What is Learning the Ropes?
Learning the Ropes
Learning the Ropes is a progressive learning scheme designed around the following principles:
- Motivation and inspiration – working from a carefully structured syllabus towards a definite goal
- Measurement of personal progress and attainment against recognised benchmarks
- Provides an objective guide to improve your ringing skills
- Skill consolidation through performance and longer ringing opportunities
- A real sense of achievement – including a personalised certificate and your name published in the Ringing World – the weekly, internation magazine for bell ringers
Most people learning a musical instrument have lessons from a teacher who takes them through a series of progressive grades to build their skills. In the same way, Learning the Ropes is designed to provide a progressive development of ringing skills, where new skills are built on those you have already learnt – therefore making each new stage easier to grasp.
Enjoyment through achievement is a key principle, and earning a Learning the Ropes certificate is a rewarding experience. If you are working hard to make progress with your ringing, you need some way of recognising your success.
Learning the Ropes has five stages, known as Levels. Each level develops key skills from bell handling, listening and ropesight to understanding ringing jargon and conducting. You get a Personal Progress Logbook, access to an online learning website of resources and a certificate of achievement at the completion of each level.
When you have completed the scheme, your ringing will be at the standard where you will be able to progress quickly in the exciting and diverse world of bell ringing.
In the words of one Learning the Ropes ringer:
I love ringing so much (just home from a third night in a row ringing and will be ringing again tomorrow evening!) I find it really calming and great for relieving stress – it's almost meditative.
» Visit the Learning the Ropes website
Interested in learning to ring?
If you are interested in learning to ring then contact Rose, the ART Administrator, who will help you find an ART teacher near to you.
» Contact Rose
What do ringers say?
I feel so much more confident, having completed Level 1. Knowing how to handle correctly, having plenty of encouragement to rectify mistakes, and all in a structured way, has really helped me. I’m really enjoying bell ringing and so keen to get on to the next level.”
Taking up bell ringing at the age of 61 has not been the easiest thing I have done. It has taken me 5 years to achieve Level 5. Could I have done it quicker? Possibly, but I would have needed to ring more frequently with experienced ringers. I view achieving Level 5 akin to passing a professional exam. I now need to go out and learn how to do it properly!"
Learning to ring has been a great experience. I have met so many people and rung in over 100 different towers in and around Warwickshire particularly with our Monday ringing group, the Wombells. I have also rung in Devon and Cornwall, the Channel Isles and for my son’s wedding."
Jan is the perfect teacher for me. She has been encouraging and supportive and her method of teaching has helped me no end. I am really enjoying Learning the Ropes!”
Warmly welcomed by the other ringers, I worked with Chris using Learning the Ropes to eradicate my bad habits and started to make progress. Realising that in Chris I had found the perfect teacher, I told her I was completely willing to start from scratch and perfect my technique."
What Ian and his mentor, Mark, have demonstrated to me is that the methodology they have employed is one of learner centred environment, and one I would highly recommend to all those who are embarking on the journey I have undertaken."