AAW has over 300 local chapters throughout the world, where groups of woodturners with common interests gather to improve their woodturning skills. Click here to access a searchable database of all AAW chapters.
As a service to both the AAW chapters and demonstrators, we at the AAW are continuously trying to help figure out ways to extend the communication process between demonstrators and chapters once initial contact is made. We thought it might help if we provided you with a demonstrator check list and evaluation form.
These two files may help your chapter have more successful demonstrations in the future. One of the files is a good basic checklist to go through with a prospective demonstrator so that you each know what the other needs and expects. Often, a chapter will not cover all of the points and when it is “show time”, something has not been discussed and things can be less than perfect. I certainly recommend that the AAW chapters rely on the demonstrator list of Professional Outreach Program (POP) members on the AAW web site. The list of demonstrators is a searchable database (click here for access), aimed at making it easy to locate professional demonstrators by there home location.
If you do not already know the demonstrator first hand, it is a good idea to ask them for the names of other chapters for which they have demonstrated and then call those chapter presidents for referrals.
The second attached file is an evaluation form. So that you will know how the demonstrator is coming across to your members and to be able to help the demonstrator continue to improve their presentations, you may download this form and have enough copies for all members present. You can have your members fill out their evaluation and turn it in so that you can see the feed back and then give all forms to the demonstrator. They will be able to see how they are doing. They will learn where they can improve their presentation and they will become better demonstrators. We use a form like this at the AAW Symposiums. The demonstrators gain a lot from it and the AAW finds out how the members feel about the demonstrations.
Your members want and appreciate good demonstrations. I hope that these tools will help you deliver just what they want. Let us know if these are of help to you and if you have any suggestions that would further benefit the program.
John Hill – AAW Chapters and Membership