Last week, I participated in two Meet the Teacher (MTT) programs in both Northern and Southern California. Northern California Quilt Council hosts a MTT in both April and July with a maximum of 30 teachers per day, whereas Southern California Council of Quilt Guilds hosts one big MTT in April with a maximum of 50 teachers. Attendees have several opportunities to learn about each teacher and their program offerings:
With so many amazing quilt teachers participating, the large hall is a visual feast of color, pattern and innovative designs. Moreover, with so many different styles and quilting techniques being offered, there is truly something for each and every quilter!
I had good intentions of snapping a few pictures at the NorCal MTT, but as a NCQC board member, I was busy taking meeting minutes and holding quilts for the other presenting teachers. But I did manage to take lots more pictures of my MTT adventures in southern California.
This year, I opted to fly down with my friend and fellow quilt teacher, Sarah Goer, which made for a fun-filled weekend. Our first adventure was racing each other as we navigated different security lines at the San Jose airport. I took an early lead, until one of my bags was flagged and detained for a more thorough security screening. The culprit? A mini bag of chex party mix!! Otherwise, it was a smooth and comfortable flight down to Long Beach (LGB) airport thanks to the extra legroom provided by Jet Blue! En route to our hotel, we even managed to see the Good Year Blimp off in the distance
We took some time to settle into our hotel rooms before heading out for dinner. The friendly hotel staff recommended a local mexican chain that was a short walk from the hotel, which meant we could both enjoy a refreshing celebratory strawberry margarita. During our meal, a photographer came around taking pictures and later we were presented with a souvenir postcard to commemorate our meal. Once back at the hotel, we soaked in the pool's hot tub and had fun with the hotel cups featuring different lips and moustaches.
After a fun evening of silly shenanigans, it was time to get serious again...but not too serious...as Meet the Teachers is a lot of fun!! Sarah and I had adjacent booths, which was convenient as we were able to look out for each other's booths if the other had to step away for a bit and to capture action shots (many thanks to Sarah for the pictures below)! The morning was busy as I had lots of great interactions with visiting guild representatives and showcasing my workshop offerings. Each conversation served as a rehearsal for my 3-minute presentation which was scheduled for the mid-afternoon. Even though this is my 5th time participating in MTT, I still experience some initial nervousness right before it is my turn to talk. Luckily those nerves go away once I am up on stage and talking about my quilting passions!
Many thanks to all the NCQC and SCCQG volunteers for hosting Meet the Teachers and making it such a successful program!!
If you are a quilt teacher looking to teach in California, I highly recommend participating in one or both of these Meet the Teacher opportunities. They are an amazing resource for new and experienced teachers as a way to promote your program offerings and connect with California quilt guilds. If you are considering this opportunity and want to learn more, I am happy to share my experiences and share some tips to help you prepare.
- Watch their 3-minute (timed) presentation/mini trunk show
- Visit their display of quilts, patterns and workshop samples
- Take promotional materials outlining their program offerings
- Engage the teacher in conversation and inquire about programs, availability and contract terms
With so many amazing quilt teachers participating, the large hall is a visual feast of color, pattern and innovative designs. Moreover, with so many different styles and quilting techniques being offered, there is truly something for each and every quilter!
I had good intentions of snapping a few pictures at the NorCal MTT, but as a NCQC board member, I was busy taking meeting minutes and holding quilts for the other presenting teachers. But I did manage to take lots more pictures of my MTT adventures in southern California.
This year, I opted to fly down with my friend and fellow quilt teacher, Sarah Goer, which made for a fun-filled weekend. Our first adventure was racing each other as we navigated different security lines at the San Jose airport. I took an early lead, until one of my bags was flagged and detained for a more thorough security screening. The culprit? A mini bag of chex party mix!! Otherwise, it was a smooth and comfortable flight down to Long Beach (LGB) airport thanks to the extra legroom provided by Jet Blue! En route to our hotel, we even managed to see the Good Year Blimp off in the distance
 |
| Southern California Sightseeing |
We took some time to settle into our hotel rooms before heading out for dinner. The friendly hotel staff recommended a local mexican chain that was a short walk from the hotel, which meant we could both enjoy a refreshing celebratory strawberry margarita. During our meal, a photographer came around taking pictures and later we were presented with a souvenir postcard to commemorate our meal. Once back at the hotel, we soaked in the pool's hot tub and had fun with the hotel cups featuring different lips and moustaches.
 |
| Pre MTT Tomfoolery |
After a fun evening of silly shenanigans, it was time to get serious again...but not too serious...as Meet the Teachers is a lot of fun!! Sarah and I had adjacent booths, which was convenient as we were able to look out for each other's booths if the other had to step away for a bit and to capture action shots (many thanks to Sarah for the pictures below)! The morning was busy as I had lots of great interactions with visiting guild representatives and showcasing my workshop offerings. Each conversation served as a rehearsal for my 3-minute presentation which was scheduled for the mid-afternoon. Even though this is my 5th time participating in MTT, I still experience some initial nervousness right before it is my turn to talk. Luckily those nerves go away once I am up on stage and talking about my quilting passions!
 |
| Meet the Teachers: Display, 3-Minute Presentation and Post-Presentation Victory Lap |
Many thanks to all the NCQC and SCCQG volunteers for hosting Meet the Teachers and making it such a successful program!!
If you are a quilt teacher looking to teach in California, I highly recommend participating in one or both of these Meet the Teacher opportunities. They are an amazing resource for new and experienced teachers as a way to promote your program offerings and connect with California quilt guilds. If you are considering this opportunity and want to learn more, I am happy to share my experiences and share some tips to help you prepare.
 |
| The Sky is the Limit! |
Comments
Post a Comment
I am delighted you took the time and thought to leave me a comment. It may take a day or two for your comment to appear as I moderate them prior to posting to filter out spam and inappropriate content. Cheers!