What I Teach

If you’re someone got a computer so you could email and share photos with your kids and grand-kids, or because everyone you stay in touch with is online, you may find it frustrating and disheartening to use your computer or your tablet. I can help with that. I’ve been using computers since 1985, so I’ve used many generations of computers, but I’m self-taught. I’ve had to figure things out for myself. I know how frustrating it can be!

I can help you figure out why your email is doing that thing so you can’t read past the first 3 words of the message, or how to change your settings on Facebook. I hear people say, ”I’m so stupid, why can’t I get this?!” or “I’m too old for this!” It's not you. It really is not you!

Using modern technology is as difficult and complex as learning a new language, and if you started doing it later in life, it’s hard to learn this much. Asking younger people who do it all the time may not help, because they learned it at a different stage in their lives, and they may actually have less experience than you do in different versions of Windows or Microsoft Word. I’ve used every version of Windows from 3.1 to Vista, and I’m currently tutoring a client who’s used Windows 7 for years, now she’s using Windows 10 for work and finding it hard to adapt. Learning how to do things on one program can make it hard to do the same things even on a newer version of the same program. When computer companies change operating systems, they often change even basic tasks. It’s not you!
 
I use Macs now, but for a few years, I worked in an office where we had two Apple computers and a PC so old, it ran MS-DOS! I was the only person working there who had any experience with it.

Besides helping you feel comfortable using your computer and various programs, I also teach the basics of promoting your small business or organization, from designing business cards, brochures and signs to creating a website or Facebook Page, and creating your own graphics. I can also go into branding, which can be simple, or it can be more all-encompassing.

I can teach you how to create a website using easy website creation platforms like Weebly, Wix and Squarespace. There are other website creation platforms out there, but these are the ones I know best. I use Weebly myself.
 
I don’t teach Wordpress, although I’ve used it, but I can explain the difference between Wordpress blogs, which are available on Wordpress.com for free, and can be made into decent websites, and Wordpress software that you download from Wordpress.org. This is the most commonly used website creation software in the world.
 
With Facebook, I can explain the difference between your personal profile and a Facebook Page, the difference between a Page and a group, and what each is good for. Facebook Pages have their uses, Facebook groups also have their uses, but they’re very different.
 
I can walk you through creating a Facebook Page and show you how to use tools behind the scenes to see how your posts perform, which helps you know what’s capturing people’s attention and what isn’t. I can show you how to create posts on Facebook, along with tricks like scheduling posts ahead of time so you don’t need to be online when the post goes out. This lets you develop a consistent rhythm of posting, so your followers stay interested.

Batching posts is a useful skill, where you create a bunch of posts in a couple of hours that go out over the next week or month, the same way people might spend Sunday afternoon batch cooking most of the food they need for the next week, so they don’t need to do much work on weeknights.
 
I can show you how to use Canva to create graphics. Canva is an online graphics tool you can use for free, or there’s a paid version. Knowing how to use it helps you with all the other aspects of running your business, like creating Facebook or Instagram ads, or creating banner images for your website or Facebook Page. You can use Canva to create basic promotional materials like business cards, brochures, posters, e-books, short videos, and lots more.

Branding is creating a consistent look for your business, so people recognize posts or ads from you, which can be really simple or it can get more complicated, depending on the type of business or organization you’re promoting and what you want.

My background is in the arts, with 4 years of art school and 6 years at university taking art history, so I know a lot about colour theory, composition and design, materials, different styles and eras of art. I’ve taken several courses and read lots of books on business development, promotional strategy, marketing and more.

I can make this really simple, or I can get more in-depth, depending on what you need or want.

My focus is always on making sure you feel comfortable, that you feel you understand how to do this. I want to help you develop skills so you feel confident using technology.