Whew!

After getting my first class under my belt, I sent proposals to nearly 20 other schools. I’ve had a few nibbles and a couple places that definitely want it.
This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It’s not easy to send proposals out; it leaves you quite vulnerable. You have to be ready for any criticism when you do it. I’ve certainly been challenged, which is as it should be; if I can’t stand up to it, it’s because the course isn’t up to it. (Maybe this is what it’s like for my sister to sit with her work at an art fair?)
I put this course together because I believe in its value. I truly believe that it offers good information that I would gladly have paid for years ago. It’s geared to a specific audience, though, and I think you have to be part of that population to see the value in this education. Not everyone gets it.
On Friday, I got fabulous news. A school has a full program within their Adult Ed division; my class fits perfectly with it. The Director contacted me and asked me about compensation and possibly expanding the audience. He also went over the salary difference between hiring on as an employee (which is what I’ve done at the two schools where the class is currently offered) and being hired as a contractor. Wow, contractors are well compensated!
As we were chatting, he said that he had shared the proposal with a number of his associates and they were excited about it. He also said that he believed this education was necessary in the community and that he would like to see me on his school’s regular curriculum! Woo hoo! It’s great to have someone recognize it!
I don’t see how I could be on a regular curriculum at this school. I would love to take weekend road trips all over the state to teach on Saturdays. But my job is 3+ hours away from this particular school; I just don’t see how I can be a “regular”. Nonetheless, it’s great to have someone see that much value in my program.
I still have a big list of untapped schools. I live right on the border of two states. Because the class is state-specific, I’ve only sent out one version so far. The next class (in two weeks!) is in the opposite state than the first class, so that version will be finalized soon. This will open up at least another 20 schools. This is fun!