Building a Practice for Success from Start to Finish

Zoom classes meet from noon to 3pm CST, Thursdays Sept 14, 21, and 28.

Course Description

Interested in expanding your student reach or ability to teach from home?  Curious about offering hands-on instruction online but not sure where to start?  This and so much more is exactly what so many educators considering online offerings have been searching for!  Dive deep with a course packed with skills, pearls, and strategies Laura Berlage of Erindale Tapestry Studio has honed over hundreds of sessions with more than 1,000 students.  Whether you are teaching with hosting organizations or offering classes and workshops on your own, walk away with an overflowing toolset of why, what, when, where, and how’s for success.  All mediums are welcome.  While this course is designed for experienced instructors, no previous online teaching experience is necessary.

Included and Optional Course Resources

A thoughtful dedicated webpage of resources, links, guides, and more will be available for students of the course that includes an interactive blog.  This space is a critical part of the between-Zoom-sessions part of the course, where we can discuss topics further, triage questions, and work on applying the concepts to your specific application in greater detail.

Students are encouraged to take notes during class (if you find this helpful) to capture the concepts and takeaways that will best help your teaching practice.

Students will also have the option to book a one-on-one session with Laura to test out their new setup and receive real-time feedback as they apply the lessons learned to their teaching environment and practice.  Depending on availability, this could take place during the weeks of the course or afterwards.

Course Outline

We will meet for weekly 3-hour sessions, with a 5-minute break between 2 topics per session.

Session 1

Part 1:  The Benefits and Challenges of Teaching Online

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on what online platforms have to offer instructors in fiber arts and how this can augment and diversify income as well as audience.  We’ll take time to assess participant interest and experience in online education, as well as discuss the diversity of ways you can teach online.  We’ll also tackle the common obstacles involved in teaching highly detailed, hands-on processes that are inherent in fiber arts mediums and how to overcome them in the virtual environment.

Part 2: Preparing Your Virtual Classroom

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on crafting the right space to support your online teaching—your virtual home for your students.  Laura will share insights from her theater training as well as proven methods to build a classroom that is engaging and helpful to the viewer.  We’ll also tackle the “back of house” part of your virtual classroom that will keep you organized, professional, and with everything you need right at your fingertips.

Session 2

Part 1:  Preparing Your Class for Teaching Online

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on re-imagining curriculum to best fit the online model, which classes translate well, and which might need significant overhaul.  We’ll break the process down into manageable steps, with examples, for both make-and-take and skills-focused curriculum.  Special attention will be given to the creation of additional support materials needed to make this curriculum successful online.

Part 2:  Preparing and Shipping Kits

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on developing, creating, and shipping kits to support your classes.  Kits are the first impression you give your students, and they can be a high-value component of your educational offerings.  We’ll also unpack how project kits can create a life and marketing potential on their own, recycling work you’ve invested in this packaged experience as a revenue generator that can carry on even when you’re not in the classroom.

Session 3

Part 1: Tech for Teaching Online and Zoom Bootcamp

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on mastering the world of Zoom, so you can affectively and professionally offer your classes.  We’ll also break down what you need for tech gear to make this happen—from lighting to sound, cameras to cables, computer capabilities and more.  Focus will be given to how you can start small and have your tech grow with your teaching practice, as well as pro tips for making the most of your internet bandwidth.

Part 2: Managing a Zoom Classroom

Objectives:

In this module, we’ll focus on what makes an online classroom socially different from an in-person class and how to navigate this new space with professionalism and confidence.  From unpacking the nuances of Zoom etiquette to managing student anxiety, best practices when hosting with an organization or by yourself, and building a culture with your student community, this portion of the course will help you leave your students and the organizations that hire you to teach wanting more.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have a firm foundation of what makes a virtual class successful, how to plan and prep their course and materials, and how to run a virtual class—from tech and setup to using Zoom and managing the social expectations of life online.  Students will have the tools they need to adapt their medium and curriculum to the online environment and begin teaching with a “road test” class.

Please be sure to use the email address in the checkout option that you would like Laura to use when sending you the Zoom link.  This course does not have a physical kit to ship.