Dido to that. I would never want any of my students to think I was showing off my weld skills. In fact just the opposite. After I complete a weld with my students we always critique it together and I point out what I could have done better and drive home the point that while we should all strive for the perfect weld, we are all human. After all, there is no such thing as a perfect weld. While I do agree that some of my students can get the info I'm trying to teach with my words alone, I will always feel that seeing it done is far more productive for the vast majority of my students. But one thing a wise old instructor taught me years ago was do only one thing at a time-when you are doing, don't speak. And when you are speaking, don't do. I had in the past been guilty of this many times. Trying to talk to the students while in the middle of a weld. I think we all know how difficult it can be to understand someone who is speaking from under a hood. If you want them to listen to you, then speak. If you want them to watch you, then weld. Again just my .02 worth. Lots of ways to weld, lots of ways to teach, lots of ways to learn.

Despite what I said earlier, about demonstrating as being "Showing Off", I also agree with you.  In fact I have often demonstrated how to do what I call a "backwards P" weave for a 5/16 inch fillet weld. However, I only do this to job applicants at a bridge shop.  I didn't mean that I am not "hands on".

I acknowledge that I have been inspired by someone demonstrating vertical up and vertical down techniques to me.  It was helpful, but only because of my teaching experience, which enabled me to analyze the demonstrater's movements and see where I was remiss.  I have found that the instructors generally fell into four categories; 
-Those who show off and talk down to you. 
-Those who can weld, and rattle off the method of instruction, but cannot tell you what "you" are doing wrong, when you do it. 
-Those who can demonstrate it to you and tell you what you are doing wrong as you are doing it. (The best type.)
-Those who can weld but cannot instruct at all. (This is the most prolific type of instructor out in the shop floor.)

There is also a subcategory of all four of the above types who do not want to teach you all that they know.

I never was a "Great Welder", so I had to demonstrate as seldom as possible, and then, only in the beginning.  I often hold the hand of the student and guide his motion or correct a bad movement quirk.  I use the old Army "Count off" method and make the student say if out loud.   I also like to teach three students at a time. Two watch the one who is actually welding, then one of them gets a turn, and the original "Victim" gets to watch, then the third student gets to watch the second "Victim" and so-on.  This technique is very beneficial, especially if the students are already welders of some sort.  Now, when I tell the first victim to watch his drag angle, he is better able to recognize the error because he saw someone else do the same mistake.  This is almost like he instructor doing the demonstrating.   (I might be saying "arc length, arc length, arc length,arc length",, then switch over to "angle, angle, angle, angle, angle,  then switch over to too fast, too fast, too fast, too fast, too fast)

I feel it is a better form of demonstrating, because by the time you become an instructor, you no longer make the types of mistakes that a new student would do automatically.. For you to make that type of mistake, it would look contrived.  I also make students do a lot of "dry practice" (No Arc is lit) using the same technique.  This is done to teach basic motion and to educate the muscles for those repetitive motions.

The important thing is to be able to analyze each individual's capabilities and to react to that student's tics & quirks.  The other important thing is that you must be willing and able impart the knowledge skill and attitude, that each individual student needs to accomplish the desired training goal.

Finally, I said that I do not teach high school students.  My hat is off to those Vo-Tech instructors who can put up with that kind of environment.  They are often tasked with making chicken soup out of chickens**t. God bless them!

Thanks for all the replies. I will keep trying and let you all know how it goes

I'll agree with Joe and Al, I teach at the corporate level 1 to 8 weldors at a time, 3 is a good number. You adapt to the need and level of the students, explaining what to do and why you did it that way. All Instructors find out their own welding quality improves when they learn to verbally express the what, how and why. Also they learn from their students and pass this knowledge on to others.