Many people approach our school for learning floral designs. What we learned from the past experience is that most American people just enjoy short program rather than learning for a long period of time. When we started the operation of our school back in 1990, we did not offer any short program. Instead all we offered was official courses such as Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced and Instructor Course. However except for students whose ethnic background is oriental like Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese or Filipino, most people asked if we offered short programs such as one day seminar or just a couple of days program etc etc.
After experiencing to operate the school for a couple of years, we decided to provide short programs (as well) such as one day seminar, trial budget program and just a few hour program. Then lots of people started showing interest in learning at our school. This took place mainly because of the difference in culture. Here in the United States, capitalism is matured and people feel motivated to learn aggressively something which will bring profit. In some countries in Asia, there exists a culture or customs of learning something not for money but for earning or developing a culture.
Majority of American people feel motivated to spend money for learning something in order to earn skills for making money. This is quite understandable because they think it is a kind of investment to spend money for tuition in the hope (or in the clear planning) that the skill they acquire at school greatly helps them earn more salary or income. In other words, majority of people in the United States do not feel motivated to spend money for something which will not help them earn money. Of course there are many exceptional people who are quite enthusiastic in learning floral art to earn and develop a culture as mentioned in this article.
After understanding this situation, we started offering business oriented programs such as wedding or funeral floral decoration courses. Then the next problem we experienced in connection with business oriented courses is that many people want to join wedding party arrangement course before earning basic skills of floral designs. Again I can easily understand their intention to minimize the time and budget for earning flower arranging skills applicable for floral business. However no matter what kind of skill they want to acquire, it is mandatory to earn basic skills first of all and then acquiring a higher level of skills gradually. By explaining it is so important to earn basic skills before proceeding to business oriented courses, people become to understand the necessity of signing up for elementary course where they can learn basic skills.
Once in a while we are approached by super dedicated students who clearly set up their goals for learning floral arrangements. Those students never hesitate to spend time and energy in order to master flower arrangements. And those students start with elementary course and proceed to intermediate, advanced and even instructor course. It is obvious that their skills are remarkably improved week by week and month by month. I am so happy to devote myself to teaching such diligent students who absorb a wide range of skills through the daily lessons we offer. Some of them want to have their own classes and some of them would like to open their own floral shops. Regardless of the purpose they learn floral designs, I am so happy when they have successfully achieved their goal.
California Flower Art Academy offers a WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS from which you can make a choice of your most favorite course by well considering your goal, taste, purpose and experience in learning floral designs. No matter what kind of floral arrangements you would like to learn, Japanese Ikebana or European designs, wedding or funeral decorations, beginner or professional levels, we can help. California Flower Art Academy has been operating in the San Francisco Bay Area (Burlingame, San Mateo County close to San Francisco Airport) and Silicon Valley (San Jose) since 1990 as a floral school certified by Flower Decorators Association (Tokyo Japan). You can start from introductory program which costs only $69 covering tuition, flowers, floral foam and also a container. No hidden cost at all. For more information, contact info@california-academy.com
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