Teaching Tips – Page 8

Teaching Tip: About Practicing At Home

March 8, 2010 by 4dancers

I have beginning students ask me what they can practice at home to improve their dancing. My usual answer is…nothing. As a new student (especially in ballet), doing steps at home can actually be a bad thing. If the student doesn’t understand technique, they can begin to develop bad habits which can be very hard to break.

This view may seem extreme, but I have found it is a good one to advocate. When students have some knowledge of technique it is fine to give suggestions for practice, but with a rank beginner it is better that they come to class and learn how to do the movements right first. Understand the theory behind things a bit before they try to do it on their own. In my opinion it would be better for them to double up and take two classes if they want to get more practice.

It’s something to think about if you are a new teacher, or if you have never taught beginning students. Be ready with an answer–you are sure to be asked.

Teaching Tip: Dealing With Difficult Dance Students

March 4, 2010 by 4dancers

If you have taught dance for a while, chances are good that you have run across a difficult student or two in your time. If you are new, you may be caught a bit off-guard by some of the things that can happen in the classroom.

Having some strategies in place to deal with things such as outbursts, resistance to certain exercises or too much talking is key. Some tricks you learn as you go, but there are also resources out there that can help you anticipate these issues and be ready with a response. Here are a few good ones that you can draw from:

+ If you have a “bully” in your class, check out Dance Advantage’s post on that topic and stop things before they get out of hand.

+ This sheet isn’t designed specifically for dance class, but it has good tips on how to cope with behaviors like shyness, complaining and talking in class.

+ Having rules and reminding students of what those rules are can help cut down on bad classroom behavior. The rules will vary based on the age of the students, as well as the philosopy of the teacher, but it is a good idea to have some in place.

Teaching Tip: Challenging Your Students In Class

February 22, 2010 by 4dancers

Sometimes it is good to give your students a bit of a challenge in ballet class. Change things up a bit. Students get used to certain patterns, and breaking from the routine will keep them from getting complacent.

For example:

+ Start class facing the opposite way from which you usually begin at the barre.

+ Have students face away from the mirror to do their exercises in the center.

+ Teach a combination, then have the students reverse it.

+ Do exercises in both single and double time.

+ Have students come up with their own simple combinations.

Just throwing a new thing into the mix will help keep your dance classes lively. It will also challenge your students to think outside the box and stretch a bit as dancers. Try to do things like this from time-to-time and the result will be a happier class that is more able to respond to change.

Improve Your Teaching In The Dance Studio

February 17, 2010 by 4dancers

There are many terrific tools you can use to improve your teaching ability–no matter where you teach. Here are a few that you can employ:

Read as much as you can about teaching. There are tons of books out there that can give you ideas. Magazines and blogs also share some good tips for dance teachers. The more you know, the more resources you can draw on when you are in front of students.
Talk with fellow dance professionals. Fellow dancers and teachers offer a wealth of information in terms of how to teach–and how not to teach. Don’t learn everything the hard way–benefit from their experience.
Videotape yourself. Take a class and tape it (be sure you have the permission of students/parents), then review your performance over a cup of coffee at your leisure. Be brave–invite a fellow teacher or two over to critique you. You can always return the favor.
Ask your students to “grade” you. Getting feedback from students is done in most classroom settings…why not in dance class?
Get an observer in. Have someone come in with the express purpose of giving you feedback on the class. It can be anyone that you trust, but it may be better if it is a fellow instructor.

When I first started teaching, I had a lot to learn. I developed quite a bit on my own, but the things I learned from others were priceless in terms of moving me forward as a professional. Every single one of us can improve, and all it takes is the willingness to listen to the feedback you receive–and perhaps make a few changes in the way you do things here and there.

3 Tips For The New Dance Teacher

February 9, 2010 by 4dancers

If you are fairly new to teaching dance, it can seem overwhelming. There is much to remember and the pressure can be great. For those who are just getting started, here are a three things to keep in mind that can be helpful…

+ Start and end times. Honor these. People have things to do and you don’t want to interfere with that. It can be easy to get caught up in class and lose track of time. Keep an eye on the clock. You’ll eventually learn how to pace a class, but in the beginning it can be a bit of a challenge.

+ Have enough material. The fact of the matter is, when you are new, you tend to be nervous. This usually means you’ll be teaching at a faster pace–which means you’ll need to make sure you have plenty of material prepared. There’s nothing worse than running out of things to do when you are already on edge.

+ Check things out ahead of time. Getting the “lay of the land” can be a good idea before you go in to teach a class for the first time. Make sure you know where everything is, how to work the stereo system and who to talk to if you have any issues the first day of class.

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