Thread: Outing an unqualified instructor... me! Please help (long)

Okay, I'm going through a crise d'esprit, I'm feeling totally unqualified to teach, or perform for that matter. ..cr.: I'm wondering what to do...

I was originally approached to teach by the local park district, I'd been recommended by a co-worker that knew I'd been dancing for a little while--emphasis on little! I started studying in May of 2005... I started teaching in July of last year. Yes, I've been a lifelong dancer, I was classically trained in ballet at the Ruth Page Foundation of Dance in Chicago for years and years, and I admit, my body has taken to bellydance like a fish to water. I love this dance! And if anything, I am sharing my joy and love for this beautiful art form with my students.

So I've been cruising along, reassuring myself because there are very few teachers in my area--the one located closest to me, and my first teacher, teaches belly aerobics as opposed to dance technique. After a couple months with her, I found Zayna--who is an amazing teacher, and all about technique. I learned vast amounts from her, but she recently stopped teaching her intermediate class so I am now commuting over an hour to study with Jasmine Jahal each week. I take as many workshops as I can, from many of the teachers visiting & local to the area--Morocco, Aziza, Jim Boz, Mohamed Shahin, Artemis Mourat, Karim Nagi, Carolena Nerichio, Erika Stants, Maleeha, Kimahri, Nilaja... I have learned so much from all of them...

and the more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know anything!

I have a core group of students that are totally dedicated to the art, many of whom have been with me since the beginning. But lately I've been feeling like a big phony! I don't practice nearly enough (I work full-time--yep, I'm a bellydancing accountant--in addition to being a mom, vending @ local bellydance events, and teaching 3-4 classes a week)... Who am I to teach this dance? What qualifications do I have?

I've recently discovered that there is indeed a local teacher who is a much better dancer than me. She teaches a different style (tribal fusion), while I teach AmCab. Should I quit, and send my students to her? It would kill me, teaching & dancing are my greatest joys, without them I'm not sure what I'd do--but am I doing my students a disservice?

Should I take myself off the "circuit" for a while, hibernate and practice and study until I meet the standards I hold for myself? They feel so distant right now.

Sorry for the novel-esque post... What do you advise? I am trusting in my Bhuz-family to help set me straight...

Thank you!!

I am replying without reading the other posts first. OK the FIRST thing I would do is get someone you know is a good teacher to come along to your class, as you need a proper assessment of if you are really bad at it, or if you are going through part of the natural creative process whereby we are very self-critical.

As the person to come along and give constructive criticism, along the lines of :

a. is doing things that will physically and emotionally damage the students and should stop right away
b. is doing more right than wrong, and go away and work on x, y, z in x month time-frame to revisit.
c. is doing a lot right, and could still develop in area x, y z, over longer x month timeframe
d. you are fab just as you are and don't need to change a thing!

Do not forget, it is *normal* to feel like a beginner when you attend classes of the good and the great. Even the good and the great feel like this when they attend classes of the gooder and the greater. It is also *normal* to feel like a fake or a phoney (it's called imposter syndrome).

All is not lost, as you have taken the first step right here. best of luck on your journey.

Oh, - there were no other posts, how disappointing !

Zoh'ra:

I think it's unlikely that someone is ready to teach after less than two years. But, why don't you ask Jasmin Jahal what she thinks? She would be more familiar with your skills.

Teaching needn't be your only connection to the dance. You could take some time off to just develop as a dancer. Take some private lessons, work on solo improvisational skills, and perform at all the events you can.

Sedonia

I went to teacher training classes this summer and one thing my teacher said is that you have to believe you are good enough, or the students never will. It could be that the other teacher can't teach at the same time you do or isn't as convenient. There's no reason you can't encourage your students to try her out as well, but they might not necessarily see her as better. Everyone needs a different type of teacher. There may be people who prefer you!

fyi: In our class, we covered body mechanics at some level, stretching, writing choreography for beginners, how to package material, homework or not, structuring student recitals, music choices for class, and learning styles. Amira Jamal will be coming out with a book soon based on our class. I think it would be useful for any teacher of any style of dance. www.amirajamal.com if you want to contact her about it.

Note however that I am not teaching because I hold really high standards for teachers too!

But if you only have one other instructor in town, and she is teaching a different style, you may be needed to fill your niche and if you've been doing it all along, why not? As long as your students know where they can go to get more information and to advance...

Caroline, the thread's only about 10 minutes old, give us a minute!

Caroline's advice is excellent! I'd print out her post and take it to a teacher you respect and ask them to evaluate you in exactly this way.

A lot of us have been where you are. I certainly started teaching way too early! The only difference between my situation and yours is that there was no one more qualified in my area, I was it. With the help of Bhuz, tons of videos, and lots of reading, I have managed to fill a lot of the gaps in my education and I no longer feel unqualified to teach. IOW, just because we started out before we were qualified doesn't mean we can't become qualified. And the fact that you care, you've invested your time, money & effort in lots of workshops and instruction tells me that you're not as bad as the video-trained instructor who might come up to fill your spot if you vacate it.

You may want to ease up on your teaching schedule to give yourself more time for learning. Maybe if you combine some classes & teach just one or two nights a week, you can make time to study the areas you feel are lacking. I don't think you have to feel like an imposter if you're honest with your students. Tell them that you're still learning, share your learning & discovery process with them along the way.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Caroline's advice is excellent! I'd print out her post and take it to a teacher you respect and ask them to evaluate you in exactly this way.

<skips off like a happy demented 5-year old moonwalker>

I know what you mean. I'm teaching beginners and I have been doing this dance for 7 years. I don't feel all that qualified because I think a teacher should be on a really high level. People kept asking me to teach and I started by covering other dancers classes.
So what i've been doing is trying to focus on my own style and i've decided to teach more of a fitness class and some technique.
I would just make sure you are teaching technique correctly and I agree that you should get a second opinion. Other than that just try to expose your students to what's out there, i.e videos, workshops, other classes etc. and be real with them.
I'm sure you're doing great. The fact that you recognize that this may be a problem shows that you have the respect for the art form to be a great teacher.

First off I'd say take a deep breath and relax! I suspect there is not a single one of us who teaches that has not been in your position at some point or another. I honestly doubt that in our heart of hearts many of us were 100% certain we were ready to teach when we first started. Circumstances and oportunity being what they are, they sometimes come along before we are ready for it but we have to jump at the chance.
I think you should take some time to figure out what it is that you don't feel like you know or can teaching well. Is it tecnique, rhythm, history, certain styles, you get the idea. Look for more instruction in those areas as you go every chance you get. Practice and study the things you don't feel comforatable teaching until you are comfortable with them.
You're already doing the most important thing, continuing to seek out information and learn. That makes you one up on a lot of teachers who think they "know it all" and refuse to take workshops or classes from others. Personally the day I'm "too good" to take a workshop or class of any level, is the day I'd better hang up my hipscarf. There is a ton of information out there now and with the internet it's easy to find. So easy it can be overwhelming. I've spent hours researching and reading about the dance only to walk away thinking I know nothing and should give it up at times too. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed (I know easier said than done) and keep learning. A good teacher doesn't just magically spring into exsistance knowing everything there is to know. They work hard, recognise their limits, keep learning so they can reach past those limits,and growing as they go.
The fact that your worried about it means, to me anyways, you are on the right path, and you will continue to become a better teacher as you grown and learn in the dance.

The fact that you can fill 3-4 classes a week says you must be doing something right! And the fact that you recognize that you don't yet know it all, lol.

Perhaps listing what you DO know and feel confident about would help you get a more realistic picture of your skills. Kawakib has a book about teaching dance on her website. Check the internet for other instructors class outlines. How does what you teach compare to what they are teaching? Do your students compare well with others in the local community? How many different ways do you know to teach a particular move? Can you help visual, aural and kinetic learners "get" a move?

Then listing what don't know would give you a plan for continuing your own education. As you know more, you can draw your students along with you.

Tribal fusion and cabaret are two very different approaches to the dance so your students might not want to attend the other dancer's classes even if she is, in fact, a better dancer. This could leave your students with just videos or a belly bunny who does think she knows it all after her 12 lessons.

Both Lauren and Caroline had sensible advice about getting a realistic evaluation of your teaching skills.

well, since i've met you now, i'm trying to imagine what this would look like

Originally Posted by Bellydancingcaroline

<skips off like a happy demented 5-year old moonwalker>

I think it depends on what level you present your classes too.
I mean, if you are representing your classes for excersise and recreation, go for. If you advertise that you teach master classes, you may be over your head in that aspect. From the list of people you name in your workshop rundown, looks like you are dedicated and I know that with each workshop, you will pick up something that you like in the way the teacher explains or demonstrates things that you will use in your own classes.

I'd like to point out something here:

Not all great dancers are great teachers. It's a completely different skill set. Nepenthe mentioned Amira Jamal, so I'll go on to say that she told me that it was a matter of pride to her that many of the dancers who come to her are pro's in their own right and, get this, BETTER dancers than she is.

So, I won't add on to the very excellent advice given here, but just wanted to give a little perspective. I'm not about encouraging unqualified teachers, but if you weren't a good teacher, you wouldn't even be questioning yourself.

Thank you to everyone who responded! Really, excellent advice - Caroline, I love the idea of having someone come in and watch/evaluate my class(es), as well as the idea of you skipping like a demented 5-year old, tee hee - And thank you to Nepenthe and catwomyn for posting some teaching resources... I will check out both websites!

And thanks so much to all the instructors who made me feel not so alone!!

I am honest with my students about my level of experience, and I share information on other local & national teachers, as well as workshops & haflas -- so they know I'm not the end-all be-all (far from it!) when it comes to this rich art form. Right now I am teaching only two nights a week (1-2 classes on one night, 2-3 on the second), and I take classes once a week + the workshops (I have the good fortune of attending many workshops since I'm often also vending). I'd like to spend more time on home-study: videos, practicing, reading... I do have to spend *some* time with my lovely kiddies, after all!

I have students in my classes that have more experience than me, yet they keep coming back --- so I must be doing something right! I've also registered for fitness certification coursework at a local college so I can be sure that I'm teaching safely, and with a better understanding the human body.

I will continue learning and sharing!

Thank you all for your wonderful support, and getting me through this (for me) particularly dark moment!

Zoh'ra:

Why don't you consider taking Hadia's teacher certification courses that Sumaya posted about today?

I am seriously thinking about it.

Sedonia

Hi Zo'hara,

I know how disappointing it is to lose a great teacher like Zayna. I'd be more than happy to come to your class to observe and give you some pointers on teaching etc... I'm very close to you - Dundee - so we can talk off line if you'd like to work something out. amirahdancer@hotmail.com

[QUOTE] I know how disappointing it is to lose a great teacher like Zayna. [QUOTE]

Amen. ..cr.:

At the same time, I feel very lucky to have studied with her at all. To feel sad about losing a teacher is really pretty awesome, when you think about it. I haven't always felt that strongly about my teachers (speaking in general here--not specifically about belly dance teachers). Sometimes you really click with a teacher in a way that goes beyond the content of the class to the classroom experience itself (if that makes any sense).

Dance students take classes for so many different reasons--some are very concerned about technique, others want to gain confidence on stage, many just want a social outlet or enjoy moving their bodies to the music. It sounds like you are honest with your students but probably selling yourself a bit short. Trust me, if your students stop getting something they need/want from you, they will let you know.

While I've never taken a class from you, I have watched you perform. You are a lovely and talented dancer who expresses deep emotion through your dance. I can see how those qualities would be very attractive to your students.

To help students understand, I often compare learning belly dance to studying Karate. After a few years of really hard work, my boyfriend received his black belt in Karate and his instructor said, "Now you are ready to learn Karate." One student asked me, "Is it hard to learn belly dance?" I answered, "Anyone can belly dance but it's extremely difficult to belly dance well. Pretty much like all things worth doing." ..g.:

[quote=jaded;76066][QUOTE] I know how disappointing it is to lose a great teacher like Zayna.

Amen. ..cr.:


While I've never taken a class from you, I have watched you perform. You are a lovely and talented dancer who expresses deep emotion through your dance. I can see how those qualities would be very attractive to your students.

To help students understand, I often compare learning belly dance to studying Karate. After a few years of really hard work, my boyfriend received his black belt in Karate and his instructor said, "Now you are ready to learn Karate." One student asked me, "Is it hard to learn belly dance?" I answered, "Anyone can belly dance but it's extremely difficult to belly dance well. Pretty much like all things worth doing." ..g.:

Can I get a Double-AMEN & a Hallelujah?!
I, too, have had the pleasure and great fortune of seeing your perform, seeing you and your troupe perform together, AND I've had the pleasure of seeing you teach separately at a bridal shower and a fundraiser = you are WONDERFUL! Your heartfelt love and understanding of raqs sharqi truly shine through! I believe that's what has garnered [and kept] your loyal student base, as well as keeping your fan club (of which I am a part) growing.

Well - sounds like that's all you need to know!
Go for it girl!!