Teaching your craft professionally can be a great way to earn income and establish yourself as an expert in your field. But pitching your class, developing your curriculum, and leveraging your brand in a classroom setting require planning, preparation, practice, and insight. In this webinar, you’ll learn important best practices for craft instructors.
Every year Heather Grant, the director of marketing and programming for the Modern Quilt Guild, reviews hundreds of instructor applications for QuiltCon and other events. She books dozens of teachers each year, who are all given written feedback from their students, seen by both the instructor and the MQG. Consequently, Heather has a comprehensive understanding of what makes a great proposal and what instructors and lecturers can do to develop quality classes that their students will love.
In this webinar, you’ll learn tips for:
- Writing your proposal
- Pitching to local, shops, guilds, or national shows
- Reviewing contracts
- Preparing for class
- Teaching class
- Leveraging opportunities and partnerships for your brand
- Following up after the class
Heather Grant
Recorded May 26, 2016
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I just finished watching the webinar. It is very comprehensive. The speaker was realistic and offered great pointers for teachers of all levels. This webinar alone, in my opinion, is worth the membership fees. Well done and thank you.
That’s amazing to hear! Thank you so much. We felt this webinar was truly packed with useful information as well.
I love the fact that I can watch these webinars later, after they have been recorded. Thanks!!
I’m so glad, Christa!
This is an excellent resource for applying for teaching positions. I’m so glad so much was covered on contracts, that seems to never be the case. Lots of great little ideas to teach better. A teacher’s feet should hurt at the end of a class!
Heather, thank you for going into so much detail about contracts. I think another point that needs to be said is about deposits. Teachers should protect themselves from cancellations and changes in a guild’s schedule (in my opinion!). It helps me save a date way in advance. Some guilds have told me they have never done deposits for speakers before (and that has always surprised me). If this is the case, I wish it was the norm!
That is interesting, I am not aware we have never been asked for a deposit from faculty for QuiltCon. We have been asked for an advance on expenses, which we accommodate. I’d be open to deposits for faculty, but I’d probably want some language around it if the workshop doesn’t sell. It’s a point I’d be willing to talk about for sure!
I definitely agree that teachers should ask for deposits from Guilds or local quilt shops. A couple of times, I have held dates for a few months, only to find out that the Program Chair changed (more than once) and never passed along the information. Since this is all volunteer work, I’ve come to expect hiccups like this. I now tell Guilds that I will only hold a date for 60 days without a written contract and deposit.
I have had push-back from a couple of guilds but I held my ground. One sent a check–one cancelled. I believe that the cancellation was a good thing–problems at the start may mean there will be hassles all along the way.
I’m also willing to wait for the check–if I have the written contract in hand. One guild had to wait to send the deposit because the way they managed the calendar of their fiscal year. But, the stayed in touch and I was confident that it was in hand on their end.
I don’t require a deposit when I’ve taught for a major vendor (like Mancuso). Since I know they pay in full on the spot, and that these vendors area well run enterprise [like QuiltCon!], I have little concern. Also, if classes don’t meet their minimums, they cancel well in advance.
Heather–great information!