An aspect of teaching I haven't yet consciously appreciated is the ability to hide the extent of your own knowledge. The human mind has a limit to how much new information it can absorb, and if you want to teach effectively you need to plan around that limitation. I don't teach often enough to know what that limit is.
This limiting of information is challenging for me for a few reasons. First, I want to show off. When I know a lot about the subject, I get a kick out of explaining as much of it as I can at once. I need to stop myself so that my informal students have a chance to internalize the material, but often I don't. It's too much fun showing off.
As an example, I know a lot about chess that's worth teaching to other amateurs. I'm chalk-full of opening wisdom, tactic names, endgame basics, ways to dissect a middlegame position and book recommendations. The key for me is to slow down and deliver it in manageable chunks. The four-sentence rule applies here.
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