Read A Teaching Handbook for Wiccans and Pagans for Free Online Page B

find to teach in, money, time, your personal energy level, other resources, and the number and type of interested and available students. It’s kind of a chicken-and-egg thing: do you decide how you want to teach and then work out the logistical details accordingly, or do you look at what you have at your disposal in terms of space, money, time, energy, and resources and decide how you want to teach based on that? And of course you need to consider the availability and type of students you have access to, which takes your decision out of the chicken-and-egg category and escalates it to something more like a game of Twister.
    In the interest of avoiding a Twister situation, I’ve separated the student element from the equation and dedicated the next chapter to discussing just students. In the meantime, this chapter focuses on the non-student elements you need to consider before you start teaching.
    Space
    Unless someone hands you a teaching opportunity on a silver platter—and, in some cases, even if they do—finding space for teaching, especially cheap space, can be a challenge. Unfortunately, not everyone who rents out space or allows people to use it for free will welcome a Pagan group with open arms, and some organizations are not allowed to rent space for teaching any kind of spirituality, Pagan or not. Of course, you can always sidestep the whole space issue and hold classes online or via email. But if you want to teach in person, you’re going to have to find a place to do it. Here are some options.
    Your Home
    Unless they are thinking of holding a formal classes with media equipment and chairs or tables, many Pagans start out teaching from their own homes. They might do this because they prefer it, but often they do it because they feel it’s their only option.
    There are some real advantages to holding class or rituals in your home. You don’t have to cart your stuff somewhere, you’re probably more comfortable on your home turf, you can pass out in your own bed immediately after everyone leaves, and you have already paid the rent (hopefully). There are disadvantages, too, though. You have to clean the house or apartment, have enough parking and places for people to sit, and make sure you have plenty of the essentials, such as candles and toilet paper.
    Before you plan on inviting a student or students over, there are some questions you should ask yourself about your space. Perhaps the first is whether or not your home is in a good location for teaching. This can mean all sorts of things, depending on where you live. Here in the foothills of the Cascades, it often means “Do you live on a hill, and is it ever plowed?” or “Do you live out in the woods somewhere?” But it can also mean the following:
Are you close to a highway?
Is your home on a bus/train/subway line?
Are there places to park?
Are you likely to annoy your neighbors by having a bunch of parked cars out in front of your house regularly?
Is there any way you can minimize the impact of your class on your neighbors?
    As for your home itself, there are questions like:
Do you have enough room to have a class in your home?
Do you have enough tables and chairs, or at least pillows so people can sit on the floor?
Is your home accessible to people with disabilities?
Do you have pets that might make it difficult for some people to be in your space, either because they’re frightened of the animal (some people are very afraid of large dogs) or allergic?
    If your space is suitable for holding a class, it’s good to think about the issues around having people you might not know that well in your personal space, or having people in your space on a regular basis. Most people who are seeking Pagan teaching are honest, normal folks, but there are a few crazy and unethical people out there too.
    I know a Wiccan couple who for many years held open public full moon rituals in their basement. This was an extraordinary