Thread: Who do I blame, the student or the studio?

Here's a weird situation. I found out through a roundabout way that a studio across town from me hired one of my students, who was barely at an intermediate level, to teach a beginner bellydance class. The student told me that she applied for a yoga teaching position and they told her that was full but they really needed someone to teach bellydance; did she know how to bellydance? She told them she'd never taught before but had taken a lot of bellydance classes (she'd taken about 7 months of classes with me, not sure what else; she's been gone from my classes for 6 months and has recently returned). The student taught 4 weeks of the class before I found out about it, and she told me she's already informed the studio that she won't teach again. She seemed very innocent and told me she realized she had a lot to learn and that teaching really hard, so she decided to come back to my class instead.

So...this studio owner is sort-of my competition. I own a studio, though it's clear across town, and she hired my student to teach. I called to ask about the class (when I was trying to sleuth out this story) and she tried to hire me over the phone! She is trying to hire anything with a pulse and half a shimmy.
Normally I would write this off as an eager-beaver student, and advise the student that she's really not ready to teach. But she already knows that, and in this case, it appears to be an eager-beaver studio owner instead.

Not sure what to do...I'm wondering if it's worth my time to talk to this owner and advise her to check credentials and have competent people teach her class. Oh yeah, and the student told me the owner didn't charge her for the class and let her keep all the class fees so she could build up her clientele, but only 5 students ever came. Great, so now there's a studio that will give free rent to someone with zero teaching experience? Grrr. Undercutters suck.

Any advice for me?

What can you do? It is their business and they can do what they want and hire who they want. My sister took 3 belly dance classes at her local YMCA and when the teacher quit and she went into the office to ask about it they offered her the teaching job! She laughed in their faces and said, "Are you kidding? I have only had 3 classes, I don't know anything!!" Makes me wonder who all is teaching belly dance even at places like the Y???

Originally Posted by Sabine

She is trying to hire anything with a pulse and half a shimmy.

I'm sorry, but I fount this line funny! ..l;,

I really don't think there's much you can do about it. Some studios, gyms and such will hire completely unqualified instructors - stupid, but ultimately their prerogative. It doesn't sound like their strategy is making them much money if only 5 people took this girl's class.

I think the only thing you can do is set yourself and your studio apart by emphasizing your knowledge, training and experience if anyone asks about the other studio.

I think I would sit tight and wait because when the students find out they can only go so far, they will be running over to your studio. Word will get out that your classes are much better and more informed. You don't think this will fly for very long, do you? Because where I live we used to have a few teachers around, one teacher who just got by (even though she was ver qualified to teach) and another one who really taught very well (and still does). So guess where all of the students from the former teacher are at? Yup, the better teacher. In fact, the former teacher no longer has students to teach because the word got out that she did not teach well at all.

So hang in there - quality will always rule out.

Other than getting really angry and venting to us, non-dance freinds, etc. I don't think there's anything you can do.

Unsolicited advice from a competitor never changed anyone's business practices. Heck, unsolicited advice from a FRIEND is bad enough.

Not saying I wouldn't be livid in your shoes, because I would. But this is how business works in a capitalist system. Competitors do things differently, consumers choose which they like better. Some customers like whoever is cheapest, some like the highest quality, most look for a balance between the two.

All you can do is offer the best service you can, make your customers happy, and take care of your business. Let her worry about hers. If she botches it up, she won't be in the game for long.

Yeah, funny thing is, this studio owner told me she "had a hard time retaining professional instructors."

I found out a friend of mine (who is a pro instructor) used to teach there for a while, but says that it was in kind of a dumpy area of town and that the studio owner promised she would advertise and put it on her website & stuff but never did, so she stopped teaching there a long time ago.

I was asked this past spring to teach Belly dance classes at a "pole dancing" studio. The owner told me that she didn't want a teacher who was "too technical". She just wanted a fun class. I simply asked her why she felt the need to have Belly dance class in a studio with pole dancing and lap dancing classes. She was really ticked off at me and I never heard from her again. I am tired of studio owners using this art form for a sexy lure of their own personal gain.

Sure! Tell her you'll show her how to dance so she can teach the class herself.
... then show her how tough it can really be.

hee hee.
Just kidding!

But wouldn't that be sweet?

Don't really know what to say to really help out... sorry about that. Hang in there... the serious students always find their way.... just make your presence known in the community.

Originally Posted by Sabine

Here's a weird situation. I found out through a roundabout way that a studio across town from me hired one of my students, who was barely at an intermediate level, to teach a beginner bellydance class. The student told me that she applied for a yoga teaching position and they told her that was full but they really needed someone to teach bellydance; did she know how to bellydance? She told them she'd never taught before but had taken a lot of bellydance classes (she'd taken about 7 months of classes with me, not sure what else; she's been gone from my classes for 6 months and has recently returned). The student taught 4 weeks of the class before I found out about it, and she told me she's already informed the studio that she won't teach again. She seemed very innocent and told me she realized she had a lot to learn and that teaching really hard, so she decided to come back to my class instead.

So...this studio owner is sort-of my competition. I own a studio, though it's clear across town, and she hired my student to teach. I called to ask about the class (when I was trying to sleuth out this story) and she tried to hire me over the phone! She is trying to hire anything with a pulse and half a shimmy.
Normally I would write this off as an eager-beaver student, and advise the student that she's really not ready to teach. But she already knows that, and in this case, it appears to be an eager-beaver studio owner instead.

Not sure what to do...I'm wondering if it's worth my time to talk to this owner and advise her to check credentials and have competent people teach her class. Oh yeah, and the student told me the owner didn't charge her for the class and let her keep all the class fees so she could build up her clientele, but only 5 students ever came. Great, so now there's a studio that will give free rent to someone with zero teaching experience? Grrr. Undercutters suck.

Any advice for me?

Why not go teach at her studio. Rather you do it, than someone else. Another string to your bow, and money in your pocket and you could find that her catchment will actually come across town to your classes also. Good business. Why not?

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

Why not go teach at her studio. Rather you do it, than someone else. Another string to your bow, and money in your pocket and you could find that her catchment will actually come across town to your classes also. Good business. Why not?

That's exactly what I was thinking!

Originally Posted by SAMRA66

I was asked this past spring to teach Belly dance classes at a "pole dancing" studio. The owner told me that she didn't want a teacher who was "too technical". She just wanted a fun class. I simply asked her why she felt the need to have Belly dance class in a studio with pole dancing and lap dancing classes. She was really ticked off at me and I never heard from her again. I am tired of studio owners using this art form for a sexy lure of their own personal gain.

Good for you!

only thing you can do is try and inform your students as good as possible;

i'd be proud of the student actually, for realising she's not up to it, quitting the teaching, and coming back to class

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

What can you do? It is their business and they can do what they want and hire who they want. My sister took 3 belly dance classes at her local YMCA and when the teacher quit and she went into the office to ask about it they offered her the teaching job! She laughed in their faces and said, "Are you kidding? I have only had 3 classes, I don't know anything!!" Makes me wonder who all is teaching belly dance even at places like the Y???

That's was EXACTLY my backwards entrance into teaching group fitness...I loved the cardio kickboxing class at the local Y, the teacher quit, I went to the manager's office asking if the class would continue and they gave me the job! I got a kickboxing cert, then AFAA certified later but they threw me in right away to sink or swim

PLENTY of places will hire you sight unseen on your say-so that you're a bellydance instructor and that you possess the aforementioned pulse.

~~Kimahri

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

What can you do? It is their business and they can do what they want and hire who they want. My sister took 3 belly dance classes at her local YMCA and when the teacher quit and she went into the office to ask about it they offered her the teaching job! She laughed in their faces and said, "Are you kidding? I have only had 3 classes, I don't know anything!!" Makes me wonder who all is teaching belly dance even at places like the Y???

I teach belly dance at the Y and have 10 years of dance experience. The classes are full and really going places. My students are even contemplating putting together a small travel group to egypt. So that takes care of that question.

About this dilemma.... I wouldn't worry about it for a second. You are very fortunate to have such an honest student. Obviously the studio is very pushy. I bet they are pushy with their clientele.
Don't think about them as your competition. Because they really aren't since they have proven that quality instruction and experience don't matter. You should make some new promotional materials and talk up the experienced instructors and maybe even call a newspaper or write a blog to generate some interest. Just maintain a high standard and focus on making sure everyone knows it.
You can't control where your students will go but you can control your image and your studio's reputation.

As much as this sucks, you may be able to use this to your advantage. When the students realize the teacher at that studio is unqualified, they will look for a place that is. Ta-da - there you are!

Just advertise, keep tabs on who is teaching over there, and wait for the students to come over!

I say - keep tabs because you want to make sure the teacher over there is not taking lessons from you!!

Yes, that's always a concern, that an unethical student could "steal" my material one week and "teach it" in her class the next week. (Teachers, never email your class syllabus to a student--always bring a hard copy, and be sure to indicate copywrite. They may still copy but at least they can't cut and paste and the can't pretend they didn't know it was your material!)

As for teaching there myself? No chance. I have my own studio and teach as many classes as I can put in my already-full life. Besides, my studio is much nicer.

Thanks for the input, I shouldn't worry about it, as "truth will out."

Advice?
Yes, continue to stay informed about who is doing what in your town.
No, don't call the other studio owner and tell her how to hire teachers.
Yes, concentrate on your own successful business model.
Yes and no, YMCAs vary greatly in the quality of the teachers they hire. Some know how to look for the best, some want recommendations for videos they can use to teach students :)

I would be very concerned about taking any sort of classes at that studio, especially if they don't care about teacher qualifications. I've heard some horror stories about people taking yoga from teachers that weren't certified.

Yeah, you don't want to give good advice to your competitor. Let them stew in their own juices.