3. School(s) / Learning Platform(s)

3 and school rubber stamped on a dot-grid page along with a host of interesting and interested animals including meerkats, racoons, elephants, snails, sheep, monkeys and seagulls

3. School(s) / Learning Platform(s)

3 School - a collage of rubber stamped animals and the word school and the number 3

I’m using today’s prompt to talk about my own online school: The KNITSONIK School. The idea began a few years ago when I was still doing in-person teaching. I had an email from a disabled knitter who struggled with travel and asked if I would consider doing a one-on-one Skype session with her, as a way to make my teaching accessible to her.

I was sympathetic: traveling to teach in person is my kryptonite and I need masses of recovery time after. But I also knew I couldn’t do what she was asking without undercharging for my time OR setting a very high price. I know all too well how many extra expenses are involved JUST TO LIVE as a disabled person and did not want to add to this. AND, as a disabled business-owner, I also need to protect my limited resources and capacity (AKA my spoon drawer) and work sustainably.

The idea of pre-recording online classes was born. I chose Teachable, because it offered everything I needed – including content to get me started with a plan.

The KNITSONIK School - art school for makers - a slide showing the courses in the school

ACCESSIBILITY lies at the heart of the KNITSONIK School.

Pre-recording content means I can:
– Zoom in on detailed processes and slow down footage where needed. Videos can be watched multiple times if needed.
– Script videos for minimal ums and ahs and to keep content bite-size and digestible.
– Generate accurate subtitles and transcripts.
– Use multiple methods to meet different learning styles: videos to watch, downloadable handbooks, instructions + printables.
– Speed up processes that are really slow to watch in real time.
– Provide thoughtful feedback and helpful resources with time to reflect on students’ needs and the best ways to meet them.

It takes me six months of full time work to produce a KNITSONIK School course, but I hope that work means more people can learn with me from the comfort of home without the stresses of travel. My favourite parts of running the school so far have been seeing more than a thousand people find ways to love on their lives through imperfect, joyous KNITSONIK Bullet Journaling; cheerleading you on in the comments; and allocating scholarships through my pay-it-forward scheme.

Screenshot of comment exchanges from the knitsonik school: student: It took me half the year to complete the course, but that's OK. It was great to be able to do it at my own pace. This course has been a game-changer for me. I'm now finding time to do those things I keep saying I wished I could find the time for--thanks to my habit tracker they've become a regular part of my schedule. And having a single place for all the various lists I used to leave in random spots (and lose!) is great. LOVED this course, and have recommended it to some friends who are bullet journal-curious! Felix: Dear Karen, CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING THE COURSE and well done for going at your own pace. Thrilled to hear you've found it helpful and, best of all, that it's enabled you to find time for those things you keep saying you wished you could find time for --- the habit tracker is so helpful isn't it for making things we want to do VISIBLE to us... and yes to lists being in one place and not scattered all around and easily lost. Thank you so much for your kind words about this course - do you mind if I quote this comment in some resources I am putting together around making the most out of online learning? Because this point - "finding time to do those things I keep saying I wished I could find the time for" - is everything!

Screenshot of comment exchange had in the knitsonik school: student: Hello Felix, Many people over the years have given me journals with themes….sewing, hiking, skiing etc. The thought of maintaining all those journals was overwhelming! So when I stumbled across your course promoted by MDK, I knew instantly it would be a game changer. A place to put everything……memories, happy thoughts, references and a level of organization I didn’t know I wanted. My one challenge is balancing getting things done versus being over managed by my planning….I am retired. I share your appreciation of the simple pleasures in life and love how you’ve worked that into this lovely resource.Thank you for this beneficial course…I truly enjoyed it.I look forward to what future projects you create! Felix: Dear Colleen, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this course, I really appreciate it and this was wonderful to read. Yes - I too have had a great stack of THEMED SPECIAL BOOKS over the years, and must confess that they overwhelm me too, and make me anxious (which one should I use for which thing? What if inspiration strikes and I do not have the correct journal with me?! etc.) putting everything in one place has been a game changer and I'm so happy it seems to resonate so well with so many other people. I hear you on the challenges of balancing getting things done vs. being "over managed" by planning - I think the only solution I've found is to plan some non-planned time to ensure there is mess and fun and unscheduled joy in amidst the stuff that needs to get done. I truly loved making KNITSONIK Bullet Journaling and am very committed to making more courses like this one that nourish our confidence and creativity and that "feed the well", as it were. Happy Journaling and thank you so much for your kind words, Felix x

When I looked in my rubber stamps drawer to make today’s cover image, I couldn’t think of how to represent all our different learning styles and access needs… but then I noticed how many animal stamps I own, and how I might link each one to a quality that could be conceivably connected to a way of being and of learning: the mischievous monkey (that’s me), the social meerkat, the slow and steady snail (also me), the steadfast collectively-minded sheep, the energetic raccoon, the talkative seagulls, and the wise elephant. I love them all, and feel that, in my online school, I can do more to meet these different learning styles than I ever could in person.

all the animal stamps

YOURS IN THE KNITSONIK SCHOOL,
Fx

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2. Teacher(s)

2 thoughts on “3. School(s) / Learning Platform(s)”

  1. I did the Bullet Journalling course a few years ago! I loved it, although I’ve made it my own (I still have more than one notebook ;) ) – the things I picked up I use daily and they’re so helpful. This post made me go back to sign into the course to check I still have access – I do! – and now I want to go back and rewatch some or all of it to see what hits and inspires me anew now – life is quite different to what it was then. Thankyou for making it and keeping it available!

    Reply

    1. Thank you for sharing your experience of the course! I’m really interested in how students seem to enjoy revisiting KNITSONIK Bullet Journaling. I’m glad it’s helpful and re-energising, and yes – life is definitely different now than when I made the course four years ago. Well done for finding ways to make the course work for you – for making the ideas your own! And vive la difference re: the number of notebooks each of us need in order to thrive!

      I do need to think about how the long-term access works; it costs over £1,000 a year to keep all my courses on Teachable. I must factor the long-term sustainability of this into the future plans for the school, but it’s something I want to be able to maintain, because it does seem to really add value for students.

      Reply

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