<HTML>In a message dated 7/19/02 1:51:53 PM Central Daylight Time, A440A@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">There are also more than a few teachers at the convention that teach how to use their products, which is well and good, since they can profit in more ways than Guild compensation.  However,  what about those instructors who can bring knowledge that is of great benifit to the members but have nothing to sell?      </BLOCKQUOTE> Here is concept that should be considered. Have sponsored and non sponsored classes. Non sponsored classes are taught by individual instructors who should get compensated for teaching at the convention. (I won't get into how much. I'll let someone else fight that battle). Sponsored classes are taught by instructors representing a company that sells a product or service. They should not get compensated for teaching because they will be able to benefit financially from teaching a class about their product or service. Case in point, ( I am not picking on this individual per se, but I am only using him as an example). Dean Reyborn (or Mitch) teaching a class on using the Cybertuner. There are going to be people in his class who have a Cybertuner, and want to learn more. But there will also be tuners who might be interested buying the Cybertuner program, but want to understand how it is used, before making the decision. Dean will seel some of his programs because of this. Why should the PTG compensate him for teaching a class, when he is going to make money doing it? There are other technicians who are in the same situation. Here is another idea worth considering. One of the things that has been frowned upon, somewhat, is the commercialism in some of the classes. Teachers, paid by a manufacturer, presenting a class on voicing, or regulating. But they are supposed to downplay who they work for, and what instrument or product they are using. I think the PTG should recognize the importance of the manufacturers, and suppliers, and let them promote their instrument or product as much as possible. For the past couple of years there have been one day sponsored all day classes. I think we should have more of those classes during the convention. Steinway, for example, could have one classroom for two days, all to themselves. They can decorate that classroom anyway they want, have only their instruments in there, and have their own instructors teach whatever subject they want. If they want to hire other instructors to teach, that is their responsibility. The institute will not have to worry about filling that classroom for those two days, (or more if Steinway wants it). This will be pure commercialism. No two bones about it. But it will benefit the PTG, as well as the manufacturer. To go one step further with this, (although it might not work), the company could even pay PTG for the use of that room. More money PTG could use to compensate non sponsored instructors. The ultimate would be for the manufacturers, suppliers and other companies to sponsor all the classes, with them making whatever deals they can with the instructors they want, and the PTG just coordinates the schedule. Just a couple of more ideas to think about. Wim </HTML>