Teaching beginner dancers who are learning at a slower pace (and in particular the younger ones) help develop the educational patience skills educators need for later when certain classes they encounter are "hard to teach" or a "tough group."
Breaking dance skills down into their functional parts is a skill that dance teachers need to refine and develop as they structure lessons and make curriculum choices. Dance teachers need to see the parts of a whole and understand how to connect these pieces gradually. They also need to be able to articulate these pieces to students while ALSO making things fun AND connect to the WHY something is being done. Teaching beginners refines the process of breaking things down.
Teaching beginners refines your 'teacher voice' the ability to command a class with confidence. Teaching beginners enhances your ability to draw attention to yourself while at the same time understanding and knowing it's not actually about you. In teaching beginners you learn how to keep a class moving fast-paced. You learn how to be an animated, exciting and a fun dynamic teacher.
Working with recreational dancers you learn how to put together
choreography by working with what you have. You make choices around what the dancers can showcase and you work the choreography within what the team can do safely. This lesson is important as you move up and choreograph more competitive routines, as what is suited for one dancer/team is not always suited for another. You develop your choreography skills while picking suitable tempo/speeds and continually adjust the level of difficulty for new learners. You think deeply about the complexity of transitions and gain experience in choreographing appropriate transitions and formation changes which will be one of the hardest things you have to master as an advanced teacher. You think deeply about what is appropriate for the age and level which is something that is important, let kids be kids, protect their youth.
Dancing, Teaching and Choreographing are completing different skills and until you have put in the hours and the time into the teaching profession there are many skills to develop as an educator. You may feel you already have these skills but often you may not know what you don't know. A progressive journey is the best way to gain the skills from the ground up. Teaching beginners teaches educators many lessons about the craft of teaching. These skills are important to develop to have longevity in the profession and to avoid burn out. You develop mental health skills, coping skills, and learn to network with other teachers. Simply put, you gain experience in the craft of teaching, which develops independently from dancing and choreographing.
Commentaires