Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Workshop

Help me keep the shutterbugs happy!

man down under — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:27:21 -0800

What should I include in a 3 hour photography workshop aimed at 30 12-15 year olds? This is an activity designed to keep kids interested and busy at school for the final week of the year. The kids weren't picked because of their love of photography, but if they signed up for it we can assume they would rather do this than go bowling.

I'm planning to start off with a compostition workshop, looking at some basics and getting kids to think about what their pictures are of.

I then want them to split off in to groups to run around the school (supervised of course) taking pictures with a checklist / scavenger hunt list. The list will include things like "a photo following the rule of thirds", "a photo from a high angle/perspective", as well as some simpler things like "action", "portrait" etc...

We can round things off with a bit of a show and tell, with prizes for the shots of the day etc...

My questions:

What would you ensure was covered in the initial workshop?

What should be included on the checklist / scavenger hunt list?

Is there anything else I should add to this? (It doesn't feel like a three-hour 'shop to me yet)

Is there anything I haven't considered that will make this better?

Thanks for your help!

Photo workshop recommendations.

EnormousTalkingOnion — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:37:31 -0800

Any recommendations for great multi-day photo workshops for advanced amateurs (preferably in the western US)? I'm eager to try a new photo workshop to hone my skills. I've had bad experiences in the past with workshops that claimed to be for intermediate/advanced photographers, but were totally rudimentary and full of people who had just bought their first camera and didn't know how to turn it on. I'm not a professional, but I certainly know what I'm doing and am looking for something that will challenge me.

I've heard good things about the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, but I don't know many others. I'd be willing to travel pretty much anywhere in the US for something cool, but the closer to California the better. I'm also open to any subject focus, although two particular areas of interest are portraits and adventure sports photography.

Has anyone had (or heard about) any great photo workshop experiences?

radio rookies, redux!

puckish — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:44:33 -0800

Three days, four to six kids, let's learn how to write a radio story. Go! I'm imagining three sessions -- one where we brainstorm, settle on story ideas / interview subjects, and come up with a list of 10 questions. Second session -- field recording! Third session audio editing (with me doing a lot of the legwork, logging, setup in between, so they can go directly to editing). Something like a cross between radio rookies and 826 -- really simple and low maintenance (we're running the workshop out of our living room) -- the idea, mostly, is to give kids microphones and see what happens.

I'm really excited about this but kind of lost on the details (never done this with kids -- only sort of done it on my own -- brand new territory!). This would be with four to six kids in the 8-14 range. A few questions: 1) Does it make sense to do one story or three? (we're going to have three recorders, so they'd probably need to pair up) 2) "Stories" or "interviews"? (the second is easier -- but just doing oral history type stuff sounds kind of boring...) Ideas? 3) What to write about?? I'd love to do something where we interview random people -- a "vox pop" thing (asking a dozen people on the street the same set of questions) -- what would you do with a million dollars? Do you know your neighbors? (maybe something more awesome than that?)

Help!

How to assign Workshop Training Sessions?

Mrs_Eep — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:04:00 -0800

Organizing a Training Workshop: How do I easily/quickly assign Workshop attendees to their First Choice/Second Choice from a group of 5 topics? There's gotta be a better way than popsicle sticks! I'm organizing a Workshop for 31 attendees. (While attendance is low in this example, learning a smart way to assign people will help me greatly in the future.)

There are 5 Workshop topics and we're holding 2 training sessions - morning and lunch. I have the ability to repeat any popular sessions during the lunch period as necessary.

Each of the 31 attendees has listed 2 topics to attend.

Topic A has 11 people, B has 10, C has 17, D has 9, E has 15.

What is the smart/fast way to assign workshop to each attendee while optimizing the time and repeating as few sessions as possible during the Lunch period? I'd say a maximum number of 10-12 for each group.

How can a writing workshop share their work online?

patnasty — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:32:24 -0800

What would be the best web-based file hosting service to use as a shared "Documents" folder for the various members of my writing workshop? I'm looking for a cheap (or even free!) way to set up a communal web storage folder so that the members of my writing workshop and I can make the latest drafts of our work available to one another in between workshop meetings.

Here are the tricky bits:

Many of my workshop-mates are fairly technophobic. If the login/uploading process is at all difficult-looking, they won't use it. Also, it would be probably be best that it not require the downloading of any sort of desktop client, unless the installation and configuration thereof would be simple enough for an 80 year old grandmother who was raised in a remote region of the Brazilian rainforest, by monkeys.

Finally, we'll be using several different document types. Some will be using regular docs, some will be using the screenwriting program Final Draft's proprietary format, and some will be using the format used by the open source screnwriting program, Celtx. It would probably be asking too much for the hosting service to automatically convert these various formats into PDF or something, so I'm pretty much resigned to having to go on and do some converting on my own... but it would be nice if, once I convert the document to PDF or HTML, for people to be able to just click on a document to read it.

Oh, and it'd be best if I could set up sub-folders for the various members of the group, so our stuff isn't all mixed up together.

So... any suggestions?

I get my house back and gain a new building!

stormygrey — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:17:09 -0800

Woodworkers I need you! A dream fulfilled: We are being given a new workshop! I need help ensuring we plan correctly. I asked a similar question almost a year ago, but finances have not allowed us to actually build our workshop. However my bf's grandmother (98) is unfortunately going to pass very soon. His father has volunteered to finance and help construct an outbuilding for us.

I can not express how much this will affect my life. I will have my own office back, I will have my dining room table back, there will not be sawdust on everything and most importantly it will probably save our relationship!

We would like to build the building to be around 20 x 20 or larger, but the plan we are working on right now is16 x 24 and because of tree ordinances we might have to go even more narrow and a little longer. I need advice on how to set up a narrow shop, what innovations or shop built contraptions storage you love, what advice you might have about installing plumbing even though we don't plan to actually connect it, lighting issues, heating issues, access issues, etc. I don't even know what all to plan for, but it would suck to finally get our thing built and then realize later we could have done a much better job of laying out the space. Any good advice on how to deal with the permit department and hand drawing plans would be awesome. I can do measured drawings by hand somewhat, but am not comfortable using the computer to do it yet, but if anyone highly recommends Sketchup I might be conviced to learn it.

Oh, btw it will be wood,shingled, with a concrete slab. It will need to house lots of lumber, table saw, drill press, scroll saw, a couple of lathes, grinders, air compressors, dust collectors, and lots and lots of handtools like planes, chisels, and probably lots of other random tools and finishing things.

So shoppies, what kind of windows do you like? What kind of door makes you smile? Where do you store and dry your lumber that makes your grin? Let us know...man I am so happy I think I am going to sing my Scooba song and get to work!

Anyone know of a TechShop equivalent in London?

bullox — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:43:07 -0800

Anyone know of a TechShop equivalent in London?

Best way to sharpen?

echo target — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:21:29 -0800

I have a bunch of dull knives, chisels, etc. I think I'm looking for a bench grinder. Used? New? How do I use it when I've got it? I have a few chisels in the shop and a few knives in the kitchen that are getting dull. I've tried sharpening by hand on a wetstone, and it helps, but I don't have the steadiness of hand or the patience necessary to get a good clean edge.

I'm thinking about getting a little bench grinder. Are they worth picking up used, or are the Craigslist models likely to be burned out and useless?

When I get one, assuming that's the right thing for me, how do I use it? I understand the general principles of sharpening. What kind of technique should I use with a grinder?

Looking for an e-guitar boot camp!

lord_yo — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:14:15 -0800

My wife and I are looking for a "boot camp" to learn to play electric guitar. Can you recommend any kind of retreats, workshops camps, schools, that offer intense one- or two-week e-guitar training in a pleasant, vacation-like surroundings? We are based in Switzerland; European workshops - if there are any - would be our first pick, but we're open for other options as well. We speak English, German and French.

Public Speaking workshop in Toronto?

BeaverTerror — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:31:15 -0800

Please recommend a public speaking workshop in Toronto. I'm scared of public speaking, and it's becoming a serious problem.

Are there any workshops, courses, or programs in Toronto that can help me overcome my fear? I'm not interested in lectures or seminars, I need to practice giving speeches in front of people.

How do you get photography into them?

slimeline — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:59:40 -0800

What are the best exercises to improve photographic skills? I am planning a series of workshops with both young and mature students who want to engage with photography. The workshops can be a preparation for studying photography at university or form a basis of a portfolio. Ultimately I am trying to encourage creative development and critical thinking about photography. I am looking for exercises and workouts that help to develop visual literacy skills, make students think creatively and force them to get out of their photographic 'comfort zone'.

The challenge is to set up tasks that make the students ask questions about the limits of photography, about the ways in which photographs are being produced and perceived.

What assignments encourage thinking and seeing like an artist, an art director or an editor?

The essence of the question is: What are the best ways of developing creative photographic skills?

Introduce an NYC artist to corporate America.

glibhamdreck — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:47:11 -0800

I'd like to send my favorite cousin to an NYC-area conference for a college graduation present. He's studied poetry, film, philosophy, economics, and media studies. He's also a musician/filmmaker/designer/artist of sorts, and his tastes are pop, political, and antagonizing--talented but occasionally perceived as hostile. He's admitted he's worried about finding gainful employment once he graduates this spring.

I'd like to get him a ticket to some sort of conference, seminar, or workshop for some Networking 101. Can you recommend any NYC-area event where he'll fit in that takes place during the next two or three months and won't cost me more than $200 or $300?

I am building a building.

stormygrey — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:37:21 -0800

Setting up shop filter. We are trying to build ourselves an outbuilding in our yard for our various creative needs. We will be doing some woodworking, painting, papermaking etc. The wood stuff takes up the most room.

We can't decide whether to go very basic right now almost like a shed with no water/power right now (just using drop cords) or do it up fancy like a carriage house. Our zoning allows multi family so we can do that, but cost if of course an issue.

I am looking for examples of really well organized shops as well as personal experience in setting up shop and what you wish you had included and what you never use. How big would you say a perfect workshop should be?Any tips, hints, and advice are greatly appreciated.

Learning assertiveness?

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:29:53 -0800

I need to find an assertiveness course or workshop in London. A good one. I don't need self-help books, or tapes, or lectures. I need a course or workshop which will teach me how to assert myself at work and in relationships, instead of just going along with the majority view, deferring to others through 'politeness', or not speaking up at all. I'm not sure if this is a skill I never learned, or if a combination of bad schooling, a succession of shitty employment experiences and a vile divorce have ground it out of me. Probably a combination.

I'm self-funding this so cost is an issue, but I'm not poor so it's not crucial.

Is there something to do at a workshop besides write on a flip chart?

jessamyn — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 10:34:12 -0800

What is a workshop? I have been giving public speeches at conferences and the like for years, but occasionally I am asked to give a workshop and I'm not sure what one is or how to do one under the specific circumstances that I am often in. I just gave a talk at a regional library get-together. They had originally asked me to give a workshop about social software and we were going to meet in a computer lab. That sort of thing, hands-on experimentation and exploration, I get. However the talk was changed to a conference room with iffy internet access and attendees with no computers. I switched format to more of a talk with examples and a lot of time for Q&A. It was appreciated, but got some feedback that it "wasn't very workshoppy" so I'm trying to work with this.

I get the feeling workshops include more "break up into groups and talk about these questions" sorts of things. I'm hindered by the fact that I present at many more of these things than I go to, so don't have much occasion to see other people doing this. My other problem is that I, personally, HATE being asked to do sort of fakey exercises and brainstorming especially if they are remotely touchy-feely in nature. As a result, I think I may overcompensate and have very few situations in my presentations where people are on the spot to do anything, even though I suspect most people wouldn't mind.

My general topic is software, social software and the online environment and "web 2.0" applications and how libraries can use them. I talk about twitter, facebook, and even things like email, IM and firefox/greasemonkey tricks. My audiences are usually librarians with low to medium levels of knowledge of these subjects but usually engaged and interested in them. Without internet access or computers I have no idea how to make this topic very interactive or remotely workshoppable. If you have suggestions, tips, or can just relate workshops you've given or attended (especially on technology topics) where something worked well I'd appreciate it. General feedback on what people expect when they go to something called "a workshop" would be useful as well. To repeat, I know how to do this when I'm in a lab, but outside the lab I'm wondering "what is a workshop?" Thank you.

Where does all the wood live?

stormygrey — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:33:38 -0800

Help me retain my sanity. Those of you who have a workshop in your house, please help me find a system. We have forgone some less healthy habits ,for of all things, woodworking. I have taken my dining room table apart so now all that wood lives in the dining room. And the kitchen, and the sunroom, and my office, and my living room. Oh my God! It is awful.

What is a good method for storage? We have tall pieces, wide pieces, little bitty pieces, how do you decide what to keep and what to toss?

Any general advice on workshop storage in general would be appreciated.

machine shop in nyc?

nazca — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:22:21 -0800

Anyone know of a DIY workshop/machine shop in NYC? (Ideally something like a Techshop). I’m graduating from university, and moving to New York. I’m basically looking for something to replace my university’s machine shop for my hobby projects. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just basic stuff like a milling machine, lathe, band saw, sander, etc. Extra points for fancy stuff like a laser cutter, 3D printer, CNC.

Alternatively I could make do with partial solutions, like empty workshop-like space for rent (on an hourly basis), and/or something like a tool library(obviously for hand tools, not milling machines).

I’d like to keep tinkering, without buying machines/tools and working in my apartment.

Get Paid To Attend Workshops

divabat — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:34:08 -0800

Is there a job that will pay me to attend workshops and conferences? Where can I find such a job? I'm a young person and I LOVE going to different workshops and conferences. I just came back from one in Sydney and I'm going to a UN Youth Assembly event in New York next week. I love anything to do with young people, social change, culture, and travel, and I have had many great experiences with these sorts of things in the past few years.

The main issue, though, is money. Some of these events are all-expenses-paid (the Sydney one even covered flights AND gave a $50 honorarium) but most of them cost quite a bit of money, especially on flights. Right now I'm studying in uni, so getting a job that allows me for time to travel is a bit tricky, especially since I have to maintain a certain level of attendance for visa purposes (I'm an international student). I try to find ones that are near to me and those I can afford, but the best ones are often far far away.

Another main issue is visas. Being on a Bangladeshi passport makes it a pain in the arse to get visas. The embassies' main concern is money - can I afford to pay for this? So far I've managed to be sponsored by my parents, but I really don't want to depend on them for money. Saying "I'll work out the money when I get there" doesn't instill confidence though.

So I figured that the best way to sort both issues out is to get a job or go into careers that involve workshops and conferences. What can I do and how do I get such an awesome job? I'm not particularly academic so I don't want to be a professor or Ph.D. or whatever, but I'm open to attending academic conferences if possible. Is there some sort of magazine that reviews conferences and sends people out, much like travel writing? How else can I get sponsored/funded/paid to attend workshops?

I'm also open to facilitating workshops and such, and the workshop-attendance doesn't have to be the core component of the job though I'd like enough flexibility to travel whenever I choose. Volunteering is an option, but money would be the main issue then. If there was some sort of "angel investor" who would sponsor me for a few years, or maybe a company that would sponsor me the same way some companies sponsors athletes, great - though I don't know how they'll get any benefit from sponsoring me.

Any ideas?

Are writing workshops worth the money?

Brittanie — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 05:40:50 -0800

Does anyone have experience with taking an online writing workshop? I am trying to make the decision of whether or not this class is right for me before I drop cash money on it. The details of the workshop are here. As you can seen, it is organized by the Liberal Arts Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Now typically I would try to pair up with another writer or take a creative writing workshop in person, but I am currently living in a very small town 6,000 miles away from home in a foreign country and have little access to anyone who speaks English, much less someone who can read it critically. I also think having my work professionally critiqued (as opposed to being read by a friend) will do me some good.

I will probably take the $175 option, which includes an additional 2,000 words worth of critique. The class is one-on-one and all communication with the instructor is via email. I am not interested in credit for this class (it's a non-credit class anyway). I am only interested in my own personal benefit.

So here are my questions: First, does this seem like a legitimate course or a waste of money? Has anyone found benefit in taking an online writer's workshop? Any additional advice/experience is welcome.

Math whizzes come out and help me...

purplefiber — Tue, 01 May 2007 18:27:12 -0800

4 teachers, 5 groups of kids: help me make a schedule please! For a musical workshop this weekend we will have five groups of kids and only four teachers. We want each group to get a fair deal, but we don't want to do a complete rotation of teachers (the most logical solution).

We have a total of 6.5 hours of lesson time over two days, and my plan was to divide it into chunks of an hour or so, both to keep it fresh and to make sure no group spends too long without a teacher.

Let's call the groups by number and the teachers by letter.
Group 1: main teacher A, secondary teacher B
Group 2: main teacher C, secondary teacher A
Group 3: main teacher B, secondary teacher D
Group 4: main teacher D, secondary teacher C
Group 5: main teacher D, secondary teacher C

As you see, teachers A and B have only two groups each, while teachers C and D have three groups. This is logical only for reasons that aren't worth explaining here.

Our time frame is Saturday from 3-5:30 and Sunday from 10:30-12:30, and 1:30-3:30. To complicate things even further, group 4 will be absent on Sunday afternoon.

I was thinking of something like the following, but I would love to find a simpler solution.

Saturday afternoon:
3:00-3:45
Group 1: Teacher A
Group 2: Teacher C
Group 3: Teacher B
Group 4: Teacher D
Group 5: no teacher

3:50-4:35
Group 1: Teacher B
Group 2: Teacher A
Group 3: no teacher
Group 4: Teacher C
Group 5: Teacher D

4:40-5:30
Group 1: Teacher A
Group 2: no teacher
Group 3: Teacher B
Group 4: Teacher D
Group 5: Teacher C

(continue similar pattern on Sunday)

Obviously Group 1 gets the best deal, since no teacher sharing is required. Any and all suggestions on how to make this easy and fair would be much appreciated!

Excellent disjointed writing

Aghast. — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:57:15 -0800

Can you think of any examples of "disjointed" writing -- writing with abrupt transitions -- that works? Faulkners Sound and Fury is a good example but shorter pieces are better for my purposes. Can be fiction or non-fiction. For those who want some context, I am leading an exercise with some writers and it goes something like this:

First, you take the reader on a tour of a place that you know very well.
Then, mix ("splice') into your own writing passages from Jamaica Kincaid's A Small Place where she is taking the reader on a tour of Antigua.
Then, mix into that passages from Mike Davis' "Sinister Paradise" where he is taking the reader on tour of Dubai in 2010.

Confused? So were they but I eventually got the idea across ("It's as much about the selection and arrangement of other people's writing as it is of creating your own text.") and the exercise is going swimmingly. The transitions between passages are abrupt in a good way and I would like to show them some other examples of this.

Bring the literary pain

Bookhouse — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:21:02 -0800

I'm looking for a tough writing teacher/workshop in New York City. I'm working on my second novel and I'd like to get some really harsh feedback on this one. I've tried the Gotham Writer's workshop and didn't care for their system. There's nothing wrong with encouraging hobbyists, but I'm looking for something that would send dabblers screaming away in shame.

I also have a writing group that I enjoy, but is more about support than building ironclad prose. I'd like to find a program that is about serious, harsh critiques and little else, hopefully led by a worthwhile teacher. Also, genre fiction must be acceptable (and if it focuses on crime ficition, so much the better). I'm not rich, but will spend as much money as I can. Finally, I can't commit to full time schooling, so I'm not looking for a MA.

I know that that's a lot of conditions, but any advice would be welcome.

Help me design a course on writing

josh — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 05:12:11 -0800

This September I'll be teaching a workshop on writing skills at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Help me design and choose some great readings for the course! Students at KSG are in one of two programs: Masters in Public Policy or Masters in Public Administration. I've been working with them for the past year one-on-one, and they have a variety of writing tasks to perform: they write, for example, op-eds, memos, emails, academic papers, policy analysis documents, and synthetic summaries of extant research. All of them are very smart and very motivated. Every week they are reading The Economist, the WSJ, the NYT, Foreign Affairs, and so on. A lot of them are former consultants or have previously worked in a business environment.

The workshop will meet every week for about 75 minutes. I'm anticipating that different students will come on different weeks, although some students may be coming every week. I'm envisioning something like this:

- 1-30: Presentation on a particular writing strategy or challenge;
- 30-60: Workshopping of one or two pieces of student work;
- 60-75: Q&A about grammar and style.

Ideally, I'd like to present the students with some examples of really great and really bad writing from the world of news, politics, and public policy. I’ll be focusing on what I’ve perceived as weak points in the typical student’s writing arsenal. For example, I’ll be presenting on:

- common logical fallacies and failures of argument (e.g., the genetic fallacy);
- avoiding mixed metaphors, and using metaphor and simile effectively;
- dialectical argument;
- organization in memos, op-eds, and academic papers;
- using humor;
- using storytelling;
- using statistics;
- writing for oral presentation vs. writing for reading.

So, that’s the course so far! What I’m looking for are great (or horrendous) readings that relate to this kind of writing (either reading about writing, or examples of great writing). What are some truly great op-eds, for example, that you’ve admired? What are some sources for consistently shoddy writing? I’m also really interested in your personal experience with this kind of writing. What’s made you a better writer? What are some important problems or strategies that you use as a writer? As I’m just organizing the course now, I’m interested in hearing about everything. The more the better.

Suppose you could help jumpstart a real progressive youth movement.

Ash3000 — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 05:26:24 -0800

Help me prepare a presentation on the use of social media, especially networks like facebook and myspace, to help grow and enhance progressive youth groups, particularly College Democrats. For reasons too complicated to get into here, I'm co-presenting a workshop soon on utilizing relatively new social media for progressive youth groups, particularly College Democrats; while my section can touch upon any of the various aspects (e.g. podcasting, texting, etc.), the main focus of my section is to be upon social networks like facebook and myspace and how they can be used to recruit members and build broader political networks/coalitions.

This is a topic where I already have a strong base of pragmatic experience, but a. you should still let me in on any - and I mean any - ideas, tips or material you've used or come across on this issue, as there's always a chance I know nothing of which you speak, and b. I need good suggestions for how to present this information in a way that sticks and can actually help influence some youth leaders. I'm particularly interested in material that looks at how the conservative college activism movement (e.g. young americans for freedom, leadership institute, etc.) can be caught up with using social media. Thanks so much for any help!

How do you do a successful workshop?

mutantdisco! — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:51:17 -0800

I've been asked to fill in for someone at a workshop. Problem is that I've never led a workshop, at a conference or otherwise. What are some pointers and tips on how I can be successful while making it interesting and informative for the audience? Taking care of possible sidetracks:

- I am the only other person capable and available to do the workshop, and we pretty much have to do it.
- I'm not really an outgoing person and have always had some confidence problems speaking to a group.
- I have about 5 days to prepare, from scratch.
- My experience sitting in workshops is limited (maybe I sat it one before, but I don't really remember).
- I've been involved in the material for only 6 months, so the audience is more educated in the field in general than I am.
- The workshop is in a technological area.
- Workshop is 90 minutes, and some time is expected for discussion (how much?)