Wilton Classes Don't Give Us Time To Decorate
Decorating By SueW Updated 6 Oct 2006 , 6:57pm by Eren
I see many beautiful pictures posted on CC for final cakes in classes I,II and III. I am just wondering do you all get the chance to decorate the whole thing in class or do you finish at home? I am in Class II now and our teacher is always rushing us. In Class I we had to bring a cake everyweek and it was a total waste, she didn't leave us with any time to practice and by the time I got home I was no longer in the mood. Is it just my teacher???? I feel like she is just skimming the surface of things 
SueW
The instructor I had only asked that we had the cake covered with icing before we got to class. Then after she showed how to do things that were involved in the session, we were allowed to decorate our cakes using the techniques we just learned. She evened stayed until everyone finished decorating. She is the best! 
)
Luckly, I was able to take my classes with a local cake decorator. We took the classes in her bakery. We were able to stay and finish anything up. However, I did feel like I was very rushed. On the third class for the final cake, we iced our cakes at home and brought it in to put it togather. I just find it more comfortable for me to practice at home at my own pace.
In my first class, we only brought a cake on the last day. That was several years ago. The past couple of months, I have taken Course II and III. I took one cake for the final in II and two cakes for III, (one for fondant and one for final).
My instructor, Ms. Betty was awsome! I had her for the last two classes, and she took as much time as we needed. Most classes ran 3 hours and the fondant day ran about 5 hours. She would tell you to bring a lunch and she would stay with you after class until you felt you had everything down.
She also offered her home number freely if you needed her help when you were at home mixing up icing. She has offered to let me assist her to see if I want to teach.
Anyway, I hate that you don't feel you are getting enough from your class. It may very well be the instructor. Any chance you could take them in Warner Robins, GA? 
I only took class 1 and I always finished my cakes.....but a lot of people in my class didn't. They pretty much had NO experience with decorating cakes themselves before walking in the door....I had messed around with it a little before taking the class. The people that did the novelty pans NEVER even came CLOSE to finishing their cakes!!!! Now I say I finished all of mine.......but I JUST got them done......most people didn't. I think I had the advantage because I was quicker at certain things having actually held a piping bag before!
Im in class 1 and Im going try to do what I know ahead because I dont finish mine either. Sometimes our class runs over though.But there are only tree in there besides the teacher and I love it. My teacher is wonderful and very willing to help us. She sometimes tells us of other things she does.
Im soo glad my course 2 will also be with her.
As it states in the workbook, the only way to get better is PRACTICE, etc. I teach and the only time in C1 that my students finish thier cakes is the last night. C2 you work on flowers and put them on a basketweave cake on the last night. C3 you would do a package cake on lesson 2 and a tiered cake on the last night. Hope this helps you out some. Practice at home does help out the classes. I understand that when you get home that you are bumend out. but don't give up. 
It was very difficult to finish everything in class and we usually had to finish at home. It seemed like a lot to cram into 2 hours, especially when lugging so much stuff. Even with that, my instructor was wonderful (it was her first course and she did an awesome job), and I thoroughly enjoyed the class.
I have just finished course 3 and I can honestly say that although we didn't always finish the cakes, we were never unduly rushed (all courses). The only exception would be lesson 2 of course 3 - the fondant covered package cake. I think that was about a 3 hour lesson crammed into 2 hours.
The instructor has a set time scale to run her class by and this can easily get off track when students aren't prepared and haven't given any thought to the nights class prior to getting there. I can always tell the ones who have practiced, read the lesson and got all their icings colored and prepared. As we all know alot of time spent in cake decorating is in the preparation. and that is what slows some students down. most of my students finish their cakes, they get roughly 20-30 mins to do it in, but if their only now thinking, 'what colour shall i colour my icing' then they have wasted valuable decorating time. For you to get the most out of your class and your instructor, be prepared, practice at home and read the lesson. dont worry about what the other students are doing. Also another thing to say time in class is to get there early and load up your bags so when you change techniques your ready to go, who knows you may inspire other students to get organized!!
have fun.
I have taken all 3 courses and have rarely finished a cake in class. Our classes are at Hobby Lobby and start at 6pm and the store closes at 8pm. So we would get there early to get stuff set up. When possible I had bags prepared before class (exception royal icing). Even then I had the bags ready with couplers and tips, ready to be filled. I would then finish at home if I didn't get done. I may not have done it that evening but I would finish the next day. So I could get practice. Alot is crunched in to the classes. But for what you pay for 8 hours of class time. That is about $1.50 per hour (this is at Hobby Lobby which offers our class for $12.50 per course). Yes you have to purchase kits and pans but you get to keep those. So you are only paying for class time. I feel it was well worth my time and money. Sometimes I felt rushed but it was usually when I had a problem. Like in course 2 I had a serious problem making royal icing. So class was not good cause my icing wasn't right. But I took the course over and was glad I did. I learned even more that time around. It was our instuctors first time as well. And she did an awesome job. Telling us to be prepared for the next class and to read through what we would be doing. Maybe a 3 hour class would help to complete the cake. But would you practice when you got home??? I wouldn't have 
So 2 hours were good for me 
When I took my classes they were at JoAnns. I always finished my cakes. Now I am the instructor and I try to leave enough time for the students to finishe their cakes. I will even stay late if I have to. But if a student is'nt prepared that takes away from the rest of the class. I try to have patience and understanding because I was in their shoes once. So for all you new student's out there, come prepared for class, read ahead and dont forget to practice
I agree, you should go prepared-it saves time. I do wish they were 3 hours long though, not only to have more time to do our cakes but also because I love my classes and my instructor, we have alot of fun!
I always go to my classes well prepared and ready to work. Maybe I am just slow but we would only end up with about 15 minutes left in class to decorate a whole cake. Thats not a whole lot of time especially for beginners. Maybe I am just slow 
I always wanted to just stay and quietly just finish but the whole class was packed up , including the teacher ready to home home right at 8:30. This week we have to come with the icing colored and prepared so maybe that will help. We'll see, I am still learning though and that is what is important.
Bethroze, I wish I could come to GA and take classes with you
I am a Wilton Instructor too ~ and I have stayed over to make sure that the students have all gotten their cakes done. (which has not happened very often!) I think the secret to it is what everyone has said - come prepared! At the end of each class, I go over EVERYTHING they need to have for the next class. It is not fair to the students that are all ready to go to have to wait on the ones who choose not to be prepared. I go ahead and start showing the techniques to those that are ready.
I also do not try to have a lot of students in each class. Anymore than 6 in a class and it gets hectic pretty quickly! (that is just for me, I know there are other instructors that can do a lot more than that at time) For me, 6 is the magic number for my classes - everyone gets their cakes done and I have never had any complaints about not having enough time to get through things.
One thing I do tell the students is that it is not that expensive to take the class again if you feel you need to. There is a LOT of info to learn in a 2 hour span of time.
And last - PRACTICE!! I tell them every class that they are going to get tired of hearing me say it.....practice, practice, practice. You cannot learn the techniques if the only time you use them is in class.
I am always available for mu students too. I give them my phone number and email address so if they have any concerns at all - give me a call. I still have folks from my first classes calling me! I consider a lot of them new friends.
I hope you can figure out ways to make the classes work out better for you. CC is here, and there are lots of folks here that will help when you need it too!
when i took the classes, the rule i gave myself was 'the icing can only come out of the bag through a tip'. so when i got home in order to empty my bags i practiced the techniques till all the icing was out.
We never finished our cakes. The store closed at the time the class was over, but we did cover every topic and practiced, and then I would get home and finish there. I don't think it's a big deal, I feel more comfortable at home than at the store, I can take my time, and customers are not watching me work.
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