|
 What’s
in a Name?
By
Misty Lown
A
title not only tells others what you do, it reflects how you
perceive yourself.
As a dance
studio owner, I meet a lot of new people through traveling,
participating in community events and business expos, and
making studio appearances. And though the setting changes,
conversation always comes to the same question: “What do you
do?” The exchange typically goes like this:
New
person:
So, you from around here?
Me:
Yup, how about you?
New
person:
No, I’m from [fill in the blank]. So, what do you do?
Me:
Well, I used to be a dance instructor . . .
New
person:
And now?
Me:
I’m a dance educator.
I admit
that I like to have a little fun with these conversations, but
if I get a blank look, I usually let my new acquaintance off
the hook and ask what they do. What I’m hoping for, however,
is the “What do you mean?” look, in which case I jump right
in.
When I was
a college student I had a business card that proclaimed “Dance
Instructor” as my title. I remember giving quite a bit of
thought to what to call myself. I thought “Dance Teacher”
didn’t sound official enough, although it certainly described
what I spent 15 hours a week doing. “Dance Specialist” sounded
too narrow for someone with my broad interests, and “Dance
Educator” seemed to require experience I couldn’t claim. So
“Dance Instructor” I was, until a graduate course turned my
thinking on its proverbial head.
By the end
of college it was obvious that I got more satisfaction from
the classroom than the stage, so I started a dance studio and
enrolled in the master of education program at the University
of Wisconsin–La Crosse. My goal was to become the best teacher
I could be. But one course changed my thinking about my role
as a teacher forever. Its premise: Are you going to be an
instructor or an educator? Both options were valid, but each
person’s response would determine the scope and focus of their
graduate program. That class made me realize that I was a
dance educator, not a dance instructor. Keep reading and you
might come to the same conclusion.
The words
“instructor” and “educator” are often used interchangeably,
but maybe they shouldn’t be. It’s generally accepted that
“educate” has a broader scope of meaning than “instruct” does.
And most studio owners will find their experience more aligned
with the concept of an educator than with an instructor.
Instructors, the backbone of every studio, carry out the
purpose and program of the school under the direction of the
studio owner. Their primary objective is to teach class—a
skillful combination of encouraging students and passing on
knowledge. They may do some planning and often choreograph,
but their number-one job, teaching dance, takes place in the
classroom.
Most studio
owners start out as instructors, but even those who continue
to teach (the majority) find that their role is no longer
limited to the description of an instructor. Instructors
become educators when they find themselves responsible not
only for a classroom but for every class on the schedule, when
they instruct not only their students in how to dance but
other teachers in how to teach. Educators spend as much time
administrating as they do teaching. As captains, they chart
the course, assign tasks, and paddle with the crew. The ship
analogy aside, they also plan educational trips and write
curriculum.
The word
“instructor” doesn’t present a complete picture of a studio
owner or director. It doesn’t capture the importance of making
sure that preschoolers and their parents are comfortable on
their first day of class, or the responsibility of promoting
students to pointe work. It doesn’t account for the months of
preparation for a two-hour recital, or the time and resources
invested in organizing travel to conferences and conventions.
It doesn’t recognize the impact of calling students by name
even if they’re not in your class, or the influence you have
on students’ work ethic when you peek into a classroom “just
to watch.” And of course, school owners’ time in the classroom
is often the second shift of their day, which begins only
after a full day of planning and administration.
Studio
owners and directors, it’s time to rethink how you present
yourselves. We are educators in every sense of the word. What
we do goes way beyond imparting skills. We provide places
where kids are built up from the inside out through dance. We
are in our element leading classrooms and drawing the best out
of our students and staff, helping each to bring away lessons
that will last a lifetime. We are leaders who leave a legacy
behind and make an impact on the future. So the next time
someone asks, “What do you do?” speak up with confidence in
your calling. Say “I’m a dance educator.”
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