#Mistake 3: Overthinking What a Course Is This video definitely helps in defining a course - I've only just started dipping my toes into this area, but my instinct would be to take months to develop it, research everything, and then find out there wasn't much demand. Indeed, it doesn't have to be complicated - "A pdf and a weekly meeting is a course", that resonates with me. If the base (a solid idea) is good, you can refine and build on top, but not the other way around.

#Reflection If I want to focus on B2+ students, I have two niches - Learners who studied Dutch at university. I live in Poland, and Dutch is a popular subject at university. I have a number of students who studied Dutch and are not really using it anymore, and have lessons with me so they don't forget their skills. I don't intentionally target these - but I'm appealing to this niche as I there are very few native teachers in this country. - Learners living in the Netherlands who already reached this level. I only have one student in this niche, and that is a Pole who lives in the Netherlands. I haven't been able to reach this niche yet, and I probably need to figure out how to reach them best. The upside of this niche is that it is much bigger than the first.

#Core Task The student that stands out the most to me is the adult B2+learner. They can speak on a wide range of topics, but still struggle with some grammar issues and a lack of vocab. We can work on topics they find interesting, increase their confidence and have fun in the lesson. I can incorporate a lot of authentic material (songs, movies, fiction) into our lessons to make them engaging.

#Mistake 2: Trying to Please Everyone Right now I teach Dutch one to one. I accept all students, which means I've got a nice mix of students - beginner, advanced, those who learn languages as a hobby and those needing it in daily life, etc. I find I get by far the most enjoyment from those at higher levels (B1-B2+). We can actually have interesting conversations, they ask fascinating grammar questions (which I love getting into) and they are confident sharing interesting stuff they came across. I've never really considered this before, but I wonder if it's worth it to focus on this group - specialising in this (maybe even ask a higher rate), and say "no" to beginners, which feels really counter-intuitive.

#How we Overcame Self Doubt For me, introspection helps - there's this nagging voice telling me I'm not good enough, but when I sit down and think about my positive qualities and what others have said about me, I realise I've got what it takes. I am now in the process of using my anxiety as a strength: nothing that happens in real life will be worse than the scenario I've played out in my head, and if something bad happens, I already thought about it and know what to do next.