Are You Ready to Be a
Beading Instructor?

© by Lynn Kvigne; all rights reserved

Teaching beading is a great way to supplement your beading income, make new beading friends, and even learn new skills. Before you jump in, however, ask yourself a few fundamental questions to decide if teaching jewelry making is right for you.

1. Do I like to teach, instruct, or stand up in front of a bunch of strangers (or even friends) and talk?

   Public speaking (which is what teaching really is!) can be uncomfortable for many folks. If you don't consider it to be one of your strengths, it's not necessarily a show stopper. If you are uncomfortable speaking in front of a group, practice on close friends or family, or take a public speaking course to overcome your fears.

   If you can't get past a fear if public speaking, teaching a large group may not be for you - maybe consider one-on-one lessons instead.

2. Do I have the patience to teach?

   Quite seriously, if you find yourself grabbing pliers out of someone's hands in frustration when they just don't "get it", you might want to reconsider instructing others. Develop patience and serenity before you are the expert in a room full of new beaders wanting to dig in.

3. Do I have the expertise to teach my craft?

   Sounds like a simple question, but I've taken classes where the instructor was stumped with a simple question. 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.

4. Can I facilitate effectively?

   A little different from public speaking, facilitation means being able to direct your students to achieve an objective. Making sure that all students have a chance to ask questions, that the class doesn't get too sidetracked, and that you are able to move everyone along (you will likely have 1 to 2 hours to complete your project) tactfully takes some skill.

   While the term "herding cats" is a little harsh, remember that you will need to keep your class on schedule, and you will need to make sure that shy students are not left out if they have questions.

If you've determined you have the right skills and personality to teach, you can move to the next step and plan your class.

I've found that teaching at an established retail store, a local college, or community center is a good place to start; these venues reduce my involvement in advertising, marketing and setting up student registrations.

But I still do some marketing and advertising: I send out a note to my mailing list contacts (email and postcards) and put a notice on my web site to publicize classes. I've found that the more I talk it up, the more students I have!

Teaching a beading class can be very rewarding; it's a joy to share your experiences and knowledge with others.

Remember to relax and have fun during the class - you are teaching something you love and are passionate about. Let your students see that attitude and they will catch your enthusiasm!

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