For the past few years, and hopefully into the future, I have tried to alternate my summer plans; one year teach at the ANG National Seminar and one year go to Israel to be with my family. I did not apply to teach at this upcoming Seminar, I was exhausted after last years' wonderful event and I want to spend a nice chunk of time in Israel this summer. Now, the Chicago Seminar of 2014, that one I don't want to miss. Chicago is Reid's hometown and he can't wait to tag along, for him I MUST teach in 2014.
So I've been putting together proposals for classes and they now sit ready in a box going out tomorrow in order to meet the deadline. I'm exhausted! It's so much work, deciding what to propose and how to "show" the class to the faculty committee. It must be presented in a certain way, there are definite guidelines. It should look nice and appealing, and forms must be filled out. Samples should be stitched, it helps, I've been told. I mentioned that I am exhausted, but it's not from all I've mentioned. It's from trying to figure out What Do I Propose?????
There are two different groups of people I need to appeal to; the selection committee and the student body. They may not think alike, they may not like the same thing. Stitchers may tell me that they would be so interested in a certain type of class, but the selection committee may not see the appeal or the need for such a class, therefore stopping me in my tracks. The selection committee may enthusiastically choose one of my proposals, only to have less than the minimum required students sign up. That's when a class gets cancelled before Seminar even starts.
I've been proposing for Seminars for over 12 years. I still have NO CLUE how to make it work. What is the magic formula for a class that will appeal to the committee and will attract student registration. To me it still seems like a magic equation, one that I am not privy to, but with a bit of luck, I may just coincidentally get right.
In all honesty, I've been lucky many times, but not always. In fact, many times I've predicted a certain class would be a huge hit and it wasn't and the other way around...
I'm confused and have my fingers crossed for Chicago Seminar 2014...
I don't have a photo of my confused face, and you probably wouldn't want to see it anyway... but I do have a photo of our Nina playing at her concert in the Jazz Ensemble. They were great!! Got the entire audience swaying! Sitting in the front row, with the glasses, I present... Nina Willis!
