Forming a Fascinating Womanhood Study Group: Part Two of Two

“What is required to be a successful teacher is success in living the teachings, a well prepared lesson and a conviction of the subject. That which comes from the heart reaches the heart.” ~ Mrs. Helen Andelin

*Part One of this Two-Part Series can be Read by Clicking Here

Advertising Your FW Study Group

If one is on Facebook, advertising there can be done easily and very affordably.  Just click the word ”Advertising” found at the very bottom of any Facebook page to create an ad and customize it to one’s local area.  Using a nice marriage related photo will definitely enhance the ad. 

Creating a pretty flyer and hanging it in locations around town is a must for live, local classes.

Making a small flyer or brochure for the classes to handout is a good thing to do.  These should look as nice as possible and be well-written (check spelling, grammar, etc.).

Placing an ad in one’s local newspaper is a good idea, too.

An Introductory Lesson

Offering an introduction to the course is a good way to get women interested.  Instructions for doing this are found in the Fascinating Womanhood teacher’s book.

Studying without the Student Workbook

The Fascinating Womanhood Workbook for Students isn’t essential to having a successful study group, and in today’s economy might be best left-out, as it is nearly twenty-dollars including shipping and handling.  To succeed without the workbook, just assign each lesson at the end of each chapter and focus on those.  If a study group leader has ideas for extra assignments that she thinks would be of benefit, she should share those as extras that can be chosen or not. 

Be a Leader

Some leadership skills can’t be taught, but must be developed through experience; recognizing this will give one some comfort if this is the first time she’s led a group.

Some sound advice for teaching is given in the teacher’s guide and should certainly be followed. 

Before leading the group, consider purchasing or borrowing the book Winning with People by John Maxwell.  This book should be available through online booksellers and perhaps even local ones and public libraries.

Take the study group seriously and give it devoted time and effort.  The key is to do this without disrupting one’s own family, without falling behind with them and making them less of a priority.  They are the leader’s number one focus, the group is not – it is a way to enhance her own walk as a wife, mother, and woman, and is there to help her and the other women in the group have happier, healthier marriages.

Don’t be Discouraged

If you don’t receive a lot of replies at first, keep trying.  Many women don’t know about Fascinating Womanhood and are too busy to really stop and think about adding one more thing to their schedules or looking into it more.  The best advertising and the best way to get women to want to attend your study group is to be your own best advertisement by living FW – being the total picture of femininity, radiant health, and all things FW.  Be a role model of the teachings and other women will certainly become interested in learning what you know.

Legal Considerations

Create a disclaimer for your group and have each member sign it before starting the course.

If you plan to meet in your private home, check with your home insurance company to see if you need extra coverage.  Insurance companies, at least here in Alaska, have become more stringent about groups meeting in homes and you may find that you need commercial insurance along the lines of a non-profit rather than just homeowner’s insurance.

If you plan to meet in your private home, learn about the high liabilities you are subject to by inviting people to your home.  You have a moral and legal obligation to let visitors know about possible safety hazards and specific things that could put them at risk for an accident, danger, etc. while on your property (house and land).  For example, you heat with a wood stove.  You have an obligation to let people know this in case someone has an allergy to smoke and suffers a serious reaction.  Another example would be that you have a broken step out front, you have an obligation to let people know this before they step on it and risk an injury.  If you need more information on this, please consult a lawyer or your home insurance provider. 

Follow-Up

After leading a successful study group or more, a woman may be interested in forming a local support group for women living the FW lifestyle.  In this group women could have playdates for their children as well as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings discussing the FW lifestyle.  There are all sorts of encouraging, FW-friendly things such a group could do.  This would strengthen each woman’s walk in FW as well as strengthen one’s community – for each community is only as strong as its families.  Meetup.com is an affordable, good way to set such a group up.

If you are considering starting a FW study group, thank you.  These groups are needed.

If you decide to start a FW study group and would like, send me the information on it via e-mail (pentucky(at)alaska(dot)net and I’ll, God willing, start a page on this site listing these groups and contact information for them.