The book is fine. I could have bought the book on this site for much less than I paid for the class.
I described a bit in the other thread. Basically, I have not learned anything new nor have I been able to get anything out of the instructor (see the BC Icing Consistency thread where I asked for advice that apparently should have come from the Wilton instructor).
Because of that thread, I called another Michaels and talked to someone there. She told me that they are aware of the problems with this particular instructor because there have been many complaints.
All I have learned is on my own from the book. Is the instructor just, um, decorating? 
Lesson 1: Instructor Demo. The instructor should make icing and show you the different consistances, as well as how to torte and ice the cake. They will show different Wilton products and talk about what you will bring the following week. This is usually information overload night. 
Lesson 2: You learn stars, zigzags, dots, writing, and the rose base.
Lesson 3: Shells, figure piping faces, clowns, drop flowers (star and swirl), center petal on the rose.
Lesson 4: Complete rose, leaves, sweet peas, and bows.
We learned stars, dots, writing and the rose base on lesson 2.
The instructor said, "Take out your practice board and practice piping out stars with tip X and medium consistency icing. I can't show you with my icing because I've used it too often and it goes into a blob." When we produced some pretty awful stars, she told us to change tips and do the dots and writing. Same with the rose base. She didn't even look at how our stuff came out.
I was having trouble and asked for help. She said, "maybe you can try adding water to your icing because you're right, your stars aren't coming out properly."
... and so on...
She brings one can of this old, nasty icing and last time did not even have the right tips. She explained that old icing and wrong tips meant she couldn't demonstrate what we were supposed to do.
I learned the rose from the video included on this web site.
Oh yeah, lesson three with the swirl flowers... her comment was that I wouldn't be able to do any of the stuff because my icing was cracking (I had put it in front of her). She gave no advice as to how to fix the problem even though she was asked.
Lesson 4 still to come.
I'd talk to the manager about this, you should also contact Wilton about it. One of the things the instructor is suppose to do is show you how to do the things, otherwise you could pull out icing at home and try yourself.
I do not take my own icing to class after Course 1, but I do use my students icing and practice boards to show how to do things.
If there is another store in your location teaching the classes I would look at taking the Course 2 there.
I'm really sorry you have not had a good experince with the classes. 
Hmm that is not right. Our instructor rocks! The first night for course 1 we got to see all 3 textures of the wilton BC, and she showed us how to torte, and frost the cake, and she did a shell border on the cake. She showed us the misc wilton products also.
Lesson 2 we actually did the full rose - she explained that it was best this way, as we would be able to have 2 additional weeks to keep practicing.
I do know that while she didn't bring her own frosting for lessons 2-4, she would use our own icing that we brought to demo for us, which was cool.
Sorry you're having problems. As others have mentioned definately speak to the store manager, and contact Wilton.
Go to the manager and tell them to enroll you in another Class 1 class.... with a different instructor FOR FREE!!
I can't imagine a situation when they wouldn't honor this request.... they charged for a service that was not provided. Good Luck
P.S. I was a fairly experienced cake decorator when I took the classes and I STILL learned a ton!
i don't feel as bad now because my instructor is a little better than yours. Thanks for the breakdown of what is supposed to happen in each class. In our first class, we read through the book 
I didn't think that was right. I was actually very upset. I sat in traffic to have the book read to me. There was no hands on anything, no demo... I don't think she forgot icing, just how she does her first class and she's been doing this for years. The next two classes got better and she does a fair job of showing us how to do things. She's just not as great as a lot of instructors I read about here. This store doesn't have another instructor
Sorry to hear about your experience, you are not alone 
Frider,
I feel your pain. I was so excited to start my Wilton I to the point of annoying my husband! When I got there for week 1 the instructor had her arm in a cast. Week 3 was cancelled. She showed over an hour late to the rescheduled week 3. Most of the class left and the ones that stayed had week 4 the very next day just to get it over with. It was a mess, but being there with other women tying to learn really helped. I learned the most from trial and error. I should have asked for my money back but I felt like I did learn somethings. Anyways they let her go. I hope she is having better luck. I want to take Wilton II but I'm waiting until the fall when it is cooler. Will you take it too?
I have signed up for course II. They say a new instructor will be arriving to take the course over. I hope it goes a little better. I still can't do the roses. It turned out that my petal tip was squashed. I had even showed it to the instructor and she said it looked fine and that it was a problem with my icing consistency. I do like the interaction with the other two students. One apparently knows what she is doing and I've learned a lot watching her.
So once again, I come to CC for the real learning and just take the classes as a time to watch others go through the same struggle.
Oh, and the AC wasn't working during the last class.
There's been a similar problem with an instructor here. One of our friends that we took Course 1 with didn't take Course 2 because she didn't like the teacher. I applied to become an instructor but have yet to hear anything about it. I start Course 3 next month with the same instructor so we'll see how that goes.
my instructor (I am in course II now) is very nice and pretty good but what I get irritated with is the state of the STORE and the room they give us to work in. This last week we couldnt even get to the sink and there were boxes literally everywhere...to the point my instructor was stacking and moving boxes just so we could get in the room...we could hardly even pull our chairs out for all the boxes. I also had this problem with course I and thought about going to a different craft store, but I feel bad for my instructor...I like her and dont want to jump ship. She complained to the manager on duty that night (Hobby Lobby) and he explained that the "big shots" were in town to check the store so they used the classroom as a dumping ground and that he was sorry...but honestly its always a dumping ground...this time it was just insane! IMO a WMI should not have to move boxes just to teach a class!
I just finished course 3 last nite, and I have to say that our instructor ROCKED!! She was patient, humorous, extremely professional and informative. We asked a ton of questions and not only did she answer them but gave additional information to go with that question. I received 10-fold what it cost for the classes. I can't imagine paying for a class, then having a terrible instructor or instructions. Ours walked around umeros times to observe how we held the bag, our positions, our pressure, everything. It was really the best time and the best money I have spent to learn anything!
Hmm that is not right. Our instructor rocks! The first night for course 1 we got to see all 3 textures of the wilton BC, and she showed us how to torte, and frost the cake, and she did a shell border on the cake. She showed us the misc wilton products also.
Lesson 2 we actually did the full rose - she explained that it was best this way, as we would be able to have 2 additional weeks to keep practicing.
I do know that while she didn't bring her own frosting for lessons 2-4, she would use our own icing that we brought to demo for us, which was cool.
Sorry you're having problems. As others have mentioned definately speak to the store manager, and contact Wilton.
This is exactly how my course I went, and it was great! I would complain - you're supposed to get a lot out of course I.[/u]
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