Teaching A Beading Class
Teaching beading is a great way to supplement your beading income, make new beading friends and learn new skills. Before you jump in, however, consider a couple of fundamental questions.
Do I like to teach, instruct, or stand up in front of a bunch of strangers (or even friends) and talk? While you might not consider this skill one of your strengths, it's not a show-stopper. If you are desperately uncomfortable speaking in front of a group, you can practice on close friends or family or take a Toastmasters or similar type of public speaking course to overcome your fears.
Do I have the patience to teach? Quite seriously, if you would find yourself grabbing a pliers out of someone's hands, you might want to reconsider instructing others. Develop patience and serenity before you get a room full of eager folks wanting to dig in.
Do I have the expertise to teach my craft? Sounds like a simple question, but I've taken classes where the instructor, when asked simple questions, was stumped. Read up on your subject matter, take a class yourself, or consider the amount of experience you have. If you have people praising your work, you are probably "good enough" to be teaching.
Now, if you still want to teach, it's time to start planning.
First of all: What am I going to teach? Obviously, something you are good at and can instruct others in. Start simple - remember a vast majority of wanna-be beaders have little to no experience. If you've never taught a beading class before, a simple stitch or stringing course may be the best way to start out.
Who am I going to teach? The best place to experiment may be your closest friends or family. Recruit a few folks you are comfortable with, and develop a "class" for them. My first teaching "class" was a small group of five girlfriends on a trip - it was casual, friendly, and no pressure. If you feel comfortable in that environment, move on to more students and people you don't know. When you do set up a more formal class, be sure to limit the number of students who can show up, and require an RSVP to allow you to purchase materials and tools ahead of time.
Where am I going to teach? Part of this will depend on your answer to "who".the more students, the larger your classroom needs to be. Ideally, you will have one table per 3-5 students, room to move from table to table, and a spot where you can demonstrate technique or lecture from. Outside of your own home or studio, think about community halls, college campuses, church or retirement home fellowship areas. If you frequent a local bead or hobby shop, you might even check to see if they will allow you to hold classes at the shop!
Now that you've determined the basics, it's time to really dig in. To help determine what to charge for your class, you'll need to determine the project to teach, the materials to supply, any handouts that you want to give to your students and the time you will spend teaching.
Project - again, start simple. If you are teaching stringing, maybe a necklace or bracelet and earring set. For stitching, pick a simple project like a bracelet or anklet that most students will finish in one sitting. Keep in mind your potential audience - a detailed stitch bracelet using tiny seed beads is not the best choice if you are teaching senior citizens, and Red Hat jewelry probably won't go over very well with a college crowd!
Materials - figure out what each student will need to make one complete set of your project. Don't forget basics like wire, crimps, head pins, rings, thread, and non-sharable tools like needles. My rule of thumb for tools is one set of the basics (one square/round/bent or needle-nosed pliers, a wire cutter or scissors, crimping pliers) per table. If you are holding your class in a retail store, the store may ask that all materials (outside of tools for instruction) be purchased directly by the student. Work this out with the store ahead of time to avoid confusion! A nice touch for the end of your class is a small organza bag or gift box for your students to place their newly made items in, but don't forget to include the cost in your materials!
Handouts - you may want to include a project sheet for the item(s) you are making, listing materials, instructions and a photo of the finished project. Other ideas for handouts might be resources (online bead stores and help sites such as Beading Help Web, local brick and mortar stores, beading guilds or local clubs), tricks and tips, your contact information and additional classes you are teaching.
Time - how long do you think you will need to teach the class? I would not schedule less than an hour, this gives you plenty of time to demonstrate the techniques, let your students make their projects and ask questions, as well as give you some time at the end to do some additional socializing.
Cost - The cost for your class should include all materials, handouts, room rental or fees if applicable, and your time. Your time is whatever length your class session will be multiplied by your hourly consulting fee. Take the final total of all materials, handouts, rental/fees and your consulting time and divide by the number of students you will allow in the class. This should be the cost per student.
Finally, it's time to schedule, market and hold your class. If you are working through a college, church, retirement home or retail store, you can probably use their resources (newsletters, bulletin boards, mailings and web sites) to promote your class, but don't forget your own contacts! Friends, family, even clients might like to learn a little bit about your craft. When it comes time for the big day, arrive early, get set up and relax. You are teaching something you love and are passionate about.let your students see that attitude and they will catch your enthusiasm.
