What was my aim?
The past week I met an ex-pupil, overjoyed to
see her, we exchanged hugs and started a conversation. It’s over 12 years since
I taught her, but the conversation flowed, and it was like we were back in the
past. She started talking about her dance classes with me and finished the
conversation with “I only danced for fun, but you knew that!”. Well, actually no
I didn’t. I started thinking about (or over-analysing!) her words. Why did she presume
I knew that? I couldn’t help but think have I approached students differently.
I began wondering what have I aimed for in my teaching? I’ve never thought
about that before. Is it to educate dance students to be professional dancers/teachers/choreographers
or is it to provide them with a positive experience of dance and ensure the next generation of dance-lovers? I’m sure that
when starting my career, I taught them thinking that they were all going to be
professionals, silly really when I was teaching at a recreational school in the
Artic Circle! The past years where I no longer enter pupils for exams seemed to
change my attitude, allowing me to relax and give me more say in my teaching.
It appears the shift took place here. I think I was probably being more
realistic of how many pupils took dance classes for fun. Still, some pupils
have continued into the profession. I hope that my pupils haven’t felt
discrimination based on their reasons for dancing. I’ve always strived to be
fair in my classes as the outcomes if not can be damaging. I do hope I’ve
managed that.
Sam
It sounds like she loved your classes, so it sounds like you've managed it for sure. I wonder though, how much differently should we really teach depending on the student's goals? It's a question I've been pondering for a while.
ReplyDeleteHi Hannah, I've never thought about it until working for Module 3.I was never allowed to give extra lessons to the "more serious" pupils as this was against the policy of the school (part of the council). So, how did I compensate? I wonder, if some pupils thought I had favourites as I tried to give the more serious pupils a more demanding exercise or corrected them a little extra.I dread to think! Sam
DeleteI tell my students and their parents I teach so that when the youth age and perhaps have children of their own they will know what is acceptable dance instruction and what may not be worth the investment of their time and money. I feel every student should be treated the same: with respect and expectations. WE are developing not only future dancers but also future dance audiences. Even with my adult and older/geriatric adult students they deserve the ability to learn and what they do or how they choose to use that knowledge is up to the individual student, a bit like how we choose to explore what we know in our professional lives and how we choose research topics for Module Three.
ReplyDeleteYour story is so similar to mine. At the very beginning I strove for excellence and exam grades were very important. All children though were made to feel they could achieve their very best, no judgments. It is sometimes the child who doesn't show great promise at the start that turns out to be of great talent later and if we suggest otherwise we would be doing them a great wrong. It is natural to set harder work for a more able child and that's life isn't it? It happens in school with streaming, we aren't all the same, but I do feel it's very important to encourage and value everyone and accentuate the positives but we aren't all equally able. Now, I'm also not exam driven since living in New Zealand and I don't think dance training is just about exams either. The learning in a dance studio reaches out much further than the dance professional anyhow and if we can make a positive difference to lives then we are privileged as teachers.
ReplyDeleteYes, you are so right. We are indeed privileged to be able to touch so many lives.It's a bigger package than just knowing your subject isn't it? The AOL's in Module One confirmed that for me. Happy Easter!
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