I Start Teaching Tonight! I Am Scared!
Decorating By NEWTODECORATING Updated 22 Mar 2007 , 12:05am by NEWTODECORATING
OK guys getting a little nervous here! 
I start teaching at the college tonight.
I can teach anything I want and am not restricted to any guide lines. I have written up a class plan with the things I want to cover. This will be a 4 class series set up alot like Wilton, but 2 hours a night instead of one.
My question is what would you have liked to learn that was not covered by Wilton? And please tell me I am not stupid and can do this!! Any advice from someone who has been there??
Thanks
Kimberly
I thought the Wilton Classes were so time restricted. I took my first class from a cake supply store and it lasted 4 hrs once a week. We had so much time to practice and the teachers really spent time helping us perfect borders and roses.
I felt like I was basically teaching myself after a short demo in the Wilton classes. I did enjoy the Course 3 of Wilton where we learned about fondant.
Good luck with your classes and keep us posted!!
Cindy
thanks guys for the support! One thing I plan on doing tonight is spending some time on the actual cake part. Wilton skips over that part. Since I have 2 hours and a full kitchen I am going to bake a cake talking about bake even stripes, flower nails, all the stuff CC teaches you and not everyone else. We will spend some time tonight on smoothing a cake and making icing too.
Yea def spend some time on the baking part. A cake that looks nice but has a horrible taste and/or texture is not a cake I would want.
Smoothing is also a major issue, one that i would like to get down pat.
Good luck and keep us updated
I agree on the baking part as Wilton just doesn't have enough time for it in their classes. Incorporate the use of the roller (Melvira Method) to smooth the cake, the wet hot spatchula technique and the paper town technique as well.
Be sure to mention how important it is to have a smooth surface for the fondant as well as the poured Ganache or the finished product will look home-made.
Another thought: Be sure that the powdered sugar is sifted or very free of clumps or you will not be able to pipe, especially using tips #1 and #2 for Cornelli Lace.
Good Luck!
I know I wanted to be able to "see" someone bake, turn out cakes, trim, level tort and all the stuff you really have to "get" first. It also would have been helpful to hear about mix doctoring, home recipes and maybe even a little of the basics of how and why a recipe needs this or that to work. You know almost baking theroy, with out too much confusing detail. Explain about different pans, shapes, depth, most popular shapes. Also insights on flavor combos and maybe hand out recipes or sites to find them on as well as different aspects of baking. Maybe mention different cake deco magazines and where to find those. Encourage them to look around and really notice the cakes in the local stores or bakeries. Just good ol open your eyes stuff. JMHO.
FBCT for sure...my instructor didnt know what they were.
Definately about the baking part...I wish I knew about the 'extender' recipe long ago...also the doctored mixes. Teach them the ways of making boxed mixes better.
Maybe even cake balls...???
I would love to take more advanced classes. I have learned so much from this site that when I started taking the Wilton classes, there wasn't a whole lot I didnt already know.
I think you'll do fantastic! 
don't forget to mention that a good mixer is needed for making icings.
FBCT for sure...my instructor didnt know what they were.
Definately about the baking part...I wish I knew about the 'extender' recipe long ago...also the doctored mixes. Teach them the ways of making boxed mixes better.
Maybe even cake balls...???
I would love to take more advanced classes. I have learned so much from this site that when I started taking the Wilton classes, there wasn't a whole lot I didnt already know.
I think you'll do fantastic!
Ditto on the FBCT!
I am currently in Wilton Course 2 and have a very talented and patient instructor and she knows all of this special everyday decorating stuff which is a lot of confidential stability for me as a student! (she is a cc'r too so I get to learn even more from reading what advice she gives here 
)I think the more of your knowledge you can give your students the better they are going to like your class, thus you will too. I wouldn't miss one of my classes for the world and feel very blessed to have such a talented instructor. You will want your students to feel the same about you.
My bottom line advice for you; If you know it, teach it to the best of your ability and what your schedule will allow. You will be an awesome instructor too and your students will be WOWED by your work!
And NO! You are NOT stupid and YES you can do this!
As a fellow CC'r I am very proud of you and for you!
Thanks guys! I just retyped my class notes! I think I have enough info for a 3 hour class 
Wish me luck! But please don't say break a leg! You may remember I have a broken foot already 
NEWTODECORATING-You are going to do just great!! 
Should I take my albums and leave them on the table or is that tacky?
Should I take my albums and leave them on the table or is that tacky?
from a student point of view that would be encouraging.
But would it be a class distraction? 
Okay, I'd say start with the basics (you already have that covered) THEN go with what your students want to learn. Some may have already done borders, etc. Just kinda poll the class for "special interests" but DEFINITELY your FBCT's and maybe a SIMPLE carved cake! I say simple.....I CAN'T carve cakes they are ALL hard to me! LOLL I think they would probably like playing with Candy Clay... I KNOW I DID and LUSTER DUST....we can't forget LUSTER DUST!! The list could go on forever!
GOOD LUCK AND YOU WILL DO GREAT!!!
Beth in KY
CC is at the top of the list!!! I don't know what I would have done if I had not found you guys!
I'm with everyone on the baking part. I'm not only new to decorating, but also to cooking in general. Definitely all the baking stuff you talked about, the flower nail, strips, how to level and tort (I'd even mention how great an electric knife works for this), etc. I wish I could take your class! You'll do great!
I think showing them that you know your stuff, and they have a ton to learn from you is important. I hate when I pay money for a class and feel like I know as much as or more than the insructor...(which has happened thanks to CC).
I think the albums are a great idea as they are a way to show the skills you have, and open up their minds to what all you can do with cake. To tell the truth I never thought you could do all the stuff you can do until I saw this sight, and someday I'd like to do a huge whole bodied horse (will take some engeneering skills to pull that off...)
I think you'll do great!
You have a lesson plan - that is really needed. Do you have a list of supplies that they will need? Also if you have a plan for what you will try to teach each week, give them a copy of that also. When you get finished with the demo and your students are working on their flowers, borders, whatever; walk around the room and watch what they are doing. Give little positive comments and make little corrections. Answer questions but keep moving and watching. If you notice that a number of people are making the same mistake, call everyone's attention and demonstrate how to do it correctly again.
One of things a teacher needs to do is figure out exactly what his/her students are doing wrong. Usually they are doing most of it right, but at one point they are skipping a step or doing backwards or whatever. That is what you are looking for.
Good teachers are ones who know their subject- you do-and really want their students to learn. They are are focused on the students and not on themselves.
Good teachers are ones who know their subject- you do-and really want their students to learn. They are are focused on the students and not on themselves.
Good point.
I just finished the Course I from Wilton and I had two big issues. We never had enough time in class. Our class was only 2 hours long so when it came down for us to actually decorate most nights I never had enough time to finish. The second was was making the frosting. Our instructor showed us how to do it and then sent us home. I had a LOT of trouble with my stiff consistency being too stiff and did not know what I was doing wrong.
I have since learned, but I think if you actually have your students make their icing in class and let them test it for themselves...this would have at least helped me at the time!
Good luck anyway...I am sure you will be great!
Yes, bring your album. I was just thinking when I started reading this post that even though I got a lot out of the Wilton classes, I have always thought that the "class cake designs" that they have in their class books are borderline ugly. Compared to what I see on CC, the Wilton cakes don't hold a candle. And I do understand that each cake's purpose is to collect the skills from the class and showcase them but cakes like yours will make the students want to strive to achieve that level and light the spark in them.
Congratulations, by the way! I'm so excited for you and you had better post in the morning and let us know how it went!
I think you are going to dooo great!
I agree with everyone else about the baking and icing tips. I loved my teacher but when it came to giving trouble shooting tips we had to ASK. and sometimes she didn't even know. You have definetly got a head start with being on CC website.
I also agree that your books might be a distraction. You should probably do that at the last class! Then they can take all the time they want.
REMEBER...HAVE FUN! They are just like you were! They are all little sponges going to soak up everything you say to them!
GOOD LUCK!
So many good points here! You guys and gals are the greatest! CC has taught me so much. I know Wilton has the "Wilton Way" I hope to teach the "Cake Central Way". Anything is possible! I will definately post tonight!
All I have to offer is to stay with your lesson plan, once you ask what the class wants to learn you will loose them. I really would have liked to stay on task more when I took the Wilton classes, two hours seems long, but once you are in the class that two hours goes by fast.
Have fun and you will be great.
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