How to get yourself ready to teach a art/craft workshop?

Why should we run a workshop?

The first and utmost, to be able to give a piece of our knowledge away is a blessing. As we give we will also receive. We all do being filled up at some point of learning, in order to be able to receive more and continue to grow in the area that we are learning, we actually need to share our knowledge with others. As when we are sharing, it will also reinforce our knowledge and forcing it to be presented in an organized manner. No one want to mess up before a class, do we?

Here are the 5 steps which helps to get workshop preparations done in a more efficient and organized manner:

1. Know your participants

Are they adults, children, teenagers, students, ladies or gents? Knowing who they are, we can come up with some contents that could interest them. more. Eg, teenagers will be more likely having more fun making some funky stuff, and adult might like to feel more sophisticated during the learning process. 

2. Prepare a workshop plan.

Having our workshop interestingly and carefully plan out will definitely guarantee a better flow on the day. Think of the duration of the whole workshop and segmented it into smaller section. In another word, structure your workshop. literally visualizing the plan help a lot, write it down on a piece of paper. Think of the approximate time that you might need to spend on each step and have the minutes written down. Eg. 1-5 mins: Ice breaker. (This will really loose the intense atmosphere in the class) 5-10: Some physical warm up. etc. Some intervals in between might be needed too.  

3. Getting all our workshop materials ready and organized.

Prepare a check list for all the materials and tools needed in the workshop. We don't want to run short of something during the workshop. If you do lack of some materials, use your imagination to replace it with something else. If you have a lot of different materials or tools, it is good to prepare a few boxes and store them accordingly that you can easily locate the materials during the workshop. (This will work too for those who are travelling with the materials) 

4. Get to know more about the workshop venue

This is going to help us to get our-self ready quicker on that day.  It will also help us to get the venue to be prepare on time. We might like to arrange the tables and chairs in certain way, depending on the size of the participants and of the venue. Think of how the setting could be arrange in a way that help to create more engagement with the participants.  

5. Preparing our mentality

Be cheerful and confidence when you are running the workshop, spread your love of the art in your field to others. After all, to be able to give and share is indeed a blessing. Tune yourself into the giving mode and give your best shot.  You are giving something valuable to those who participating and when you makes them feels it, they will love you in return.  

And, if you do mess up a little here and there, just continue to go with the flow with a creative way, after all to err is human. :)

Let me know if this has help you or if you are encountering some challenges in this area.

Cheers,

Maggie.