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I think we need to look at the math. Most instructors teach an
average of 2 or 3 class periods out of what is usually 18 to 20
total class periods. Of course, there are a small handful of
instructors who might do 4 or more class periods. The point is that
most instructors will miss out on the opportunity to attend around
10 to 20% of the other classes, with a small few giving up as much
as 25 or 30% of the overall class time due to instructing. And then
there is the time outside of class periods: The exhibit hall, having
lunch with fellow technicians you only see once a year, evening
concerts and receptions, and the chance to get away from the usual
grind for a week to do something different. When you add it all up,
how much does an instructor really miss out on, and is the
compensation really that terrible? My opinion is that it is quite
reasonable if you consider it a "stipend" or "honorarium," which is
what the reimbursement was originally intended to be - not payment
for services rendered. But when you start to give something as a
token of appreciation, people take it for granted, and then it
becomes a slap in the face to them instead of a "thank you."<br>
<br>
And what about the value of teaching. Is it not rewarding? Do we not
learn and grow when we teach others? We have to keep in mind that
although some instructors are unhappy with the compensation offered,
and will stop participating because of it, there are other
instructors who feel it should be a volunteer activity, and they
actually feel strange accepting a check. I'm not saying one is right
and the other is wrong, but it's important to acknowledge the vast
difference in opinions on this matter with people on either end of
the spectrum and many somewhere in between. Pleasing everyone is
simply not possible in matters like this.<br>
<br>
And I really don't understand how vendor-sponsored classes is going
to limit the attraction of the institute or cause a downward spiral.
Some of the best instructors and classes I've attended have been
vendor-sponsored classes. Many of these instructors are sponsored
specifically *because* they are incredibly gifted as technicians and
teachers. Often, these are the people who get hired by major
manufacturers because they are so good at what they do, and are
great communicators. Others are self-sponsored because they've used
their extraordinary abilities to become successful with their own
businesses. Vendors play an important role, and they do a lot for
the PTG to help make the Convention a success every year. But they
don't run the Institute or dictate how the PTG operates. It's a
mutually beneficial arrangement, and the members who attend are the
ones who reap the most benefit. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 6/29/2011 7:18 PM, Ed Foote wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:8CE04E325E2C50D-1978-73CCC@webmail-d169.sysops.aol.com"
type="cite"><font size="2" color="black" face="Georgia, Times New
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color: black;">
<div id="AOLMsgPart_1_6712fd5f-f365-4d0e-873e-d2a8c375fe1f"><font
size="2" color="navy" face="Georgia, Times New Roman,
Times, Serif"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Georgia,
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<div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"
face="arial, helvetica"><font
class="Apple-style-span" color="#000080"
face="Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"> Dale
and Mark write the following: </font></font></div>
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10pt; color: black;">
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">
<u><br>
>>All instructors that are willing to help
perpetuate excellence in the continued education
of our membership are valued, regardless of
whether they are sponsored by a manufacturer or
not</u>. <br>
<b> Understood. But money still is the issue. The
dues and convention fees should be higher. You
get what you pay for</b>.<<</div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266"><br>
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<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">
Agreed. It is easy to say, as an instructor, I am
"valued". Of course I am. The PTG, in order to
maximize the profit of the convention, would like
me to prepare and teach a class for free, pay my own
transportation and room, and pay a full entrance fee
to attend a convention in which I will miss a
significant portion of classes in order to present
my own? What a bargain! There is no way to
justify that sort of expense unless I have something
to sell. I don't have anything to sell, just some
experience gleaned from making mistakes for the last
35 years. If that isn't worth at least the entrance
fee and a room, then I can't afford to be a PTG
teacher. </div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">
My last convention was full of classes taught by
people that were basically advertising their wares
or services. Their cost of attending is part of
their advertising budget, and selling their services
or wares can make the convention a profitable
venture. Those techs that simply have valuable
experience to share will gradually become extinct.
This is a loss, since the original idea of the PTG
was to have an organization of working technicians
that could share their expertise. Now, we have an
"institute for profit", and the PTG doesn't want to
pay for the content. </div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">
On this course, our future is going to be one of
vendor instructors, and I really think that is going
to limit the attraction of the institute. It looks
like a downward spiral to me. </div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">Regards, </div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266">Ed
Foote RPT</div>
<div
id="AOLMsgPart_0_59ac4774-0145-4200-8d35-a7971cb1b266"> </div>
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