Tips for a Quilt Class Instructor :-)
07-18-2009, 12:21 PM
#41
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 6,884
It is good to know the space you will be using beforehand. Lighting, temperature, outlets, and tables and chairs are important to take in to consideration. Where will you be positioned? Are there places to display the pieces in progress?
I would be interested in how your class went. I think as you are concerned with how it goes, your class will be fine. :lol:
I would be interested in how your class went. I think as you are concerned with how it goes, your class will be fine. :lol:
07-18-2009, 03:21 PM
#43
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lost in a quilt shop :-)
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Originally Posted by bearisgray
Someone once took a class and the teacher used her selection of fabrics as a bad example. She was mortified.
One way I see to address it is in a separate class that is focused on picking fabrics and have the teacher provide samples of why the fabric doesn't work well with others. However, everyone has their own "eye" too and sometimes those difficult fabrics look outstanding in certain patterns.
07-18-2009, 05:19 PM
#44
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,914
I agree with teaching as if there are beginners in the class. I remember when I started quilting in 2005, and feeling shy about being the only one who didn't know what she was doing. Everyone made me feel so comfortable and reminded me that they were beginners once too.
Sounds like you already have a good plan, so good luck and hope the class appreciates your time and energy it takes to put it all together.
Sounds like you already have a good plan, so good luck and hope the class appreciates your time and energy it takes to put it all together.
07-18-2009, 06:01 PM
#45
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Location: Central Washington State
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As a color challenged human, I always get uncomfortable when someone starts going into colors matching or colors complementing or brings out a color wheel.
I quilt because I like doing practical things, I like the colors and I really enjoy all the angles. I would LOVE to be able to make a quilt that was color correct, but I get so excited by my stash that I just start pulling out the things I like and put them together and HOPE it is okay ... (in other words, that I will like it)
I don't think much of the hippies, but they did loosen up that color wheel, didn't they? <g>
anyway, I will admit to being a hard learner/knot head/challenge student <g>, but sooner or later, it dawns on someone that their quilt doesn't look exactly like they thought it should. When someone mentions contrast, it starts sinking in ... how to combine the over zealous zest for color with a manageable/recognizable quilt pattern is something I think people grow into ... and through time, being exposed to other quilters, I have come to understand texture, even! ... not that I want to know much more than that.
I think, reading all the things, and to spare beginners information overload, maybe understand how different people learn is the key to all teaching, and even learning ... some students READ ... some students LOOK and figure it out sans patterns, technique experience or everything else others go through (over achievers! LOL) ... some students have to SEE an operation done a number of times to understand the technique they are trying to learn.
One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give a student is the confidence to learn in exactly the way that student needs to learn. Students get so frustrated with themselves because they don't catch on like their neighbor does ... they just need to relax and accept the way they learn and work to achieve that technique. I always try to teach people to understand themselves, and work with themselves just as they are.
I know it sounds all so psychological, but it is as simple as understanding that we all have different gifts and different approaches, but even those differences compliment, not compete and boil down to three to five different approaches.
I know our teacher friend that started this thread wants to make sure that she has satisfied, taught students because of the joy she has in the effort.
That heart will be revealed within her students ... it always is. <g>
I quilt because I like doing practical things, I like the colors and I really enjoy all the angles. I would LOVE to be able to make a quilt that was color correct, but I get so excited by my stash that I just start pulling out the things I like and put them together and HOPE it is okay ... (in other words, that I will like it)
I don't think much of the hippies, but they did loosen up that color wheel, didn't they? <g>
anyway, I will admit to being a hard learner/knot head/challenge student <g>, but sooner or later, it dawns on someone that their quilt doesn't look exactly like they thought it should. When someone mentions contrast, it starts sinking in ... how to combine the over zealous zest for color with a manageable/recognizable quilt pattern is something I think people grow into ... and through time, being exposed to other quilters, I have come to understand texture, even! ... not that I want to know much more than that.
I think, reading all the things, and to spare beginners information overload, maybe understand how different people learn is the key to all teaching, and even learning ... some students READ ... some students LOOK and figure it out sans patterns, technique experience or everything else others go through (over achievers! LOL) ... some students have to SEE an operation done a number of times to understand the technique they are trying to learn.
One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give a student is the confidence to learn in exactly the way that student needs to learn. Students get so frustrated with themselves because they don't catch on like their neighbor does ... they just need to relax and accept the way they learn and work to achieve that technique. I always try to teach people to understand themselves, and work with themselves just as they are.
I know it sounds all so psychological, but it is as simple as understanding that we all have different gifts and different approaches, but even those differences compliment, not compete and boil down to three to five different approaches.
I know our teacher friend that started this thread wants to make sure that she has satisfied, taught students because of the joy she has in the effort.
That heart will be revealed within her students ... it always is. <g>
07-18-2009, 06:26 PM
#46
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,390
I think if most of the students learn what you planned for them to learn, you will have had a successful class.
There are some of us that just don't get it the first time - so there is no point in beating yourself up if you did the best you could.
It is so nice to have an AHA moment - but sometimes that occurs YEARS after the class in question.
There are some of us that just don't get it the first time - so there is no point in beating yourself up if you did the best you could.
It is so nice to have an AHA moment - but sometimes that occurs YEARS after the class in question.
07-18-2009, 07:22 PM
#47
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
Originally Posted by bearisgray
I think if most of the students learn what you planned for them to learn, you will have had a successful class.
There are some of us that just don't get it the first time - so there is no point in beating yourself up if you did the best you could.
It is so nice to have an AHA moment - but sometimes that occurs YEARS after the class in question.
There are some of us that just don't get it the first time - so there is no point in beating yourself up if you did the best you could.
It is so nice to have an AHA moment - but sometimes that occurs YEARS after the class in question.
07-18-2009, 10:08 PM
#48
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: San Francisco Bay area
Posts: 1,419
I agree that it is important to show each step of the way and have a sample of each step on a board so that even the beginners are able to see how things come together. My friend and I are teaching a class in Sept. and decided to teach a 'simplified' version to learn the technique. Once the students have the technique down, perhaps sewing a sample from their stashes, they can go on to duplicate it on premium fabrics.
good luck; it will be fun and you'll be surprised how fast the day will go by.
good luck; it will be fun and you'll be surprised how fast the day will go by.
07-18-2009, 10:21 PM
#49
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 6,764
Originally Posted by Roben
I'm getting ready to teach a class, and having taken a class or two :-) I have on occasion wishing the instructor could read my mind and cover things I had questions about. Since the shoe is about to be on the other foot :twisted: and I haven't learned to read minds, I thought I'd just ask:
What do you wish a class instructor would cover? What do they assume you know that you wish they'd go into more detail about? Was there anything you really appreciated?
Our class will be on a wall hanging I designed, and will cover how to make the blocks and do the border treatments (folded border and prairie points.) We'll talk about quilting options for the final piece, but probably won't have time to go over how to do each one.
I haven't taught quilting classes (Ha, that would be a riot!), but I have taught garment-sewing classes. I think the most important thing to do at the beginning is find out just what skills the students already know. That way you won't be planning things that they already know, thus taking time that could be used on something else.
I've taken a couple of quilting classes where the instructor had samples made in progression. Rather that sitting to sew, she would have the pieces all made. This would be time consuming on your part, but well worth the time when you get to class. Instead of just explaining how something is done or sitting to sew it, the sample would be made for the students to see. (Your samples could be assemble after so you would have more blocks done.) That's how I did my garment units. After class I would assemble my garments.
Also arrange your area so that all can see and hear clearly
These may sound petty, but it makes for better class management.
What do you wish a class instructor would cover? What do they assume you know that you wish they'd go into more detail about? Was there anything you really appreciated?
Our class will be on a wall hanging I designed, and will cover how to make the blocks and do the border treatments (folded border and prairie points.) We'll talk about quilting options for the final piece, but probably won't have time to go over how to do each one.
I haven't taught quilting classes (Ha, that would be a riot!), but I have taught garment-sewing classes. I think the most important thing to do at the beginning is find out just what skills the students already know. That way you won't be planning things that they already know, thus taking time that could be used on something else.
I've taken a couple of quilting classes where the instructor had samples made in progression. Rather that sitting to sew, she would have the pieces all made. This would be time consuming on your part, but well worth the time when you get to class. Instead of just explaining how something is done or sitting to sew it, the sample would be made for the students to see. (Your samples could be assemble after so you would have more blocks done.) That's how I did my garment units. After class I would assemble my garments.
Also arrange your area so that all can see and hear clearly
These may sound petty, but it makes for better class management.
07-19-2009, 08:52 PM
#50
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Camas, Washington
Posts: 2,593
The one thing I would like to add is to have someone who is somewhat of a beginner (if possible) test your instructions. Sometimes we think something is clear, and it may be confusing to others.
An extreme example of this is a favorite English lesson I have taught from 5th grade to middle school students. The assignment was writing the instructions for making peanut butter sandwiches. Then I had different students follow the instructions exactly! (I had a copy to make sure they did) They would leave out the simplest thing assuming the person making the sandwich would know what to do. In their case, they left out things like "open the jar of peanut butter" , "use a knife to scoop out and spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread" which, by the way you hope they have been told to take the bread out of the wrapper. In case you haven't guessed, the point of the English lesson was to never assume the reader knows what they are talking about.
An extreme example of this is a favorite English lesson I have taught from 5th grade to middle school students. The assignment was writing the instructions for making peanut butter sandwiches. Then I had different students follow the instructions exactly! (I had a copy to make sure they did) They would leave out the simplest thing assuming the person making the sandwich would know what to do. In their case, they left out things like "open the jar of peanut butter" , "use a knife to scoop out and spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread" which, by the way you hope they have been told to take the bread out of the wrapper. In case you haven't guessed, the point of the English lesson was to never assume the reader knows what they are talking about.
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