A groundbreaking training program for developing tea education skills.
Become a leader in inclusive tea education.
Being Tea Teacher Training is for knowledgeable tea folks who want to feel more comfortable leading tea experiences, but have little teaching experience.
An experience no other program offers.
This course is an 8-month interactive online program. You’ll meet and collaborate with fellow teachers from all over the world, from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines.
Transform your years of tea study into a powerful skill set.
Being Tea Teacher Training is not a program to learn about tea, but rather, how we share tea with others. Because sharing tea with others is what we’re here for!
REGISTRATION IS OPEN for our 2024 / 2025 cohort
View our 2024 Open House info session
In this session, I share an overview of our program and structure for this upcoming year. Plus, you’ll hear from some of our wonderful graduates and current trainees about their experience in our program, and how they’re utilizing these skills in their own work and daily tea life. It’s a great conversation – I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
And read on to learn about this extraordinary program…
Hello! I’m Suzette Hammond, and I’ve been a tea trainer for 20 years.
An enormous part of my work is studying how we teach others. How we anticipate and respond to someone’s personal needs, their ways of expression, their professional development goals, the audiences they serve.
These types of human or soft skills are as critical as what we teach about tea itself – now more than ever. Talking about education absolutely lights me up and I love being a teacher mentor.
Now I’m sharing this deep teaching experience with you!
What’s unique about Being Tea Teacher Training?
Truly, everything.
FIRST OF ITS KIND PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING TEACHING SKILLS.
Being Tea Teacher Training is the first program in the tea industry to focus entirely on developing skills for effective teaching.
Teaching and sharing tea with others is a direct outlet for all those years of personal and professional study. And yet, even classroom teachers rarely get the chance to study their craft in this kind of in-depth way.
You’ll be on the leading edge of truly meaningful tea education.
INCLUSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED + EQUITY FOCUSED
This program is unique for its focus on inclusive teaching methods, centering experiential learning over rigid academic structure.
Our program is distinctly student centered, supporting the validation of someone’s lived, personal experience rather than the messaging of assimilation that is the norm of many of our educational structures.
You’ll be creating safer spaces for your students.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP & INTERACTIVE SUPPORT
Finally, this program is special because it is relationship oriented and rooted in community support, every step of the way.
After graduation, you can join the Being Tea Graduate community for continuing mentorship, study, and support for your growing craft. This is aligned with Being Tea’s mission of positioning education as a relationship, not a transaction.
You won’t be alone in this journey.
“I don’t think I can aptly describe just how much each module has shaped me or challenged me in a way that I did not think was possible.“
– Tehmeena Manji, 2021 graduate
Nairobi, Kenya
What will you study in Teacher Training? Our program overview:
MODULE 1: What Calls You to Teach?
Understanding diverse audience types and learning needs, plus assessing your own strengths and interests as an educator. This is the module we return to again and again, as our journey to more deeply understand our own “Why?” progresses.
MODULE 2: Creating a Sensory Playground
Why experiential learning matters; intro to adult learning theory and pedagogy (i.e., the study of learning); how to structure workshops for sensory supportive experiences; how to support diverse learners; creating spaces built for engagement and interactivity vs passive intake.
MODULE 3: Presence & Presentation
Understanding the difference between energetic vs physical space; working with your environment as a public speaker; learning how to hold space for students; managing challenging moments, and the energy output of different groups.
MODULE 4: Time & Structure
Time management skills in the classroom; developing a more personally comfortable relationship with time; creating containers to keep activities from being too fast or too slow; building flexible and energetically balanced lesson plans.
MODULE 5: The Love of Logistics
Scalability for teaching work based on personal needs; exploring size and environment of classes, including indoor, outdoor, and online considerations; equipment management; creating safety nets for when things don’t go as planned.
MODULES 6 + 7: Psychologically Sensitive Teaching + Equity-Centered Teaching
Becoming trauma-informed and implementing psychologically sensitive teaching methods; working within window of safety for students; engaging equity and decolonizing your teaching; navigating your scope of practice as a teacher. *Special two-part module deep dive!
MODULE 8: Self-Care & Creating a Personal Practice
Navigating periods of growth vs periods of rest; building a personal practice for creative nourishment; self-care for teachers; avoiding burn-out and imposter syndrome; gathering resources and business support.
What is included when you enroll? You’ll receive:
– Self-paced module videos, 3-4 hours of rich content per month. Great for folks who enjoy quiet learning.
– Live online training classes: Live online class each month (3-hours each) for group discussion and workshop of the material.
– Eight module workbooks filled with reflection prompts and exercises for integration.
– Access to weekly Office Hours for check-ins, coaching, and personalized assistance.
– Personal coaching on your own live practice class, on a topic of your choice, plus group feedback. Required to graduate.
– Certificate of Completion upon graduation
– 4 months of continuing education and support in our Graduate program!
– Special Bonus: Full access to the Being Tea membership program during your year of study. ($240/ annual value).
Read some of our Being Tea GRADUATE TESTIMONIALS
“To say my experience in the Teacher Training Program has been transformative, is an understatement. Enrolling in Being Tea’s Teacher Training Program was hands down one of the best decisions I made in my tea journey.” – Anna Ye, Founder of Anna Ye Tea (NYC)
“Most of the programs I came across talked more about the terroir and types of tea, which is important, but I was after something different. I didn’t quite know what until I came across Being Tea’s Teacher Training program.” – Taniya Gupta, Creator of YogaTeaPoetry (Canada)
“I got to know Sooz’s highly professional and sensitive teaching style at various tea industry workshops, and when I discovered her online Teacher Training, I was immediately thrilled.” – Sabine Gullatz, UK Tea Academy Sommelier and Trainer (Germany)
Where do you see yourself sharing tea?
Maybe you’ll host staff training workshops? Or offer tea experiences at festivals or yoga studios? Maybe you’ll teach for corporate clients or community organizations? Or perhaps you’ll teach online?
Wherever you want to share your love for tea, Being Tea Teacher Training can help you bring it to life.
“I was looking for a tea mentor / teacher who approached tea holistically and not just as a commodity and I have found that and much more.“
– Stephanie Samuels, 2020 graduate
Austin, TX (USA)
To apply for Being Tea Teacher Training:
Our 2024/2025 cohort begins in September! This program is offered only once each year. To apply, please review our most current tuition rates below and contact me using the form. A new student intake application will be sent to you after I’ve had a chance to review your email.
The deadline to apply for our next term is August 15, 2024.
2024 / 2025 TUITION FOR BEING TEA TEACHER TRAINING
Program tuition is sliding scale, based on your financial needs:
REDUCED RATE: $99 month ($1188 total)
This level is offered through Being Tea’s commitment to accessible education, reserved for specific affinity groups: BIPOC+, LGBTQ+, and recent immigrants from economically marginalized nations. **Limited spots for this available each term; must apply by June 1 to be considered for Reduced tuition.
STANDARD RATE: $125 month ($1500 total)
This level is my “fair exchange” rate – what it actually takes to produce material, support students, and sustain this unique program. If you are able to pay at this level, you’re encouraged to do so.
SUSTAINING RATE: $150 month ($1800 total)
Pay for yourself while supporting a fellow student! This level offsets the cost to run our Reduced rate tier. Thank you for your generosity!
Tuition is divided into 12 monthly auto-payments.
PRIVATE INSTRUCTION option is also available on a very limited basis.
Tuition for private instruction is $4200 total ($350 per month) and includes two one-on-one classes each month.
-> Learn more about why you should consider Being Tea private instruction.
Contact me here to request an application!
Program questions are also welcome!
Please review our FAQ to check if your question is covered here first. Also, please also review our Program Policies and Statement on Inclusivity.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
– Howard Thurman