How much are welding teachers hands-on?

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Would you expect a good welding teacher, especially with a raw beginner student, to periodically step into the booth and WATCH the student weld, especially at first, to correct his speed, angle, arc length, etc.?  Is it common to see a teacher just go in and show the student how he does it, then leave the student alone?  Seems to me that he would - imagine taking lessons in tennis, golf, bowling, music, or anything else, without the teacher EVER standing there and watching you do it.  Your opinions and experience would be welcomed; I have zero experience with welding schools.-RuarkLincoln 3200HDHobart Stickmate LX235TWECO Fabricator 211i
Reply:When I took welding classes at a local community college, after we watched the instructor demonstrate the lesson, we would break off individually or in groups to do practice. The instructor would wander around and watch (behind his helmet), offer suggestions, and answer questions. He'd also look at the welds we made while he had been helping others and give us impressions of those. It was about as hands on as it could be.
Reply:Unfortunately too often "teachers" really aren't.Similarly some that are the best at their work make the worse supervisors.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I've taught welding before - I watched, coached over their shoulder, had them watch me, actually held their hand while they were holding the stinger, etc.Also, I had them pair up and watch/coach each other.  That sped up the learning too because they noticed their partner make the same mistake the partner just said they made.  Then both would realize they could recognize other's mistakes, so it made it easier for them to recognize their own as well.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, the non-interactive teacher I described is mine.  He will take a couple of minutes and demonstrate how to run a bead, then you're on your own to practice. He sits in his office all day chatting with people, and if you have any questions or problems, you're supposed to bring your workpiece to him and ask (which is a little awkward when he has 5 guys hanging around his desk talking about football). Otherwise, you don't exist. I've been doing an "assignment" - covering some practice pieces with flat welds - alone in my booth, for 5 straight days, 4 hours a day, without a word from a living soul, except "tell me when you're done."  Plus, the lighting in the booths is horrible; it's a dim bulb directly over your head, so when you look down at your workpiece, it's in your shadow, and the light shines straight down into your helmet.  Even if you manage to get the piece out of the shadow, it's so dim you can't even see your line, and many of my beads have just wandered back and forth when I got "lost."  I'm very, very, very disappointed.  I was SO excited about this class, and I haven't learned a damn thing.  So I just wondered how common this kind of instruction was.Last edited by Ruark; 10-15-2015 at 10:43 PM.-RuarkLincoln 3200HDHobart Stickmate LX235TWECO Fabricator 211i
Reply:I have had people who never even held a TIG torch in their hand leave here with the ability to run beads that are not bad for first timers...The others that have some seat time in .... I just watch and listen.If I see something that I don't like I stop them..Correct them...And off they go again.Clinics are usually 6..7 hrs total with a average of 5 per class and if I do 5 mins of actuat welding...It's only for demonstration.They do all the work from cleaning to prepping.PREPERATION is what everyone needs most.Remember..... "I heard that!!".... Anyone that has been here knows what that means........zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I teach structural tig ,nuclear and non-nuclear pipe welding. I spend a lot of time the first few days, in and out of the booths. Once the students begin to get the hang of what's going on, I spend less time in their booths. We work off of technique sheets, so they can't be too far off course...I believe in giving the students what they need, but I don't believe in coddling them. They have to be able to figure out things for themselves. But...I'm always there when they need me.When we move on to a new progression, again, more time is spent in the booths initially. Especially when we move on to mirror welding. The pipe tests are done in a restricted booth, the backside of the pipe must be tig welded in a mirror.There is also a lot of classroom time...a LOT of time!They are with me for 8-10 weeks. While they are in their booths, I'm also responsible for cutting and beveling plates, pipes, etc. There's a lot to do besides showing the students how to run beads.I've seen what the OP has described, though....Rich