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Bow building classes

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Badger:
    I recently moved out to a new area and it seemed like a really good area to start a bow-making group. I started a post on the local Facebook page that after the first of the year I was going to have a class for anyone interested. I got a great response, but it is about 75% of women who want to take the class. In the past, I have not had much luck teaching women or kids under about 16, they just quickly lose interest. Not really sure how to handle this tactfully?

bentstick54:
Tough call. It seems there are more women getting involved in archery and hunting every year. How many interested in making selfbows and sticking with it is anybodies guess. How many will be willing to exert the work involved in the total process of gathering staves, debarking, chasing rings, etc., again is anybodies guess.
Maybe have an introductory meeting 1st, and go through the whole process, explain the amount of work involved, and  the time investment, then see how many are still seriously interested?

GlisGlis:
I dig the idea of the introductory meeting.
It could be useful both for the participants to understand what they are going to face and for you to calibrate the lessons on the expectations of your audience.

bambule:
I have worked a lot with women in teaching shooting the bow - it`s not the same as bow building but my experience is, that you have to change your teaching method. Women respond in another way to my words and "pictures" as men do. It`s a challenge when you have years of experience of teaching bow building and now you have to do it different - but it`s worth doing it! Women have such a different view on things  - I often can`t agree with them but it`s always interesting.
With kids I have the same experience in bow building like you - if the kids are too young, they lose interest very quick...

Greetz
Cord

Badger:

--- Quote from: bambule on October 26, 2022, 01:49:26 pm ---I have worked a lot with women in teaching shooting the bow - it`s not the same as bow building but my experience is, that you have to change your teaching method. Women respond in another way to my words and "pictures" as men do. It`s a challenge when you have years of experience of teaching bow building and now you have to do it different - but it`s worth doing it! Women have such a different view on things  - I often can`t agree with them but it`s always interesting.
With kids I have the same experience in bow building like you - if the kids are too young, they lose interest very quick...

Greetz
Cord

--- End quote ---

     I have known dozens of women who started off to make bows, but very few showed up for a second session. I wasn't the teacher here, just talking about different groups. I only know of one woman who became a semi-serious bow builder, I don't remember her name, but she was either at twin oaks or mojam. I have had several incidences where a father brought his kid for lessons and the father ended up getting interested and finishing the bow. I like the idea of an introductory meeting, maybe I could show some bow-making videos along with some other primitive skills that women might be more inclined towards such as basket weaving, shelters, pottery, leather, arrow making, etc. My goal is to get a group going using twin oaks as the basic model. I wish I could figure out a way to get Pappy down here, I think he is the magic behind twin oaks.

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