Dos & Dont's When Teaching Scrapbooking
Teachers can make or break their students' enjoyment of a class, and the same holds true for teaching scrapbooking. When you communicate your passion for the hobby, your students will be more likely to catch your excitement for this art. So whether you teach independently, at a local scrapbook store, at a large craft store or at your local school, follow several basic tips that will help you become a sought-after teacher.
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Do Not Assume
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Do not assume that your students know anything about scrapbooking. Start from square one and proceed from there. This is a basic scrapbooking class. Teach them the importance of using acid-free materials so that photos won't deteriorate and the need to journal their photos so that they remember the who, what, where and when of events. Other basics include the reason for scrapbooking, the use of color, proper handling of photos and types and sizes of albums.
Use Visuals
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Students learn not only by listening, but also by seeing. When you discuss the different scrapbooking materials, such as adhesive, brads, eyelets, ribbons and fiber, show them what everything looks like. Explain where to buy the items. Show your students sample layouts that you have created, found online or seen in magazines. Give them handouts so they can remember what you told them later.
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Do Not Overwhelm
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Beginning students want to understand the basics and the process of scrapbooking. Include a list, in order of importance, of the materials that your students should by. Divide the list into three sections: must-haves, nice-to-haves and extras. Basics include photos, adhesive, a pair of sharp scissors, card stock and a black or dark acid-free pen for journaling. Students should not buy a wide variety of products when first starting out, as they will spend needless money and may not even like, let alone use, some of the products six months down the road.
Encourage Students to Bring Photos
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Students should bring photos to scrapbook to class. Encourage them to bring pictures of a recent event as opposed to heritage photos because their first pages will be practice layouts. Scrapbooking is an art form that takes time to develop and learn. Your students will not turn into professionals overnight. There are different scrapbook styles, and it will take them a while to learn their likes and dislikes.
Discuss Design
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Teach students basic design tips so the page looks pleasing to the eye. Although this aspect of scrapbooking can develop into several classes by itself, a beginner can learn a few tips. Some of these tips include using odd numbers of embellishments on a layout, grouping embellishments, helping pages flow and making the most of your page while highlighting a main photo. Students should lay everything down, adjust items until all the elements are in place and then adhere everything to the scrapbook pages.
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References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
