Dance teachers are often overworked and underpaid. Considerable attention is paid to difficulties that are experienced by dancers. However, little consideration is given to similar problems that dance teachers must face. Many people simply do not realize that dance teachers are people too. It is important for the mental, emotional, and physical health of teachers that individuals within the dance community appreciate that teachers have doubts, worries, fears, and other problems and that these issues can lead to more serious difficulties that will affect the teachers as individuals and in their involvement with their dancers. Addressing this issue directly is essential in assisting teachers in building a sound foundation for maintaining motivation and enhancing the satisfaction and enjoyment they derive from their work.
Why’s and What’s of Teaching
The first step in building this foundation is to aid dance teachers in understanding their own motivations and reasons for teaching. This phase can be accomplished with a process termed, the why’s and what’s of teaching. This strategy involves, first, asking teachers to identify and list the reasons why they are teaching. Responses to this query should include issues related to personal values, quality of life, and financial expectations. Second, teachers are then asked to indicate what they believe are the benefits and detriments of teaching for them. The teachers’ answers should be comprehensive in their appraisal of all of the positive and negative aspects of teaching. Third, teachers should indicate what they want out of teaching, i.e., what are their goals in their career. Once again, their responses should encompass all aspects of their teaching experience.
Once the why’s and what’s of teaching have been clarified, it is then necessary for the teachers to set personal goals. These goals can be classified into three general categories: attitudes and behavior, skill development, and individual dancer development. Attitude and behavior goals involve setting goals for the attitudes and behaviors that teachers exhibit in their interactions with dancers, other teachers, and parents. Skill development goals comprise standards for the acquisition of the skills that are necessary for improved teaching. Lastly, perhaps the most significant measure of teachers’ ability and success is the development and performance of the individual dancers and the school or company as a whole. As a result, goals involving with individual dancer and school or company performance can be set as a means of maintaining motivation .
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1) WHY DO YOU TEACH? “I like working with kids, not only making them better dancers, but also better people. I don’t want to sit behind a desk. I enjoy being in a dance studio.”
2) WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND DETRIMENTS OF TEACHING? “Seeing the kids improve and mature, being able to travel around the world, participating in dance for a living are all benefits. Detriments include low pay, long hours, and burn-out.”
2) WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF TEACHING? “I would like to develop some elite dancers and be respected by my peers. I would also like to make enough money to maintain the quality of life I want and have some security in the future.”
3) WHAT PERSONAL GOALS DO YOU HAVE SET FOR YOURSELF? “On a personal level, I would like to get less frustrated with my kids and be more positive rather than critical. I would also like to develop my knowledge in the areas of physical and mental training. I would like to see several of my dancers in a recognized company. Lastly, within the next few years, I would like to teach in a major dance school.”
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Developing a Coping Repertoire
A significant source of difficulties that negatively influences teachers’ motivation, satisfaction, and performance is common problems that they face on a regular basis. These problems can range from the trivial such as studio and accompanist problems to the serious such as eating disorders among dancers. The ability of teachers to address these issues in a positive, constructive manner will influence significantly their teaching performance and their own sense of self-worth and well-being. As a result of this importance, the development of effective preventive measures and coping skills is essential. A useful way to initiate this process is through group brainstorming with the teaching staff. This method allows teachers to share techniques they already use and to generate and have consensus on the most effective means of dealing with problems.
The first step in developing a coping repertoire is to identify common sources of problems. Within any particular studio setting, there is usually a common set of difficulties that teachers must address regularly. These frequent problems include inter-dancer conflict, negative attitudes, and injuries. A detailed identification of these areas will clarify for the teachers the problems that are most frequent and frustrating and provide the basis for prevention and coping.
The most effective means of dealing with problems involves employing preventive measures. In other words, the best way to deal with problems is not to have to deal with them. Through active management of the school or company environment, teachers can create a setting that prevents many problems from arising. As a result, a significant source of stress for the teachers can eliminated.
Invariably, not all difficulties can be prevented. Consequently, it is necessary for teachers to develop a coping repertoire as a means of addressing these problems in a healthy fashion. There are many ways to deal with obstacles. However, the ideal solution should be one in which all involved parties emerge with good feelings and a sense of closure. As a result, careful consideration should be given to the best means of solving problems. Techniques such as time-out, i.e., getting away from the problem, assertiveness, and honest communication are examples of ways that difficulties can be addressed in a positive manner.
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PROBLEM: Overbearing parents at classes and performances.
PREVENTIVE MEASURE: No parents at classes, parent education classes.
COPING SKILLS: Role-playing of diplomatic, but firm response to parents. Relaxation techniques to control anger.
PROBLEM: Burn-out.
PREVENTIVE MEASURE: Limit and structure work hours, delegate responsibilities.
COPING SKILLS: Time-out, build social support, seek counseling.
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Building Support System
Perhaps the most important way that teachers can maintain their motivation and satisfaction and deal with the stresses associated with teaching is through the development of a broad-based social support system. There are several levels at which support can be built. First, possibly the greatest source of frustration for dance teachers is the lack of financial, logistical, and moral support from the school or company management. The inability to accomplish necessary tasks that are outside of the immediate responsibilities of the teacher is detrimental to teachers on both a psychological and practical level. As a result, considerable effort should be made to open up lines of communication between teachers and administrative staff. This support allows teachers to fulfill their responsibilities unencumbered and to receive the necessary assistance when the need arises.
A second important area of support must come from within the teaching staff itself. A cohesive, mutually-supportive staff will be more efficient and will be able to address a greater variety of issues more effectively. A meaningful issue relative to this concern is in the selection of the staff. Consideration should be given not only to the individual abilities of the teachers, but also to how their strengths and weaknesses complement and support each other. A well-balanced staff does not have to be composed of individuals possessing every necessary teaching skill. Rather, a carefully selected staff will be comprised of teachers who, in aggregate, possess all of the requisite skills necessary to fulfill their responsibilities. A useful method for building and maintaining support within a teaching staff is to schedule regular staff meetings with the express purpose of solving problems, providing an emotional outlet, and developing preventive and coping strategies.
Another significant source of support for dance teachers is from family and friends. Particularly for teachers that are required to tour regularly, time away from home can be lonely and stressful. In order to minimize these difficulties, schools and companies can incorporate a program by which teachers have ready access to support from family and friends.
Finally, the counselor can play an important role in the support system of teachers. It is often the case that teachers are experiencing difficulties that they do not feel comfortable discussing with other members of the staff. In this situation, the counselor is an essential source of support, providing problem-solving, emotional catharsis, and simply someone with whom teachers can speak.
In sum, it must be emphasized that dance teachers are people before they are teachers. As such, if teachers are expected to do the best job they can, they must be considered on a personal level. Moreover, active management by teachers can ensure that they maintain their motivation and derive satisfaction and enjoyment from their work. So when teachers ask themselves why they teach, they can come up with a lot of good reasons.
