what would you like to tell your teacher,

i think its a good topic,what would you like your teacher to improve in when she is teaching? like how she is teaching? is she breaking down things enough? is she explaining what is the differance between elements in the dance,how about explaining music? how about stage presentation? for example just those things ....i would like to know as a teacher ....what are you looking for and dont get? are you goiing home sometimes frustrated because you did not understand things?is for example everything a money issue? NO MONEY NO INFO?i would like to know what you like to see differant in your classes or are you just happy with your classes? i would just like to know what you realy feel about your teachers...dont have to say who your teacher is ,but just how you feel...i think its inportant to know for teachers what students want and look for.......have a nice day Lydia

I would love to warm up properly in class. And sometimes everyones chats for 10 minutes that we could have been dancing. It makes me a bit angry sometimes, because 1 hour class is so short!

Great topic Lydia! Oh, and happy birthday for yesterday

Teachers

Dear Lydia,
I would like to tell all of my teachers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the kind of in depth instruction I need to be a dancer of integrity and an instructor who has the tools to pass on information in a meaningful way. I hope that my own dancing reflects the work those who have held up a high standard in learning, performing and teaching the dance and that I measure up. My love to each of them who take the time to give their best to the dance and to their students!
Regards,
A'isha

Great Topic Lydia!
I think it's a good idea for students to give their teachers some postive feedback as to what they are learning in class. Don't be afraid to ask questions, if one doesn't understand the move, music or what they should be feeling while they are dancing, then one's experience can be frustrating.
I've been very straightforward in my learning needs so here are some things I've shared with my teacher;

More folkloric dances and history

What technique is most appropriate for the move to have integrity i.e. muscular vs skeletal

Vary the warm-up to prevent reaching plateau with muscl groups

Attending more seminars

Differernt musical styles and rhythms

However, since I'm in a class with other students, not everyone is on the same page and we learn at different rates. So some of what I want to learn, has to wait so other students can catch up. Plus there re students who want to go in another direction in terms of other styles of ME dance. My teacher has brought in some great instructors to our classroom, so there is some variety.
Yasmine

I would like to tell my teacher that she has made the whole experience of learning a great one, and that i wish she could have stayed just a little longer.
I would tell her that i can't wait for her to come back.

on the downside i would tell her that i wished she had paid a bit more attention to small details, and that i wish she would have critiqued me a bit more, even though I asked her to.

I suppose it's a good thing that I would like to tell each of my teachers something different?:lol:

Generally, I would like more corrections (and demonstrating and saying "do it like this!" is not effective correction if I don't pick it up within 5 seconds). If I ask for feedback/correction on a certain issue, I would like to get some appropriate response by the end of class, even if it's just, "we'll have to work on that some other day, today the class is too large/we're concentrating on X".

Though I have had but one class so far, I would like to tell my teacher, thank you for giving me a chance. In fact, I am off to email her now.

My comments to my instructor

kayshier said:

on the downside i would tell her that i wished she had paid a bit more attention to small details, and that i wish she would have critiqued me a bit more, even though I asked her to.

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this is the FIRST time in 2 years of belly dance instruction that i did not leave my class feeling good, happy, inspired--we all know that "high".
i had a substitute today who i had previously taken classes from. she is a good dancer (i've seen her perform).
my class make up is: 5 whites (3 at 25-30yrs; 1 at 45 yrs; 1 at 60 yrs) and 1 african-american (56 yrs).

i noticed that the instructor never even looked at the older white and black women and how their dance steps were (good, bad, whatever-no feedback). she was, however very much involved in the young women.

you can guess that i am the 56yr old black woman. i am hardly "thin-skinned", however, i do notice discrimination when i see or feel it. i am only ranting and adding my "2 cents worth" to the thread.

luckily, this person is only a "substitute" for the best dance teacher that i have known. my regular teacher is a LIVING DOLL----i will let her know that she can never, ever have a vacation again

8 in the class is definately not that she coudn't get round you all!! Sometimes younger women feel imtimidated by older women, or there can be a perception that we are not serious, or not supple enough etc to be corrected. If you ever have a sub again, tell her at the beginning that this is a great opportunity for you to get another view on your dance, and that you are keen for her to give you constructive criticism.

FatimaS said:

this is the FIRST time in 2 years of belly dance instruction that i did not leave my class feeling good, happy, inspired--we all know that "high".
i had a substitute today who i had previously taken classes from. she is a good dancer (i've seen her perform).
my class make up is: 5 whites (3 at 25-30yrs; 1 at 45 yrs; 1 at 60 yrs) and 1 african-american (56 yrs).

i noticed that the instructor never even looked at the older white and black women and how their dance steps were (good, bad, whatever-no feedback). she was, however very much involved in the young women.

you can guess that i am the 56yr old black woman. i am hardly "thin-skinned", however, i do notice discrimination when i see or feel it. i am only ranting and adding my "2 cents worth" to the thread.

luckily, this person is only a "substitute" for the best dance teacher that i have known. my regular teacher is a LIVING DOLL----i will let her know that she can never, ever have a vacation again

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Wow, that sucks...what a waste of a class. I'm sorry your sub was so biased. Did she do that when you took regular classes from her?

moving right along

da Sage said:

Wow, that sucks...what a waste of a class. I'm sorry your sub was so biased. Did she do that when you took regular classes from her?

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she was never an "open" kinda person, but i felt at the time that she was a good teacher. she answered questions, when asked. if she was biased then, i couldn't tell--I WAS BRAND NEW...luckily, my regular teacher will be back next class

jenc said:

8 in the class is definately not that she coudn't get round you all!! Sometimes younger women feel imtimidated by older women, or there can be a perception that we are not serious, or not supple enough etc to be corrected. If you ever have a sub again, tell her at the beginning that this is a great opportunity for you to get another view on your dance, and that you are keen for her to give you constructive criticism.

Click to expand...

great idea--thanks--will do.