Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Small Classes and Individual Teaching

By Sarah Wilkiamson

Dance can be such a personal activity, that's why small classes are so popular compared to the larger ones that just seem to cram everyone in together. Schools that value outcomes and not just the money involved with dance tuition prefer small classes for this reason. Somewhere around seven to twelve pupils is fine, any more than this and there just isn't enough time for the teacher to give everyone the time they need.

Small children can easily get lost in the crowd and overwhelmed with a big class. This will have an impact on the way they learn and can often result in them not learning at all. Small classes will have a more family like atmosphere and encourage your child to learn better. They will be able to build up a better relationship with the teacher and other students.

For a creative art like dance it is vital for a student to be able to take advantage of one on one instruction. This is because everyone is different and will have their own creativity to give to a class. Having a personal dance trainer is not usually feasible, as it is fairly expensive and many dance routines require a group setting. However some individual coaching is a good option within the group atmosphere.

Reasons for individual dance instruction: There are a variety of reasons a student might need individual coaching. Here are a few:

Additional help:

Even with small classes a young child can do with some individual help. Sometimes a student will need extra help with certain skills. A little individual assistance will be enough to get them on track, so they do not get frustrated. Frustration is one of the biggest problems with small children as they get discouraged easily if not helped in time. It is important to encourage them with one on one attention.

Special part in a performance:

If your child has a special part in a live show they may need some individual coaching to get it just right. This will make sure that they give their best performance and not get flustered about performing. With some individual training they will more confident about their performance and do better.

Learn at a different pace from the rest of the class:

Everybody will learn at their own speed. A good teacher will adjust the pace of the class to suit the average learning ability. Some children may learn faster and others slower than the average pace. Therefore the teacher will give these children some individual attention. When children learn slower it does not mean that they are not such good dancers, with a little help they will soon be up with the rest of the class. So do not be disheartened if your child is a slightly slower learner.

Keep these points in mind and you will be able to look for a school that offers individual lessons in a group setting. This will assist to take care of any particular needs your child may possibly have to progress in their dance lessons.

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