Looking to teach a workshop of your own?
Teaching what you know is a great way to pass on your skills, encourage others to explore, and make some extra money!
If you have an idea for a workshop or class that you’d like to teach, please read the FAQ and feel free to propose a class.
Anyone. Everyone is an expert at something, and if you want to share your knowledge with others, we have the place to do it!
For the warm and fuzzy feeling you get helping others learn. Also because we pay you.
For the warm and fuzzy feeling you get helping others learn. Also because we pay you. Fab Lab teachers get 50% of the money brought in (after supplies are paid for).
This depends on the class. If the Fab Lab has the requirements (computers, equipment, etc) then we, of course, supply them. If it is consumables (wood, nails, stained glass, yarn, glue, etc) it will depend on the amount of the consumable, and the cost and reusability of the supplies. (It is easy to re-use 2x4s for other projects, but not as easy to reuse 40 pair of #6 darning hooks.) If there are specialty things needed, talk to us about what you need.
We love to have class series! If it is one project with more than one day, it is classified as a class, and if it is an ongoing learning experience, we call it a series.
This is entirely up to you. If you charge too much, no one will come, if you charge too little, you won’t make much on the class (which is your choice, completely). You need to know the sweet spot for the class.
We know life happens, and that it will occasionally happen to you. If you need to cancel, you need to do so as soon as possible. The Fab Lab reserves the right to cancel classes, as well. We also reserve the right to refuse teachers, due to past behavior (such as canceling too many classes, or not showing up prepared).
We need a prototype of the thing you’re students will make at least a week before your class is scheduled. This means a working model of what you are teaching a class on. We will use it to display and advertise for the event, as well as proof that the instructor knows what is needed to complete the project, and that all supplies have been considered. If it is code, we need working code, if it is a birdhouse, we need the physical birdhouse. If it is a class on software, we need the credentials that you know the software you are teaching on. (which can be a demo to us at the Lab.)
We will advertise the class on our website, twitter, facebook, and other media outlets. We will also advertise at the Fab Lab itself, including putting out your prototype so others see it. You can also advertise for your class however you want. We are here to help with the advertising, but we are not responsible for actually bringing in students. We place no guarantee that anyone will sign up for your class.
We can let you rent out a classroom or other space for such a talk or discussion. This would not be a class, but a straight rental agreement for use of space for a specific time and date. We would still advertise in the same way, but there would be no expectation for equipment or instruction for a discussion or topic. You would be able to use media for a powerpoint or movie viewing, etc. depending on the room requested.
Clubs and monthly meetups for different groups are encouraged at the Fab Lab. In many cases, the space may be available at no charge. During Meetups or clubs, non-members are able to access the space the club or meetup is held at, with little to no charge. This does NOT mean that there can be a woodworkers club that comes in and uses the woodshop for free. It does mean that they could come in and talk about/show off their woodworking projects in the classroom or conference room that the club is being held in.
If you have not seen the answer to your question, please contact us so we can answer it for you. If you have an idea which requires us to make an exception to one of the answers above, also contact us. These are meant as guidelines. The Fab Lab is always ready to discuss things with people about new or different ideas on how to do things. When in doubt, contact us and see what we say.
Workshop/Class Request Form
Use this form to apply to teach a class or workshop at the Iowa City Fab Lab.
This form must be filled out completely, with at least one good quality picture of a thing made BY THE TEACHER.