HorsehairBraider Report post Posted January 3, 2013 How many of you teach classes in braiding? I'd sure like to start a discussion about that. About 20 times a year someone or other will contact me (usually by phone) and want me to teach them everything I know about braiding over the phone. Imagine me beating my head on my desk now. !! How can you teach someone to braid over the phone?! I do not possess this rare skill. And usually the person calling thinks I'm just being difficult. It's given me the idea of offering a braiding workshop. Maybe a three day class, they would stay at the local hotel and I'd be there so many hours a day to teach. Anyway if any of you teach, I'd love to talk about it... if you like you can PM me, and I'd be happy to pass out my email address to talk to people about it. I'd love to hear your experiences, what you taught, how big of groups and so on. I have a great deal of teaching experience and I've even taught large groups with zero experience how to do real simple braids (a 4-strand round for example) and I have 40 years braiding experience. I think I could teach people a thing or two. What do you guys think? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted January 3, 2013 Go for it. You may be able to work through a local college's continuing education program to help look after the logistics. Though that could lock you into a lower hourly rate for your time. Some high school con-ed programs may do the same. Also consider libraries. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikesmith648 Report post Posted January 3, 2013 I would be interested in something like that Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NVLeatherWorx Report post Posted January 3, 2013 Mike, There is an eBook available on the Leathercraft Library site that you can buy, download and print (or have printed and bound). The price to purchase this book and download it is $1.99 (sales tax will apply as well) and the name of the book is: Braiding and Lacing for Fun. This might help you to get the basics down and give you a starting point to work with when putting together an instructional program. Let me know if you need any help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted January 3, 2013 My suggestion is to work with/through a local Tandy or other leather store. See if they will let you teach there. Depending on what you want to teach you can have classes for a few hours to a few days. I would suggest starting with a one day class covering the basics. A couple weeks later have intermediate class, then later have advanced class. There could be many variations of this, you would just have to see what would work with your schedule and what students you can drum up. I teach a handfull of beginning leather classes at Tandy. Some weeks I have 10 people show up and some weeks I have 1, you never know who will show up. Aaron Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted January 3, 2013 Thanks for the idea Aaron. The closest Tandy is an hour and a half away... kind of a commute. Still, a great idea. Maybe I could do it for one day a month or something. I would not want to drive there and back all the time, as it's 3 hours out of my day for just driving. My specialty is of course horsehair braiding. The people who contact me specifically want to learn to braid hair the way I do. Only thing is you kind of need at least some experience to do it; still, starting out with beginners is an idea. I think even beginners could at least learn to braid the lengths; a 4 strand, 8 strand etc. There is a local (well - relatively local. I am kind of in the middle of Nowhere.) community college, but I also know the owner/manager of the Holiday Inn Express. I was going to approach her and see if I could get some kind of group rate for students, they could stay there for the weekend/whatever, and she probably has a room where I could teach. That is only a half hour to 45 minute drive one way (depending on weather and traffic) so it's a little more doable. Of course the students would have to travel, but I had the impression that some people were willing to do this. I think I read once that Gail Hought teaches classes this way - students actually travel to her, and she teaches them. If I were teaching horsehair braiding, I would also have to supply the hair... but that is not a problem at all. However supplying the lacing for leather braiding seems a little overwhelming, unless they were buying from the local Tandy. Or I could get parachute cord, *much* cheaper... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rcsaddles Report post Posted January 7, 2013 I teach braiding classes and workshops as much as I can. I will be teaching a basic braiding workshop in Sheridan, Wyoming at the 20th Rocky Mountain Leather Trade Show. Not exactly what the dates are I will teach but the week of the 12th of May. If you want more information on teaching or thoughts, should we keep going here or anyone can e-mail me at rcsaddles@yahoo.com and put teaching in the subject so I know to not call it spam. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluesman1951 Report post Posted January 8, 2013 I am in Albuquerque and I would be interested in this . Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted January 9, 2013 Hi Bill - nice to know there might be local interest! Most of the people who contact me live out of state, some even live in different countries! It seems there is a need for braiding teachers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NMGizmo Report post Posted January 9, 2013 I would be interested in a class as well, although I'm one of those total beginners. However, I would still like to attend and learn as much as possible... lol. Oh, and I'm in Tijeras, NM - so a local girl as well! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted January 9, 2013 Another thought I just had. You are talking about people coming to you, consider reversing this. If you are in a town and 10 people all travel to be near your class the cost of the class at least quadrooples by the time they are done paying for travel, lodging and food, plus the class. If you do the traveling it may be easier to have the class be cost efective and better attended. You could charge more (and make more). You might call Chan Geer and talk a little with him about how he does it. Also remember when someone comes from "out of town" they are an expert who knows stuff, when local you are just the local person who teaches. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David8386 Report post Posted January 10, 2013 I would also be interested in attending, yet another braiding newbie. From Amarillo David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rcsaddles Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Some good thoughts and ideas electrathon. I know Chan and I also know he travels quite a bit for teachiing. I happen to do the leatherwork part time so I don't have the time to travel and teach. I take the time to go to Sheriday because I live about three hours away and I use vacation time. I figure into the cost of the class all material as well as my time. The classes coming up in Sheridan will be the 15th and 16th for just a very basic braiding class but if someone is more advanced I will also address that. I will do both round and flat braiding in a 6 hour class and I believe the cost is around $90.00 but not sure on that. I am also haveing people schedule time for one on one help on Friday the 17th of May. All this is done through the Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal. www.leathercraftersjournal.com Everyone has their own teaching and learning style so it is really hard to tell someone how to teach. Last year I had a person in a class that after 30 minutes got up and said, this just isn't working for me today. Thanks for your time. They left and that bothered me but they told me it was them not me. I felt a little better but still wondered about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasLady Report post Posted May 29, 2015 I'm posting, two years 'later', because this Thread came up when I searched the words 'continuing education'. I live in an area abundant in community colleges. I would like to teach a continuing education class in leatherworking. Braiding sounds good. I'll be contacting others on this Thread for suggestions. The colleges want a list of materials that the students must buy, what materials or tools the instructor will provide, and the curriculum. The college I talked to didn't pay much, but I'd still like to do it. I need to practice first myself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted May 30, 2015 A group I used to belong to on FB had classes on about anything people brought up and video taped them. The teacher met the students in an online conference room and charged 20.00 per person. I'd love to see LW.net get started doing something like this. After it was video taped, anyone who missed the class but still wanted the info could pay the fee and get the link to the video. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasLady Report post Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) That sounds like a great idea. (Everybody please back up to the previous page and read DoubleC's post.) Edited May 31, 2015 by TexasLady Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted May 31, 2015 Hi Texas Lady. If people want I can look into how to 'rent' a conference room online, start a business Paypal account for people to sign up for different classes, and see if the video's can be done by me as a participant while the teacher teaches. Then I could pass out the video to people who couldn't attend the class. I'm happy to look into it if people want me to. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
