Online or In-Person Loctician Course: Which Is Right for You?

"Can I learn to make dreadlocks from home?" I am asked this often, especially by people who live some distance away or have a busy everyday life. The answer is yes, partly. An online course and an in-person course give you different things, and both have their place.

In this post I go honestly through the strengths and limits of both, and explain why I believe they work best together. If you are right at the beginning, you can also read the guide How to Become a Loctician and Dreadlock Artist in the UK.

What an online course gives you

A good online course can give you a lot:

• Your own pace. You learn when it suits you, wherever you live.
• Something to come back to. You can watch the lessons as many times as you like, even years later.
• More than technique. The philosophy behind the work, how to look after your body, and how to build a business with clients, pricing and social media.
• A lower threshold. Often a lower price, and no travel.

The limits of an online course

At the same time, I want to be honest about what an online course can't give you on its own:

• Nobody sees your hands. Small mistakes in grip, posture and movement go uncorrected, and they quickly become habits.
• It is easy to lose motivation. Many people who buy an online course never quite finish it. Not because they don't want to, but because life gets in the way when no one is waiting for them.
• A practice head isn't a person. You don't get to feel what it is like to work on real hair and a real scalp, with a person in the chair for many hours.

What an in-person course gives you

When you are in the same room as the teacher, something happens that a screen can't replace:

• Corrections straight away. The teacher sees how you hold the hook, how you stand and how you move, and corrects you before habits set in.
• Real hair models. You work on real hair and real scalps, with a person who has a story.
• How a long appointment really feels. You learn to stay focused, take breaks and be present through a whole day.
• Full focus. When you are there, you do the work. It is hard to put it off.

The limits of an in-person course

An in-person course has its limits too:

• Short time. Not everything can be learned in a few days.
• It is easy to forget. Without something to come back to, the details fade quickly once you are home.
• A higher price. And sometimes travel and accommodation.

Why they work best together

After 26 years of teaching, I have seen that it is the combination that really works. The online course is the library you live with. The in-person course is the concentrated transmission, where I can see your hands.

When you have practised the foundation technique with the online course first, we can spend our days together on what really needs me standing beside you. And when you get home, you have everything to come back to, plus coaching and a community when questions come up.

How to choose

Ask yourself a few honest questions:

• How do you learn best? By watching and reading, or by doing it with someone beside you?
• How much time do you have? Can you set aside time every week to practise on your own?
• Do you need someone to hold you accountable? Or are you good at finishing things on your own?
• How quickly do you want to start with clients? Corrections along the way save you a lot of time.
• What is your budget? And is there a payment plan that makes it possible?

If you are self-disciplined and want to start gently, an online course can be a good first step. If you want the right foundation from day one and to get started faster, the combination is what I recommend.

How you can learn with me

I offer both.

The Professional Loctician Online Course can be bought on its own. You get lifetime access, all future updates, and you learn at your own pace, wherever you live. Read more about the online course

The Professional Loctician In-Person Training in London combines both. You get:

• a one-to-one video call before we meet
• lifetime access to the online course and 6 bonus courses
• 2 days one-to-one with me on real hair models, with me coming to you in London
• 5 one-to-one video coaching calls after the course
• guidance in our private community
• 2 days in the salon with me every year after the training

The training costs €4,599, and payment plans are available through Klarna. Read more about the training in London

Frequently asked questions

Can I become a loctician with only an online course?

It is possible, but it takes a lot of self-discipline and many hours of practice on your own. That is why I recommend combining it with days where I can see your hands, either from the start or later on.

How long do I have access to the online course?

You get lifetime access, and all future updates are included.

Start where you are

There is no wrong way in, only the one that fits where you are right now. The most important thing is that you begin, and that you learn it properly.

Not sure what is right for you? Send me an email at [email protected]. I will answer honestly, even if I think the time is not right for you yet.

With love,
Ann-Marie