I enrolled in the Sampler Arts Course, 6-9pm Mondays, designed to give beginners an understanding…read moreof different mediums and their applications and felt excited about the upcoming learning. On the first night it became apparent that half the class had different instructions on what materials to bring to first class. I was gifted materials from the kind person next to me. (that person did not turn up again) The teacher appeared tired and unenthusiastic. The information she provided was minimal and sometimes inadequate. Her voice, with strong accent, was very hard hear and this was exacerbated by clanging and banging from the adjacent room. Over the subsequent weeks, this demeanor continued and one had to work hard to understand her instructions, observe her practice and try and reproduce that at our desks in short time frame. I felt that with this level of engagement, more learning could have been acquired by googling and you tubing. I note that this teacher does most of the art classes WEA run and maybe she is overcommitted? My overall experience of WEA has been much better and comes down to the qualities and character of the teacher which is usually a good standard.

This is a great, much cheaper, alternative to TAFE and takes a lot less time. Basically WEA offers…read moreshort courses in almost anything you can imagine (and some things you probably wouldn't believe anyway unless you read them). Not sure if there is an age minimum but as a teenager in high school I did a couple of courses there. One was a Beginner Saxophone course. My mum was sick and tired of me wanting to play an instrument, doing it for a couple of terms of a year then getting bored and choosing a different instrument. So this time she told me I had to do this course first and see if I really liked it. Well her bad luck - I loved it! Then she had to start getting me more expensive real lessons so I could progress further after the course but I still have my sax and play to this day. I also did a hair braiding course here where I learnt so many cool things for a) a female, and b) one with long hair. My friends was as glad as I was that I had done the course! Plus I've done a speed reading course here to help me get through work quicker at school. All 3 were fantastic experiences and I met some new people and learnt some new skills. A great alternative to meet some friends with similar interests - especially if you're not a pub type person. Check out their website. As well as the courses they even have educational trips, like study tours I guess, which can travel to many places in the world and be from a few days to a few weeks long. There really is something for everyone!

I remember back when I was in high school I would had to present a few speeches. Back then I would…read moresay my performances were uneven. Sometimes I present myself as being confident and relaxed, and other times quite nervous and uneasy. Sometimes I would connect with the audience and other times I didn't even come close. I was frustrated about this because I wanted to be a good speaker all the time, not just onces or twice but all the time. So I decided to do something about this and I learn about Toastmasters. In Toastmasters: * You learn how to write for the ear. * How to prepare different types of speeches for different occasions. * How to use personal stories in a good way. * How to conduct enjoyable meetings that finish on time. * How to give supportive evaluations to help other speakers improve. * How to benefit from evaluations without getting defensive. * How to answer a question you didn't expect when you don't have time to think. Those are some of the skills that will you will learn if you join Toastmasters. No one become a good speaker overnight, you'll just have to learn these skills by doing it. And the best way to do it is by practicing it in front of a group of like-minded people, who are also here to improve on their public speaking skills.

Carclew is a magnificent landmark building in North Adelaide, prominently standing in pride of…read moreplace on the corners of Jeffcott Street, Montefiore Hill and Strangways Tce and to think this was once a private residence up until 1965 is amazing! It has since emerged as South Australia's only youth arts establishment for the under 26 age group, providing many arts and recreation programs to help our youth gain experience whilst embracing multi culuralism in the community. This is all possible due to South Australian government initiatives. During the year there are many events, exhibitions and workshops taking place, so have a look online or go for a impromptu visit as staff are more than happy to answer any queries. During the school holidays is a great time to take your kids to any one of the great programs run by SA artists and tutors at reasonable prices, age groups are divided to cater to their capabilities. Have a look online and book as places are filled quickly.

Carclew is in an absolutely stunning building, built in 1897 and owned by the Bonython family for…read moremost of it's early history. Now it is a youth arts centre, and it was in that capacity that I arrived here - I was invited to teach a cross stitch workshop yesterday - 45 kids over the whole day in 3 separate workshops - PHEW!! The staff here really know what they are doing - they are organised, very good at handling kids and keeping them interested, and very good to work with. There are a lot of activities to keep your kids occupied, and to teach them very important artistic and lateral thinking skills. School holidays they have programs - yesterday I was part of the 3-in-1 Workshop day, where your kids get to do 3 different workshops from 9.00 to 5.00, in groups of 15. All tutors and assistants must have a current police check for working with children, and there are staff on hand all day to make sure everything is running smoothly. Kids are not allowed to wander around by themselves - it's a very tightly-run ship! We will definitely be taking my partner's daughter to the next one of these, as the staff are very trustworthy, and the workshops are of a high standard.