Why is it that everyone wants to learn to run before they have started crawling? Instant gratification is more the norm nowadays, and as a teacher, it makes teaching very hard. Ten years ago, when a teacher gave you a correction, their word was good as gold. Now, it’s “I wasn’t doing that” or “my shoulders WERE down.”
Oh I forgot. I love speaking just to hear my voice. I have a great voice, so of course, I want to listen to myself constantly. If I correct you, it’s because regardless of what you think, you were wrong. Or incorrect. Or not right. However you want to word it, you made a mistake. And that’s ok. Because if you DIDN’T make mistakes, I would be out of a job.
However, long gone are they days of respect when you were EXCITED that a teacher singled you, yes YOU, out of a room to correct. It means they saw something worth fixing. It meant you had potential. It meant you were worth watching. You didn’t cry, you didn’t have mom call up and complain that “Miss Jenn constantly picks on my daughter. Either she goes or we go.”
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
When did we become not only dance teachers, but parents as well? Teaching manners should NOT be something that we waste time on in class. Manners should be something you already learned. At home. I don’t need to tell you to not talk in class, to show respect for your teachers or elders. You should KNOW that.
There is no excuse for bad behavior. Just because dance is evolving should not mean that our behavior in class does as well. If a teacher corrects you, don’t complain. It’s a good thing. If they ask you to do something, don’t whine. Just do it. Don’t roll you eyes, say I can’t, (which are inevitably the most annoying words to cross my ears and are not allowed in my classroom) sign loudly, and please, don’t yawn in class. Are you bored? If you are going to yawn, DEFINITELY do not NOT cover your mouth and add in sound effects. What if I stood in front of the room and yawned? I’d be a pretty terrible teacher.
Again, it all comes back to basic parenting skills. If you are allowed to speak and act a certain way at home, chances are, that will transfer into the classroom. And chances are, your little darling and I are going to clash over what is deemed as respect.
So next time your teacher corrects you, how about a thank you? Thank you for taking the time to make me the best dancer that I can become?
It’ll make our day.