CYC Certified Instructors Program

[HopeK]

Hello All!

 

How many of you are doing the CIP by the CYC and are instructors at Michael's?

[FrLopLady]

sounds like a secret code to me...

[Akua]

I'm not an instructor, but I'm doing the Craft Yarn council of America's Crochet Correspondence Course. I finished part one and two -- but I have to redo my filet and

write out a pattern.

[HopeK]

Mary

 

CYC is Craft Yarn Council and CIP is Crochet Instructor Program. In order to be hired at Michael's craft stores to teach crochet or knitting you need to be certified through CYC. Hope that helps.

[HopeK]

Auka,

 

How long did it take you to go through both levels? I am still waiting for my manual but I have been hired by Michael's to teach crochet. I will be doing the correspondence course as well.

[sahm2g1b]

I've been thinking about doing this. Could you tell me how often Michael's would have you teach? Once a week? And is the pay decent? You don't have to give an amount. I was just wondering if it would be worth it for me to drive the 30 minutes to teach if I went through the class & was actually hired. Thanks!

[HopeK]

Hello Steph!

 

You can actually teach while going through the program. You don't have to be certified just yet, but you do have to be enrolled in the program. Here is a link for more information. http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/Discover.html

 

It will take some work on your end to get the people signed up, but once you get them, I'm sure it will grow like wild fire. You get 90% of the class fee from each student as payment. You will also get paid an hourly wage, depends on your manager, for doing demonstrations, project boards, etc. However, this is where you get what you put into it and your students signed up by the demonstrations and promoting of the classes. You can easily earn your certification fee back from teaching.

 

I finally got a sign up today for a class, which will be held on October 1. Today was my third day of demonstrating in a week and I finally got a student. I have others interested but did not commit just yet.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[krodrig99]

I just got my course materials for the CIP and was also wondering about the time commitment at michaels. It's nice to know that it can be as much or as little as you want.

[kel]

I am not a Michaels instructor but once taught a beginners series & will soon be teaching a one-day workshop on how to read a crochet pattern at my LYS. She doesn't require me to have certification but I'm wondering how beneficial it would be for me. Do you feel like it really changed your crochet/teaching?

[HopeK]

I am just starting the certification process. I cannot comment on whether it has helped. Actually, I am still waiting for my manual to get started. I was curious if anyone else was doing the certification program or have done it. I don't think it would make a difference to be certified or not to teach crochet. I am basically doing it so I can work at Michael's and eventually may want to expand upon that.

[Akua]

Auka,

 

How long did it take you to go through both levels? I am still waiting for my manual but I have been hired by Michael's to teach crochet. I will be doing the correspondence course as well.

 

It took me two months -- that is just for my work. However that was back in Spring. I passed part one but not part two -- and it has taken me months

to carve out the time to redo the parts found lacking.

[HopeK]

I am still waiting for the manual...it has been since the Labor Day weekend. I am finding the lack of communication is really pathetic. Did you have any issues with communication? I think this program has taken off faster than they hoped it would and do not have enough people to help with getting them registered, passwords to the web site, and manuals to the participants.

[Akua]

Yes it took months to get the manual.

[lisamertes]

I teach crochet and knitting at Michaels. I am still waiting for my course materials from the CYC. I understand they are updating them and hope to have them ready by the end of January. I schedule my classes at Michaels whenever I like and I go in a day or so ahead of time and do a demo. I take in a bunch of stuff I have crocheted (or knitted) with any yarn that is available at Michaels. I also hand out information with class schedules etc and also a questionaire asking what classes people would be interested in and what days of the week and time of day works for them. I get their email address so that I can notify them when a class they are interested in becomes scheduled. You do have to do a lot of your own promotion but it is worth the effort. So far, I have had a great experience with this job.

[KeepsakeKrochet]

I teach at Micheals as well. I was able to get the first set of assignments done, but they are still working on the manual, that is supposed to have the next set of assignments. I'm not a fan of the waiting game but it's okay. I did start teaching classes, but it's been really slow. Maybe because I started in December when people are busy buying for others. But, I do demos 2 times a week, and have 2 classes a week. Hopefully it picks up soon.

[rhonda24605]

We don't have a Michael's in our area, closest is 50 miles away. Would still like to take class, alot of people I know are always asking me if I would teach them to crochet. Does anyone know if you can still do the classes..???

[HopeK]

rhonda24605

 

Yes, you can still do the classes without teaching at Michaels. Teaching at Michaels while doing the certification is a bonus option.

[rhonda24605]

Thanks Hope...

[Nvrmor]

Does anyone know when the new guidbook is supposed to come out they said the end of February and it's still not here. I got my course information and I am supposed to be starting at Michaels but it would be great to have the handbook. Thanks

[MimiFL]

Personally, I don't like the whole Michaels/CYC thing. I taught at Michaels two years ago, before they decided to discontinue all their classes (which I told them was a bad idea because they bring in customers. Of course nobody listened). Now I go back and I'm told I can't teach anymore unless I'm certified?? How come what I taught was fine two years ago but now I'm not fit to teach? That just irks me.

 

The other thing is, this is crochet, not rocket science. I honestly don't think it takes a certification to teach crochet. I've been doing it for years, and I have happy, fulfilled students who do amazing work. Teachers at Joann's aren't certified; teachers at Hobby Lobby aren't certified. You think their teaching is inferior? I don't.

 

Last thing is that you have to pay for the certification, so even before you can start teaching (or while you're teaching, I guess), you have to come up with the money. The fact that that manual takes forever to arrive has me thinking this is even more about money than I thought... did you all pay for the manual/classes already?

 

The whole thing just rubs me the wrong way. The CYC convinved Michaels to bring back its classes and got a great deal out of it by forcing everyone to pay for certification. What a fantastic idea from the CYC. Me, not thrilled about it.

 

I loved teaching at Michaels, it was fun! I was heartbroken when they stopped the classes. Now I have to drive almost an hour to go teach at Hobby Lobby, because Michaels looked at me like I was deranged when I asked if I could teach without being certified.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[SunburnedHook]

Hi everyone,

 

I was just curious how this turned out for the people who were working on their cerfitication a year or so ago.  Do you think it helped you as a teacher?  Did you enjoy it or learn anything new?  Does anyone know if they're still offering it at FIT?

 

Thanks!

[Pheonsix]

I'm interested in knowing also. I'm considering teaching. How have the cerification courses worked out? Are they worth it?

[cristopher2k]

Hello friends!

 

I have a small store front, I sell bath and beauty items and have recently added yarn/fiber to my inventory. I am teaching crochet classes every other Thursday evening for free-I ask that my students purchase their supplies from me.  This works out wonderfully, I was thinking of becoming certified, however the fee's do seem a bit expensive, I was also wondering if it really makes a difference?  What folks thought of the course once they started and how time consuming it is?  Hope to hear from someone that has info to share.  Thank you!

[artebella]

Ufortunately the CYC gives certification in US and Canada? Do you Know something similar in Europe??

[magiccrochetfan]

Artebella, are you on Ravelry?  there are lots of discussion groups on there for different countries so you might be able to connect with crocheters in Greece.  Also there are groups about teaching/learning crochet, and designing as well.