Difference between revisions of "Classes"

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(cleaning up class page)
(Revising class protocols to reflect what I've learned in the job)
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Classes are a big part of the Bike Kitchen's mission and [[Financial_Cluster:Money_Flow|income]]. They're also a great way to learn teaching skills while helping to inspire self-sufficiency in newer cyclists.
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Classes are a big part of the Bike Kitchen's mission and [[Financial_Cluster:Money_Flow|income]]. They're a great way to learn teaching skills while inspiring self-sufficiency in newer cyclists. Many mechanics benefit from teaching one or two of these classes, because it's a chance to talk through how to diagnose, overhaul and possibly repair a component in a calmer environment than the usual open hours. Thus teaching classes helps make you a better mechanic for open hours.
  
Existing pages for classes:
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We have curricula for three existing classes:
  
 
* [[Tuneup_Class|Tuneup Class]]
 
* [[Tuneup_Class|Tuneup Class]]
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== Class Sales ==
 
== Class Sales ==
  
'''Online:''' Most of our allotted class spots are sold through Brown Paper Tickets and we encourage members to sign up for a class this way whenever possible. CC's and Paypal are accepted through this site. The link to purchase a spot in an upcoming class is always available on the BK website.  
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* Online: Almost all of our allotted class spots are sold online through [http://eventbrite.com|Eventbrite] and we encourage participants to sign up for a class this way whenever possible. Credit cards and Paypal are accepted through this site. The link to purchase a spot in an upcoming class is available on the BK website.
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* In the shop: We have experimented with signing up patrons within the shop. This causes several logistical problems, though. Our classes have been selling out ''extremely'' quickly, and so adding people in the shop often makes the class over-enrolled. If you are a mechanic on shift and someone asks you about signing up for a class, it is almost always better to do two things:
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** Look at this page to double-check the protocol.
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** Tell them to send an email to [mailto:classes@bikekitchen.org] for more information. That email address copies to the [[Education_Cluster | Education Coordinator]] as well as recent class instructors. One of us can then follow up with them.
  
'''In-shop purchase protocol:''' We do now offer the option to sign up in the shop, using a check or cash as payment. Patrons must pay for the class at the time of sign-up. They also must purchase a membership at that time if they are not already a member (The sliding scale for payment of our classes is below). If you want sign a patron up for a class in the shop, please do the following:
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== Class Fees (sliding scale) ==
  
1. Go to the class page on [http://www.brownpapertickets.com BPT] and check to see if there are still spots available for the class before selling a spot in the shop! The link to the current class can be found on the  [http://www.bikekitchen.org/programs Programs] page of the BK website. 
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* $45-$85 for members
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* $85-$125 for non-members
  
2. Send and email out the Yahoo group with "ED:" in the subject line, letting the person who is running the class know:
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If a patron is not a member, they '''must''' pay within the $85-$125 scale. In that case, registering for the class also buys them a one-year membership.
* the student's name,
 
*how much the class was purchased for, and
 
*if the purchase included a membership.
 
This will allow the teacher to reduce the number of spots available online which, will prevent us from being overbooked and will allow the BK to provide focused attention to all students. This is extremely important and should be done at the time of sign-up.
 
 
 
3. If time permits, go into Freehub and add the service "class" to their profile, and select "paid". Enter the class month and title in the description/text box. If this is not done then we have no real record of the member signing up for the class.
 
 
 
 
 
'''Class Fees (sliding scale)''':
 
 
 
$40-$90 for members, 
 
 
 
$80-$130 for non-members
 
(If a patron is not currently a member, they must pay within the $80-$130 scale. This includes a one year membership)
 
  
 
== Setting Up a Class ==
 
== Setting Up a Class ==

Revision as of 11:08, 24 November 2010

Classes are a big part of the Bike Kitchen's mission and income. They're a great way to learn teaching skills while inspiring self-sufficiency in newer cyclists. Many mechanics benefit from teaching one or two of these classes, because it's a chance to talk through how to diagnose, overhaul and possibly repair a component in a calmer environment than the usual open hours. Thus teaching classes helps make you a better mechanic for open hours.

We have curricula for three existing classes:

Class Sales

  • Online: Almost all of our allotted class spots are sold online through [1] and we encourage participants to sign up for a class this way whenever possible. Credit cards and Paypal are accepted through this site. The link to purchase a spot in an upcoming class is available on the BK website.
  • In the shop: We have experimented with signing up patrons within the shop. This causes several logistical problems, though. Our classes have been selling out extremely quickly, and so adding people in the shop often makes the class over-enrolled. If you are a mechanic on shift and someone asks you about signing up for a class, it is almost always better to do two things:
    • Look at this page to double-check the protocol.
    • Tell them to send an email to [2] for more information. That email address copies to the Education Coordinator as well as recent class instructors. One of us can then follow up with them.

Class Fees (sliding scale)

  • $45-$85 for members
  • $85-$125 for non-members

If a patron is not a member, they must pay within the $85-$125 scale. In that case, registering for the class also buys them a one-year membership.

Setting Up a Class

The basic timeline for teaching a class:

  1. Volunteer to teach an upcoming class, whether at the mechanic's meetings or on the email list
  2. Check scheduling with the group, in order to make sure that your desired timeslot is available
  3. Set up ticketing with brownpapertickets
  4. Email the BPT link for your class, along with a class description, to:
    • The bikekitchen website administrator - to post to the web site / calendar
    • info@bikekitchen.org - to forward to a list of people interested in classes
  5. If an email gets sent to the email list saying that a spot to a class has been sold in-shop:
    • Confirm that the number of places in the class in brownpapertickets has been reduced by one
    • Go into Freehub and add the service "class" to the member's profile, and select "paid". Enter the class month and title in the description/text box. This is our record of the member signing up for the class.