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Dear Tribe,
What, in your opinions would be some of the more important aspects of taking an Instructor's seminar? When I take workshops, there are often things that I note that the instructor does or does not do that impacts the quality of the class. If you were going to attend a seminar on how to teach, what would you want to see covered?
For example I know that one of the more important elements that people have mentioned when I teach instructor seminars, is that they really appreciate being given a strong foundation in fundamental movement, something from which they can start to build a class structure.
Are there other things that you, personally would want to see covered in a teaching seminar?
Regards,
A'isha
What, in your opinions would be some of the more important aspects of taking an Instructor's seminar? When I take workshops, there are often things that I note that the instructor does or does not do that impacts the quality of the class. If you were going to attend a seminar on how to teach, what would you want to see covered?
For example I know that one of the more important elements that people have mentioned when I teach instructor seminars, is that they really appreciate being given a strong foundation in fundamental movement, something from which they can start to build a class structure.
Are there other things that you, personally would want to see covered in a teaching seminar?
Regards,
A'isha
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Washington
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Sun, June 21, 2009 - 11:42 AMA'isha-
I would favor learning more about the history of the dance and the various forms of the dance (Egyptian Raks Sharki -- folkloric--Ghawazi) as well as learning more about anatomy. Also, warm up/cool down techniques...as I use the same ones all the time and, while they work, it would be nice to have a few more. -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Mon, June 22, 2009 - 4:45 PMI second the desire for ways to warm up and cool down a class. One of the big issues is that I have no way to get my students on the floor so some of the key parts to stretch like outter hips & tummy don't get any stretch.
I'd love to see something on ways to structure teaching a session, too.
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Tue, June 23, 2009 - 10:10 AMWhat Anthea said.
And...price structuring for classes, knowing when you're READY to teach, carrying insurance all those practical nuts and bolts things that most students never think about when they dream of teaching...
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Tue, June 23, 2009 - 12:26 PMMotivation!!!!
How to keep students motivated in dance, many are just there for fun and exercise. I sometimes get discouraged that the students aren't as enamored of belly dance as I am.
And of course how to keep myself motivated to continue teaching the few that love it, while having classes full of students who aren't into it.
My beginners' classes stay full, but intermediates' class just limps along because few stick with it long enough to move up. Or they stick with it and never show up for class and can't understand why I won't move them up. -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Tue, June 23, 2009 - 2:59 PMDear Dancers,
Gosh, these are all such wonderful topics to bring up in a teacher's seminar!!! I am so happy about this input as I am still in the process of refining my teaching seminar materials, as I am sure others are.
Zafira, I have just the oppposite problem from you!! I can easily keep my continuing classes going,but my beginner classes seem to fizzle out.... actually just about now every year, as if summer comes along and they find that perhaps there are other things they want to commit to.
Maybe we can get together and compare notes and trade info for successful classes both beginning and continuing!!
Regards,
A'isha
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Wed, June 24, 2009 - 7:32 PMTeaching skills, themselves, can be taught. Just because someone understands the movement and can execute it doesn't mean they can effectively teach others. -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Thu, June 25, 2009 - 9:17 AMDear Inanna,
I agree completely with your observation!!!! . It is because teaching is about more than understanding the material yourself. It is about understanding the material and having the ability to help others understand it.
Regards,
A'isha -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Wed, July 1, 2009 - 5:18 AMhaha, beginners - kind of like fishing, sometimes no matter how cleverly you play the line, they get away.... It's hard to balance the "fun" desire with the "get it right" need; plus they may have hidden fears like performing, or wearing the costumes, or think you'll want them to perform numbers they dont' like, etc. etc. etc. so it's hard to know why they leave.
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Fri, June 26, 2009 - 5:41 AMLearning styles!
All too often teachers will only present the movement in one fashion. What about the students who don't learn in that way? Some who are very motivated will hang in there, but the vast majority will get so frustrated that they quit. Many teachers understand the concept of learning styles or modalities - but they don't know how to actually translate movement into all three styles.
Halleyah -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Fri, June 26, 2009 - 5:46 AMDear Halleyah,
I have an article on this subject in the library on my website. It is called "Multiple Intelligences" and it discusses the work of Howard Gardner and how it can be applied to the dance classroom.
RE translating movement into different styles. I am not sure what you mean when you say "all three styles". Can you please clarify?
Regards,
A'isha -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Wed, July 1, 2009 - 4:20 AMGood article. Interestingly enough my husband just finished reading this book. I was quite surprisingly pleased to see that I already incorporate most of the methods in my teachings already. You are such a wealth of information. Thank you. -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Wed, July 1, 2009 - 7:08 AMDear Ameenah,
I hear that Howard Gardner has expanded on the original concept of multiple intelligences. When last I read his work, he was doing some research at.... I think Harvard, but my memory might be slipping. He was looking into psychic ability as another kind of intelligence. I would love to read the results of the research. Did your husband mention anything of particular interest to him in the book ?
Thanks for the compliment! I consider continuous learning a huge part of being a teacher and I try to stay educated in ed. theory as well as dance and other subjects, so that I can be the best teacher I can be. I think it is important to see dance as part of a holistic life process instead of just putting it in a little box away from everything else.
Regards,
A'isha -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Tue, July 14, 2009 - 11:37 AMA'isha, what I would REALLY like to see from teacher's workshops is a way to honestly evaluate whether or not a person SHOULD be teaching.
I have seen students -- and I mean RAW students -- putting themselves out to the public as teachers. They have no idea how to evaluate their own skills and abilities (or they vastly OVER RATE their own abilities.)
Many of these students don't realize how time-intensive teaching weekly classes is, and their own education suffers as a result -- or worse, they don't bother to continue their own education.
So I'd like to see that addressed first and foremost. -
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Re: Teaching teachers to teach!!
Tue, July 14, 2009 - 2:47 PMDear Aziyade,
I think you are totally right about that. We are going through yet another batch of would be teachers here in my town, and of course,I am the bad guy for opening my mouth about them needing more training before they start teaching. This tends to happen about every five years around here. I am happy to say that I have only had 2 students in many years now,who went out very unprepared and started teaching.
Right now I am working on a project with Ne-Kajira Janan and several other dancers to get a standards guide together, and this subject will be part of what we cover. I don't know that those who really need it will ever read the results of our collaboration, but I certainly plan to address it in the future when I teach the Instructors' class.
Regards,
A'isha
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