Get them to pay money! (up front) … the first two sessions [are] free and without obligation, after that I will require payment of a sum of money: currently ... £100...We should … be more selective and weed out those unlikely to make the grade at an early stage, and use the time saved to bring on the ones we keep.
.Aptitude ... An experienced teacher can usually tell within the first five minutes if [their new learner] is going to struggle, or if they are a complete natural.
and that may make it even harder for those struggling to find the money. That includes families of teenagers, who are the best prospects as long-term ringers, but also have the additional possible calls on time enthusiasm and money from sports equipment, musical instruments, clothes, phones, computers, catch-up-tutoring: and these expensive teenagers can only assess the competing demands when they have had-a-good-go, and maybe only then if they find some mutually-compatible teenager doing the same activities.The money does not get added to [Philp’s personal funds, who doesn’t] need or want £100 for teaching people to ring
We should … be more selective and weed out those unlikely to make the grade at an early stage, and use the time saved to bring on the ones we keep.
If you have got some magical way to attract demand, then please share. — J Martin Rushton
Wherever did you get that idea? It's an association of teachers, and it gets enough publicity to make its activities well known. Teaching starts at the beginning, and in practice ART expends more effort on the basics than on anything remotely resembling 'high end' ringing (unless by 'high end' you mean competent).ART ... I thought it was a bit of a "closed shop" for high end method ringers only — J Martin Rushton
Don't you have to ring a peal or something similar before you can join ART? — J Martin Rushton
I remember there was some comment in the RW maybe 10 years ago that ART was irrelevant to change ringing towers. — J Martin Rushton
...some ... extreme reactions to the original letter in [6 Jan 2023] Ringing World. — John Harrison
… I teach [ringing] ... to share the wonderful activity which has been a significant part of my life… I want others to experience the fun, friendship and challenge of being a ringer… We teach people to ring because the bells are part of the life of the church and wider community. … The church welcomes all, regardless of age and ability, and ... [ringing teachers] should do the same. … Ringing is a church activity and learning to ring at your local tower should never incur a charge. [Learners] come to their own conclusions about their ability ... [and] and until they decide whether ... ringing is for them, I continue to teach and support them. If [they] become a part of the local band, turn up and ring for Sunday service and are enjoying themselves, that is good ...If [they] decide not to continue ... it is time well spent helping to promote ringing and ensuring that more people in the community understand what ringing is about. … — Sally Thomas
...[While businesses] cannot waste time and valuable resources training the incompetent… …ringing has a… greater impact … in many areas of personal, church and community life. ...We are a ringing community, getting together as a team, attaining pleasure in meeting personal and team goals, and as teachers we should be supporting that. … Ringers will come and go as life takes its course. — Mark Robbins
… slow-learner who simply enjoy [ringing] at their own pace, [and] the ... stellar natural talent … all are needed, especially now. … [Give] everyone a chance, and maybe another and yet another [Teachers who] come across a natural talent, a gifted bellringer, ... should pool these talents from various towers … Much like a Centre of Excellence. — Niels Benetar
Maybe the bellhandling needs to be separated from the mentoring through competent rounds, different bells and to basic methods. — PeterScott
I do think teaching of handling tends to stop far too soon — John de Overa
Legally in modern times it is owned by the PCC, but 'the parish' has a wider meaning of the local community. In the times when many of our bells were installed the ecclesiastical church was only responsible for the chancel. The rest of the church, including the tower and bells belonged to the community in a more real sense, and it's upkeep was down to the civic authority in a town or the Lord of the Manor in the country.a donated bell belongs to the parish — J Martin Rushton
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