Ringing Forums

This discussion seems to be going down the path of blaming everything on a nonexistent caricature of ringing. I'm sure a lot of branches are doing similar things to us. We run separate practices aimed at different groups, elementary, advanced and young ringers, as well as a general practice, and in all cases we know who will be there because we ask people to say if the will be. The practices are appreciated by those who attend, but there are still many who don't.

I think it's great that ringing for the Coronation is being promoted, but ... how many are going to get beyond Rs&CCs? ....otherwise we aren't going to fix the current problems, we are just going to produce another tranche of ringers with the same issues that we already have, — John de Overa

Have we forgotten what happened with recruiting for the Millennium?

I either read about or was taught the things you listed, but it still took time to develop the skills - but at least I knew what I was aiming fo — John de Overa

One objective of The New Ringer's Book was to be comprehensive, ie to compliment what the ringer gets from a good teacher and to make good what the ringer doesn't get from a bad teacher.
Another was to go beyond bell handling and cover dynamic bell control and the basics of method ringing (not teaching any specific methods) and to give a forward looking vision of a potential ringing career.
Of course a book can only give information, not the live experience of sight and sound and feel, but I think it goes some way towards what you are suggesting.

Basic handling ... is essentially a once-only process ... is mostly taught one-on-one; ...When it comes to methods ...it is more the tower or the group that does the teaching. — David Smith

That's more or less what happens - and it has two flaws.
Basic handling (viz not falling off your bike) is a long way short of coaching in dynamic bell control (viz confidently manoeuvring and avoiding traffic) and because the physical teaching is seen as a once-only process only the first bit tends to be done.
Methods are learnt 'with the tower or group' but there's often not much 'teaching' other than the odd helpful comment while supporting the struggling learner.
In that sort of environment, the ones able to pick up bell control intuitively once they can handle, and the ones who find method learning easy without help, tend to get ahead, while the rest struggle on while developing habits and attitudes that don't help them to advance.
Hence the big gap rather than the continuum.

there's a huge void between PB5 and Surprise, — John de Overa

The perceived gap is much bigger than the actual underlying gap. If method complexity were the only barrier there would be a gradual falling off at each stage, but what we observe is more abrupt, with most people getting stuck trying to climb the first rung.
PB isn't that complex, but any complexity is too much if you haven't been given the skills to move your bell where you want it without having to think about the process. It's like trying to do cross country rally driving without being able to go accurately round corners, and having to look for the clutch pedal when you change gear.
So those with good control skills progress to more methods as and when they get the opportunity, why shouldn't they, and those without the skills keep struggling with the first step, unless they convince themselves they 'don't want to progress'. Hence the gap at mid levels.

Has anyone done any research on what ringers wan — Alan C

I think there has been some. But there is an over simplification hidden in that question.
Satisfying the desires of the current occupants of towers, many of whom are likely to say they don't want anything, is unlikely to generate the large numbers of capable, motivated ringers X needed to secure a healthy future for ringing.
Devon ringers don't bother ringing methods because they prefer to focus on achieving immaculate call changes. That's a coded ions choice to improve performance in a different way. But how many of the ringers in method land who don't ring methods have made such a choice about their performance? In fact how many see themselves as performers?

that's an interesting idea but there's an implicit assumption behind it that at each 'level' there will be a suitable proportion of competent teachers of the skills leading to it. Given that condition then ringers could be passed on with the foundation skills they need to make further progress.
But I wonder how true it is. With the notable exception of Devon style call change ringers I suspect that a disproportionate number those able to teach the bell control skills needed for method ringing do themselves ring methods. If that's true then it skews the teaching group towards those whose own ringing is more advanced.

I'd be interested to hear thoughts on how such people could be identified? — John de Overa

We could start by looking at what is done in other skill based activities, sports and musical performance being obvious comparators. There must be quite a few ringers with relevant experience.
I don't have that direct experience, either of overt selection (by the recruiter) or of self selection (by the recruit), but the sort of questions I would ask of someone who has would ask are:
How do you help potential recruits to understand the skills needed to succeed at xxx, how xxx enhances or constrains one's lifestyle, and what sort of rewards it delivers.
How can you assess aptitude for xxx early in training, eg by audition, trials, tests, ...
How do you and the recruit manage the decision to continue or not?
How much of the stake in continuing or not continuing is owned by the recruit (eg sunk training fees) and how much is owned by the recruiter (eg sunk training time, opportunity cost of others nit trained, etc)?

we tend to see ringing, and all its important facets, from our own point of view, which often can be somewhat blinkered.. — Phillip George

Quite! In our little bubbles we tend not to think about those outside, including our (involuntary) audiences. I discussed the need to relate better to non ringers in the series that began with the 'begging bowl' article I mentioned earlier.

Mind you I have been assuming that the marketing will be aimed at non-ringers. If the marketing is to be aimed at guilds, associations, tower captains and ringers in general and if the aim is to get a total shift in the way most think about T&D then I can very much see the point — A J Barnfield

I too assumed it would be outward facing. If ringing were widely perceived as a high skill, high status activity then recruiting would no longer be a case accepting anyone we can get, with more emphasis on encouraging and selecting those who are well suited and likely to do well.
However, there is a problem with that. It will work for some bands, those where the lived experience is of a high status activity, with training and development capability to match. But not all bands are like that, so to avoid a very high 'returns' rate from those disappointed with the advertised product we need some serious internal changes.
That is probably harder to achieve, and I'm not sure marketing, even inwardly aimed, will achieve it.

Wasn't it much easier in the 'good old days' — Nick Cronin

Yes, but in the good old days I was younger and more sure footed. Now I find I need to take great care if there isn't a rope or handrail.

would it not be more sensible to judge an organisation by its results rather than focusing on what you consider a silly name?
I hope recruits aren't put off by what (to a non ringer) are silly method names.

don't suppose anyone wants to perform badly, but why people ring is their own business and their motives are not subject to the a — Alan C

I'm sure no one wants to perform badly, but if their motivation doesn't include performance as an objective, I've they don't see themselves as performers, the question might not enter their heads.
And I don't think motivation is 'their own business' if it undermines what others can achieve. And it is certainly a legitimate interest for anyone investing lots of time and energy into their teaching and support.

If bands perform badly, that reflects on their ability rather than their motivation — Alan C

In most cases it will depend on both, since motivation will be a strong determinant of whether they try to improve their ability, whether they are aware if they have done so, and whether they choose to inflict what they are capable of on an involuntary audience.

individual cases are different, so a standard answer might not be the best. That doesn't mean do nothing, it means look for a better solution. On a narrow staircase how about installing the rope/rail around the central column, where you are unlikely to stand anyway?
I have to say, as I get older and less steady I appreciate having my hand on something, in case needed.

What do you want to achieve in ringing? — Phillip George

The long list, even omitting according to preference, all seem to be secondary, means to one core reason. I get reward from helping others to succeed and fulfil themselves as ringers, but if I got no fulfilment from my own ringing, now or in the past, why would I put the effort into helping ringers rather than say footballers or wood carvers? And why would I want to be part of a community of people with whom I didn't share a any aspiration?
I agree that everyone doesn't want to ting S12 or whatever, and most people don't aspire to win competitions, but surely there aspire to some level of performance that gives therm and their audience satisfaction. There has to be San element of fulfilment in the ringing itself, otherwise why do it? If all you want is the social side just go straight to the pub. If all you want is to serve your church, give out hymn books or make the coffee which is much easier, or join the choir where the average standard of performance may be higher.

never play the 'desparate for new ringers' card — Peter Sotheran

Agree entirely. I used the phrase 'begging bowl or welcome sign' in the first of my articles on relationship with the public for our branch newsletter, see: https://jaharrison.me.uk/New/Articles/UsThem/

interesting that you frame the constraint on a DMO in terms of the weaknesses of local organisation rather than as a weakness of the CC per se. Your views in that direction are well known but I hadn't linked them directly with the problem of making the transition to a DMO.

but a couple of sentences after saying we need buy in, he does reiterate that: 'we really need to do it'.
So let's not sit cynically on the sidelines expecting nothing to happen, but rather engage in whatever ways we can to help make something happen.
People said the CC would never reform itself, and a few attempts by various presidents did fizzle out. But once the work had been put in to make the case for change, there was a strong majority in favour.
As I have said before, if we were there already it would be accepted as normal. The problem is working out how to make the transition from where we are now. That's what makes folk uncomfortable.

someone who was on a geology field trip. They were in the middle of a field and were told they had to wear hard hats. The only injury was when one of the hats blew off, bounced across the field and gave someone else a nasty gash on their face. — Robin Shipp

That story should be kept and quoted to anyone demanding unsupported precautions in the name of 'health and safety'.
In fact anyone using the term 'health an safety' as justification is likely not to have thought through the rationale, because health risks and safety risks are usually quite different. Health risks are generally long term side effects, often 'slow burn' and not appreciated, of things working as designed, whereas safety risks are generally the immediate effects of something going wrong. Think asbestosis v falling off scaffolding.