Chapter III · Service & Learning Design

Classes as a System

I relaunched Paxton Gate’s dormant workshop program — about 46 workshops a year in insect spreading and taxidermy. A two-hour class looks simple from the student’s seat. Here is everything that made it simple.

Learning design
Documentation
Program building

Everything one class needs, for the green peacock swallowtail (Papilio blumei): taxonomy poster, nameplate, certificate, info sheets and table cards.

~46workshops a year, in insect spreading and taxidermy

5moments from sign-up to follow-up, each one designed

1document set per species taught

The class, from sign-up to follow-up

RegistrationA certificate-style confirmation with the date, place and policies
Two weeks outA prep email from me, so everyone arrives ready
PrepFoam, vellum and grid paper cut; every material checked and stocked
The classA written curriculum and a full document set for the species
AfterA follow-up email to close the loop

The paperwork behind one class — sphinx moth

Registration certificate for the Sphinx Moth Spreading Class, with an ink illustration of a hawk moth — **Registration certificate**

Second page of the sphinx moth class certificate — Certificate, page 2

First page of the Sphinx Moth Spreading Class curriculum — **Curriculum**, page 1

Sphinx Moth Spreading Class curriculum, page 2 — Curriculum, page 2

Sphinx Moth Spreading Class curriculum, page 3 — Curriculum, page 3

Sphinx Moth Spreading Class curriculum, page 4 — Curriculum, page 4

Sphinx Moth Spreading Class curriculum, page 5 — Curriculum, page 5

Written so any instructor could teach it. Press a page to read it.

Teaching the teachers

I also ran a hands-on spreading class for the store staff, so anyone on the floor could answer a customer’s question. Anything we couldn’t answer, I looked up and shared with everyone as an FAQ.

Staff spreading class handout, page 1 — Staff class, page 1

Staff spreading class handout, page 2 — Page 2

Staff spreading class handout, page 3 — Page 3