The selection of facilitators/instructors is critical to the success of The Gathering. Some facilitators will not be Native American Elders.

The teaching methods used by the tribal elders are based on learning from experience, teaching and learning "by doing." Most of the workshop leaders themselves learned in small groups, with an older person who engaged them in an activity that was fun, relevant, social and challenging. This method closely mirrors project-based learning, the "new" pedagogy technique that integrates the latest discoveries in brain research and educational reform into an effective teaching method.