Teaching textile art workshops is one of the main income streams for working textile artists. In this two-part article, I’m going to look at this important source of income for most working textile artists. Typically, teaching involves traveling to a physical location to teach the class in person.
Health and Time Make it Difficult
However, after a certain age or due to failing health, lots of teachers tire of the busy travel schedule . The truth is, not all textile art teachers find being on the road for long periods of time , very desirable. Nor, do they enjoy living in hotels or the homes of host families. Similarly, many students don’t like traveling cross country to multiple textile art workshops. They find it time-consuming and quite frankly expensive.
… cut down the expense of traveling and still reach many students
Let’s take a look at where online teaching comes in. Thanks to the internet, there’s a plethora of online resources available to teach textile art workshops. The online sites make it possible for teachers to reach many more people than they can do by traveling from venue to venue.
Arguments For Teaching Online
Teaching online is not only convenient for teachers, it fits perfectly with the schedules of most students. This format of teaching cuts down the expense of traveling, refreshments and accommodations. The results are less costly courses for students. So it’s a win-win situation for all.
Students sign up to and get more access to your classes than before
Also, course material from online textile art workshops are available electronically to students after the class. Students can choose to review, watch videos and practice the lessons long after the class is over.
Students thus, get access to multiple textile art workshops from the comfort of their homes without having to hop on a plane or drive. Accessibility is important here because practically, there’s only so many classes students can attend in person. If you’ve taken an online class before, you can testify to this benefit.
As a teacher, there’s only so many workshops you can teach in person. You’ll be surprised to know that there are over 45 million quilters and sewists in the U.S alone, who spend more than $45 billion annually on what they do.
There’s a large market out there for your services as a textile art workshop instructor. But you cannot reach many of them with in-person workshops.
Of course, the camaraderie among students and teachers when you take in-person textile art workshops is lost to a certain extent. However, many online platforms create a sense of community among participants through the use of forums, and chats.
… many online teaching platforms offer assistance in creating your online class
I wonder why more teachers haven’t taken up online teaching. If you’re teaching textile art workshops, you might want to consider adding this alternative method of teaching.
Multiple media formats available for presentation
Most online teaching platforms offer teachers multiple media (audio, video, pdf books), in which to present their textile art workshops to students. There are easy to navigate menus to help you create and share your lessons with many more students. If you’re online and reading this article, you’re tech savvy enough to create textile art workshops online.
In part two of this article, we’ll look at some of the websites you can use to teach your textile art workshops online.
Question: Do you teach textile art workshops? Are you teaching online? If yes, how does it compare to in-person workshops? If no, why is that?
Warnest Regards,
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