanding to help someone take their first few steps. Often, you only need to be one or two steps ahead of your learner.
Audience Needs:
Knowing your potential learners helps you shape your program to meet them where they are. Adult learners are typically goal-oriented and practical. They want knowledge or skills they can use right away, whether to improve their lives, get a job, start a side hustle, or pursue a personal passion.
Consider:
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What challenges or goals are common in your local community?
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What kind of learning do adults in your area seem to seek—personal enrichment, career development, creative hobbies?
Example:
In a community where many people are approaching retirement, a program like “Budgeting for Life After Work” is relevant, timely, and likely to attract interest. You’re not just offering information—you’re solving a real-life problem.
Understanding what learners are curious about, struggling with, or excited to explore helps you design a program that feels truly relevant and rewarding for everyone.
Here are several practical examples and strategies for uncovering audience needs:
1. Start with a Conversation
Simply talking to people—friends, fellow members, or community peers—can reveal a lot about what they’re interested in or need help with.
Example:
You’re chatting after a Renaissance Society meeting, and someone says, “I wish I could keep up with all these new phone apps.” That’s a clue. Maybe a program on “Everyday Tech Tools for Seniors” or “How to Use Your Smartphone Without Getting Overwhelmed” would hit the mark.
2. Look at Trends Among Peers
Think about common life stages, interests, or transitions your audience may be going through.
Examples:
Many are navigating retirement → Teach “Finding Purpose After Full-Time Work” or “Travel Planning on a Retirement Budget.”
Others are caring for aging spouses or parents → Offer “Practical Tips for Family Caregivers” or “Aging Well Together: Conversations That Matter.”
Ask yourself:
What are people in this stage of life curious about, worried about, or planning for?
3. Reflect on Questions People Often Ask
What are your peers frequently seeking advice or clarity about? Those recurring questions can guide you toward useful topics.
Example:
If people often ask how to use Zoom or manage files on their computer, a program on “Digital Basics for Everyday Life” could be in high demand.
4. Notice Gaps in What’s Being Offered
Review the current catalog of Renaissance Society or other lifelong learning programs. Are there areas that feel underrepresented?
Example:
There are plenty of history lectures, but fewer hands-on or skill-based classes. You could fill the gap with “Intro to Creative Writing” or “How to Create a Digital Photo Album.”
5. Ask Through Informal Surveys or Feedback
You don’t need anything fancy—just ask a few peers or fellow members, “If you could take a class on anything right now, what would it be?”
Example:
You might hear answers like:
“How to start writing my memoir.”
“Understanding the news without getting overwhelmed.”
“Tips for downsizing or organizing all my stuff.”
Each of these responses is a potential program waiting to happen.
6. Consider What You Needed to Learn Recently
If something challenged you, confused you, or sparked your interest recently, chances are others feel the same.
Example:
You recently figured out how to digitize family VHS tapes. You could teach “Preserving Family Memories: Digitizing Photos and Videos at Home.”
7. Listen for Curiosity, Frustration, or Inspiration
Needs often show up in casual complaints or sudden interests. When someone says, “I wish I knew how to…,” that’s a door opening.
Example:
Someone remarks, “I wish I knew more about AI—everyone’s talking about it, but I don’t really get it.” That could lead to a low-pressure course like “AI 101 for Curious Adults.”
Audience needs aren’t always loud or obvious—they often show up in quiet conversations, everyday problems, or shared life transitions. The key is listening with curiosity and empathy. When you teach a topic that meets a real need, you’re not just sharing knowledge—you’re providing a service that connects and empowers.
