5 Things I Learned Making My Skillshare Class
Initially, I thought I would be walking away from doing paint parties. 😮 I really enjoy meeting new people, seeing how they tap into their creative side, and listening to the little conversations that happen while painting. I enjoy seeing artists add their own creativity even if the painting provided a starting point for a simple drawing. But then I came across the Skillshare Teacher program where you have the opportunity to get coaching feedback as you create your class.
Creating a stand-alone class takes work! It's far from an in-person course. In an in-person class, you have the chatter of your students, the music, and the food/snacks to help create a vibe. But when you are teaching virtually, you can’t see your students! OMG! There are so many things to think about from the space you're recording into the background noise of your environment. In order to get the best recordings, I was either at home by myself or up at 2 am when everyone else was sleeping.
Currently, It’s my husband and I care primarily for our daughter. We can’t afford the additional help. My mom cares for my grandmother and works full time, and my inlaws - while they live right across the street from us, Athena is walking, crawling, and getting into everything. I think her energy is entirely too much to be leaving her alone with our nearly retired inlaws.
Insert, the night shift after the night shift.
In order to record my lessons I would have to work between 8 pm and 2 am. It’s the quietest time in our one-bedroom apartment. Aside from 2 am- 5 am. 2 am - 5 or 6 am is when I would try to get the most sleep before starting my day all over again.
From cooking to cleaning and entertaining our little one, I found that nap time wasn’t just for her - it's for me as well because it helps to charge me up for that pre-night shift all over again.
Investing in an excellent microphone helped block out those background noises that are out of my control. However, I was able to record with more energy and excitement when no one else was in the home.
“Getting Ready to Film '' is more like the third or fourth step in the process. A great class starts with something you’ve already experimented with, have a bit of knowledge of, and can teach from. Students want to learn from you due to your skill, your expertise with the medium, and the tools, they want to know your techniques. One of my favorite parts of getting ready to film is actually putting on my makeup. But you truly have to enjoy writing, setting up your workspace, and keeping a consistent look across your videos if you are doing this over several days.
Using a script is your best friend. Sometimes you can tell when someone is reading from a script - and sometimes you can’t. But having a script helps knock out the uhhm and ahhhs when recording a video. So much so that I think when I return back to youtube I am going to be using a script!!
A Little bit of acting is required!!
Actually, a lot. I mentioned how I was able to be more enthusiastic when I was home alone. So imagine what it’s like when everyone is sleeping. Not only was I enthusiastic but I was also trying to be mindful not to be too loud and wake my husband or my daughter.
I’m taking everything I’ve learned into the next course and I’m hoping it helps with a quicker production turnaround. If you are in the process of recording your own course, I would highly suggest doing a practice run of what you are going to create. Also, research your class title on Google and Youtube to see what people are searching for. It’s the one thing I did after publishing my class. At the current moment, I have 4 students enrolled. Thank you to those of you that have signed up. Don’t forget to take the class and share your progress. I’ll be sure to share your work with my newsletter and my followers.