In the days of the Old Masters, apprentices and students would copy their masters’ works over & over again, until they could mimic the technique perfectly. Then, they’d develop their own styles.

When a student (or someone who’s learning a new technique) copies my art exactly–or very closely–I like to think of them in that context. It takes the oh-my-goodness gasp out of the moment.

From my experience, in every class of 30 students, one will want to copy my work very closely, or even line-for-line.

I encourage them to use the class to explore their own creativity. However, some students need to copy, to get comfortable with the materials or the technique.

That’s okay with me. After all, I love to teach, and I’m thrilled when people choose to take a class with me… no matter what their learning modalities.

You may have to exercise your diplomatic skills if one student copies another, or if a student suggests (correctly or not) that another student’s work isn’t entirely original. This rarely happens, but it needs to be addressed swiftly.

Often, it’s best to ask the complaining student to step outside the classroom to discuss this. If the issue doesn’t resolve quickly, you may need to ask the other student to join the conversation.

If you’re out of the classroom for very long, it’s not fair to the other students. Sometimes, you may have to leave it as “Let’s all agree to disagree,” and get back to the class. (When that happens, I usually discover that this has been an ongoing issue with one or both of the students. If so, a five-minute discussion isn’t likely to resolve it; let it go and get back to making the class fun and educational.)

We can’t evaluate every student’s vision, to see if it’s original, copied, or inadvertently “borrows” some elements from existing art. But, in the classroom, I bring up the Old Masters example. That generally takes some of the edge off this volatile subject.

Most of us went from making to teaching, pretty directly. In many ways, the best advice is that slogan, “Just do it.”

But, how can you build confidence and prepare for the unexpected?

Start with some “dress rehearsals”

Practice teaching with less formal groups. Older Girl Scouts (high school students) are a good audience. If your church has a social group, especially for women, that might be good.

Consider teaching at senior citizen centers, give a free class at your public library, adult ed center, and so on… all provide ready audiences and good experience for you.

Then, price your classes low to get word-of-mouth publicity at local shops. Teach as many classes to as many people as you can.

I’d start with a project-oriented class… a single product… something that they can complete during the class. Then, find a balance between process and product. No two teachers work alike in that respect, and different students arrive with different expectations. Working around those variables takes some practice.

Bring more than you think you’ll need

Handouts are good.   They should outline, step-by-step, how to complete the product or process that you’re teaching. Illustrations are very helpful. Some students need to see it in print… it’s how they process information.

Bring extra supplies and tools. There will always be one student who didn’t bring the right supplies. Also, every student loves an opportunity to experiment with tools or unusual materials before buying their own.

For example, I often bring my grommet hardware if we’re working with fabric, or dies with letters on them if there’s anything where we can use metal (or even copper tape).

Which “extras” you bring will depend upon what you’re teaching, of course.

Every class has surprises

Start with a small number of students if one-on-one time is important. Five or six students can work well if you’re teaching a lot of technique.

If you teach larger groups, there can be trade-offs, and that can be a dilemma.  The larger the group, the more likely you’ll have more than one student who doesn’t “get it.”
In a class of 20+ (the size that I usually teach), there will often be one or two students who arrive unprepared, who didn’t really understand the class description, or who are simply feeling grumpy.

If it’s one student, you can work with them individually to help them overcome hurdles.  If two or more are unhappy, they talk with each other and there can be an unfortunate ripple effect.

Never, ever take that personally.

Adapt quickly and give one-on-one time if it’s clear that someone just isn’t getting it, and he or she is frantic to figure things out.

Otherwise–especially if two or more students are “stuck”–it’s good to have a second, less challenging project in the back of your mind, that uses the same materials.

After lunch, check with each student to see how he or she is doing. That’s the best time to identify people who need extra attention, while there’s still plenty of classroom time left.

At the other end of the spectrum, every class includes at least one student who’s qualified to teach, whether they do so or not.  Let them be helpful, if they want to.

Some of my best classes have resulted from fabulous moments when a student offered to share his or her special tricks and techniques with a particular medium… from cast toilet tissue ornaments, to a clever page-folding design for an altered book.

Your rapport with your students can make all the difference.

The occasional disaster

Now & then a grumpy student will let the anvil drop (sometimes literally) about ten minutes before the class is over, or as she’s going out the door.

It’s one of the hardest things to get past when it happens. We want every student to be very happy with our classes.

If they’re not, we’d like clues or comments while we still have enough time in the day to get them back on track… and happy.

Check with each student throughout the day. Look for hints when someone needs one-on-one time.

That’s the best you can do, usually.

If you have unhappy students in every class, or more than 20% of your students leave class disgruntled, re-examine what you’re teaching and how you’re teaching it.

You may need to make a small change or two, such as a faster or slower pace. Maybe your students each need more space to “spread out,” or need extra breaks during the day.

But, don’t let the occasional, very vocal critic wear you down, especially if you had no opportunity to fix whatever they thought was wrong.

Remember that it happens to all of us, and every teacher feels awful when a student leaves unhappy… no matter whose fault it was.

Fortunately, this kind of surprise is rare. I’m just telling you about it so you don’t quit teaching the first time it happens.

Nobody’s perfect. Just do your best.

Don’t try to be all things to all people. You can’t do it.

Do your best to keep the majority of your students happy, and teach only what you love.

Every teacher has an “off” day now and then. Sometimes it’s your fault. Sometimes, it’s outside your control… a too-hot (or too cold) room, and so on.

Try always to have a “Plan B” for every possible surprise. There will still be occasional disasters… the kiln that won’t heat, the darkroom that has a light leak, or rainy weather when your class includes an outdoor activity.

Students are generally very understanding, if you’re ready with an alternative project and a sense of humor.

And, in many cases, you can take what looks like a total fiasco, and turn it into your best class ever. It all depends upon the situation, your alternative resources, and how quickly you can think on your feet.

In most cases, you’ll come up with creative solutions to unexpected challenges.

Your students will feel that the class was entirely worthwhile, and even laugh about things that went a bit awry. Sharing creativity is what matters. Your students’ discoveries and “ah-HA!” moments can be tremendous. That’s what makes teaching rewarding, and that’s why we keep teaching… not the paycheck.

Practice makes… better!

At each class, you’ll learn more about teaching, about students, and even about your art techniques & materials.

As you gain experience, you’ll get better & better. Before long, you’ll be ready to teach in more professional venues such as shops with fabulous reputations, and absolutely amazing national art events.

Start small, learn as you teach, and keep it fun.

The first and most important rule is… Ask how to get started at the places where you’d like to teach.

It’s that simple. Just visit, call or email the people who might hire you to teach.

Other than that, anything that I say reflects only my experiences and opinions. The one and only opinion that matters is that of the person who’ll write your paycheque.

That said, here’s what I’d recommend:

1. Develop your skills as an artist, and think of projects that beginners can tackle–and complete–in a two-hour workshop. And, put your art online at your own banner-free website. (This means being hosted by a service that you pay for.) Learn to use the search engines to attract visitors. (That’s an entire course in itself, btw.)

2. Approach local shops–even Michael’s–with an offer to teach. Also check with Adult Ed, town Recreation Departments, etc. They’ll generally tell you what they pay, or what you should charge.

Let them know whether you’re more interested in making money, or getting lots of exposure; that affects how much you’ll charge. Short, inexpensive classes will generally draw more students.

3. Teach. Teach a LOT. Make sure that every handout has a way for students to reach you… your website URL, your email, and offline ways for people to contact you.

Every time you teach, add that to your resume. At this point, I hardly ever use a resume, but sometimes it comes in handy. I relied on one often when I was a new teacher.

Also remember: It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a degree in art… or if you don’t have any degree. (I have an honorary doctorate, and that’s all.)

Your enthusiasm is what sells you as a teacher, most of all.

4. Keep expanding where you teach. Bigger shops, more students, and so on… that’s not only good PR, but it’s lucrative as well. Also, let TV shows know that you’re available. Many of them–such as HGTV’s “That’s Clever!“–are often looking for new artists to feature.

5. Apply at art events. Watch the websites of art events, to see if/when they say that they’re looking for teachers’ proposals.

A proposal generally includes:

-Class description, sometimes a short blurb plus a longer version-Photos and sometimes actual samples sent to the event organizers-Supply list (what your students should bring)-Your bio, including your website URL

-Your photo (either in a class, or your shoulders & face, aka a “head shot”)

-How much you want to be paid, per student (if you set the fees) and how many minimum/maximum students in each class

-How many days you can teach

-Whether the class is for beginners, intermediate, advanced

-Whether the class is process-oriented (you focus on materials and/or techniques) or designed to complete a project in class (product-oriented)

-How long the class is (sometimes events specify only full-day classes)

-The application form (often available online)

6. Send your art (or photos of it) and maybe articles to every place that you can find, for PR. This includes magazines such as Somerset Studio, of course, but also zines relating to art, as well as to the subject matter of your art if you’re working in a popular/themed genre.

7. Read as much as you can about your kind of art, as well as books about PR, about running a business, and specifically the business of art. Take courses–especially online courses–relating to this.

Keep doing all of this, steadily. If you let up, even for a few months, people assume that you’ve quit or something. The rule in PR is: If you don’t give them something to talk about, they’ll make it up, and it’ll usually be unflattering. So, keep the PR going.

Then, it’s mostly a case of waiting for things to open up for you. And, they will.

When to make changes

If your teaching career goes flat, you MUST make changes. Either start teaching something new in your field, or look for new places to teach. Every time you reinvent yourself, you are faced with the prospect of teaching at a loss, while you build up again.

If you teach a particular style of widget-making, consider how those widgets can be used in other fields. If you can’t get classes at the widget store, consider questions like these:

- Can you add widgets to a fiber project, to teach at a yarn or weaving store, or a quilting shop?

- Would a paper/stationery shop feature your handmade (or hand embellished) journals with widgets on the cover or the pages?

- Can your widgets be added to jewelry?

And so on. There are always new ways to look at your work, at your markets, and the places where students might be eager to learn what you can teach.

Your students come first, always

Put your focus on your students and ignore the paycheck as best you can. If you’re giving your students far more than they paid for, you’ll get word-of-mouth PR that’s invaluable. And frankly, that’s where the teaching gigs come from, most often.

It’s not far removed from saying, “Do what you love, the money will follow.” And, that is the sequence… do what you love first. If you love teaching, please teach.

(If you’re trying to teach just to make money, don’t even start. Really. The students can tell, and the experience will only make you bitter.)

Students pick up on how enthusiastic a teacher is, and how much he/she cares about them as individuals. That’s the most important part of teaching. If you get that right, everything else will fall into place.

Planning your classes and workshops is always important. However, you should think about pacing as well as actual content. “Pacing” applies to you–your personal style of teaching–but also to your students. In fact, your students should be your first concern.

Divide the day into thirds, at least

I’ve always figured what we’d accomplish in the morning, then what can be done by mid-afternoon, and finally what will wind things down happily as students become tired at the end of the day.

Generally, I do most of my teaching in the morning while students can still absorb a lot of information. Immediately after lunch, I try to tackle questions, and improvise demos if students need a little extra help.

By mid-afternoon, it’s never wise to teach new information. At that point, I’m mostly a cheerleader to keep students from going too far with their work, and prevent them from quitting if the art isn’t turning out as they’d expected.

And, at lengthy events, I also consider where we are in the week.

The pace varies during multi-day events

On the first day, many students are easily distracted and new folks can be anxious about how these classes are run. It can take them until 3 p.m. to unwind enough to start doing what they’ll consider “good” work.

By contrast on the last day, I’ll need to explain things in more detail if it’s a new technique. Students are tired and a bit dazed at that point. And, by three in the afternoon, they’re looking for an excuse to go back to their room and catch a nap.

Permission helps

Especially on that last day, I’ll start my class by saying that nobody needs my permission to leave at any time, especially by mid- afternoon. They can leave for a cigarette, for some munchies, or even for a nap, and return to class later. Or, they can pack up early if they like.

Since I started making that announcement, people are vastly happier and actually tend to stay later. If they know that they can leave if they want to, they relax and aren’t so antsy by three or so.

But, by one or two in the afternoon on the last day, many students have already max’d on what they can learn.

If I am teaching more technique then, I’ll need to demo it at least twice–usually two different ways–with the second demo being very s-l-o-w for those who are truly exhausted, or have “information overload.”

Plan for a variable pace through the day and through the week. It’s better to plan hour-by-hour, than to simply “wing it” with a vague, general plan for the day.

No two teachers will use the same planning methods. Find what works best for you, and allows the most flexibility. When the students go home happy after one of your classes, you’ll feel amply rewarded for the extra preparation time.