Goal-Oriented Teaching

After experiencing a stellar weekend at Hollywood Vibe dance convention and after some events leading up to said convention... I am adopting a new goal-oriented approach to my teaching.  After all... where do you go if you set your sights on nothing?  I'm going to try and set unique goals before each class and I will look forward to reaching them.  Today:

Ballet:
My goal is to help the dancers better understand plies. 
Ask them: "How old were you when you did your first plie?  Do you think you did it right then?  Do you do it better now?  Would you understand your teacher better now or then?"

Begin the exercise and pause between movements:  "What is this? How do we do it? What are we thinking about?  Which muscles are you using? Why? In what other movements will you use these same muscles?"

In conclusion ask them, "Did you learn something about your plies today?"

Tap:
My goal is to verify that they understand some of the basic movements which we combine to make other movements:

Heel tap
Toe tap
Heel dig
Toe dig
Heel
Toe
Toe back
Brush
Step (whole foot/ball of foot)
Stamp
Stomp
Spank

Start with shoes off.  Talk about the various places where we can connect our shoe to the floor. Experiment with the sounds they all make.  Try tapping with our hands holding the shoes, then switch to shoes on feet.

Quiz them and see how quickly they can respond with the right sound.

Pointe:
My goal is to help them develop an inner monologue by breaking down the barre combo we have done a million times."

"What do you feel? How is this different from last week?  What muscles are you using?  During which other movements will you use these muscles?  Where is your body?  Where are your feet?  What are your weaknesses?  How will you strengthen them?  Is it ok to come in to a dance class and leave without having improved?  Where do you want to go with this? If you don't want to be a dancer, are you wasting your time right now?"

We are developing our minds, spirits, and bodies and preparing them to cope with life.  Let's start by learning to hone in our focus.

Ask them what they are thinking throughout class.  Have them shout out.