Training

[Jess132]

Hi all,

Do you need an advanced beekeeping certificate in order to provide an introduction to bee keeping course?
I've phoned around including the BBKA and MDBKA and keep getting different answers, I've been passed on to the exam board too and am getting nowhere.

Please help?

Kind Regards
Jess

 

[itma]

As long as you aren't claiming any specific authorisation or endorsement, I don't see how anyone could stop you.

 

[Jess132]

Thats my thoughts exactly, I'm trained to teach and just want to give some of my volunteers extra knowledge without having to pay £110 each for them to go on a non accredited basic beekeeping course. I did the basic beekeeping course and have learnt far more by actually doing the beekeeping itself.

some people say no its a hobby and others say you must have your advanced beekeeping... I think i might just go ahead with the training and see if anyone contests..

 

[eric]

Jess
Just do it

 

[VEG]

Who would stop you? You can teach beekeeping without any qualifications.

 

[Dishmop]

As long as you dont claim you have something that you dont.



I know of somebody who keeps bees and says they had training as a beekeeper 15 years ago.
Nothing wrong with that. Sounds good on a CV etc. doesnt it? but,

(a) it doesnt mean that they have a certificate,
(b) or that whoever they recieved their training from had a certificate,
(c) or even that they have actually kept bees for 15 years, and therefore they may have very little experience at keeping bees.

 

[VEG]

At the end of the day a certificate only shows you passed that particular test. Doesnt mean they have the knowledge to use it. There a quite a few in my association that teach with no formal beekeeping quals just the knowledge gained with years of beekeeping.

 

[Russel]

I've been asked by the course tutor and education sec to take the 3rd classroom session "Getting down to basics" (the kit bit) of this years beginners course.
Although I have the BBKA Basic under my belt, I don't think it's for my beekeeping skills , maybe they'll add a "how not to keep bees" and put me in charge?
So no you don't need anything really.
Russ

 

[ultreen1]

I've been asked by the course tutor and education sec to take the 3rd classroom session "Getting down to basics" (the kit bit) of this years beginners course.
Although I have the BBKA Basic under my belt, I don't think it's for my beekeeping skills , maybe they'll add a "how not to keep bees" and put me in charge?
So no you don't need anything really.
Russ

My pea shooter will be ready for you! Ill be at the back of classroom...will I have to call you Sir?
I am looking forward to Dianne's week on swarming!

 

[masterBK]

jess 123
you may have the teaching skills but do you enough knowledge and experience of beekeeping to do this? There are plenty of self appointed "experts" out there that have not been put to the test by taking any exams or assessments in beekeeping that are merrily spreading incorrect information and bad beekeeping practice to gullible beginners. I'm fairly sure with your teaching experience you will do a good job but how would you know if you were passing on incorrect stuff? Maybe by submitting your lesson plans and handouts to a more experienced teacher of beekeeping for scrutiny and feedback? There is always the BBKA white and yellow courses in a case and the BBKA guide to beekeeping by Ivor Davis et al which, although not perfect, are quite useful guides at this level.

 

[Easy Beesy]

I've been asked by the course tutor and education sec to take the 3rd classroom session "Getting down to basics" (the kit bit) of this years beginners course.
Although I have the BBKA Basic under my belt, I don't think it's for my beekeeping skills , maybe they'll add a "how not to keep bees" and put me in charge?
So no you don't need anything really.
Russ

Hi Russ

Is this part of the bbkas 'course in a case' thing?

 

[Easy Beesy]

Jess
Do you feel you know enough to answer all the questions younger get asked? Do you feel able to tell people all about the different types of bees/hives/diseases/management that there are?
Have you got your H&S and risk assessment done to cover any problems?
Then away you go, there's nothing to stop you passing on knowledge & experience to others.

If you're worried about any comebacks or unforeseen legal issues you could just not call it a course - call it 'an experience' or something like that.
Eb

 

[VEG]

All this talk of exams its an introduction to beekeeping the OP is on about.

 

[Russel]

Hi Russ

Is this part of the bbkas 'course in a case' thing?

It's our associations adaptation of the 1st CiaC, the history of Bees & BK'ing with equipment assembly thrown in for good measure.

I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time to someone but as the day draws closer, 19th Feb, I'm having second thoughts ?
Was a bit surprised when asked as this will be my 3rd season as a bee keeper/minder.
But as I said it's not my husbandry skills they're after.

And just to make things a little more complicated my predecessor used OHP's and someone managed to wipe the usb stick, so I've had to cobble together a presentation based on that and the CiaC folder material.
Now have get that checked by the PTB and redo it all!

Just hope there are no clever dicks that know more than I do?

Russ

 

[susbees]

I'm fairly sure with your teaching experience you will do a good job but how would you know if you were passing on incorrect stuff? Maybe by submitting your lesson plans and handouts to a more experienced teacher of beekeeping for scrutiny and feedback? There is always the BBKA white and yellow courses in a case and the BBKA guide to beekeeping by Ivor Davis et al which, although not perfect, are quite useful guides at this level.

To teach even an intro course effectively I agree with this. I have spent today teaching two full sessions of our "second year" course (a postponed snow session first) to a dozen of our beekeepers. I do mean teaching with lesson plans, interactive tasks, a few slides at appropriate times, flipchart etc. While you can stifle questioning by presenting powerpoints with limited time for questions at the end (not that you intend to of course) a depth of knowledge of accepted wisdom and practice and much more can be an issue if you haven't ticked the boxes of the relevant syllabuses.

Even beginners can arrive with a depth of reading and other ideas and maybe have bees already. All this needs unravelling to give them the best start. As an association we have little in the way of exam-tick beekeepers but I wouldn't have been doing my job credibly without at least Modules 1-3 and Basic at this level (and being a few weeks off Module 6 helped today too).

If there is the experience locally use it would be my suggestion. FWIW. Courses at £100 or so are paid for when the nuc colony survives its first winter, doesn't swarm away and produces a little honey .

 

[itma]

jess 123
... There are plenty of self appointed "experts" out there that have not been put to the test by taking any exams or assessments in beekeeping that are merrily spreading incorrect information and bad beekeeping practice to gullible beginners. ...

... There is always the BBKA white and yellow courses in a case and the BBKA guide to beekeeping by Ivor Davis et al which, although not perfect, are quite useful guides at this level.

Jess, there is nothing to stop you appointing yourself.
Hopefully you wouldn't be spreading bad practice.

The white "Course in a Case" is specifically designed as a framework for giving an introductory course like this - and (whisper it gently) was probably hoped to cut down on the amount of opinion being passed off as fact.
Nevertheless, I must ask -- does the current white CiC still state that hives "should preferably be made of wood?" That struck me as being more a matter of opinion than fact...

 

[susbees]

The white "Course in a Case" is specifically designed as a framework for giving an introductory course like this - and (whisper it gently) was probably hoped to cut down on the amount of opinion being passed off as fact.

 

[Chris B]

Exams and study certainly have their place. But if you have good teaching skills coupled with some solid beekeeping experience you are better equipped to teach a beginners course than many "qualified" beekeepers who might not teach well.