Education Corner

Pooling our Resources, Take 4:  How to Make the Primm Workshops Winners

by Rob Peck, IJA Education Coordinator 

Unlike past columns where I've tried to share ideas or info that I hoped would be helpful, this time its me who's hopeful of being helped. In short (as if at my height I have much of a choice) this job's too big and our annual family reunion's too important for me to go it alone. Whereas in the past I've endeavored to stir up debate, now I'm asking for your direct involvement. (If I'm not careful this is going to sound like a political fundraising letter.)

 Specifically I'm looking for folks to help me think about what needs to happen for the IJA to stop dragging its heels and finally institute an active and ongoing education committee. (And yes I do know that the definition of a camel is a horse drawn up by a committee!) Yet I still believe that its possible, preferable and occasionally even pleasurable to pitch in and do some collective brainstorming, talent tapping and various other kinds of creative collaboration. Even if just a few of you out there could check in with me a little more regularly it would make a big difference. For one thing I'd really value your input (and hopefully your support) with regards to implementing, coordinating and evaluating some long overdue revisions and innovations. 

In addition to long range projects I also need help (a lot of help) in planning and organizing for Vegas. Obviously my most immediate need is for workshop leaders. A personal priority being to increase the number of women workshop leaders. But no matter what your gender, even if you don't feel personally qualified to teach advanced seven ball patterns or simply don't want to put yourself in such an ahem 'missionary position', there are several other ways that you could serve and see to it that the workshops go well. 

For one thing I'm always looking for innovative ideas for new or improved workshops. Likewise I continue to appreciate feedback on past offerings, formats, instructors/facilitators, locations, number of workshops running concurrently and whether there's too many workshops overall.  So if you've got an idea for how things could be done differently or simply a strong feeling about a previous offering and/or instructor that you really want to see again in Vegas, please let me know pronto. 

Similarly I'm still looking for input on the desirability of continued "break out sessions" or whether such scheduled spontaneity is just plain too paradoxical. I'd also like to know what peoples feelings are about the relatively recent addition of offering workshops more than once or specifically designing them as a series with one or more follow up classes. And I'm still waiting to hear feedback about time length ie 1hr vs. 90 min or 2 hrs and whether people like having the schedule extended to include evening workshops. 

Speaking of scheduling, one giant S.O.S. concerns the clear (crystal clear) need to come up with a substantially improved way to list the various daily offerings. To put it mildly the current system is cumbersome and confusing. Even if a festival attendee pays extremely careful attention, its almost inevitable that the lay out of the printed program makes choosing a particular workshop unnecessarily difficult and annoyingly time-consuming.  

Ideally the title, time, instructor and location of each day's offerings could be clearly delineated in a single page grid. Should someone need additional information about a particular offering they could turn to a later section in the pro- gram book and either alphabetically or by prop category look up a more detailed description. Details I can do, its coming up with a simple handy dandy design for the grid and accompanying cross referencing system that's got me stumped. So if you're someone who's devilish with details and/or has the computer savvy to suitably systematize a new and improved schedule/appendix for Vegas your skills would sure make a whole lot of learners (and instructors) a whole lot happier.

 Apropos when I chose to call this column pooling our resources it was because I'm convinced that there's a lot of collective knowledge that's just waiting to be utilized. Well one area that won't wait is getting a stellar crew of instructors lined up. Sooner than I want to admit I've got to give the Festival organizers a detailed list of names, offerings and capsule descriptions to send off to the printer. 

Here's where you come in. Step forward and volunteer to teach one or more workshops or better yet pioneer a whole new forum. Carpe diem and even if there's little or no paid per diem, do your part to "educate and render assistance to fellow jugglers" Doubtlessly you or a close personal juggling friend of yours has associations with or knows how to get in touch with outstanding previous or potential workshop facilitators. Please contact me with your suggestions or better yet encourage whoever you have in mind to call, write or email me directly.

Naturally it would be especially helpful if the person you recommend happens to be a brilliant juggler, justly renowned for their particular specialty (ie Charley Brown-cigar boxes, Andrew Head-hats, Donald Grant- diabolo, Robert Nelson- hecklers/hairstyles etc.) But much as I'd appreciate any such 'starpooling', I'd be just as grateful to get names of jugglers who while they may not be world class or famous (yet) are competent at their craft and enthusiastic about passing it on. 

Ironically if past workshop evaluations (a whole other can of worms, just waiting for a someone with a good 'hook') are any indication the relationship between level of expertise and educational savvy are often inversely proportional. More than once a bonafide genius at a particular prop has apparently been all but clueless when it comes to pragmatic pedagogical explanations. In sum sometimes the same skills that make someone a wonderfully original creator make them a woefully inept instructor. 

Ideally it'd be great to have a staff that understands the need for careful preparation and clear presentation with a knack for demystifying complex patterns and a real feel for isolating essential moves and key transitions. Not to mention some sort of a "lesson plan" for breaking down core components and building up participants confidence (and comprehension) by systematically reassembling them starting with the simplest step. But I'll gladly welcome anyone who's sincerely motivated and who cares enough about participants leaving improved and 'psyched' to keep practicing that they're willing to do some advance preparation and a whole lot of patient explanation. 

Your fellow jugglers will be inspired, the IJA will be grateful... and boy will I be relieved!