Weekly or monthly lessons?

[Mariyam]

I was wondering what you prefer as a student, or recommend as a teacher:

- weekly lessons of about 1 hour each
- monthly lessons of about 4 1/2 hours (with breaks, obviously)

I'm doing weekly lessons at the moment, but I'll be starting a series of 10 monthly lessons next month. I sometimes get the feeling during the weekly 1-hour lessons that time is flying so fast between warming up and cooling down, that there isn't much time left for the actual lesson. While the monthly lessons, even though they are physically more demanding, leave much more time to learn choreographies or a new skill (like zills, cane dance, etc.).

What do you think? What is your experience as a student or as a teacher?

 

[~Diana~]

I've done workshops that long but have never seen classes offered that long. I can only see hardcore learners who would want to and could last through a class that long. Beginners, no way. People can only learn so much in a time period but having only 1- 4 hour class a month leaves more time for people to forget things between classes, drop out as they lose interest, miss a class if something else falls on that one day a month, as well as not allowing them to ask follow up frequently because the classes are spaced so far apart.

If you wonder about time, ask your students who are taking your class now. Ask them if they think the 1 hour class is good and what they think is good. Ask them what they would change about it. Might be that you need to shorten the warm up and/or cool down time.

My question is how many 1 hour classes are included in a session? It's very typical here to sign up for an 8-10 week class with 1 hour per week.

 

[Mariyam]

Thanks for your input! Well, I'm a student and not a teacher The only teaching I've ever done was showing a few moves to work colleagues!

I've had a taste of both formulas before. A few years ago, I was following weekly classes with a teacher, and then monthly classes with another. I noticed a big improvement in my technique during my weekly lessons, after doing a monthly class. And I enjoyed the "workshop" formula. Each lesson was mostly dedicated to one aspect of the dance. So I guess I am in favor of monthly classes to complement a weekly lessons regime. But then again, I'm a hardcore student, obsessed with bellydancing :lol: However, a student could very well just sign up for various workshops instead, and obtain a similar result...

I was just curious to hear what others thought!

 

[gisela]

I did similar to you once. Two weekly classes (2 hours each) and one monthly class (4 hours). I liked the long class because we had time to go in depth with some things. It was a performance themed class so we learnt some short choreos and then used them as tools to practice various performance issues- Like in a restaurant setting or stage setting etc. We also got homework, improvised a lot, created own choreos and performed for the rest with feedback etc etc. All in all it definitely was mostly great. Noone in the class had problems lasting all 4 hours. The downside is that if you are ill that day or not able to come, you go two whole months without a class.

I would not want to change my weekly classes as that is where there is continuity and where I get pushed further regularly. However, I think one hour is way too short. I prefer at least 1.5 hours of actual training to get into it. (I do realise though that it is not always possible to get)

 

[Mariyam]

My current weekly classes just last 1h15 and I am still "hungry" when it ends :lol: But it's the only classes I've found that were 1) in my area, 2) within my budget, and 3) on a day that I was free to take classes. I might venture to surrounding cities next fall, but since I'm returning to taking classes after a break of about 3 years, I didn't want to be too picky. Plus I really like that teacher

My monthly lessons start in about 3 weeks, and I'm pretty excited :dance: It's a follow-up on the first series of monthly classes I did a few years ago. First I wanted to do the "beginners" version again, because of my long break, but my teacher convinced me that I would quickly pick it up again, so I signed up. We're going to do a bit like what you said, Gisela: choreos, with some homework in-between classes, performance in front of the rest of the class for feedback, etc.

 

[shiradotnet]

I was wondering what you prefer as a student, or recommend as a teacher:

- weekly lessons of about 1 hour each
- monthly lessons of about 4 1/2 hours (with breaks, obviously)

I don't recommend the 4-hour approach, for several reasons.

• The benefit of weekly classes is that the teacher can evaluate students more frequently, and correct errors more frequently. If a student has been practicing something incorrectly, it's better to discover the problem and correct it as soon as possible. After a month of practicing something incorrectly, it will be more difficult for a student to un-learn the error.
• Adults usually find their brains saturated after 3 hours of continuous study. Anything longer than that, and they will have difficulty retaining what they have learned.

 

[Daimona]

I'd prefer a mix as well, not one instead of the other, as they would complement each other. Weekly classes for continuity and regularly feedback, monthly mini-workshops to get a more in-depth knowledge of certain topics you don't get in the weekly classes.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

I don't recommend the 4-hour approach, for several reasons.

• The benefit of weekly classes is that the teacher can evaluate students more frequently, and correct errors more frequently. If a student has been practicing something incorrectly, it's better to discover the problem and correct it as soon as possible. After a month of practicing something incorrectly, it will be more difficult for a student to un-learn the error.
• Adults usually find their brains saturated after 3 hours of continuous study. Anything longer than that, and they will have difficulty retaining what they have learned.

This would be me. After working full time all day, my brain starts to turn off after about an hour and a half. For a four hour workshop, you need about a half hour to an hour break.

 

[shiradotnet]

For a four hour workshop, you need about a half hour to an hour break.

And even with such a break, 3 hours of learning time in one day is still pretty much the saturation point. People's brains become fatigued.

 

[walladah]

It depends!

First the level of the students: it needs to be really advanced to learn with monthly lessons...

Second, the extend of commitment of the students: monthly lessons need lots of regular practice afterwards, to "learn" the skills...

Third, the teaching method and the teacher-student cooperation agreement: actually, monthly lessons are more of the project type, not of the learning at own pace type. The teacher need to have very clear view of what she/he is teaching and the student to have clear view of what she/he wants to learn. The agreement needs to have specific project aims, f.ex. at the end of the lesson series, the student will be able to dance with props, or Egyptian raqs sharki style, or... something very concrete...

this is why advanced students can access such type of learning: you need to know what you need to know to attend such lessons...

 

[Mosaic]

I've never heard of 4hr monthly classes. If that was my only option I would do it, but much prefer the 1hr to 1.5hr classes weekly and I really look forward to those classes - waiting for a month for the next class I'd go stir crazy:lol:. I think even the teacher would be exhausted doing a 4hr class so wonder about the quality, let alone in my case being able to keep going for 4 hrs. A WS is fine but classes not so sure.
~Mosaic

 

[Eshta]

Mariyam, are you talking about a PRIVATE monthly class, compared to a weekly group class? I think it would change my answer.

I think it depends on what point you're at. I don't do weekly classes at the moment, as there aren't many to choose at the level I need to learn at, and sadly basic scheduling/location conflicts make it hard to attend. I prefer private classes to focus in on particular things I'm trying to learn.

If you can do both...!

 

[Yame]

Weekly or monthly??? Geeeeee... how about... daily!? :lol:

Regular practice is the only way to get good at something. The more often you do it, the better. Weekly classes are already not enough. Unfortunately, it is as much as a lot of teachers can offer and as much as a lot of students can afford.

I would never in a million years forgo a weekly class for a 4-hour monthly class. Absolutely not. Doing BOTH could be a good idea, if logistically feasible and affordable, and I am essentially doing that for most of this year, by taking my weekly belly dance lessons and supplementing them with long workshops about once a month.

4-hour monthly classes are better than nothing if that's all that is available to you for whatever reason, or if you are very advanced and the only regular classes available are too low-level for you and you can't afford a private class every week. Certain dancers (usually more advanced ones) can get a lot out of them, so I am certainly not saying they are worthless. However, the more often you can have classes, the better.

 

[Shanazel]

If faced with your choices, I'd opt for the weekly classes, daily practice, and maybe an occasional four hour class if that is an option.

I flat refuse to teach a class that lasts less than ninety minutes. With just an hour, something gets neglected: warm up, cool down, substantive instruction. I would love to take a four hour workshop a month- but that would be in addition to weekly classes and daily practice and not instead of.

 

[onela]

For me, I'd rather do shorter more frequently- I'm planning on doing 2 different 1 hour classes every week in the spring. I also schedule a monthly private or semi-private lesson. If I lived somewhere remote and could only travel to/from a class once a month, I guess I'd do a 4 hour monthly class but it wouldn't be my first choice. I'm interested to hear how you like it, let us know!

 

[Mariyam]

Wow, thanks everyone for your contributions!

To be honest with you all, my plan is to continue the weekly lessons, while taking the monthly lessons on top of it. And yes, I want to try to practice on my own every day that I can. To answer your question Eshta, the monthly lessons are given in a small group of about 8 students. I did the first series of monthly classes from this teacher (beginner to intermediate level) and I received plenty of attention from the teacher during the lessons, so I would expect the same this time!

At the moment, my weekly lessons are mainly in baladi style (with a strong influence from Suraya Hilal's style, which can be a good thing or a bad thing ) at intermediate/advanced level and while I do enjoy it, I want to explore more styles. The monthly lessons are going to cover many styles, along with a focus on choreography, which is what I'm missing the most. I know the moves, I have the basic techniques, but how do I put them all together? I can improvise, but I sometimes feel awkward and I wonder if what I'm doing actually "looks good" or not (I hope I'm making sense!). So I'm hoping the small choreos we have to prepare for class and the subsequent feedback from the teacher and my peers will help me advance further

 

[gisela]

Mariyam, I think that sound great. I am sure you will benefit from the extra feedback and practice. Just remember to go to the class :lol: Just saying this, because when I took the monthly class, someone always forgot that it was *this sunday* since it had been so long since the last class. Or as most of us were in the early or mid twenties, there was always someone showing up with a bit of hangover :lol: At 10 am on a sunday there's bound to be someone who's been up a little late the day before

 

[Mariyam]

LOL Gisela :lol:

I wrote down each lesson in the calendar of my mobile phone. Hopefully this will help :dance:

Oh I should mention that I just double-checked the website of my teacher, and the monthly lessons will actually last for 3 hours, including break(s). So this should provide reassurance about being able to sustain learning for long consecutive hours...

 

[Maria_Aya]

Weekly for beginers, workshops for advance if they work alone alot also

Maria Aya

 

[Juno]

I am a beginner. My teacher has two beginner classes every week, lasting one hour. One of them is followed by an intermediate class. Instead of 2-hour classes, she has enthusiastic beginners take both 1-hour classes. As you advance, you can take the sequential beginner and intermediate classes, for a total 2 hour class. You can also take the separate 1-hour beginner class.

I have fairly severe ADD, and I could barely tolerate a one hour class in college. However, my teacher gave a 3-hour workshop, with one good break in the middle. I attended, even though I had only taken two beginner classes. The three hours went by quickly. I wish it had been longer. Maybe it was just because it was all new to me, or maybe dancing naturally allows a longer attention span because you are using both your brain and your body. So, I think it is valuable to have occasional long classes, despite the fact that it is longer than conventional wisdom about adult attention spans.