Teaching formats are the genres of a workshop.
Lecture. Pair work. Group discussion. Q&A.
You already know them.
But here’s what people miss:
It’s not about knowing formats.
It’s about using them right.
Two rules:
1. Match the format to the content.
2. Switch formats at least every 20 minutes.
Why?
Because energy dies in repetition.
Because attention fades with sameness.
Because no one learns yoga from a lecture,
and no one remembers a 60-minute monologue.
A good workshop isn’t powered by your charisma.
It’s powered by rhythm.
By breaks. By variety.
Stay too long in one format and fatigue kicks in.
Even if it feels “high energy” at first,
by the 30-minute mark it drags.
That’s Format Fatigue.
Here’s the trick:
Instead of forcing yourself to “perform harder,”
change the container.
Move from lecture to exercise.
From groups to pairs.
From talking to doing.
Small shifts are enough.
Even a five-minute break in a long lecture resets the room.
Even swapping team sizes refreshes the vibe.
And if you’ve got back-to-back sections that demand the same format?
Don’t panic.
Change the order.
Drop in a micro-exercise.
Or let the coffee break cut the monotony.
It’s not performance that keeps people awake.
It’s design.
And design is simple:
Break often.
Mix formats.
Keep the room alive.
Thank you.
And Free Palestine.