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Wanted:
A Few Good Teachers
By Rhee
Gold
A
hiring strategy helps identify the best prospects for your
school.
If you’re a
dance school owner, then you know that one of your most
valuable commodities is your staff. A roster of top-notch
teachers can make or break a school, and finding the right
person—one who has the right professional qualifications and
will fit with your school’s philosophy and the other staff—can
be a daunting prospect. Whether your school is expanding or
you’re filling a departing teacher’s position, you’ll need to
be prepared and savvy. There’s no single best way to approach
the hiring process, but there are tried-and-true tactics. Just
make sure you apply them with equal amounts of intuition and
common sense.
The single
most important factor in hiring is observing a prospective
teacher in the classroom, preferably teaching several classes
at various levels—beginning and recreational students as well
as advanced dancers. A teacher who is excellent with the
advanced dancers is not always good with the beginners and
vice versa. No amount of interviewing or resume reading can
substitute for seeing a teacher in action.
A good way
to “audition” a prospective faculty member is to offer your
students free classes immediately after the year-end
performance. Call several students of various levels and ages
and offer them a class with the prospective faculty member.
Giving the students something for free is good for business,
and the trial class gives you a chance to see how the teacher
handles your average students. Be sure to ask the students
what they think of the teacher; they may not have the same
impression you had.
No matter
how urgently you need a teacher, do not hire someone because
you’re desperate. Panic is the number-one reason school owners
hire bad teachers. Failing to go through the procedures
necessary to identify a good teacher will almost always
backfire; consequently, it makes sense not to wait until two
weeks before classes start to begin your search. Start looking
for new candidates for the next season before the current
season closes.
Former
dancers who have worked professionally may seem like exciting
prospects to an employer at first glance—but remember, a
Broadway or company dancer may not have a concept of what it’s
like to teach a 7-yearold. Although many of them do prove to
be excellent in the classroom, having professional performing
experience does not automatically qualify someone to teach.
Likewise, some impressive teachers have never had a performing
career.
Hire
someone with the qualities you’re looking for, not someone you
think you can change. If the teacher’s personality doesn’t
work with your students, changing that won’t be easy. If the
teacher doesn’t show patience with your preschool or
recreational classes, imagine how she’s going to deal with
them on a weekly basis or when she has to prepare them for a
recital. If your first instinct is negative, then you need to
trust yourself.
How do you
find good teachers? It’s a common question but not an easy one
to answer. Here are some suggestions:
• Place a
small ad or link on your website saying that you’re looking
for qualified teachers. If you can dedicate a webpage to
information about what you are looking for, it will help
prevent unqualified candidates from applying.
• Run a
small ad in the local or nearest big city’s newspaper. There
may be qualified teachers in your area that you don’t know of.
• Run an ad
on Craigslist (www.craigslist.org). This community-based
bulletin board includes classified ads. According to the
Craigslist website, it receives more than 12 billion page
views every month. You can post locally or choose major cities
and towns throughout the United States and Canada—or even
Europe.
• Contact
other schools in your area. Some may have faculty members who
are looking for additional work.
• Run a
classified ad in one of the national dance publications.
• Raise
your teachers in your school! Often the best teachers are
those who grew up in your school. They understand the school’s
philosophy, history, and goals and already have relationships
with the staff.
TIPS: A
Dynamite Teaching Demonstration— What To Look For
• Does the
prospective teacher arrive early?
• Does he
welcome the students and introduce himself?
• Is he
well prepared for the class?
• Is his
appearance appropriate for the image of the studio?
• Does he
have good control of the classroom and the dancers?
• Does he
show respect for the students, making corrections politely and
tactfully?
• Does he
make an effort to remember the students’ names? (It’s OK if
he’s not successful; the point is that he is aware of its
importance.)
• Does he
pay attention to all the students rather than focusing on the
most talented ones?
• Are his
exercises and combinations suited to the ages and skill levels
of the students?
• Does he
show a sound understanding of technique and an ability to
communicate that to the students?
• Does he
demonstrate musicality and look for it in the students?
• Does he
move among the students and demonstrate movements rather than
planting himself at the front of the classroom?
• Is he
energetic and enthusiastic?
• Do the
dancers respond positively?
Before you
start interviewing prospective teachers, create a job
description, put it in writing, and then discuss it with each
candidate. Be specific about what you expect from them above
and beyond the class schedule. Do you require them to travel
to performances or competitions? Are they available for the
dress rehearsal and the recital? Are they available for your
summer program? Knowing exactly what the job entails allows
those candidates who aren’t able to meet your needs to remove
themselves from the running before the process goes too far.
Most
schools require their staff to choreograph for recitals,
competitions, and other performances. Good teachers are not
always good choreographers, so request a video of the
candidates’ own choreography. Make sure they have worked with
younger dancers, and look for versatility, age-appropriate
movement and music, and effective use of space, as well as
solid technique.
Determining
whether the prospective employee will be a good team player
can be difficult, but it’s worth a try. Does she have
experience working with other teachers or schools? Does she
seem outgoing and eager to work with others? Do you think her
personality will fit in well with those of your current
faculty and staff? Always call previous employers to find out
why the applicant was terminated or left the previous job.
They can also provide valuable information on the candidate’s
work ethic and ability to be a part of a team.
The
interview will give you a clear sense of a prospective
teacher’s personality and ability to interact. Taking into
account the normal nervousness that accompanies any job
interview, you can still expect a confident person to make eye
contact and present herself with ease.
TIPS:
Interviewing Essentials
Always
request a resume, but be sure to discuss these topics in
detail:
•
Availability—full-time, part-time, weekends, etc. Do they have
any other employment commitments?
• Previous
teaching experience, including which levels
• What
inspired them to become a teacher?
• A
description of their training—what kind, where, with whom,
when?
• Other
training or experience, such as acrobatics/gymnastics, social
dancing, or administrative skills
•
Performing experience
• Option of
a trial period of employment
•
References or recommendations
• Current
employment, if any
• Name of
last employer
• Reason
for leaving previous employer
• Reason
for wanting to work at your school
• Where do
they see themselves 5 or 10 years from now?
As always,
preparation is key. Know what you want, identify specific
minimal requirements, ask intelligent questions, and trust
your instincts, and be prepared to put some time into the
process. When you find that terrific teacher, all your efforts
will seem worthwhile.
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