Anyway, I bet you’re over here like – “okay, well what does this have to do with modern day sewing for kids?” Okay, well there’s a point to my backstory. When I joined the business with Megan W, I was only 22. I related to the kids and understood what the kids like and what they’d want to make. We listened and respected their ideas. Teaching kids how to sew is hard work, but the gratitude that comes from it is immeasurable.
Here are my tips for teaching kids to sew in this modern day
Seam ripping is okay
Seam ripping teaches kids that it’s okay to make mistakes. Of course, they’re not going to be excited about seam ripping. Who honestly is? But, it’s a lesson that they need to grasp. It’s a part of the process of sewing. We’re not perfect and sometimes we misread instructions, and that is O-K. It’s how we learn.
Let them use real, quality tools – we can’t stress this enough
Mostly everything in sewing is sharp, right? Fabric scissors, pins, needles, etc. Teaching kids to use the real deal tools only provide the correct use of them. We’re teaching a skill that will hopefully last them into their adulthood, so why should we use tools that aren’t compatible for that?
Sometimes instructions need to be said in a different way for comprehension
This is like all learning. We all have different learning styles. Sewing tends to be hands on and visual. If a child isn’t getting it the first time you explain a step, there needs to be another way to teach it. Modifications are a must for teaching kids. Being a great teacher means that you reach all different learning styles. What one kids gets right off the bat, sometimes may not immediately picked up by their peer next to them. Be patient and try to explain in a way that will create that “a-ha!” moment for them.
Use other sewing instructors as resources
We are all on social media. Find a group on
Facebook or a common hashtag on
Instagram to find other sewing instructors out there. If something isn’t working for you or you are stuck on a project, say it. It will most likely turn out that someone is either in the same boat or knows of a better way to do something that works like a charm for them. Asking questions only betters your teaching. We learn from one another. Maybe another sewing instructor has a more effective way to teach a certain technique than you do. Or maybe you just have never thought of it in that way. You’d be surprised how many things I learn from other sewing instructors that allows me to reflect on my teaching and sometimes take a different approach to certain steps in a project.
Get to know the kids
You’ll be with these kids for some time in your program. Get to know them! What do they like? What are they into? Relating to kids on a personal level will create a bond between teacher and student. Not only will it allow the student to open up to you and feel more comfortable, it will also open up their world of creativity a bit. Their time spent in class should be a creative release for them or what I like to call, their “happy place”. They come to class to get to be themselves and express it through their creations.
Stay organized
You’ll be a more effective teacher if you are staying organized. Prepare yourself before class by reading through the patterns in their entirety and know what to expect when it comes to class time. Learning to balance a handful of kids takes a lot of multi-tasking skills and being organized and prepared will only set you up with great success.