Teaching a class

[darbytee]

I have an interesting dilemna. I was approached about teaching several pen turning classes between now and Christmas at one of the local woodworking stores. The first class would be at the end of September. My dilemna is that I haven't been turning them myself for that long. I've probably done 50 pens total. That said, I could probably turn and assemble a slimline in my sleep, as could anyone in this forum. I'd really like to do this but I want to make sure that I don't a) shortchange anyone paying for a class or b) give a potential new penturner a bad first experience. I guess I'm saying that I'd want to make sure this is done right if I'm going to do it. Are there any guides for teaching this sort of class? Advice from any of the old pro's out there is more than welcome.
-Fred

 

[DCBluesman]

My two cents worth? (I'm still looking for that darned elusive cent sign on my keyboard) I think if you've made 50 pens you are probably highly qualified to get someone started. It's not your job to get them their PhD, just to give them some exposure to a hobby and hopefully let them take home a nice pen/pencil. (Ok, I give up...that's my $.02 worth--and I'm going to petition Bill Gates...are you with me?)

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

I've looked for that cent sign forever and never found it yet! And Fred, I think you'll do just fine. Stress safety and wearing a mask and just show them step by step. I'd have some things partly done to each step so that you can go to the next step without having to wait for glue to dry or what ever. Hope you understand this, I'm not real good at explaining it.

 

[Old Griz]

Fred, one thing I learned teaching fly tying... make sure that you describe every step you take... it is very common to do something that you take for granted and have a student say "STOP..what did you just do".. I ended up having another fly tying friend sit and watch me and record each step I took...
We have a tendency to do things automatically and not think about them... we need to remember that the student has never done any of these things..
Also give them a different way of doing a step if you can... I turn all my pens with a skew.. but most beginners can't handle that... I recently did a mentoring program at my club and taught them to use both a skew and a gouge... then showed them that a pen could be made using a scraper... of course it is a lot more work.. LOL..
With over 50 pens under your belt, I think you will do fine... just remember to describe each step you are doing.

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />My two cents worth? (I'm still looking for that darned elusive cent sign on my keyboard) I think if you've made 50 pens you are probably highly qualified to get someone started. It's not your job to get them their PhD, just to give them some exposure to a hobby and hopefully let them take home a nice pen/pencil. (Ok, I give up...that's my $.02 worth--and I'm going to petition Bill Gates...are you with me?)

you want this? ¢

to make the cent ¢ symbol you need to hold down the alt key on the right side of the keyboard and hit 0162 on your number pad


ALT + 0162 = ¢


just my 2¢


&lt;edit&gt;

Almost forgot.

Fred,

Teach the class using the advise of the folks here and you will do fine.

 

[William Young]

Bev;
I like your idea of having some steps already done and explain how you did it Saves waiting for glue to dry. It works for Emeril Lagossi.. BAM ! !

And yes Fred, I think it would be important to teach them to use a gouge for roughing out and a skew for taking it down to the finished dimension like most people do. That is how I learned from the free DVD from PSI. A skew is a very easy tool to use with a very small learning curve. It's one of the first things a person generally learns when embarking on any wood turnig....
May be a good idea to get that DVD if you havn't already got it because that guy is actually teaching all the basics of making a pen from start to finish and it would probably give you some pointers on how to go about teaching a class.
Good luck with that project. Sounds like fun.
W.Y.

 

[darbytee]

Thanks everyone for the good advice and the positive thoughts. Bev, that's a great idea about having the steps already done. William, I do have the PSI DVD and will definitely review it several times for teaching points. I'm really looking forward to this. I'm meeting with the manager again on Wednesday to show him some of my work. I'll keep you all posted as it unfolds.
-Fred

 

[Scott]

Hi Fred,

I've done a couple of demonstrations, which is different from a class. In a demonstration it is important to keep things moving along. Start at the begining and go through every step. Have examples prepared to show them at different stages through the process. Be sure to keep talking, and be willing to stop for questions.

If it is an actual class, where the people will be turning their own pens, you are going to need to go through the basics quicker and get to the point where they're turning sooner. Then expect to spend some time going around doing one-on-one to make sure they're progressing.

There's a good chance many of your students will not have ever turned before. So you're going to have to plan on teaching them how to use the tools. One of the best demonstrations I ever saw along these lines, the guy used a giant mock-up of a gouge, that he used to demonstrate riding the bevel, and such. I think he must have turned it from a 4x4 post!

I think you'll do just fine! If they'll let you, print off some cards with our web address so you can point them our way!

Scott.

 

[tipusnr]

I have taught for a number of years as a "subject matter expert" in a variety of topics and the best advice I can pass on is to keep the objective simple and the tone of the class light. I would stay with the basic straight slimline design and not provide a lot of options or alternatives in this first class. The student wants to go home with a finished pen that he/she will be able to show their friends and family - not the results of experimenting with techniques not yet mastered. It is that initial success that will "seal the deal".

I the initial class I took, the instructor rightly assumed most of us had little or no experience with a lathe and started us off with a straight grained piece of stock that we used to learn basic spindle turning. Rounding stock, creating a bead, a cove, and a taper. We ended up with a little "baseball bat". Then we turned our pen from some nice cocobola (hard not to make a pretty pen from that stuff). Finishing was a basic, easy to apply friction finish that, again, has a high degree of success for beginners.

I know this is a little more than my two cents worth, still, it's only one turners opinion.