Another teacher-to-be-someday?

Yshka

New member
Hello everyone. I was just reading the thread about Ariella's teaching job and I really got excited as I read, her experiences are so cool and really give me a good feeling about beginning to teach.

My first teaching experience will be next friday, I will be filling in for my teacher in one of our beginners classes. I was never extremely good at breaking down movements but I seem to be improving a bit step by step.
My teacher does seem to have faith in me taking over a class, which gives me more confidence, but still I'm definitely very nervous about friday as I've never really taught a class before, except done warm up in our regular classes and assisted in beginners classes before.

I'm thoroughly preparing myself, having warmup and cooldown routines worked out already. I have explanations for various movements that actually make sense, knowing which muscles we use when/where, etc. I'm now filling in what to do for the actual class. I've already got some cool excercises figured out, and I think I'll manage to prepare for the class, but still nervousness is omnipresent.

Any advice for a very nervous newbie to teaching? Anything else I should keep in mind? Thanks all!:)
 

Queenie

New member
Ooh, wonderful! I remember the first time I actually taught a class - I was really nervous and I forgot to mention heaps of things, but it went great and the students really enjoyed themselves and thought the class was perfect!
So, try not too worry too much, it sounds like you're very well prepared, now just have fun!
 

Yshka

New member
Lol thanks Shanazel :D, I won't forget.

I will Queenie!! I am still nervous but at least it's turning into positive nervousness a bit more now. I've still got some worries about my voice though, I'm not used to talking loudly or making myself hear'able to an entire group (does that word make sense or did I just make that up?), usually I'm a quiet, reasonably shy person.
 
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Queenie

New member
Sounds familiar ... ;)
I'm quite shy as well - but for me it's very similar to performing; the dancer in me just takes over ;) I'm sure it will be exactly the same for you! Keep us posted!
 

Yshka

New member
I see, well my inner dancer usually takes over during performance, I sure hope it does during teaching as well!
 

Maria_Aya

New member
Hi girl !!!!
Be relaxed, made your plan from before (write it down), make a rehearshal teaching the class (ok parts of it) at your house.
Enjoy it and be serious, its a great responsibility to be a teacher.

Hugs
Maria Aya:)
 

Ariella

New member
I can honestly say, teaching has made me different as a dancer. When you actually take the time to break down a movement for someone else, you strengthen that movement in yourself.
Also, I am incredibly flattered and honored that you read my other posts and got excited about teaching. Good luck! It sounds like you are preparing plenty, which is good. How well do you know the students you will be teaching? Have you selected music?
 

Yshka

New member
Maria, thank you so much dear!! I'm now again writing down (converting it to readable handwriting lol, mine when scribbling is a mess) all I've planned to do for tomorrow, and I plan to rehearse a few times also since tomorrow is my day off and I dont have to teach until tomorrow night. I am serious, as I LOVE this dance and really want to teach them the moves correctly, I hope everything goes well, it sure seems great to teach!:D

Ariella, I loved reading your thread! I got really excited about teaching because all is going so well with you. I have seen these people like 6 or 7 times in class, as most of the time I came along with my teacher. I don't know all the names yet though. I've chosen some easy popmusic by Nancy Ajram (i adore her music) and Nagwa Karam, some modern Lebanese music and a few Saidi songs my teacher is used to using for that class. I'm also wanting to do some snakey movements to Saraab by Simon Shaheen.

Boy this preparing for class thing is getting more fun every minute.:D thanks for the support you girls! xoxox
 

Ariella

New member
Ariella, I loved reading your thread! I got really excited about teaching because all is going so well with you. I have seen these people like 6 or 7 times in class, as most of the time I came along with my teacher. I don't know all the names yet though. I've chosen some easy popmusic by Nancy Ajram (i adore her music) and Nagwa Karam, some modern Lebanese music and a few Saidi songs my teacher is used to using for that class. I'm also wanting to do some snakey movements to Saraab by Simon Shaheen.

You sound plenty prepared! Be sure to report back to us and tell us how the class went.
 

Yshka

New member
:D Hey girls!!

So I went to teach our beginners class tonight, it was absolutely wonderful!! The students are really nice and fun to teach. I did a repetition of moves taught in earlier classes with them and we danced with those in a combination I had prepared. We did the choreography my teacher is teaching them a few times and I had them do slooow snakemovements with me. After dancing some more and concentrating on some new moves introduced earlier in the course (they haven't really improvised much in class yet) I had them practise those snakey moves by themselves. SO fun to see that, when really listening to the music and concentrating on putting the moves together for themselves, there's so much creativity in them and some even looked like they started to really dance!! I had great fun and I think the students did also.
I did find that I had selected more music than I really needed. I had a great warmup cd with me with beautiful slow songs that I used, and from the other music I ended up using only half lol.

Anyway, after class I told them it had been my first time teaching, they applauded and said I did very well. I guess my teaching debut worked out quite nicely :D maybe I will even teach my own class when I grow up:cool: !

Thanks everyone for your support!!
 
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Moon

New member
Great to hear it went so well :clap::clap:
And a good idea to tell them it was you first time after the lesson and not before.
I'm sure you'll become a great teacher in the near future (or maybe you're already one)!!!

When you grow up? Lol
 

Yshka

New member
Hi Moon, thanks!! I'm truly happy everything went well! However, like Queenie said, I forgot about a lot of things I had planned to do, but I did mention the important things like posture, use of muscles, breathing and tucking the pelvis constantly.
I think for teaching, I still have a very long way to go, but at least I had a good start:D

So yes, when I grow up (just about 4 yrs of MED experience here) I hope to become a good teacher ;)
 
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Congrats on teaching your first class! It is gratifying to watch students take hat yo've taught and put in practice. Today, we had our semi-annual ecital/hafla and some of my beginning student were dancing. I felt so good watching students who never thought they could move to the beat have the courage and beauty to perform for others. For me that is the truly selfish part in teaching!
Yasmine
 
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