Held at All Saints’ Marsworth – Saturday 17th October 2015
Tutor: Pip Penney

Six Teachers and two Mentors met, representing Barnes, Caterham, Fulham, Great Brickhill, Linslade, Wokingham and Woughton on the Green Towers.

Practical exercises in the tower, learning how to give feedback whilst ringing

Having been a Tower Captain for 40 years and just spent two years teaching a new band in a local tower, virtually from scratch, I have held ART at arms length for some time now with a slightly arrogant attitude of “what can they teach me that I do not already know”. I am pleased to say that this was quickly dispelled with Pip giving a comprehensive and interesting presentation covering Foundation Skills, Building a Band, Plain Hunt and Plain Bob skills development, topped off with sound advice on Running a Good Practice. Okay “so I knew it all” but it certainly reminded me of a number of things I was not actually doing and should be.

Pip Penney tutoring the course at Marsworth

I am pleased I went and I gained a lot from finding out that all the teaching problems I have are replicated across many towers and there are things you can do to stimulate interest, and get them to progress incrementally with little bits of valuable fun.  The practical exercises were excellent, some helpful books were available, and the tips and advice of fellow participants all added value to the day.

Advice on ‘standing behind’ whilst teaching plain hunt

I presented myself as a Teacher with a Mentor that I taught to ring 35 years ago.  All I have to do now is to complete the theory tests and paperwork process that is slightly daunting and I might just make it to accreditation.
Many thanks to Pip and to Richard Booth for all the practical support to the day, especially rescuing my iPad that I left behind in my rush to get home for the rugby.

Brian Baldwin, Tower Captain, Woughton on the Green, Milton Keynes