FAQ – Teaching BU Classes

A: We accept proposals in late December/early January. Fill out a proposal form with your idea and some basic information. Our team reviews proposals and responds to everyone by mid to late January. Find more information on the Teach a Class page.

Classes are educational sessions. They can range from hands-on activities to discussions to presentations or workshops. “Professors” don’t need to be experts but should have enough experience with the topic to share information or skills. You don’t need to be an experienced teacher either. We offer Tips for Professors that can help you with teaching skills and class planning.

Discussions are less structured than classes; they offer a chance for interested people to get together to talk about a specific topic. Anything from cooking to politics to sports works for a discussion, and you don’t have to be an expert to lead one. You just have to know your topic well enough; have easy access to information so you can facilitate the discussion and answer questions; and diplomatically steer participants in a productive direction if things get off course.

Meet-ups are a chance to bring together people who share an interest. You don’t need to instruct anyone or have a lot of experience yourself. They are less formal, but you still need a plan to host a good session. We can help you do that.

A: Anyone can teach! You just need a skill or interest and time to share it. We welcome BU “professors” of:

• Any age, from kids to seniors and everything in between.
• Any educational background, from pre-kindergarten to PhD. Some of the best BU “professors” never finished high school.
• Any experience level. You don’t need to be an expert on your topic or an experienced teacher. We can help you design a good class. You can also offer a meet-up group if you just want to connect with others who share your interests.
• Any location or role. We welcome anyone from anywhere. We may have to prioritize teachers who have a connection to Bethel or the White River Valley area (residents, former residents, workers, business owners, volunteers, visitors, etc.). Classes must be held either within the town of Bethel or on Zoom.
• Any type of entity. Technically, you don’t even have to be a person! BU sessions have been offered by school classes, businesses, community boards, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and more.

A: We accept as many proposals as we can, but we sometimes need to say no. Our team reviews proposals in the week after the deadline and responds right away. We ask:

• Do we have space? We aim to offer ~35-45 classes each March, to keep things manageable. We sometimes turn down proposals if we have too many or don’t have a suitable space. We typically accept one per person/organization to give more people opportunities to teach.
• Is it safe? Is it legal? BU classes must be safe, respectful, and inclusive experiences for professors, students, volunteers, and venues. We’re okay with the risk involved in many activities (sports, crafts, or cooking), but we want to hear that professors have a plan for keeping people and facilities safe.
• Is it inclusive? Appropriate? We’re not looking to censor anyone; sessions can address adult themes or sensitive topics, but please keep our diverse and community-oriented program in mind. We do not allow classes that discriminate in any way on the basis of race, religion, gender, country of origin, age, disability, language, or sexuality.
• Is it local? Is it needed? We welcome professors from anywhere in the world, but we do prioritize people and classes with ties to Bethel and the White River Valley, or classes that meet local needs and requests. We also consider the balance of classes. We may turn down classes that have been offered a lot in the past, or multiple classes on the same topic.
• Is it clear? Is it practical? We’re all about wild and crazy ideas, and we are happy to consider unusual formats or concepts for meet-ups or classes. We do make sure that the proposal is clear, we think the professor will be successful, and it will work with BU’s format and resources format and our resources.
• Is it genuine? Valuable? We love having local businesses and entrepreneurs offer classes and connect with new customers. But your session can’t just be a sales pitch – you do need to actually teach or offer something of value.

A: You can offer a class, discussion, or meet-up on whatever you know and are passionate about. That means just about anything you like (within reason). Browse our list of past classes to get ideas. Offer a session on your favorite hobby, a skill that will help or connect people, services or topics related to your business or community group, or a fun activity to do with others. You may get fewer students for a specialized topic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth offering. Here’s what we’ve learned about good topics and sessions:

• Fun and useful skills. People love home improvement, auto and bike maintenance, gardening and homesteading, art/crafts, food, exercise and sports, outdoor activities.
• Making, talking, seeing, and doing sessions. There’s a place for presentations, but students especially love hands-on activities, discussions, and demonstrations. Mix it up.
• Trendy skills and hot topics. Take a look at what’s trending on Instagram, in the news, or in local offerings. That varies year to year, from kombucha to meditation to voter education.
• Unique or valuable experiences. People are often excited to try something that’s not usually offered or available elsewhere (blacksmithing, anyone?). They are also excited by free BU classes that would usually cost money (CPR, yoga).
• Inclusive, doable sessions. You’ll have the best chance of filling seats if classes have as few restrictions or limitations as possible, are relatively short (under 2 hours), and on topics that appeal to a broad range of people.

A: All BU classes are held within the town of Bethel, Vermont, or on Zoom. At BU, our community is our campus. If you live elsewhere but want to teach in-person in Bethel, you can request a community space and we will arrange it.

We are lucky to have many community partners offering up spaces (list and space details here). We have options for large and small rooms, kitchen facilities, art and studio space, gym and fitness space, etc. You can also use your own space (business, land or trails, home) as long as it’s in Bethel.

A: We provide the Zoom room, registration, and a BU host to manage the session and help you. Here’s what you’ll need:

• A strong, reliable Internet connection (broadband or cable)
• A computer, laptop, or mobile device with video/camera and microphone/speakers
• The Zoom app (best) or a web browser to connect to the Zoom platform.
• A topic that will work in a virtual setting. Most topics can be adapted into a good virtual session (demonstrations, discussions, presentations, and more). It can take some practice, but we offer some training, tips, and resources for teaching on Zoom.

A: We offer the basics – a space, basic equipment, registration, and a BU host. You plan the class and provide any specialized supplies. Be sure to tell us exactly what you need in your proposal form:

• We have a variety of spaces, from large and small rooms to kitchen or exercise areas. Tell us if you need tables, chairs, white boards, projectors, screens, etc.
• We have a small materials fund and can often help cover books, cooking or craft supplies, printing, and other small expenses. Our community partners can sometimes loan specialized equipment like snowshoes or iPads. You either supply other unusual equipment or materials or ask students to bring them.
• We will list all classes, discussions, and meet-ups on the Eventbrite website. We create event posters and put them up throughout the area, share course info on social media, and share it to our email list. It’s always best if you also spread the word about your class, invite people to attend, share the class listing, and promote your class.
• We handle registration, communication with students, weather and illness cancellations, etc. If you need to send students a message, we can do that for you.
• A Bethel University volunteer greeter will open the building, let you in, help you set up, make opening announcements to the class, and help clean up and lock up at the end.

A: All BU classes are held during March. Teachers tell us their preferred dates and times, but we have a few guidelines.

• Classes are limited to one occurrence each. We encourage you to organize more sessions on your own, if you like, and we can help spread the word.
• We offer classes on weekends and weekday evenings at the following start times: Weekend classes start at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 6:30 pm; weekday evening classes start at 6:30 pm. We can make exceptions if you need a different time.
• You can choose your session length; from 30 minutes to three hours. We recommend 75-120 minutes for most classes. Hands-on art or cooking projects, hikes, etc., may need more time. Keep in mind that attention spans are shorter on Zoom.
• BU runs during the month of March only. Please tell us your first, second, and third choice date and time options. We’ll do our best to give everyone their first choice, but we may need to adjust to accommodate all the events. Please also tell us if you are flexible and have general availability.

A: Sorry, no money. We offer fame (possibly), glory (totally), and a limited budget for supplies. BU professors and the organizing team do not get paid. If you have a business, offering your class is a great way to introduce more people to your services or get people to your shop, or even to experiment with a new offering or service that you can later sell.

You can request a small amount of funding to cover essential materials for classes (like books, paint or brushes, or printing). We provide standard equipment like a projector and screen, flip charts and markers, and name tags. Our community partners can sometimes loan specific equipment or supplies like snowshoes, iPads, books.

A:  Yes! If you want to teach, please submit an idea and we’ll help you as much as we can.

Our planning team includes several people with experience in teaching, facilitation, and Zoom and other virtual platforms. We’re happy to answer questions or offer guidance in putting together great courses. Contact us if you’d like to request help.

We often offer teacher-training workshops to assist with developing a good course plan. Check out our Library, where you can find recordings of past trainings on Zoom skills and teaching online. You can also find recordings of some past classes to see how they were structured.

Explore the Teacher Resources page for tips, links, and a short professor’s manual.