Teacher Training courses-what would you want?

[lizaj]

The first level is a 16h intensive course without any prerequisite (in theory you don't even need to know how to dance). Usually you become a teacher assistant at this level, not a "complete teacher".

This might be one way: an apprenticeship with an experienced and successful teacher. The Jane Eyre system but less chalk

But on another tack, I fear that teacher training schemes may be a straightjacket of technique/style. It is difficult to assess except on a rigid set of standards so how do we get past the fact that this is not a dance of rigid standards.
Would it be better if the teaching part as the business part were taught by professionals in the fields of education,business administration just as we expect to be taught First Response by St Johns or the Red Cross? How would this be possible?
Are umbrella schmes of belly dance teacher training possible without the imput of people with certain skills other than technique.
Or conversely is technique the only thing that matters and the rest will just happen as a matter of course?:think:

 

[Daimona]

The first level is a 16h intensive course without any prerequisite (in theory you don't even need to know how to dance). Usually you become a teacher assistant at this level, not a "complete teacher".

This might be one way: an apprenticeship with an experienced and successful teacher. The Jane Eyre system but less chalk

Yes, but I must emphasize that the curriculum for the belly dance Level 1 at the moment is more advanced than the other non-ME-inspired dance styles (latin dances, lindy hop etc) and dance knowledge is required to attend the course.

 

[lizaj]

Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt

This seems a very thorough training. I wonder how many European dancers would take it on board and would its' cost outwiegh any remuneration?

And how much would that be a consideration for you? You might never get your money back.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

As a teacher teacher (if you catch my drift) I see very little emphasis in many schemes in learning to teach!
That might mean some practical experience ebfore you get a certificte. I wonder if any scheme has tackled that. I am inspected by my employers for schemes of work,lesson plans, class management because of course they have no idea of content but I wonder if it would be possible to devise a course that was followed up in the craft of teaching.

Agreed. I actually thought my adult ed teacher training (used to be C&G 7031/2 but now is PTLLS and CTLLS) was a good grounding in how to teach (it assumes you have the necessary experience/knowledge of your subject, of course) but since it concentrated on adults (which is true for most belly dance classes) it was rather good at identifying learning styles, problem attitudes, how to plan lessons etc. All of which I have found very useful. Of course there is the problem that adult ed providers may know very little about the actual dance, but as I have to be inspected etc (as Liz said) and do schemes of work (in their specified format, quite a challenge!) there is some degree of regulation as to the quality of my teaching.

If you have been taught to teach, you should be able to teach any subject that you are suitable qualified in. The problem with belly dance is that we have no outside body (e.g. RSTD) to regulate us, provide us with certification, etc. I'm not sure this is a problem that we are every going to solve. :think:

 

[Pleasant dancer]

Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt

This seems a very thorough training. I wonder how many European dancers would take it on board and would its' cost outwiegh any remuneration?

And how much would that be a consideration for you? You might never get your money back.

Cost is a major consideration, after all we are never going to be rich giving belly dance lessons! My adult ed employers paid for my teacher training, which was wonderful. I've thought about the JWAAD Foundation (which you need to have before going further) but given that the cost would wipe out any profit from a term's teaching of adult ed and it seems it wouldn't teach me anything I don't already know (I'm not knocking it I have a friend who did it and found it very useful, but she had no previous teaching experience as I did) I have to consider it all very carefully. Might do Keti Sharif's as I've found her A-Z very useful. Saving up hard, but there are so many other things that demand my money!

 

[gisela]

This is in swedish so might be no use to you. I would love to do this one or CATT (the cifuentes one) one day.
It is in Stockholm with Samasem and Ann Larsson as main teachers.
Lärarutbildning | Layali Orientaliska Dansakademi

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I go to my bookkeeper for bookkeeping advice, my osteopath for physiology advice, and so on. If you seriously want something that comprehensive, you should look into doing a degree in physiotherapy, anatomy, osteopathy, nursing, etc at uni.

Ok, the bookkeeping part of it I understand, but we're teaching a physical subject, dealing with the body, and I think some basic training in anatomy and kinesiology is essential to dance teachers of ALL types. You don't need to be nurse or have a master's in sports medicine, but the kind of information you would learn for a personal trainer certificate or group fitness instructor is (in my opinion) really important in helping you effectively COMMUNICATE as a dance instructor.

Also, learning how adults learn, how to engage multiple senses and "intelligences" and using effective visual aids is GREAT information for teachers of any subject, and I would expect that to be included in a program.

 

[Darshiva]

I've seen her course offered and I wondered about it. You can do that as distance-education, can't you? I'm really curious about her program, so if you have any info about content, I'd love to hear it.

The program comes with a DVD set that demonstrates the lesson plan she provides, although that is the very short version of what is covered in it. It also comes with a document DVD which has examples of the paperwork required for running your own bellydance business, and of course the coursework literature. As I've said before it covers the business side of teaching dance as well as teaching you how to teach content.

The exam is exhaustive.

The only negative I could see for international teachers is that the information in regards to insurance, etc, may be relevant to Australian businesses & may not reflect accurately what your local situation requires. That said, it will still let you know what kinds of questions you need to ask in order to find out what is accurate.

I was originally going to do the teacher training by correspondance (due to living in the middle of nowhere) but the opportunity came up to do it face-to-face so I scraped together the cash & did it. I think that the way Shemiran has presented the information lends itself beautifully to learning via correspondance and it ensures that even if you're a mediocre dancer you'll still be an excellent teacher. If you get the chance though, I'd still recommend doing this one live, as teacher training is a life-changing experience that you'll want to make the most of. Or at least it was for me!

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Thank you so much for the info! I may have to try this -- I probably won't be able to get down under for live teacher training, but Hadia does hers in Canada and I think I will be able to go to that one.

Thanks!

 

[khalida777]

Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt

This seems a very thorough training. I wonder how many European dancers would take it on board and would its' cost outwiegh any remuneration?

And how much would that be a consideration for you? You might never get your money back.

Yes, Prof. Khalil's Teacher Training Certification Course is an extremely thorough program with 160 hrs of training and lectures, as well as field research, reports, final exams and performance show in order to obtain the certificate Specialty Teacher for Oriental/Middle Eastern Dance and Egyptian Folklore.

For dancers/teachers in Europe, please consult Prof. Khalil's website at:
Prof. Dr. Hassan Khalil - ISOC - Cairo/Egypt

From the business side of things, this has been *the best* investment in my dance career. During and after my TTCC training in Cairo, I've had extensive media coverage here in Kingston, Ontario (two feature newspaper articles with big colour photos and two 1/2 hr. long radio interviews). Not only has this portrayed MED in the most positive light, it's generated a lot of interest in MED classes as well.

This past February my troupe and studio put on a full-scale theater production, "Dances of Egypt", featuring many of Prof. Khalil's choreographies. It was an outstanding success.

I was able to write off all my investment in the TTCC (tuition, travel, lodging, etc.) as a business expense. You may or may not make xxx dollars, pounds, or Euros per year as a performer or teacher now, but this certificate will surely make a positive difference in your marketing results.

Even for those dancers not considering a teaching career, this program is invaluable. Prof. Khalil really helps us Western dancers feel, interpret, and express the music so beautifully. An amazing pedagogue and so very kind and generous with his knowledge, he remains one of the most popular instructors at the Nile Group Festival in Cairo.

As you may know from my previous thread here, I am sponsoring Prof. Khalil in Ontario, Canada, so that North American dancers/teachers may have the opportunity to benefit from his vast knowledge and expertise. More info here:
Oasis

Warm wishes from Oasis,
Khalida

 

[Chani]

As a student I have noticed a change in one of my teachers who has not taken teacher training. Her dancing was always nice but in class she was disorganised, would chop and change approaches ((not necewssariloy based on what the student needed) and her classes didn't flow well. Generaly felt that she was unprofessional and difficult to follow. After training her classes have more structure and each class builds on the previous one. She is now a great teacher as well as a great dancer. Previously, i haqve also found that one of my bellydance teachers who is also a school teacher was very easy to learn from - very methodical and thorough. I think teacher training is necessary for some but other's teaching comes naturally.