How does one go about teaching beginning guitar?

I am not new to guitar tricks. I have been on here for five months, I was offered a job teaching beginning guitar. i have had 6 years of lessons and studied music in college. I am rusty at playing but have been practicing a lot using this site. How do I go about teaching beginners?

Jim

Start with teaching them simple melodies like Ode to joy, happy bday and so on. then go to 3 string chords only, then 4 5 and 6. Don't go to 5 and 6 string chords on their fist lesson!! this is a big mistake that make a lot of people quit guitar in the beginning!

I agree. Give them something they can accomplish easily. I have used Smoke on the Water on one string as a good first lesson. They can hear that getting it right is within the realm of possibility, and that keeps them motivated.

I like the hidden meaningfulness (:D) in Jon's post. Make it simple but give 'em something to play that they like...something a little 'more' than "Three Blind Mice", "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "My Country Tis of Thee."

The first songs in my piano lessons were those songs. I can still play "My Country Tis of Thee" (a.k.a, "God Save the Queen", the British national anthem) but that's all I can play on the piano...if you get my drift...