teaching class

Congratulations. What class are you teaching?

Starlia

Brava! And good luck to you...

Looks like I'm going to be teaching basic beading classes soon, too. Of all places, at Michael 's! Not exactly the Ritz of beading venues, but I figure everyone's got to start someplace -- me as a beading teacher, and my students as beaders.

The basic 'wage' is very low, but the percentage of the class fees the teacher gets is generous (90% of the class fees, minus what you get as an hourly wage), so the more students one can attract, the more financially rewarding the time spent doing a class will be.

Going through the application process, especially the 'corporate attitude' survey, was rather surreal. Good thing I am not aiming to be a regular sales person for them. I scored 'below average' on both communication and competitiveness. The first seems way out of phase with the truth, but the second is certainly accurate. I'd rather collaborate than compete, any day.

I have to do an in-store demo this coming Saturday, with the objective of attracting new students. The Corporate Office mandates two initial projects -- a basic strung necklace and a memory-wire bracelet. After that, I am on my own to do any other projects I want, as longs as I can round up enough students to sign up for them, using samples, signage and the occasional demo.

A couple of classes a month, to start, then whatever there is a demand for and can be scheduled to fit into their single classroom around other teachers' classes.

So, please think back to when you all started out, if you can... what would you say would it be the most useful stuff to learn right at the start? (Apart from the inconvenient fact that there are much better bead-sources in the world than Michael's...)

This will be my very first income-producing activity since I got here, so I am feeling fairly relieved to have even this small gig.

I have been chewing up my savings taking care of my share of the household expenses in spite of having nothing coming in -- and I've had a fairly large amount going out on things like paying my own health insurance, investing in stuff for my start-up stock as a business person, plus the substantial tuition for the mediation training next month.

But I really like the idea of showing other people how to get satisfying results from their time and energy spent on something I hope they come to love doing as much as I do -- so even though I am somewhat dubious about the sponsors, I am looking forward to the students and the teaching process.

Any suggestions for good projects using components that are available at a craft-store level, since Michael's interest in giving classes at all is to promote their products? In addition to the relatively sub-standard seed beads, I have seen tiny packages of fairly attractive Czech pressed glass there, and even furnace glass in tiny quantities, a few sterling findings, some gemstone chips in short strands, freshwater pearls in small amounts, base metal charms and findings, decent Beadalon products, etc...

Deirdre

That is so cool Deidre. Our Michael's never offer those types of classes. If they can get anyone it's always substandard painting teachers. I bet you'll rock and their beads sales will go up.

Starlia

from their time and energy spent on something I hope they come to love doing as much as I do<

CONGRATS, Deirdre! I bet you will be attracting more and more students as you go along!!

Carol in SLC eBay:

jewelry (8/28):

On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 19:35:17 -0400, starlia wrote (in message ):

That's because they can't get the teachers. Every time I go into Michael's or A.C. Moore to get supplies (usually things I don't want to get online, polyclay, rubber stamps, markers, small fun strands of pressed czech beads); I am invariably offered a job. They ask me where I got my beaded jewelry, and as soon as I say that I've made it, the clerk is instantly calling over the store manager to "talk to me."

My disability insurance keeps me from even considering such a job, but I think I could do it and could really get a few bead-a-holics out of each class.

Kathy N-V

Me too. Your own learning style in addition to the usual ones will be sure to include most anyone.

Tina

Thats just what I was thinking as I typed. lol... and I only know Michaels stuff by reputation... Diana

What are you teaching, Johanna, and where? A store, a school? 10 weeks. It must be a nicely comprehensive course.

Tina

The second class I ever took was 2 or 3 hour wire work class. (Both classes were last spring). Probably the best possible addition to my skills because it is a related, finishing up sort of work. And it uses different tools.

All we did was S-links, then put beads between. And S-clasps. And loops. They did ear wires; but I didn't quite manage them. Oh, and spirals. Most everything else can grow out of that.

Tina

Well, it's in local Folk College, I don't know what ages are the students. Description for the class was "Learning different (basic) techniques, you can make bracelets, bags, jewerly or ornaments". So I don't know what we'll do :) Probably start with the basics, like ordering tons of beads!

Johanna

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Johanna Koski :

]Folk College

what is a Folk College?

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

What about community college. We have a lot of those in Texas and they offer a variety of classes, both for credit or pleasure.

Starlia

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "starlia" :

]What about community college. We have a lot of those in Texas and they ]offer a variety of classes, both for credit or pleasure.

we have a lot of those, too. but her descriptions don't sound like ours. ours tend to be an extra step between HS and college.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

Yes. Listen to the materials, and you'll figure out what they want to be...

Deirdre

I'd like to do this kind of basic wirework class -- the skill to do things with wire helps put 'finishing touches' on all kinds of other projects as well...

But I gotta get the two mandated classes out of the way first. Then I get much more of a free rein.

Deirdre

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :

]I'd like to do this kind of basic wirework class -- the skill to do ]things with wire helps put 'finishing touches' on all kinds of other ]projects as well...

i'd like to sign up for a dozen!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

I think this is excellent advice! And it's easy to forget that what we know how to do/what to use newbies don't.

We had this problem in my glass class. Two people who bought mashers (and the instructor had used them,but didn't give detailed info about it) held the mashers in the flame and the soldered pieces got stuck in the glass/came off (they were silver soldered). So it was decided that the next class would get specific instructions to use them outside the flame.

I bet you'll have a blast teaching Deirdre!!

So would I. I am only equipped to teach the basics myself at this point. I'd like to get a jump or two ahead of those beginners I am likely to be trying to help...

Deirdre

Ouch! I promise to pay attention to how people use their tools ...

(now is that asking for a double entendre, or what?)

Deirdre