|
 Taking
Care Of Business - And Yourself
By Judy Rice
Forget the day spa—to rejuvenate yourself, indulge in a
weekend of teacher training
I know how
you feel—you want to be the best teacher that you can be. And
you work hard all season long, so why should you spend your
summer time and money on a convention where someone will tell
you what you already know? I used to feel the same way. But
until I experienced the network and support systems built into
summer dance seminars, conventions, and teacher-training
schools, I didn’t realize what I was robbing myself of or how
I was isolating myself during the school year. Now I am
addicted to using these venues to refresh and nourish myself
so that I can go back to my students with renewed excitement
and current materials. There is nothing like spending three,
five, or even more days living, eating, and sharing ideas with
your own kind. If you are a dance professional at any level,
I encourage you to attend a summer event for yourself.
The
teacher-training schools that I have taught at or attended
offer a multitude of options. Some give you the chance to
become certified in a specialty; others enrich your spirit and
increase your knowledge. All have different flavors and
emphases, so choose what you want to concentrate on—or better
yet, attend a few in order to expand your horizons. What I
find to be the universal ingredient is the experience of
meeting people from all over the country and sharing ideas.
Summer
national conventions are also incredible places for your
students. While you are learning about the latest teaching
methods, your students will discover that there is a lot going
on in the world that they don’t see. They will meet students
from all over the country and be inspired by teachers with
fresh energy and new approaches. Conventions are also a place
to make future professional connections with choreographers,
company directors, and university professors and recruiters.
You and your dancers will return home refreshed, excited, and
connected.
In addition
to classes and networking opportunities, many summer programs
offer a look at the latest products to hit the dance market.
Vendors often time their new products to make a summer debut,
so you can examine the latest tap shoes, costumes, stage
makeup, videos, CDs, and business software. Not only do these
distributors display their products, they often present
special events such as pointe shoe fittings. It’s one-stop
shopping!
Summer
teacher-training programs are designed to speak to you, the
dance teacher, and address your concerns. As a teacher and
presenter in these venues, I have found that as I throw out
ideas, the participants throw back just as many of their own.
There is an incredible give-and-take exchange about teaching
techniques, the latest music and DVDs for ballet class, and
ways to keep classes interesting by keeping up with current
movies, books, and fads. We talk about how to make ballet more
engaging; for example, my winning strategy this year was to
use the Spongebob Squarepants music for petite allegro. The
dancers never wanted to stop jumping! I also try to help
teachers understand the movement they are teaching by
experiencing the organic execution of it in their own bodies.
Becoming a student again is a great way to become a better
teacher.
Continuing
education is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for a dance
educator’s survival and an uplifting career. I have become a
better teacher because of what I’ve learned from other
teachers. Continuing to expand their network and support
system is essential for teachers. I didn’t know I needed this
kind of connection until I found it. You will emerge with a
plethora of fresh material, DVDs, CDs, friends, and
inspiration. And the more nourished you are, the more inspired
your students will be.
Send
Page To a Friend
|
