I have been teaching at Pat Catan's since May. I taught course 1 in May, June and July and this month I am teaching course 2. I have decided when this class finishes in 2 weeks that I will stop teaching at this store.
We (dh, 3kids and I) are moving next month and I will be a 45 minute drive from the store. With gas prices so high, it is just not worth my time to drive that far once a week for 4 weeks for only $100 or $125 dollars (there is consistently low turnout for classes at this store).
Here's my problem - one of my students who took course one with me and is now taking course 2 has asked me to reccomend her to take over the store. She is very, very sweet and tries very hard, but (and I want to put this as nicely as possible) needs A LOT of work. I don't know what to say to her. I don't want to hurt her feelings, but at the same time feel like I would be doing future students a disservice.
Any advice here would be great!
I would tell her you would love to recommend her to your superior but that the ultimate decision isn't up to you...then I would let the superior in on the fact that she needs some practice........hey you never know......they may not be able to find ANYONE and may use her anyhow at a reduced rate. I wouldn't make her feel bad or discourage her!! But I would also let the store operator or whoever know that she needs to brush up on some skills before handling a class by herself!
If it were me, I think I would simply tell this girl that because she is your student, you would not feel comfortable with recommending her simply because it may seem biased. I would suggest that she get someone who is not a teacher and who might NOT be perceived as being partial to a student. Just a thought..... 
Don't have to have taken all 3 courses before yopu can teach them to others? There's your out right there if that's true! You can just explain that she hasn't completed the required courses and that she'll need to contact Wilton about becoming an instructor after she's done all 3.
Hope that helps - a sticky situation, but you might be lucky on this one!
I would just let her know that she needs to do all three courses and every other course that Wilton offers before even ''thinking'' of becoming an instructor. I think she would understand that she needs to know how to make all flowers, borders, etc etc etc etc etc and not feel hurt at all. It's just common sense you need courses and experience under your belt before trying to teach others!!!
You don't technically have to have taken all three courses to teach. I would just tell her that she needs to go and fill out the form for Wilton and that when she fills out the form that she will need to list you as her instructor. Wilton always contacts the instructor that taught a student before placing them in a teaching position.
You dont need to go into anything else with her. Let her think that you gave her a great review. But when Wilton calls you be upfront in letting them know that you don't think her skills are up to par.
Thanks for all your quick responses!
I am going to tell her that she really should take all three courses before teaching herself.
I don't know about the store that you teach at, but at Michaels if I was leaving I wouldn't have a lot of say of who would take my place. Not only do they have to be approved by Wilton, but also have to fill out an app, have a back ground check and be hired by Michaels.
If I have a C1 student comment about teaching I would probably suggest they gain a little more experince first. It is one thing to be able to do the techinques, it's different to actually teach them, espeically when you are teaching a lefty hander and you are right handed. I also know I draw on my past experince, what I have tried, what worked and what didn't when teaching, and don't think I could teash as well with out that.
But untimately, I also agree with what Euphoriabakery said. Just send her to Wilton.com to fill out the app. If she gets called up after that she still has to send in pictures of her cakes showing things she would be teaching. If your supervisor questions you about her, then just be honest and up front with her. The student doesn't have to know what you do or don't say about her. And if she says anything to you later, tell her it isn't up to you who gets the job.
i agree send her to the wilton web site and let her fill out the app.
And to answer the question about having to take all three courses, you don't have to have taken them, if you can prove that you can decorate at an advance level. And it would depend on how badly they needed a teacher in a particular area.
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