I'm venting .... not from a customer but from a student. I'm a WMI and well here's the story

Okay I knew this would happen sooner or later. I have a student in my class that I got red flags ... before I was able to talk to her on the phone. This is how... She called HL to inquire about the classes & they gave her my # she called during hours where I don't conduct business... she called again less than a hour later. Somehow she know my cake website & fills out the "contact me" form to send me an email. Leaving the same info she left on the phone msgs. I call her back Morning & give her class information & how to enroll. She went back to my website 2 more times to fill out the "contact me" form to very the information she got in the store & the information I gave her. That night at class she brought in a Wilton kit that she says she's had for years...the tips are blue not silver and wanted to know the difference between certain tips. Any who...when I mentioned different things in the book she had to analyse it for the class (give the scientific reason why this or that worked) etc. So caught up to today.... I get an email about the size of the cake to bring to class does it have to be 8" because she wants to do a 9" I responded letting her know that's fine. So she responds to correct me on my pronunciation of Meringue and how I need to correct that before I teach anymore classes....How the "Proper English" pronunciation is blah blah blah .... Monday is only the 2nd class is it wrong for hoping she doesn't take any of the other courses .... Sorry so long had to vent ... This is gonna be a long month

OMG.....I hate it when I get a student like that. I make my # & emial available to anyone who's interested in classes or is a student, just in case there are any questions that arise. And there's been a couple times when I felt like I had someone stalking me . It's crazy how some people behave. Ugghhhh Here's to the hope that you can keep your cool and make it through the next 3 weeks without freaking out! LOL Good Luck and just remember that all of us WMI's have had people like that and we've made it through... YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Woo Hoo

Thanks Geri

Oh wow,....yep she sounds like trouble.

Can't you just cut her loose. Does Wilton demand you work in a hostile environment? I know it's not that bad, but states have labor boards for this. It is a proven fact that employees who work in verbally abusive conditions do not perform at their optimum. Your whole class is going to suffer.

Not sure because we are independent contractors so we are not Wilton employees or employees of the store.

But I'm thinking the rules have to be really bad before we can not allow them in class...it's not at that point yet just really annoying right now

Maybe you could talk to your supervisor and find out what you could say to her in private. I mentioned the labor board example because companies today should have policies concerning a hostile situation with another employee or a customer. I'm sure you are not the first hassled instructor. I would be disappointed in them as a company where I am a customer if their attitude is $$$ first.

PlatinumLady- My sincerest apologies for people like this, they make life a b&*ch. But know there are those of us that feel your pain. I went through something like this on my blog. There was a magazine editor that read every single one of my blogs and sent me an email correcting every single typo I had on my blog. I wouldn't have minded so much if he had been an editor for some cake magazine, but he worked on a cancelled publication for cars. First off, REALLY...REALLY, does he really have nothing better to do with his time then to email corrections to someone every single mistake he finds in my blog. I corrected the mistakes, I don't have any issue with that...I just find it interesting that he was more interested in pointing out my typos then learning the info that I was providing. I am not completely uneducated, so I know the importance of good grammar and informed him of this while thanking him for his corrections. I also pointed out that sometimes I get so wrapped up in providing the information that I lose sight of the spell-check and grammar aspect of the whole thing. Most of the time I'm lucky to have time to post to my blog, and I just wish he would have appreciated the content more.

I teach as well, and I cannot imagine not correcting this situation immediately. I would call her before your next class and explain that although her information is interesting, that it is important that you stay in control of the class time and information given. The other students are there to learn the Wilton Method and given the time constraints of the class, it is important to stay on task. That you will be very appreciative if she would confine her questions and comments to the information that YOU present in class.

I've been teaching for a long time. When I give my students the class student list, I also give them a Class Information sheet. It includes the decorum required for class, amongst other things like 'please mute your cellphone while in class', etc. There have to be rules any time people gather for anything. If you allow a student to hijack your class, in addition to being frustrating and stressful for you, it is totally unfair to the other members of the class.

I feel for you in this situation. When we are faced with this type of situation we should put ourselves in place of the other students. They invested the same amount of there time and $ for this class, how do they feel?? I would say a little uncomfortable. You have every right to ask this 1 student to stay after class a moment and discuss this issue with them in private. I would politely let her know you are teaching this class, if she feels qualified and would like the challenge maybe she should contact Wilton? her other option is to accept a refund and find another class. You will enjoy your class as you should and your students will appreciate you for it. Good Luck

Maybe you could enlist the help of a student to ask if the class could just stay on track. In my food handlers class, none of us asked questions to keep the time short , BUT ONE! She kept asking questions about making diner for her family. She had wasted a collective twenty minutes and the class of about forty was groaning. The next time the instructor asked if anyone had questions, I loudly proclaimed, "NO!". She got the message and I got a bunch of thank you's after class. Students don't appreciate those presonal interruptions that do not benefit the class.

Regardless of what you teach, you will always have students who can be difficult to handle. I taught community college for 7 years. I always joked that if one PITA student dropped out - another one would take their place.

Sorry this happend to you, Im no teacher by a long shot, But i took Wiltons classes, And im telling you that I could`t ask for a better teacher (she was the best) We had a woman leave the class that she was in to come and take ours cuz she said the teacher was terrible. Would`t answer any of her questions. As long as you are a good teacher ( And im sure you) You`ll only have to see her for 4 session`s right? and look at all the good you`r doing for the rest of the students focus on that

I think she is afraid of the twelve sessions.

The worst thing is other students...I know there are worst situations I could be in..however, I not gonna let it affect class. I am going to purposely set the timer for each subject so that we can say on track. Normally I just eyeball the clock but I think it will be better for the timer so no one feels like I'm singling them out or picking on one person.

@DDviva the classroom information sheet is a good idea... I love it gonna type one up and pass it out tomorrow.

I hate that anyone has to go through anything similar let alone worse. Looking at the bright side .... This situation will definitely build character for me. I feel we are placed in different situations for a reason & later on I will need this experience in order to tackle another obstacle. The good thing is I can go over in my head the responses or what I want say & do and how I would say it and not get in trouble
Plus I can count down to graduation night and be really excited when it gets here not just because that's payday ... but because it will be over

PlatinumLady, if you PM me I'll be happy to send the one I use. It was shared with me years ago by another teacher and I've amended several times over the years. Of course, one of the recent additions was to "Please turn off your cellphone during class". Things about strong perfume, etc. You think these are things you shouldn't have to say, but you do. I had a student who was going to leave the class because one of the other students' perfume was very heavy. If you address it up front, it doesn't become an issue later.

Having been a student in a wilton class that I paid for I experienced a situation where the instructor allowed another student to come in late, without supplies and then she chose to reteach the sections they missed shortchanging the rest of us. I was very upset and frustrated and by the last class I got up and left when it happened again. I think it should definitely be addressed and explained to the disruptive student that she is not going to be allowed to ruin the experience for everyone else. I dont think as a paying student I should be asked to step in and address the issue either, I do that all day at my day job so this class was my chance to relax and let the instructor be in control.. which they clearly were not.

After you have reviewed the objectives and pace for the lesson with the class, if you have problems with your "favorite" student, tell her you'll have a couple of minutes after class to clarify any techniques she's having trouble with. If she stays after, give her 5 minutes max.

Great idea bakingangel. Then she is put on notice in front of the class. But offer it to the whole class after one of her disruptions. I helped my instructor clean up the classroom so she had time after class for questions.

I haven't taught Wilton in years but I do teach several cake and cookie decorating classes and last year we had one gal "but that's not how Martha Stewart does it." After EVERYTHING I showed, explained or commented on "but that's not how Martha Stewart does it..." Okay, ask me if I care!! Anyway after about 20 minutes (too long) of this I make a class announcement "Students, this is not the Martha Stewart way of cake decorating, it's MY way of cake decorating. And I assure all of you that if Martha were in my class, she'd be doing things MY way!" Surprisingly, that worked!

I took the Wilton gumpaste class and had this experience. I tolerated it for three sessions and did not show up for the last. Found out later that the only person that showed up was the trouble maker!

I am taking what you all said to heart. I will nip this in the bud. I just had to calming think of the best way to do this. I'm not gonna make the others suffer thru this. I've also been searching different options if things were to escalate...thank you all for your input

If she happens to question you about something in class, maybe defer her to the end of the class with something like 'that's a good question, but I don't have enough time to answer it right now because we have to get through this lesson, but I'll be happy to meet with you after class for five minutes (she needs to know there is a limit to your time) to discuss it'.

You may have to do it multiple times during the lesson, but it needs to be done. If you're this frustrated with her, you know the other students are as well.

I'm sure you will hear a collective 'ahhhh' from everyone in the class if you do it.

I know that this is totally not the point but I can't for the life of me figure out another way that meringue could be pronounced. Mer-ing-ay, Me-rang, Mer-ine-ge.. What is it??

Ok, Platinumlady, after reading all about this PITA, I'm curious.....how did your last class turn out? Were you able to get her under control? I sure hope so! But please, update us..........