A dance year runs the same way a school year does. We start classes in September, and finish the season in June. Just as in school, the same teacher teaches that class all year long. Today, one of the teachers on staff at the studio quit on the spot. She had many other responsibilities other than just teaching a class, and she packed her stuff and left with everything today. Grow up. There are kids that are depending on you. How could you abandon them in the midst of the season? We have a competition and two recitals left in the season, and now these kids have no one. Bottom line, when you make a commitment to something, you need to follow through.
Worse yet, now that she is gone, the students told us that she had already said she was leaving. They also told us about times when she was bad mouthing the rest of the staff and bad mouthing students in front of other students. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Grow up. You think a 21 year old would have a higher maturity level than that, but apparently not. Shame on you!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
People that complain because they aren't as good as you. ...
So back from two competitions and everything went pretty well! For the most part, all dancers, parents and teachers are happy. We did run into a little incident in the first competition. Let me explain...
At competition, students compete within different age categories to keep things fair. For example, the ten year olds compete against other ten year olds, and so on and so on. There are also split into two categories based on level, a recreational division for the students that are new to dance, and a competitive division for students that have been competing for years. I work for an established studio with very talented dancers. These kids bust their butts several days a week to get to the level that they are at. At the last competition, there were so many complaints that our students were too good that the competition made all of our dancers bump up to the higher age division. By the end of the weekend, we had 11 year olds competing against 17 year olds becasue they were "too good" to compete in their age division. Bullshit. Seriously, these kids work so hard so they can be the best at what they do....now they are competing against older kids who have far more experience than they do. Our kids still scored pretty well, but no where near where they would have if they had been in the correct division. What ever happened to seeing someone who is better than you and thinking "Look at her, I am gonna practice real hard until I can do that". As a kid, I was always inspired when I saw really great dancers and it always gave me a goal to work towards. Now, people are so afraid of losing, that they have to bitch and moan and complain until they can win, instead of working hard to actually be the best.
At competition, students compete within different age categories to keep things fair. For example, the ten year olds compete against other ten year olds, and so on and so on. There are also split into two categories based on level, a recreational division for the students that are new to dance, and a competitive division for students that have been competing for years. I work for an established studio with very talented dancers. These kids bust their butts several days a week to get to the level that they are at. At the last competition, there were so many complaints that our students were too good that the competition made all of our dancers bump up to the higher age division. By the end of the weekend, we had 11 year olds competing against 17 year olds becasue they were "too good" to compete in their age division. Bullshit. Seriously, these kids work so hard so they can be the best at what they do....now they are competing against older kids who have far more experience than they do. Our kids still scored pretty well, but no where near where they would have if they had been in the correct division. What ever happened to seeing someone who is better than you and thinking "Look at her, I am gonna practice real hard until I can do that". As a kid, I was always inspired when I saw really great dancers and it always gave me a goal to work towards. Now, people are so afraid of losing, that they have to bitch and moan and complain until they can win, instead of working hard to actually be the best.
Friday, March 16, 2012
What is Dancer B!*@#?
Teaching may be a wonderful and rewarding experience, but let's face it...when you are working with kids sometimes you wanna pull your hair out! We are constantly berated with excuses and complaints. Kids try to trick us, and think that they can outsmart us all the time. In order to stay sane, sometimes we just need a place to vent!
I have been teaching dance at a competitive level for six years now. I teach everyone from the itty bitty three year olds all the way up to the sometimes snotty 18 year olds. In my classroom environment I expect a lot out of my students. They should always be on their best behavior, be respectful to their peers and to me, and to be working hard and pushing themselves to achieve. Yeah right! While my students are usually very good for me, (I don't really stand for anything else), there are always days that they get out of line. Sometimes there is one student in a class that just gets right under your skin. I have created this blog as a safe way to vent about all the things that drive me crazy in a classroom! I will not disclose the studio's I teach at or the students about whom I am speaking. We have competition this weekend, so I am sure by Monday I am going to have a few great stories to post!
I have been teaching dance at a competitive level for six years now. I teach everyone from the itty bitty three year olds all the way up to the sometimes snotty 18 year olds. In my classroom environment I expect a lot out of my students. They should always be on their best behavior, be respectful to their peers and to me, and to be working hard and pushing themselves to achieve. Yeah right! While my students are usually very good for me, (I don't really stand for anything else), there are always days that they get out of line. Sometimes there is one student in a class that just gets right under your skin. I have created this blog as a safe way to vent about all the things that drive me crazy in a classroom! I will not disclose the studio's I teach at or the students about whom I am speaking. We have competition this weekend, so I am sure by Monday I am going to have a few great stories to post!
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