A Question About Teaching

[kokopelle]

Here's a article I pulled out of the 2004 archives. It is still relevant as I very much wish to continue teaching.

Question: On a different note, have you ever taught any classes for pay?
If so what and how did it go and how do you feel about that generally?

My teaching "career" started via Hazelthorne, a Wiccan discussion group, that met one to two times a month at people’s homes. A different topic was covered by a volunteer, and I did a variety of tarot and astrology classes. There was no charge for these classes, and as they did not factor into a “degree” program of any sort. Hazelthorne stopped meeting when the Wiccan group associated with it disbanded.

When Hazelthorne stopped meeting, I took the lead in helping create a metaphysical discussion group named “Journeys”. We also met once or twice a month, for free, at people’s homes and public places. I taught a wide variety of classes under this format. It eventually stopped when interest stopped.

After that I taught classes at Barnes and Noble once a month. I presented the classes for free. For the astrology, I had to bring a laptop computer and printer each month so I could print out people’s natal charts (for free). Under this format, I taught astrology for almost four years, shamanism for one year, and tarot for two years. During one year I was doing all three classes on different days of the month. I planned my classes in six month blocks, and had a flyer for January – June and one for July – December. I stopped doing this when I got burned out due to an unsatisfactory energy exchange (more on this later).

I did do a number of “paid” classes during the four years I did free classes at Barnes and Noble. Most of them were done for Horizons, a metaphysical discussion group that met each Wednesday. $10 was charged at the door, and this covered snacks, the room, and expenses related to advertising for Horizons via a monthly newsletter and website. Horizons was run by Harrison Setlzer. He paid his speakers $45 for their time, and when he taught the class, which was about 50-75% of the time, no money went to the speaker. The topics were varied, and while there were some loose topical trends, the classes did not go toward a degree or certification. The truth be told, Horizons was as much a social outlet for those who attended as it was a place to learn new things.

I’ve spoken at some events were I got a “love donation”, and I’ve done some talks for free a discussion group that was trying to get off the ground. They charged $10/person. I’ve also taught a single session or two, for free, at metaphysically oriented class as part of an adult continuing education group at Furman College.

Oh yeah, I can’t forget speaking on topics at various pagan events (Moondance, FallFling, SS, Pagan Pride). These were done for free.

I’ve done my share of public speaking, and to let you know that the majority has been for “free” or a small speaker’s fee. I’ve not had any students in a continuing program that lead to a degree or a certification. So, I guess I have taught classes for pay, but it was in a single class setting. How’d it go? I strongly believe in teaching people, conveying knowledge, and don’t do it any differently when I am charging (indirectly) or doing it for free.

Now, let’s get to the nitty-gritty part of it. I don’t currently teach free classes at Barnes and Noble because I got caught on the non-giving end of an energy exchange. I found myself giving, and receiving back insufficiently. IMHO most any ongoing teaching should have a fair energy exchange. This energy exchange can take the form of money, doting/compliant students who do tasks for you, or merely feeding the teacher’s ego.

Many (Most?) craft programs are “free”, but when you look at the energy exchange model, they are anything but free. The students are expected to do expend energies towards their studies and towards their teacher. In some ways I, with the rebel archetype, prefer the exchange of money because I really don’t want to become somebody’s slave. Does this happen often? No. Does this happen never? No.

It is not unexpected for a person to be expected to pay for a class. The teacher is compensated in someway for their time and effort. Many pagans would agree with this, but somewhere there is a line that says, "after this point you cannot charge for knowledge given." Where is this line? I’ve given a lot of thought to this, and have this very rough model:

Out Reach, Group, and Charity Teaching – Free
High-powered metaphysical teaching in a clinical environment - $$$$
One-time or "technical" metaphysical teaching – Small Fee or Free*
Craft Degree Program – Free, but energy exchange is expected in other ways (Family structure)

*: can be affected by "family" situations.

In some ways the Craft degree program is a family system, and you don’t charge your family for room and board. However, in a family, there is only one Mamma and one Pappa, and everyone else is a kid or a relative. I think the concept of a “family” teaching environment is important. One-time classes are taught at gatherings for free, and this done under the family umbrella. Sometimes people do charge though. Why? They are supplying things that cost $$$, and the situation is not “family” enough for them to waive the costs. In a Craft degree program the costs are shared across the family. If the “Mamma” or HPS does supply the items used (food), than the “children” or students are expected to set the table, serve the food, clean-up, etc., in this family meal analogy.

NOTE: I am not an expert on Craft programs. I am sure there are exceptions to what I've said, and perhaps I got it completely wrong. Perhaps. I believe this is still a model of teaching that people follow.

I do plan to continue to teach. If I have a craft oriented program (probably not Wiccan), than I would charge very little, and take out my energy exchange via the family structure. Being Pappa can be satisfactory, especially when you see the kids grow up and become adults themselves. I also plan to teach classes to groups, and charge enough money to make a living from it. These groups will be people from all over, who by their own choice, convene in a location for a single class or series of classes. After the class they go their way and I go mine. There may be a loose network made, but it is nowhere near the "family" network of a coven craft setup.

I would feel comfortable with both ways of teaching, and feel that one does not automatically invalidate the other. Based on my "free" teachings of the past, I am tired of giving and giving in a teaching way, and getting insufficient energy exchange back. Whatever you do, do please insure that there is a healthy energy exchange.

Comments

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

I've had a generally positive experience presenting workshops at shops and gathers. People who are there generally *want* to be there, and are willing to either way the entrance fee to the gather or the class fee. Therefore we don't really get very many fruit loops who are just there to cause trouble.

I'm pretty comfortable with charging for my time (especially with the price of gas these days!). Taylor and I make our booking information pretty clear, though there is some wiggle room depending on the event. I really don't want to do teaching to a regular group, though--I just don't have the time or the inclination. We may end up doing series of classes at a local shop at some point in the future, but we've both already got pretty full schedules as it is.

Then again, I do see this as a business. It's the difference between a person who sells their artwork at a flea market or swap meet a few times a year, and the one who has a full-time art gallery or shop, online or in person. The artwork is the same in quality, but the amount of time and effort put into the business end of things is different.

As for the healthy energy exchange, I think there are definitely people who have a sense of entitlement, money notwithstanding. They feel that people with more experience should automatically give them anything they want, and get pissy when something is asked for in return, tangible or not.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

I've come to believe that the money-for-services model, when executed with integrity, is a good one. The "equal" exchange of energies is a mucky business, especially with large groups. As you say, there are some weird energy dynamics that crop up. We, as a culture, are not trained to handle these situations. It may have been the preferred method in the olden days, but we modern people don't do energy well. Personally, I see bad energy habits being more harmful than the 'wrongful' accumulation of monetary funds.

Energy is nice, but the government, stores and banks take dollars for things in life. A writer and teacher that believes in what they do should have the opportunity to have their love support them. I say kudos to those who figure out how to.

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

The energy thing is why good shields are a must for personal crowd control. I like engaging the audience, and I *love* talking shop with folks before and after on a more informal level, but there are some real parasites out there--like the people who try to outsmart the instructor, or the ones who try to get into the Famous Pagan Author's (ha!) pants. The majority of people are nice, but the few that are a pain in the ass...well...that's what shields are for.

Tay and I are working on creating a self-sustaining business. Right now, we still have a lot of debt to pay off in our personal finances, but once that's done, we may actually have a shot at it. The reason we're doing it, though, is because we want to spend our days doing something we *enjoy*. Yeah, money is a necessary part of it, but it's not all it's about. It just gets to be annoying when people complain about charging for our time, travel expenses, food, etc. when we could be curled up at home sleeping in, or hiking, or writing. We want to be there, but we can't do it as a charitable thing long term.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I fall very much in the hardline Wicca concept that the Craft should not cost money as per the Craft Laws, as I've been taught and as I've experienced it. Making a living via the Craft twists the ethics of people in a way that becomes vampiric on a community and turns folks ugly, in my experience. When it all becomes about paying your rent and putting food on the table, things have gone horribly wrong.

Now, I'm not talking about rational expenses like copying costs and space rental. Not even talking about a donation basket or request for free will donation. I'm talking Cash for Craft. I've watched a lot of groups and dozens of individuals get twisted into something dark and twisted. Watching the ATC crash and burn on its invalid claims, that their fund raising goes to provide their founder's retirment, it all just makes me sick.

Being taught the Craft was a gift my teachers gave to me, out of love for the Craft. I repay their gift by teaching others, as their teachers did for them. That is the balance of energy. Granted, they receive joy and satisfaction in teaching, small gifts from time to time, bringing food to share, etc. All of which is very appropriate. I've certainly received the same in my time.

If you're in a situation where the energy exchange isn't working for you - stop doing it.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Why does Craft Law hold the Craft teachers to be different from other teachers? Other teachers can support themselves from their spiritual and mundane ministries. In fact, the ability to focus exclusively on the teaching/guiding of others can be a benefit. Take the profit angle out, insert in a 'getting by with a roof over your head' angle, and the "cash" aspect seems less evil.

Perhaps the correct way to say this is "their ministry supports the teacher/minister". This is should be case, even if the support is only energetic and work related. This seems to be the Craft way. The teaching is not free. The teacher is supported. The support comes in the form of energy and practical support of the teaching. The teacher cannot do everything. The students must learn through practice. This model works well.

The teacher also supports the students. A one-way support, only going towards the teacher, would be vampiric no matter the unit of exchange. Energy, time and effort can be drained just as easily as money. The teacher must give back in healthy proportion. Good teachers do this. Some teachers forget to receive from the students. This can only last so long. A balance is required lest the students or teacher are unfairly tapped. This is a difficult proposition. Sometimes I think it would be better to exchange money for services. The to-and-fro of energy exchange can be a difficult balance.

I agree that a living made off of teaching the Craft, especially one for $$$ profit, is not appropriate. It goes against traditions. If the Craft is about anything, it is about the traditions, and this is an abiding one to many.

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

IMO, money isn't the problem. Let me say that again--MONEY ISN'T THE PROBLEM. The problems are: overinflated egos, and lack of ethics in handling money. People in general often don't know how to deal with money, both as mundane currency, and as an entity in and of itself. You see this especially in the pagan community where there's often a "money is evil" attitude. Money supposedly = greed, and corporate culture, and other evil things; money = power, and power corrupts (or so the attitude goes). And, of course, you do get people in the community who seem to do their damnedest to reinforce that stereotype by not being up-front about their motives. Plus you have pagans who were raised Christian and are wholly jaded by the idea of tithing and so believe that everything spiritual should be free, because those evil nasty Christians are the ones who ask for money for your faith (never mind the utility bills for the church building, or repairs, or renting a hall, etc.). And, finally, there are just some people out there who feel that they're entitled to free stuff by virtue of being here on this earth. Granted, not all pagans fall into these categories, but I see them a lot.

You know what? I'll be honest--I want to be able to pay my rent and bills by doing something that I love. And what I love is writing, editing and laying out books, presenting workshops, and creating magical artwork. I'm tired of giving 40+ hours of my week to someone else. I'm tired of cramming my writing and other creative endeavors into nights and weekends.

Most authors--regardless of genre--don't make a living off their writing. 10% royalties is pretty common, though I've seen as low as 8% in this genre. 10% on a $15.00 book means you have to sell 10,000 books a year to make the same amount of money as your average fast food employee. Most pagan books don't sell that much in a decade. And that's the reality of writing as a profession--you have to supplement when and where you can. This is why my husband and I also present workshops, do editing and layout for our publisher, sell my artwork, and do readings at events along with the books.

The other point I wanted to make, though, too, is that we realize that we can't depend on the pagan community to support us in our old age. This is why, for now, we do have day jobs to pay our debts, and once the debts are gone, we're going to be boosting our investments--hell, for all I know, when I'm 75 years old there may not *be* a pagan community to support my wrinkled ass. Better to be as self-reliant as possible.

And this is why we've been learning how to handle the money we have, both mundanely and magically. Money is a force, and if you treat it with respect, it'll return the favor--with interest. Greedily grabbing onto dollars isn't respectful, either to the people who gave them to you, or to Money in general. On the other hand, when I give my time in presentation (as well as travel, research, and other preparations) I expect to be paid for it. The same goes for the literally hundreds of hours that go into writing, researching, editing and publishing a single book. It's an exchange, and as much as I would love to be able to live on the joys of getting to talk shop (which I do love quite a bit), there also needs to be compensation in the form of the currency in use. And sorry, but donations won't cut it. I love the pagan community, but there are a good number of tight-fisted folks. I've found that if I set a price, people will come that want to--we've actually had about the same amount of people showing up for free workshops at a pagan shop as paid ones.

So there's my spiel. You can make money on teaching and presenting workshops, and still be mindful of your actions. Just because some people don't know how to handle money, other people, or their own egos, doesn't mean that money = evil.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Why does Craft Law hold the Craft teachers to be different from other teachers?

The Craft is given in Love and received in Love and it is above the mundane world. The teacher was given the gift of the Craft as a student and returns the gift to their own students. A love gift is not for sale, that would be prostitution.

Magically, Cash for Craft doesn't work - look at those who have done so; the Frosts, the Correlians, the ATC. Steallar examples of why the Craft Law exists.