Wednesday's Class

I taught a free class last night at a local outdoor retailer.  It was a class I’d been looking forward to with anticipation and a lot of preparation.  My approach to teaching typically goes something like this:

1. Research like crazy.
2. Prepare written materials
3. Pack show and tell stuff.
4. Arrive an hour early (because I’ve had technology kick my butt before).  This allows time to handle any emergencies.
5. Relax and present.

Teaching for a non-profit through a retailer has had its moments, and last night was no different.  I showed up an hour early with my material (which, since this was a short, free class wasn’t a lot). 

The scenario goes something like this:

I walked up to the folks at the back desk and notice my class had been posted nowhere on their announcement board.  Indeed, the fellow behind the counter had trouble even looking up my class to see if I was supposed to be there.  I had to dig out that info for him (though, later I found that my class title had been posted on the door of the classroom).

The classroom was not set up, so I ended up moving tables and chairs around.

I had my computer because I’d been told to bring it, but no one bothered to tell me it was an old connector type and that I’d need an adapter cable!  So, we used the retailer’s laptop.  I believe this laptop had been one of the first ever released and must have had memory capacity of a gnat because any application opened would a) take forever to open and then b) crash at the most inopportune times.  We couldn’t even get the laptop to recognize a USB mouse – let alone open the class videos.

A total of seven people arrived. We chatted and I had to explain the limitations of the technology.  I began to teach and noticed two people about my age who were rapt with attention and asking great questions while the rest of the crowd just sat in a dazed stupor as if I was torturing them with information. 

My sense about classes (having given numerous) is that the more you pay/invest in one, the more you’ll pay attention and the more you’ll get out of it.  The classes at the retailer have not been as successful as the ones at the local university for which I’m paid a little.  People who come to free classes want something for nothing.  I don’t look down on them because of this – everyone likes a good deal.  I don’t short-change folks because they haven’t paid.  These intro classes lead into the paying ones at the university.  They’re more advertising, really, and also offer a service to the public.

But, I noticed most of the students didn’t seem willing to participate.  The class limped to its eventual end, and these people left hastily.  The only good note of the evening was that the couple who seemed interested stayed to chat with me for about another half hour.  These are the kind of people that make teaching worthwhile.

I have another class this weekend – a paying class.  So far, eleven people have signed up to attend.  We’ll see how it goes, but since the technology is never usually an issue, I come prepared, and the class has invested in money, time, and materials – I am hoping for better results.  Fingers crossed, me ducks!