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Lessons
Day 1
1Class Introduction
15:45 2The Benefits of Teaching a Craft Class
12:46 3Determine Your Expertise
11:45 4Different Types of Teaching Venues
13:37 5Factors to Consider Based on the Teaching Venues
04:19 6The Importance of Lesson Planning
05:02 7The Different Types of Classes
11:16Determining the Class Objective
16:52 9Create a Technique-Based Lesson Plan
18:04 10Create a Project-Based Lesson Plan
30:04 11How to Approach a Venue to Teach a Class
16:18 12Factors to Consider When Negotiating with Venues
09:27 13Skype Call with Christine Haynes
41:03 14Workshopping Students Lesson Plans
13:13 15Preparations: Supply List & Kits
13:48 16Preparation: How to Get Ready & Other Materials
14:20 17Preparation: Practicing Beforehand
10:26Day 2
18The Day of the Class: Before the Students Arrive
07:36 19The Class Begins: Start with the Student's Stories
12:53 20The Importance of a Strong Class
22:31 21Timing & Pacing for a Strong Class
22:10 22Different Student Profiles
17:57 23Pitch Panel: Lisa Shaffer, Marie Muscardini, & Elizabeth Madariaga
1:13:32 24Obstacles That Come Up During a Class
10:12 25Always Use Positive Encouragement
07:50 26Great Answers to Hard Questions from Students
17:24 27Wrapping Up the Class
02:28 28What to Do After the Class
12:55 29Go Forth & Teach!
09:04Lesson Info
What to Do After the Class
What to do after class so we wrapped up our class everything's great you went home pat yourself on the back job well done now what do you want to make sure you d'oh so this is an important step you want to make sure that you're closing the loop with both your students and your bent and the venue kind close the loop get feedback from students we did talk about this today in the panel, right? We mentioned how to get feedback from students so there are different ways of doing this you could give them a written evaluation form or something in at the end of the class. A lot of times that happens and conferences I know it quoted conference is that you students do that always and they're handed to the teacher doesn't read them right away they go first to the you know the directors of the of the conference but then the teacher you'll eventually get to read them okay? Or you could email them a quick feedback form and you could offer incentive to fill it out right? Like if you have on online sho...
p or something, you could offer them a discount code for for faith filling out your feedback because not a lot of people want to do it right we know this if we if you sell on etsy or something like that like not a lot of people give ratings and feedback so you have to try to give them incentive to do that verbal feedback is great if you want constructive criticism it's probably best you probably best get it in a written form okay I don't find that people necessarily are very forthcoming right away verbally with their with their you know constructive criticism ok but then that being said people are pretty quick toe be you know pretty critical on britain few bag or can be so just know that as well right but it's always a good good idea I believe to get feedback okay and always use it productively and don't take it personally right we talked about this in the panel ok it's going to sting if you get something that's negative I mean how could it not but just know that it's not personal okay and whatever it is it's probably going to help you be a better teacher okay if only just deciding you need to you know be better about receiving feedback right? You're going to learn from the experience no matter what ok don't take it personally and don't get defensive about it either okay because you know that you are you are doing your best we're all in this together okay? You did a good job no matter what one negative comment said ok get feedback from the venue right this might happen right away or might happen a little bit later on um get feedback from the venue how did I d'oh what was the response like from the students? Did you get any? Did you get any e mails? What do you know? What were people saying about my class and hope that they're they're going to give you that that really honest? Um, feedback share social sirius share your experience on social media candid and this goes to the marketing aspect that also came up in the that wonderful panel right? The venue loves when you also share about it on social media plus you're opening up to a much broader audience, right? Just the venue is sharing it then that goes to one group, but then you're also building your audience guy and so the venues going appreciate that you're you're actually getting more traffic ok and say hello and social media, right? Say hello to everybody on social media. Say hello to your students on social media say hello to the venue, ok, just keep keep this communication going. Okay? Um anything else? Maybe that I missed about closing the loop or any questions? I know that we were talking a little bit about marketing, but go ahead with your question I haven't gone back yet, but I'm thinking I should send an email to all the past students and maybe even in the form of an anonymous survey they could take yeah, but I would also ask if they'd be willing to write a testimonial that I could include maybe in future marketing that's a wonderful idea or start saving e mails sometimes people will send you a new email out of the blue that it's going to be complimentary of your work and email them back and be like, oh my god, thank you so much for saying that do you mind if I put this on my do I might if I quote you on my newsletter on my website and I'm sure they'll say yes right? Because that's really cool that's a really good idea and now a ce faras getting feedback to you have you ever used surveymonkey you like that as a I haven't I haven't personally use it for feedback from from my my classes but I have used it for other reasons for other purposes it's great have you no, I'm wondering if you yeah, sure teaching yeah, I think that's a great and maybe other people can share other maybe online ways or even written ways google surveys yes, so yeah anyway, whatever is the easiest going to be the easiest for you is the way I would say right, um lily, how are we doing? You have any question there's a question on line here patty robinson had a question about after class and she says hard questions students want to hang out with me outside of class often they want me to come over and be their personal free art teacher oh yes you just have to cut politely decline I mean unless it's something that you want to dio but I would definitely draw that I would set that boundary you know and just peace as warm and kind as you as you can and maybe just defer it meaning like think oh my god you're so sweet when that be so fun um why don't we check in about that later I probably won't be able to come over um because I'm teaching so many classes but you're so sweet to offer something like that right or why don't we check in the next time you're in class or something like that just very politely sort of and and you know the deep down they're going to understand right? You know your services as much as you would want to because it's fun to hang out with people socially as well you know you're teaching for him to make a living so you want to make sure that they you know you got to set those boundaries all right so I want you guys tio not just walk away with all these great ideas but I want you to make take some action steps okay so I want you guys to seriously seriously take action today um I want you guys to take action. A lot of you did by submitting your pitches. I felt like that was a really good action step, but I want you to identify three next steps, and if you're in the workbook, I believe their space to write these down. But it's, essentially just I will. And then you're telling us when you will do it by. Okay, so for example, I will email marie at handcuff studio school. I will do this by tomorrow morning. Or maybe not because we want to give her a little bit of breathing, breathing space, plus it's friday. Thank you. Tuesday morning I will email her. Okay, so something like that. So it does anybody have one already in mind that they want to share. Susan I photos of my completed projects and you're going to do this by monday. Awesome! I love it. Come up with two more and this goes for online as well. I'd love to hear some people's action steps. What are you guys? And I'm calling all of us. Have something ready by now I'm being kind of being very rigid. Kathy what's yours. I learned a lot in setting in the pitch part, even though I do my own workshops. At my own place in my class descriptions that I send out as marketing I'm going to start including things like skill level and some of the other details that were you were yeah showing and then secondly like we just talked about I will follow up with past students for feedback and testimonials great and when are you going to do those things by you know within a week within a week okay, great. Um holly what do you got to dio um one thing one thing I think I'll will decide on on a class trip to try it out other than so you mean tried out by like I tried to go through the whole process of making the pitch trying to find the great then you like to go through all the steps that we okay so would break it down even even more so I will write my pitch by do you want one at a time day my fish by tuesday okay, so try to give yourself there's also have classes and goal setting yeah, it is going to refer everybody to creative life library. Um edna tell me one thing I'll create lesson plans for the latest proposals that I have on kid our workshops great and do you have in mind where you will pitch them too well are you already and I already have them ok like you any of your venues then use yes and awesome and ah due by september tenth september ten which is wednesday right yeah right yeah awesome I love it she has an exact date who I missed did I read I got you susan tonight no you got me but I'm also going to schedule a class for october okay do you know where you know you're going to contact everything I know that I don't know who the students will be so but I think I feel like I need to get the photos out I've had one class and so putting some descriptions and testimonials out there great then just seeing who can really awesome great by you said you're going to do this but I want to schedule a class for october so probably mid september first week in september the end of first week yeah so say she has an idea when she'd like to teach a class yeah what's a good it's going it's going to be venue specific right? So a lot of places plan maybe quarterly like you know for example I know a lot of quote shops have you know, like october through december classes so they'll start planning those at the end of august early september so I would say at least a month out you're going to need tio coordinate on a lot of times like for me I have stuff scheduled in february for quilting conferences so they like we planned way in advance but it's definitely it's going to be specific to your craft and your location. You renu, does that help a guy? You've won? Nasa? Uh, well, I also want tio do that mask project with two people on just walk because I think I have all the steps, and I think I know the timing, but I just wanted you want what you're trying to see, what else comes up that somebody might ask a question before you make sure great. So schedule your dress rehearsal by, uh, for sometime in mid to late september. Great. I know I'm going to ask. That just depends on the availability of your question. I just wrote the same thing down that I'm going to do some dry runs. Awesome for my, um, the lessons plant that I just mentioned and love it and then take photos from those. So yes, yeah, you guys. Photos are as we talked about and that the panel really important to have photos of what you're doing.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with RSVP
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Claude Aimée Villeneuve
This was a very good class, well prepared and packed with such useful information! I've been teaching various arts and craft classes for over 10 years now and did it sort of instinctively. Ashley gave me the tools I needed to refine my classes and prepare really good classes outlines and how to find venues to teach and pitch my classes. That was awesome and I plan to watch it again and again because there is so much in it! This was a first class presentation! Thank you Ashley! Claude Aimée Villeneuve, Visual artist and teacher
a Creativelive Student
I'm not even half way thru the online videos and want to recommend this class to anyone who just needs that extra boost to start their own classes! I like the fact that Ashley suggests that we think from a student perspective to help us to better plan. This class covers many things I have heard before BUT in greater detail. When I hear the 'WHY' of doing things, I'm more likely to follow thru. These videos explain many 'WHYs' (There are many informative sites/classes for this topic but not many people give you 'this is WHY' it should be done this way) Ashley gives the "WHY' and the 'HOW to'. If you want to teach and are mostly ready to teach, take this class and all the gaps will be filled in and you will be ready to go forth and teach your craft!
Barbara Schiffman
Great class -- watched live (most of it) and purchased for ongoing review. I've taught many things, including some crafts (decorating gourds, collage, making your own tarot-collages) but I gained new insights, ideas and confidence from Ashley's advice, the students questions and input, and the panel! I recommend this for anyone who wants to teach a class -- craft oriented, personal development, or anything else!