Are you interested in teaching, and have a great idea for a community education course? The COS Community Education department is always looking for instructors that have a desire to share their skills and knowledge with others. We do not require you to have a degree to teach a course. You just need to have the ability to present your skill or knowledge to others.
There are many different class categories to choose from – Arts, Music & Languages; Business & Entrepreneurial ; Certificate & Renewals; Computer & Technology; Health, Fitness & Wellness; Hobbies, Crafts & Interests; Home & Garden; Personal Development; and Travel & Leisure; or anything else you can come up with.
Examples: Origami, the steps to starting your own business, floral design, wood carving, jewelry making, dancing, weight loss/exercise, and anything else you enjoy doing or making.
Our classes are not-for-credit, which means our office does not receive funding from the state for any of our courses, so all expenses of the department are funded through the course fees (registration, catalog, instructor salaries, etc.).
Does this sound interesting to you? Have an idea of what you would like to teach? Keep reading.
Think about the following:
Decide the topic of your class and think about a catchy title for your class.
Decide what your students will get out of the class (what information they will learn, what project they will complete, etc.)
Plan how many times the class will need to meet (class sessions) to meet your desired outcomes for your students. Do not plan a class that will need too many sessions. Most students looking to take community education courses are looking for short-term classes. You might consider breaking a class into beginning/intermediate or a I/II classes (we can help you determine the best length once your proposal has been accepted and you have been invited for an interview).
Decide the number of hours for each class session. Remember, the more sessions/hours the class meets, the more we must charge for the class.
Look at your schedule and decide what days of the week would be best for you to teach your class, for example, Monday evenings or Saturday mornings. We will need this information to schedule your class, if your proposal is accepted.
If you are proposing a craft or hands-on class, be prepared to bring a sample to the interview. Bring a picture if an actual sample is not practical to bring in.
What is the minimum and maximum number of students you could teach? (Please be reasonable).
Complete a Proposal Form
Please read the “General Information for Teaching Community Education Classes”. If you are interested in teaching for us, print the Proposal Form.
General Information for Teaching CE classes.pdf
Community Ed Proposal FormPlease complete the form in its entirety. If you have questions or are unsure how to answer a specific question, please give us a call and we can provide you with direction.
If you are proposing to teach more than one class, you will need to submit a separate proposal form for each class you propose.
Please allow at least one week for your proposal to arrive and time for staff to review. If you do not hear from us, please call our office at (559) 688-3130 to see if we have received/reviewed your proposal.
Mail completed forms to:
COS Training Resource Center
Tulare Campus
4999 E. Bardsley Ave.
Tulare, Ca 93274