Advice on teaching adult classes/workshops.

[WimpleOfTheBallet]

I've been wondering about teaching some adult classes in creative writing for some time now.

I'm not a teacher but I do make a living as a writer.

The only problem is that I don't have a degree in creative writing or even literature but trained as an actor at one of the London drama schools.

Would the fact that I don't have formal training look bad or hamper me in your opinion? It's difficult as my route into writing was a little odd and perhaps some people wouldn't take me seriously without a relevant degree...or is my CV enough to speak for me?

Without lisiting my credentials here too much, my short fiction haas been published in well known UK mags and I have been commissioned by BBC Radio 4 a number of times for comedy...my bread and butter comes from writing web content and I edit/write scripts for corporate and Theatre in Education events

Should I contact my local college which doesn't appear to have a creative writing course on offer but DO offer other arts based courses? Or should I go it alone in a local venue?

Will I be biting off more than I can chew with no formal qualification in writing and only my instincts to share?

I would think that having practical experience and a track record of actually making a living from writing is worth more than any degrees.

I attended a LA creative writing course some years ago and as I recall the teacher had very few formal qualifications and instead had lots of experience of actually writing. She was great.

I would think that with a CV like yours you would have a very strong chance of getting taken on by a LA. I would put together a CV of all your relevant experience and contact all the adult education colleges if I were you.

Going it alone might be harder until you build up some teaching experience and a local reputation.

Most people would look at adult education colleges for a course like this I think rather than chancing an unknown newcomer.

Having published a book would definitely make people want to attend your course. Perhaps you could approach your local library about holding a course there ?
It is possible to do a short course in teaching adults which is available at most FE colleges but you do need to organise some work experience around this yourself.

Thanks PinkEOP...I think you're right about the LA being a better bet. I will put a little thingy together and get on to it I think.

If there's anyone with eperience of teaching adults, I wonder if they'd be able to give me some advice/tips?

I've not published a book crazymum...just had short fiction published and scripts broadcast/performed.

I will look into those short courses...sounds perfect!

To be able to teach on Government funded courses ie those arranged by FE colleges and under LA Adult Learning and for charities like WEA and U3A you would be expected to have a basic teaching qualification but nto necessarily one specifically for Creative Writing. This can be a short course known as PTTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Sector 7303) from City and Guilds requiring something like 40 hours classroom time usually either over several weekly/fortnightly sessions or sometimes intensively over a week or two. This would include an overview of teaching strategies and you delivering a short except of one of your proposed sessions. Your local FE college may well have such a course coming upand if they were to take you o , possibly part fund, or you could google to find one. To teach privately you don't need a formal qualification but the risks, financial and in terms of quality, would be yours.

I agree with LIZS wrt the requirements for Govt funded courses. However, it may well be worth your while contacting local community centres or extended school coordinators.

I run a community association and only about 10% of our classes are supported by govt funding. We run the rest on a full cost recovery basis and have some fantastic tutors who are not teachers but do have fantastic knowledge and skills and run really successful classes. When working with us tutors have three choices regarding payment:

1. Employed directly on a fixed hourly rate under PAYE and we collect the fees from the learners. The tutor is then covered by our Employers and Public Liability insurance and is eligable for holiday pay.

1. Self employed - we collect the fees from the learners and the tutor invoices us for their time (they must have their own insurance, sort out tax and NI and won't be eligable for hol pay).

1. Room hire - they pay us a fixed hourly rate for the room and then charge the learners whatever they need to cover all costs. They are covered by our hirers insurance but won't eligable for any payment from us.

Hope that's of use to you.

Thanks everyone...what is a community association though TidyBush?

A community association is an organistion that runs activites for the benefit of specific groups, such as those living in a particular area or groups defined by gender, ethnicity etc.

Most have charitable status and many are also limited companies. You would probably know them as community centres. These days not many centres are run by local authorities, although many hold contracts with LAs to deliver statutory services such as adult education, youth work, health and social care etc.

We were the forerunners really to extended schools and The Big Society.

Hope that helps.

Many thanks TidyBush...I'll see about my nearest version..I think I will begin by having a look for a course on teaching adults and perhaps do some free workshops on creative writing...see how I go and gain some experience as well as giving a bit to the community.

If anyone has any ideas on where I could approach to offer some workshops...which organisations might be open to that...I'd be very grateful.

I wonder if a talk at the WI might go down well.

WI would be a good bet and perhaps your local U3A?

Which part of the country are you in, I'm in the Midlands so PM me if you are anywhere near.