Five Lessons Learned by Failure

Well, it has taken me a while to fully process my first attempt at teaching.  It was interesting, and VERY educational.  I do not know if I want to further pursue this or not at this point.  But I am going to write down what I learned, so I can remember it for myself, and so maybe you too can learn from my mistakes.  I made a healthy bunch of them, but maybe had a little success too.

The Upper Midwest Bead Society hosts a "Demo and Do" event every spring.  This event is an opportunity to learn from other members in the society.  Some members are wonderful, experienced teachers, teaching their own designs, like Diane Fitzgerald (Beautiful Beads), Doris Coghill (Beads by Dee), Maggie Thompson (Maggie T Designs, who sells her beautifully designed portable Kumihimo stand), and Barb Knoche, who taught the first class I took ten years ago, a wonderful Peyote bracelet of cube beads.  And then there are other members who demonstrate techniques in which they are proficient, or the designs of others.

I had never attended the event, but it's a friendly, kind group of beaders, and I thought I might be able to test the teaching waters in a low-stress environment.  Here's a link to information about the event. Each class was 50 minutes long, and cost $5 for members, which I expect paid for the rental of the space at the Textile Center.

I took two classes in the morning, which was a very good thing.  The first was a Netted Pearl technique, and I had fun playing with the stitch.  I tried 4 drop, 3 drop, and 2 drop, which I thought was a little thready for my 4mm round.  Then I did a little Chenille break in the netting.  Very fun!

My second class was a Micro Macrame class.  We were told to learn some knots in preparation for the class, but I was CRAZY busy last week prepping my tutorial and kits, so I watched a video, but did not actually try the knots.  I thought I would manage, because I usually catch on pretty quickly.  BOY WAS I WRONG.

I charged off to what I thought was a great start with my cord in neat little knots, until I was told I was not doing the knot correctly.  The right knot was demonstrated, but I had the other thing in my head, and it would not leave.  I foundered for the rest of the 50 minutes.  I never got the first knot.

So here was LESSON #1.  SOME CLASSES HAVE PRE-REQUISITES.

I know if I took the time to go back and look at the online video of the the great guy with the gigantic cord demonstrating what I was supposed to have done, I COULD do it, and I probably would enjoy it.  BUT, again, too little time, and too many pressing obligations in my life.  I didn't mind not catching on in the time I spent.  It was a good introduction to something I might like to pursue later on.

Then I had a free period before teaching my class, the last session of the day.  I sat at a table for half an hour, and wove about 3" of what I planned to teach, using Chenille stitch in a pattern to create a spiral.

OK then, time to teach.

But nothing went quite the way I expected it to go.  I did anticipate that I would probably be nervous. I thought my hands might tremble, but that didn't happen.  What DID happen was, I could not control my thread.  It tangled repeatedly.  I untangled it repeatedly. That is really rare for me. Two lessons here.

LESSON #2. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

AND

LESSON #3.  FINGERS WORK DIFFERENTLY WHEN BEING WATCHED.  

I think this is why at the shoe repair place there is a sign that says "Price triple if you want to watch."

Despite the difficultly with my uncooperative hands, I did manage to get the stitch demonstrated. But flustered as I was, I did not explain the techniques I use to manage my beading mat and rotating the cord around which I bead, because my mind was much too busy making up for the sausages standing in for my well-behaved fingers.

So my six students set off to try doing the stitch, and I realized immediately that Lesson #1 from my earlier class was in play too.  If you have never done Chenille stitch, it multiplies the difficulty of working it in a pattern by a factor of a gazillion.  SO, for the ladies who had never done the stitch, I demonstrated how to do Chenille with just two colors, so seeing how the stitch works is easier. Fortunately, they all got that, I think.

And one very clever friend of mine, quietly understood the pattern,  Although she had never done Chenille, she was able to get an inch of the pattern done by herself in really good colors she chose.

LESSON #4. EACH STUDENT WILL HAVE DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND NEEDS.

Just like when I taught dancing for Arthur Murray studios, and when I taught Costume Design and Stage Makeup at Purdue University, everyone comes at learning from their own place, and in their own style. Some people have innate ability, and some people work really hard at comprehension, and everyone has a different frustration thresh-hold. Good teachers can adapt.

I really want to believe that for a first timer, I managed to  help everyone get SOMETHING out of the class.  I felt badly about those who did not get their Chenille to spiral on the first try, until I remembered my own inability to tie a knot earlier in the day.  I got something out of that experience, even though it was not a bracelet.  And there was one more lesson too.

LESSON #5. TIME FLIES WHEN THERE ARE 6 STUDENTS AND 50 MINUTES. 

Will I try that again?  I don't know.  I am still processing the experience.  I am almost 64, and I have SO little time, and SO much I want to do and try.  I feel like I am still new to illustrating and writing tutorials.  I just don't know.  BUT it was a great learning experience, and for that opportunity alone I am very thankful.

If you happen to have been one of the 6, thank you for hanging in there with me.  Thank you for your patience and kindness.  I felt some of you actually supporting and calming me, and I will be forever grateful for that.