Gilders who teach under the auspices of the Society of Gilders must be approved teachers, having provided the class syllabus and information to the education committee for review.   SOG instructors are expected to follow a high level of ethics in their teaching and to always convey a positive image of the Society of Gilders. Classes will be promoted via the SOG website, email blasts, Gilder’s Tip, and other outlets. Instructors are encouraged to link to the SOG on their websites and encourage membership among their students. SOG members are to be offered a discount on class fees as a benefit of membership. Instructors will choose either the concierge or cooperative option for student registration:

Concierge level:  Our current class reservation method is an ideal option for in-person instruction with the support of the SOG website, which will link to our class reservation site. The SOG will handle the registration and payments online via its website, and bears the expense of processing fees.  The SOG then communicates with the students to send the necessary class information. Of the class fee, the SOG retains $50/member and $100 from non-members and  pays the net to the instructor. At the end of the year SOG sends a 1099 to the instructor for all payments. 

Cooperative level:  For instructors with their own registration systems and who promote their courses through their own platforms, the Cooperative level allows for the inclusion of class listings from established teaching studios, international instructors, and on-line classes. Teach websites will also cross- link to the SOG’s class reservation site for mutual promotion of all events. 

For these classes, SOG members are to be offered a tuition discount of $30.  The Instructor  bears all responsibility for processing fees, and communication with students, and will pay to SOG a fee of  $35 for each member and $65 for any non-members who were referred by the SOG mailing or website.  The instructor need only ask their new students how they learned about the class to gauge how effective this arrangement is for them.

Approximately 4 weeks before the start of classes, instructors will be informed of the number of students that have registered. If the minimum has not been met, the teacher can decide if they want to proceed anyway. Teachers are expected to provide each student recipes (ingredients and instruction) pertinent to the subject being taught and handouts such as the syllabus to be followed. We also recommend a glossary of definition of terms relating to the subject matter, a reading list of recommended books and articles, and a list of the teacher’s suppliers as well. At the concierge level, the SOG office will handle all notifications to students, as well as refunds, etc. At the completion of each class, the instructors will have students fill out a Class Evaluation Form and distribute Class Completion Certificates. Both documents will be provided to the teacher before the start date of the class. 

Regional Classes:

Instructors must teach in a space with good light and ventilation. Please note that teachers are responsible for making sure that their insurance is up to date if applicable. Additionally, teachers should be prepared to provide information to registering students about nearby lodging, travel, parking and food venues. 

 

FAQ’s

Who sets the class fee per student? Teachers set all class, material, and tool fees per student. The only time that the SOG sets the class fee per student is for conference classes. (While that predetermined fee is typically a bit less than what a teacher would charge for teaching in studio, teachers benefit from conference perks including partial lodging and travel compensation.)

Does the SOG take a cut? Teachers are paid all the class, material, and tool fees. For example, if you charge a $750 class fee per student and $50 material fee per student, you are paid in full for that. The SOG collects separately for the member/nonmember class registration along with a small financial processing fee. 

How often do I have to teach? Do I always have to teach the same subject? Teachers can decide how many times they want to teach in any given period. We only ask that the class is well planned and of benefit and quality to your students. If you are teaching water gilding, you might also consider establishing classes in toning or restoration or pastiglia, etc.  You should stay in a lane in which you are comfortable and competent. That being said you might get involved in a new technique that you have been working on related to gilding which could become a class.

 Is there more than one teacher focused on a specific discipline at any given time?  The world is a big place as is the USA. We will have a more robust program if there are several teachers working around the country that collectively cover the many disciplines of the Gilding Arts. Each practitioner has their own training and tips to share.

How long does it take to get paid by the Society? If you are diligent in submitting your invoice for services and fees rendered in a couple of days from the completion of the class, you should receive your payment within 2 weeks. Remember to submit your SS # or your EIN. SOG teachers are considered outside contractors, and must provide a completed W-9 form to either the SOG President or the Executive Secretary each year.

Who sets the number of students per class? The teacher determines the minimum number of students to make it a worthwhile venture and the maximum number of students that your space will comfortably handle and that you can comfortably teach.

Do I have to purchase the tools for the students to buy from me? No. Our teachers have had success sourcing tools using the following options:

Invest in enough tools to use during the class and all tools are returned to the teacher at the end of the course.

• Ask a gilding supply distributor and to make a kit with your specifications that you can direct your students to purchase privately.
• Source the tools that you want your students to use and charge them through the registration process, i.e. tool fee. This fee is collected by the SOG prior to the student coming to your class, guaranteeing that you will be reimbursed.
• Allow students to bring their own tools. If a teacher selects this option, their We are very much open to artisans making their own tools and repurposing tools for gilding application, but the class can easily be held back by a student with non-functioning tools.  We also suggest you have an extra tools/material kit on hand, just in case.

Any additional questions about teaching for the SOG? Please contact Peter Miller @ phmillerstudio@gmail.com