My Mom taught 3rd grade for 25 years, and was known around the entire school district as someone who brought the spark and excitement of nature and science to so many kids. Her methods were direct: hands-on, project-based -- none of this sitting down at a desk. She integrated walks in the woods, hatching Monarch butterflies, and any other project that would get kids' minds reeling and feet moving. What a role model!
The process of teaching, it seems, has seeped by constant exposure into all 3 of her daughters.
- My older sister: the amazing lawer, judge, college professor, and organic crusader. Listening to her is a powerful experience because she makes everything she does into an event.
- My younger sister: she teaches everyone around her how to be focused, positive and wonderful just by being in the presence of such clarity and confident energy. She has managed up to 50 people at a time, and has taught all of them something.
- And me: who has, throughout my meanderings, taught calligraphy, English, sales strategy, cooking, software, and now... how to make jewelry.
After my initial obsession with Precious Metal Clay began, I couldn't stop telling everyone about it. I would carry pieces around with me to show everyone. I would explain what an amazing process it is to see this soft smudgy clay turn into brilliant, hard, sparkling metal. How it was another way of recycling, and gave people immediate access to creating something of beauty they otherwise would have to learn to solder, file, and cut to create. How for so long, I'd been frustrated with the process-intensive medium I'd been focused on (intaglio etching) and that working directly on the clay was so liberating!
So some people wanted me to show them how ... and I taught them since I really wanted to share this new cool thing I'd found. But as I started to try and build a business, I realized that maybe I could incorporate two things I love: creativity and teaching.
I've been starting to advertise my jewelry classes, I'm starting to get some interest ~ it's exciting, scary, and so much fun! After a classes that were not advertised, I've worked out the kinks of teaching PMC, and my new classes are being well received.
Someone from my most recent class really touched me recently. Her comments went beyond what she learned in the class, the teaching techniques I used, or the success of the pieces she made. Instead, she said she enjoyed the class becase I was a warm, calm and generous presence. > gulp <
So I'm going to keep the classes going. Small, intimate, in my home. No more than 5 people at a time so I can give everyone attention. No fewer than 2 so I can still make ends meet for the time and effort it takes to put it together. But what a feeling ~ to make a positive impact and create for a few hours a place of creative expression not only for myself, but others.
