Purpose

This guide exists to help you:

Lead successful and safe workshops.
Understand expectations, procedures and best practices.
Find what you need quickly: before, during and after class.
Give participants a welcoming and consistent experience.

1. Before your first class: your setup list

When the education team invites you, your email link opens a setup list. You can see it any time at makehaven.org/instructor/setup.

Choose a password so you can sign in again later.
Add your photo and a short bio. Your instructor page is what people read before they sign up. A photo of you in a shop and three or four sentences about what you make and like teaching are enough.
Read this guidebook and confirm at the bottom of the page that you have read it.
Sign the instructor agreement. It takes about five minutes. Type your full legal name to sign.
Watch the member orientation video and pass the quiz. This is the same video every member watches, so you know what your students have been told about safety and the space.
Book your in-person Site Orientation using the regular scheduling page (makehaven.org/schedule). It is a short walkthrough of the building and safety, and you pick up your access card there.

Every instructor does steps 5 and 6, members and non-members alike.

2. Planning a class

Make and take. Students should leave with something they made, whenever that is possible.
Mostly hands-on. Most of the class should be students working, not watching. Lecture-style classes need staff approval in advance.
A handout and an outline. Bring a short handout of the key steps and resources, and a slideshow or written outline.
Save your materials to the MakeHaven Google Drive folder we share with you: syllabus, outline or slides, and handout.
Timeline. Send your class proposal at least 30 days before the date you want. A class needs to be on the public calendar about a month before it runs so people can find it.
Minimum enrollment. The minimum is usually half of the maximum. About four days before class we decide together whether to run, reschedule or cancel. If MakeHaven cancels for low enrollment, there is no payment for that class.
Pricing. Ticket price = (instructor pay + MakeHaven costs) ÷ minimum attendees + supplies per person. Members get 15% off the public price.

3. Before each class

Arrival

Arrive early enough to set up fully: at least 15 minutes before the start.
Come earlier for your first class, or if your class has a large material layout. A staff member will be there at the start of your first class to help.

Getting in yourself

You get your access card at your Site Orientation. If you are not a member, it is for teaching and class preparation, not open shop time. If you become a member, the same card works 24/7.
Before your first class, check with the Education Manager how you will get in on class day.

Parking

Parking information: makehaven.org/visit
MakeHaven does not reimburse parking.
If you park in the 270 State Street garage, use a discount sticker. They are on the clipboard by the first aid kit in the classroom and on the front table in the main space.

Supplies and materials

Supplies for your class are in the classroom (shelves or the front table) or in labeled bins in the far back aisle of the main storage room. The Education Manager will tell you where yours are.
Tell us what you need in your proposal. Staff order supplies, and they normally arrive the week of the class. You are welcome to come in beforehand to check supplies and the space.
If you take materials from the MakeHaven Store, open the item page in the online store, choose Education Use and enter the quantity, so inventory stays accurate.
Any tools or supplies MakeHaven buys for a class stay MakeHaven property.

Your space

Your assigned space is listed on the event page at makehaven.org/events.
If someone else is using it: politely tell them about the reservation and give them a few minutes to clean up and leave. If needed, contact the Education Manager. If they are unavailable, ask any staff member: the Shop Manager, Operations Manager or Executive Director.

Who is coming

Your class roster is on your instructor dashboard (makehaven.org/instructor/dashboard), and on the event page under "View Registrants". Check it before class to plan seating, pacing and material quantities.

4. Classroom technology

Preferred: Chromecast. Alternative: the HDMI cable (blue cord at the TV). If you use HDMI, switch the input by hand, then set it back to Chromecast when you finish.
Main room / common area display: Chromecast or direct HDMI. The HDMI port is on the side of the TV. You may need to unplug the Chromecast temporarily; plug it back in when you finish.
Remotes: classroom TV remote on the lectern; main space TV remote in the acrylic holder under the TV shelf.
If the tech fails: check the TV's power and input; switch between Chromecast and HDMI; restart the display or the Chromecast. If it still does not work, tell staff or the Education Manager.

5. Letting students in and showing them around

Intercom

Students ring the classroom or main space intercom to get in. The classroom unit is by the coat hooks; the main space unit is to the left of the red doors.
To answer: press microphone to speak, unlock to open the door, hangup to end the call.
Tell students how to get to you. Classroom: down the long hallway, through the glass double doors, bear left, then through the glass double doors by the stairs. Main space: down the long hallway, through the glass double doors, then down to the basement by elevator or stairs. Tell classroom students to avoid the front elevator.

Bathrooms

Main space: go past the kitchen and turn left. There are two gender-neutral bathrooms on the right.
Classroom: leave the classroom, turn left, go through the first set of glass doors, then take the hallway immediately to the right. There are two gender-neutral bathrooms there.

Coats and bags

Classroom hooks; the coat rack outside the red doors in the main space; cubbies inside the main shop.

6. Running your class

Opening

Greet students as they arrive. Start with introductions.
Tell everyone where the bathrooms are. A quick reminder saves interruptions later.
An icebreaker helps people get comfortable.
Cover essential safety early.
Tell students when to ask questions: any time, or at pauses you choose.

Attendance, in the room

About 15 minutes after the start, we email you a link, and your dashboard shows a Happening now button. Tick everyone who came. Anyone you leave unticked is recorded as a no-show, so we can follow up with them. You can re-save it later if someone arrives late.
Everyone in class should be registered: registering is how students sign the MakeHaven waiver. If someone is there who is not on your list, add them on the attendance page and let the Education Manager know.

During class

Encourage students to ask questions and work with the materials.
Support different comfort levels: offer guidance, not pressure to be perfect.
Keep materials visible and within reach to cut down on searching.
Tools: only supervise tools you are authorized to use, especially badged tools. Students may use a tool only when you are authorized on it and the safety rules are followed. Some tools need a second person present ("safety buddy"), and that applies in class too.
Badge classes: if your class awards a tool badge, the class is the badging session. At the end, use Class checkout on your dashboard to mark each student Complete class & issue badge or Attended, did not pass. The student gets an email either way.

Late arrivals

A student who arrives too late to finish the project is welcome to stay and watch. Do not restart or pause the class to catch them up. Offer a short summary at a natural pause.

Teaching tips

Keep the tone supportive. People learn best when relaxed.
Keep demonstrations short; avoid long lectures.
Check in with quieter students. Some need a direct invitation.
If you do not know an answer, say so and follow up afterwards.
Have fun. Enthusiasm matters more than perfection.

7. Safety and emergencies

Emergencies: call 911 first. The address is 770 State Street, New Haven, CT.

Where the safety equipment is

First aid kits: the back shelf of the classroom, and next to the metal shop door.
Eyewash: at the slop sink in the main room and on the pillar in the woodshop.
Fire extinguishers on both floors; fire alarm pulls by the front door and the basement door.
Safety glasses at every shop entrance; gloves in the casting/plastics area.

If someone is hurt

Stop the activity.
Help the injured person; immediate care comes first.
Call 911 if needed.
Once they are safe, tell the Education Manager.
After class, fill in an incident report at makehaven.org/report.

Unsafe behavior

Encourage safety gear even for low-risk tasks; good habits prevent injuries.
You may step in, pause someone, or correct them if they are working unsafely. If it continues, you have full authority to remove them from the workshop. That includes anyone who seems to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or who is putting themselves or others at risk.
Trust your instincts: if something feels unsafe, stop and reassess. Safety comes before finishing a project.

8. Ending class

Evaluation

Ask participants to fill in the evaluation before they leave by scanning the QR code on the wall. Completing it earns a $5 discount code for a future workshop.
Everyone also gets an email with the same evaluation link as the class ends. If they already filled it in, they can ignore the email.
If time runs short, remind them they can use the link in that email later.

Help students stay connected

Tell students that MakeHaven members get 15% off workshop tickets.
Ask what they would like to learn next. That feedback shapes future classes.
A friendly closing line helps: "If you enjoyed this session, we'd love to see you back for another class or project."

9. Cleanup and closing

Tools and materials

Return every tool and supply to exactly where you found it.
Leave nothing on unrelated workstations or benches.
Anything you are unsure about goes on the classroom tables for staff to sort. Do not put things in unlabeled places; it slows the next instructor down.

Room reset

Move tables and chairs back to the neutral layout and push in all chairs.
Wipe down tables and work surfaces. Sweep if needed, especially after sanding, clay or sawdust-heavy work.
Report anything damaged straight away.

Power and tech

Turn off lights, AC or heat, equipment and displays as applicable.
Set the display back to its default classroom input and put the remotes back.

10. After class, on the website

Your dashboard has one wrap-up page per class. If anything is still open after 48 hours, we email you a reminder listing what is left:

Attendance, if you did not finish it in the room.
Badges, for badge classes (Class checkout).
Feedback and materials: how it went, notes on students, supplies that ran low, and tools that need maintenance. Reorders and tool problems go to the right person from here.
Log your hours (below).

You do not need to email students after class unless the class continues or you are scheduling a second session. Coordinate that with the Education Manager. If you are not sure, ask.

11. Getting paid

Instructors are paid as independent contractors, through the website's contractor payment system.

Log your hours from your instructor dashboard: each class has Log hours for this class, which opens the timesheet with that class already filled in. (Log hours in the toolkit picks your most recent class without hours.) Log them soon after class.
Receipts for anything you bought for the class go through Request Reimbursement on the same dashboard.
When it is paid: your hours go to our accounting system twice a month, around the 1st and the 15th, for staff approval. Payment is then sent through Melio. Hours logged after a cutoff go in the next batch. For multi-session classes, log hours after the last session.
Your first payment: Melio emails you an invitation to enter your bank and tax details. Look out for it, and check spam. We cannot pay you until it is completed.
Paid through a business (LLC)? Email staff@makehaven.org with the business name and we will set it up.
Where your payment is: Payment Status on your dashboard (makehaven.org/my-requests) shows every request and its status.

12. Getting help

Before class: contact the Education Manager by email, text or Slack. Confirm space, materials and class details early if you are unsure.
During class: call the Education Manager. Do not text or Slack for urgent or safety issues. If the Education Manager is unavailable, ask any staff member on site.
Can't teach: tell education@makehaven.org as soon as you know. Rescheduling is for emergencies and things you could not have foreseen, and both MakeHaven and your students need as much notice as possible.

13. Students and privacy

Use students' contact details only for things about the class. Do not add them to your own mailing lists or share them.
MakeHaven may take photos during class. Anyone, including you, can ask the Education Manager to remove one that shows them.
Teaching anyone under 18? Read the MakeHaven Youth Safety Policies first (makehaven.org/makehaven-youth-safety-policies).
The Membership Agreement's community rules apply to instructors and students in class.

14. Where things are

Your setup list: makehaven.org/instructor/setup
Your dashboard (classes, roster, attendance, wrap-up, pay): makehaven.org/instructor/dashboard
Log hours: makehaven.org/timesheet · Payment status: makehaven.org/my-requests
Events and room assignments: makehaven.org/events
Incident or safety report: makehaven.org/report
Parking: makehaven.org/visit
Book a Site Orientation: makehaven.org/schedule
Education team: education@makehaven.org

MakeHaven Instructor Guidebook