My 4th grade teacher was the best teacher I had all through my school years. She criticized with love. Like others said...she pointed out things I did well. And she would always give you a hug (which of course now teachers are not allowed to do) All of the teachers before her were really great too. Then I got to 5th grade and everything changed. She pretty much said she didn't have time to waste on kids that weren't getting all A's. I told my parents and my mother met with her. She told my mother pretty much the same thing and said I wasn't even trying. Honestly, I WAS trying. Anyway...my mother told her that she and my dad did NOT expect me to be an all A student. And she also asked her why she couldn't take some time before or after school to help kids that needed some help. My weakness was science and for a whole marking period we had a man teacher come into our class to teach us the solar system and space....he even had a small TV each week to show us stuff. I got all 100% on his tests. Different style of teaching and I grasped the material.
Sorry I can't say anything about sewing or quilting classes...but I've never taken any type of class except the lesson on using my new Janome 7700.