Issue 27 ART May 2019 WORKS Association of Ringing Teachers ­ www.ringingteachers.org Patrons: Paul Flavell and Helen McGregor & Peter Bevis Learning the Ropes Plus Once you or one of your which are indicated in the progress ringers can ring a quarter peal logbook. You are required to ring plain of Plain Bob Minor inside the courses of each method, touches of world of method ringing begins some and two or three Quarter Peals to to open up. The Learning the complete a section and claim your Ropes Plus scheme provides certificate of achievement. (peals may be the pathway for progress and rung as an alternative!) encourages learning in a structured way. The methods have been updated and now, for instance, include the core seven Learning the Ropes Plus has been “Pickled Egg” Surprise Major methods. updated and is now in its third edition. The scheme is now open for ANY ringer, For those organising local practices LtR at ANY stage of learning. Plus provides a focus, as well as the opportunity to reward achievement. The progress logbooks indicate the Targeted practices based on Doubles, methods to work on and the targets to Treble Dodging Minor or any other of the achieve. It can be ordered through the areas covered, can be run by focussing ART online shop. (http:// on the methods recommended with each ringingteachers.org). If not already introducing a new skill to learn. Once registered with SmART Ringer, the accomplished, the basic skills in each participant can register on SmART area will have been practised and Ringer and then request their certificates mastered allowing a ringer’s repertoire to of achievement. extend even further The benefits of having a structured If you, or a ringer in your tower, have just learning scheme to introduce concepts completed LtR Level 5 and ordered a and new skills in a graduated, logical way certificate, then a free copy of the LtR has long been recognised as being a Plus logbook can be requested and Hubs huge benefit to learning. The concept of & Centres have also been offered a free recognising achievement through copy. In due course a book to support certificates is a proven motivator and LtR learning with the scheme will be Plus continues the good practice of the published. LtR scheme in that regard. The third edition progress logbook and SmART Ringer support is now available but those following earlier editions of LtR Graham Nabb Plus may continue and still order certificates. See page 12 for a teacher's experience of LtR Plus. The scheme is divided into sections. Certificates can be claimed for each section which do not have to be taken in any order or all completed – you can pick and choose. There is also a more flexible area for wider ringing skills. The methods selected are designed to support progress in a structured way with each one introducing new concepts Editor ­ Simon Needham [email protected] The next issue of ART WORKS will be August 2019. Copy Deadline ­ 30 July 2019 © Association of Ringing Teachers 2019 Chairman's chatter p3 What's A bell ringing experience ­ p4 Great Gransden inside Rounds and about p5 Insurance and bell ringing p6 Developing Dorset p7 ART Fun with bells p8 50/50 Club Administrator p8 WORKS A first handbell peal p9 A balanced ringing style p10 27? New technology p11 Simulator resources p12 LtR Plus A teacher's story p12 2019 ART Awards winners p13 Technology at Weston Hills p14 Ringing Centre ART Conference 2019 ­ p15 Worcester Learning the Ropes p16 achievers Chairman's Chatter ART continues to go from strength to becoming an ART Tutor then please strength, whether measured by the contact Graham Nabb. number of participants on the ART Teaching and Learning the Ropes I would also like to welcome Clare Schemes, attending ART Workshops McArdle to the ART Management or accrediting to become ART Committee. Clare was a key mover Members. These increased in the formation of the Birmingham numbers do however produce their School of Bell Ringing and has been own problems. The SmART Ringer involved with ART since 2012 as a website is running slow and mentor, an ART Assessor and more sometimes falls over. Our volunteers recently an ART Tutor. Clare will are having to work harder to handle bring a wealth of experience to the the extra workload, compounded by Management Committee and we the drive to be better at all we do. look forward to her shaping our And we shouldn’t forget that quality thinking. is just as important as numbers. Some new ideas ART Conference and ART Awards For the first time the ART Bell It was great to meet so many of you Handling (M1) and Foundation Skills at the ART Conference. There was (M2F) day courses were held at the a great line­up of speakers – beginning of the Essex Course. feedback was excellent and there Immediately afterwards, the course were plenty of ideas for inclusion in delegates were able to put what they next year’s conference. had been taught into practice with The ART Awards attracted the students on the course; all the time largest ever number of nominations under the watchful eyes of Ruth which made the judges’ job very Suggett and David Sparling. A flying difficult – thank you to Stephanie start to their accreditation journey. Pattenden along with Jennie and David Town. The recruitment and A set of online simulator resources retention award was particularly has been developed, covering popular this year as a result of the hardware, software and how to use Ringing Remembers campaign. A them to teach or to learn. These special award was given to Vicki resources complement the Simulator Chapman for her leadership of the Awareness Workshops which are Ringing Remembers team. A well­ being run at the rate of about one a deserved award sponsored by month at the moment. As one Ecclesiastical Insurance. delegate said, “An inspiring workshop – now to return to the SmART Ringer tower and put it into practice!” We have launched a project to ART in the news replace SmART Ringer under the leadership of Nigel Mellor from Those of you who take the Ringing Wokingham. We’re not rushing into World will be aware that ART has it because we want the new system featured prominently in the letters to be designed for growth, both in section recently. It was gratifying to the number of users but also in see so many leap to ART’s defence. terms of the ART offer, so we’re I would like to take this opportunity to taking our time so as to get it right. say again that ART does not have a We are aware of many of the issues hidden agenda to mandate associated with ease of use – after accreditation and has had no all we have had to deal with them as discussions with the insurance teachers just as you have – but industry or the Church about this. please feel free to email with issues ART’s aim is to increase the number or ideas. Now is the time! and quality of teachers and compulsory accreditation would work Who’s new in ART against this. We do however think that all ringers should have an To cope with the increasing demand awareness of insurance and this for our teaching modules, we are edition of ART WORKS contains a currently training four new ART very useful article written about this Tutors. The first to complete was subject written by Marcus Booth of David Sparling from Essex, who has Ecclesiastical Insurance, which is got off to a flying start tutoring two being shared with the Ringing World. M2F courses in April. Welcome to the team, David. If you are an ART Member, have good presentation skills, and are interested in ART Chairman ­ Lesley Belcher [email protected] 3 A bell ringing experience ­ Great Gransden “Hello, I was wondering if you could Two­way radio is used to signal to arrange a bell ringing experience for Sheila to ring up No2 bell and further me and my friends!!” explanation is given. More questions and comments of amazement and I had been contacted, through ART, further expressions of “I didn’t realise by someone from the St.Neots area there was so much to bell ringing” who asked if it would be possible to are shared. This is another photo arrange a “bell ringing experience”. opportunity – definitely one for the She and some friends like to do album. something different every year and bell ringing was top of the list for The bell is rung down and the tour is 2019. concluded by a careful descent of the tower where coffee and biscuits I had no hesitation is agreeing to are served. We had arranged for our arrange our standard tower tour for own ringers to come along at her group at Great Gransden, which 10.30am to give some comprises a visit to the ringing room, demonstration ringing and they soon clock room and belfry. From the mingle with our visitors chatting outset I explained that I couldn’t give about their ringing experiences. them much bell ringing but could assure them of an educational and After refreshments we go up into the exciting visit, which would culminate ringing room. First thing is to give a in some basic 1:1 bell handling. The brief talk about safety and for them date agreed was Saturday 27th April not to touch any ropes now that they and for them to arrive at 9.30am.