Teaching Crochet – Preparation
I have been a vocal music teacher all my adult life. For 35+ years, my teaching experience has included classroom, rehearsal, and private studio teaching. Needless to say, I am not a stranger to working with students and talking to groups. In 2 days, though, I begin teaching crochet to people who have actually paid to hear what I have to say. Let me tell you, it’s one thing to know how to do something, and quite another to teach those skills to other people. I know from experience in the vocal music world that being a performer does not qualify anyone to teach others to be a performer. I have spent countless hours studying and learning to be a better teacher of singing. Frankly, I’ve never stopped learning, even after getting my Master’s degree. Even though I am an experienced teacher, the subject matter is completely new.
Segue to teaching crochet…just because I’ve been crocheting for 40+ years doesn’t make me qualified to teach others to do so. Over the years I’ve tried many different projects that challenge my knowledge and skill as a crocheter, so I’m confident I have a lot to offer. Just to make sure I can actually teach it, I’ve enrolled in the Craft Yarn Council’s Certified Instructor’s Program. After looking through the materials, I’ve discovered that I already know much of what’s included, although now I must think about these skills and concepts in a structured manner. As part of the course requirements, I am asked to teach 15 hours of crochet. Now, that doesn’t sound like a lot but it actually adds up to a lot of preparation.
JoAnne Turcotte of The Knitter’s Edge has graciously agreed to allow me to try out my teaching chops at her store. After agreeing on a topic – Creating a Sampler Cowl – I set about doing some research and figuring out what I would teach. More on that later….Suffice it to say that I’ve spent a lot of time and effort preparing for the class, set to run for 4 weeks, 8 hours of class time. I know I’ll learn a lot from those who take the class – common problems and mistakes, how to communicate concepts, what works and what doesn’t, and more. I expect, the more I teach crochet, the more I’ll learn myself. After all, I didn’t get to the proficiency and expertise I currently enjoy in voice teaching overnight!
I’m excited to begin this new journey. Stay tuned for updates along the way…
