Why is it that all of my parents are illiterate? I put large signs up saying things such as : "please do not use the flash on your camera" , "No jewelery", etc... But for some reason they can't read it...

We have a performance this weekend and since it is so early in the year, one of my classes is just wearing their class attire (black bodysuit and tights) and we're adding bits of hot pink here and there.

So one parent calls me today and tells me that it is "not an option" for her daughter to wear a bodysuit. WHAT???! Why??? Have I not been telling the class every week that they need a bodysuit for class? She was quite rude about it too, I was amazed...she kept interrupting my explainations with "Well thats not what I was asking you" Arrghh! If it was a student that had a body suit that was a wrong colour (or politer parents!) I'd be a little more leniant....at least they have A bodysuit, rather than none!

I told her she'd have to either buy one or ask around to see if she could borrow one from someone arrghh!

Jay

This has been really bugging me: If class starts at 5 and you show up at 5:20 EVERY week , you wont learn sh*@ !!!
And when I start recital dances dont count on me to wait until you show up to class to work on it, be there or just stop paying!

Dear LBelle,
I so know where you are coming from. Yesterday some of my students complain that they were not stretched out enough and I said that's what happens when into ballet dance class after barre. Then I hear that it's not my fault that I'm late. It's better to be at the studio ten minutes early than ten minutes late.

~missdancediva~

UGH... What is going on with today's kids??? I am teaching under an association and I love it. The parents who run the association are very supportive for the most parts the kids are great. But, as we all know there are always those kids who are whinny!!! In fact my presidents kid is quitting dance this week... She started out in Ballet, Jazz and Stretch. She dropped ballet after a month and a half, now is dropping Jazz 2 months in. She is only 10. She got upset the other day because I told them that they were going to be cowgirls for recital and competition this year. This did not go over well with her. The other 6 kids in the class were happy and dancing up and down, especially when they heard the song. But, no not her... She went home whinning to mommy. The funny thing is, her mom supports me more than her daughter. She is having troubles with her at home already and she is 10. Honestly it was like the whole world stopped when I told them the cowgirl thing for her.
Man when I danced, I had some pretty bad songs and bad dances, but I continued on. You just hoped for a better situation next year. I think some of these kids have to understand that the world does not just revolve around them. I mean you are 10 years old, I am not letting you dance to some sexy song...
UGH, I am just so ticked off at this girl. I mean, I just want her to releaize that life is not all about her. It very well is a good thing that she is leaving, because I do not want her to bring down the entire group. But, there is a life lesson here to be learned.
Thank you for reading...
I love this vent thread.
Hugs to all of you in your time of need...

Parents!!!

This mother of two children that I teach is SUPER religious and she and her husband feel that I should pander my music and my costumes to their preferences. She told me this weekend that her husband would need to see the costumes and listen to the music to decide whether or not the kids would perform in the recital. Hello, folks, this is a dance recital. In a community center. I am certainly not going to do anything risque, or revealing. However, they are now upset and want me to change my music because the older child's song is Mickey (toni basil). They feel its inappropriate. WHAAAAAT???

That sucks makingart, definatly dont give in, that song is fine. I try to be modest with music and costumes but theres only some much you can do with modern music. If they are that religious they should send their kids to christian dance school.

I'd just like to know when it became o.k to back answer your teachers and have a choice about what excersise you do in class because "you don't fell comfortable doing that one" . Parents need to get control back over there children and maybe sometimes not give the child a choice so they can learn first if they like something or not!!! It becomes extremly frustrating..

My personal favorite is when students talk about so and so getting so much better now that she is over at another studio. When the truth of the matter is that she is now dancing twice as much with 3 ballet classes a week. And these students I have are constantly missing class, especially ballet. Maybe that's why you aren't seeing the results you want.

My personal favorite is when students talk about so and so getting so much better now that she is over at another studio. When the truth of the matter is that she is now dancing twice as much with 3 ballet classes a week. And these students I have are constantly missing class, especially ballet. Maybe that's why you aren't seeing the results you want.

Luckily I am having little problems with the parents this year but unfortunately I am having major problems with the kids. How come a dancer in high school who has only been taking dance seriously for 2 1/2 years thinks it's unfair when an older & stronger dancer who has been training seriously and competing since the age of 9 gets placed in the front row of dances (as well as being cast in more dances all together)! It's great that she has been working for the past 2 years & I am encouraging her to continue the hard work but you can't make up for the past 8 years in 2! Why don't kids get that. All of a sudden they decide they want to work hard & I am supposed to highlight them in my competition dances. I don't think so! They are still behind the other dancers. And how fair would it be to the girls who have put so much time & effort into dancing for the past 8-9 years if they got bumped out of dances that they are more prepared for!!

I also love it when kids don't want to work at all but when they don't get put in a piece, I'm the horrible person & have to hear about it from everyone. Maybe if you would get off your butt, come to class, & put even a little effort into it you would be in those dances. I don't care that you are a junior in high school...if a 10 year old dances better than you, she will be dancing in front of you! I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but it hurts my feelings (and makes me sick to my stomach) to watch you do everything half way all the time!

How come kids these days are so lazy. They want everything handed to them. I have owned my studio for the past 5 years so I have a lot of the same kids I started with but I never remember thinking everything just gets handed to you. I'm not saying I didn't have my lazy days (everyone does) but never like some of these kids!

Wow...i like this thread!! I feel better now

im dealing with lazy parents right now. i honestly don't believe that a 6 or 7 yearold isn't coming to class just because they don't want to. they have been here for 2-3 months, they seem to enjoy every class, but their parents can't seem to get up in time or make it over here to drop them off. some of these kids are already paid for several weeks in advance! i keep getting calls from parents, oh we'll be there, i have been sick, or this or that, but we will be there this sat for sure. and then a no show. a kid can't just throw on their leos and tights, jump on a city bus and get down here themselves! and sure enough, i will see those kids somewhere else, in town and they will come up to me and say, i missed my class, my mom was "busy", but i want to still come.... hmmmm .... what to do.... i am a newby teacher and i have very low overhead, so i have been offering 1/2, gift certificates, etc., but it still is a " hit and miss " with some of these kids. now, the SO has asked me (on a short notice) to put together a small routine for the ballet class for the december recital. so i put together a small routine and printed out newsletters for those parents/kids who would show up this past weekend, making this dance routine, optional. but, heck, if they don't even show, then i guess no routine. but i just had a new student this past weekend and a few returning students, they should get to be in it, don't you think? at a loss for words.... well, my thoughts are this: you work hard and show up, and i mean even the little ones, (they can tell mom they don't want to dance anymore and that's fine), but i still see them around and they seem to want to be here. i have even had some of them, ask me to come get them before class. im talking 6 yearolds! what should i do? any suggestions on bringing them in and keeping them here, including working on the parents? sara

make it a policy that if a student misses a certain number of classes they may not perform in the show. It sucks for the kid but their parents are the ones letting them down not you.

Alright
I haven't vented in a long time.
Couple things.... Every year, I do a show in December to raise money for a local charity.... parents actual compplained... not to me, but to my husband... that there were not free tickets for parents.
let me explain how my company works... they come to classes... but rehearse on Fridays and Saturdays (3-6 hours). I do charge them for this time... (216 hours of education per year)... I charge them $350 for the whole year... and this includes their costuming (which usually comes to about $100 per show per student) They do 3 shows a year.... hello... that comes to $50 that the studio is getting paid for you to be here 216 hours! Get a clue... TIME IS MONEY!
Anyway.... throw away the fact that I am practically teaching for free....... IT IS FOR A CHARITY!!!!


AAAAARGH

Oh yeah....
So I allow obsevation (call me silly). I have an open door policy. Parents are becoming so rude! It has always worked in the past, but recently, they treat it like it is their right (not a privelege) and they interrupt class coming and going... bring their 2 year olds who run around the room... correct the students.... have loud conversations with each other! Just recently, a preschool mom started teaching a class at her home for her daughters and her friends... (that I found out of because I lost two students to it) using my stuff(the parent I lost... says... oh it is exactly like yours).... HELLO... if I am such a good teacher, send them to me.... if you give it to them free, they don't need to pay me.

Ok, so here is my vent...I don't actually think I have ever vented on here so...this weekend I am going to a huge dance convention in Vancouver, its called Triple Threat you probably all know about it. Anyways 3 of my senior students left last year to take class somewhere else to "get better" so far hasn't helped but whatever, so we planned on going together (I still totally love them, even though they have the biggest attitudes) and then I find out that they have decided to go with their new studio...and they are doing the Intermediate level WHAT!!!!! They left because they wanted to challenge themselves so they should definately be doing the senior level. So now I am stuck paying for the hotel all by myself $140.00 per night instead of splitting it between 4 of us and its too late for any of my other co-teachers dancers etc to register....needless to say I am a little choked....well that feels better thanks for letting me vent!

hugs to all you teachers out there
~Kristyn

LBELLE...I was wondering why you assumed that when a post above said "super religious" that the parent was Christian?
Maybe the parent was Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, etc. etc.
It really bothers me (a Christian) that folks automatically assume that when someone is labeled "religious" that they are Christian. Inferring a negative connotation to it, like it is bad or something.
Parents should know what their kids are dancing to and what they will be wearing and if they don't like it, they (the parents) may want to reconsider their child's involvement in dance.
When I was looking for classes for my daughter I asked about music and costume choices. The answers I received contributed to my decision about what class to enroll her in.

fountainarts, sorry about the misunderstanding. I didnt mean it in a rude way I have just only heard of religious dance schools being christian. I definatly didnt mean any disrespect, I just think that if modern music, which is always used in jazz, is to offensive & they are religious then maybe a religous dance school of some type would be better suited for them. But unless the song has swear words or a lot of sexual preference then the parents cannot expect the dance school to change just for them. Sorry if I offended anyone.

Thanks for clarifying!
As a teacher, you definitely can not please everyone.
Staying away from lyrics that are sexual in nature or contain foul lyrics does help. Unfortunately so many songs these days have these type of lyrics. I think songs of old did too, I am now listening to 80's music again (I grew up in the 80's) and realize what the words are saying..oh my! I never knew they said that as I just liked the groove
Too funny, guess that shows my age!

Hi, this thread is amazing! We all have our days of frustration, and its nice to know that I'm not the only one dealing with difficulties in class. Someone mentinoned the gum chewing. I know!!! What is that about, and then they look at you like your Atilla the Hun when you ask them to go spit it out.

My biggest frustration, right now is with a studio owner I work for. Hopefully, this won't offend anyone. Okay, here goes:

I am paid to be your ballet instructor, not your best friend and telephone buddy. I am glad to pay my cell phone bill and talk to you about business, but when my bill is $300.00 because you can't get off the phone, you may be a little crazy. Also, since when do you get to monopolize all of my free time?

I work at another studio, because you can't afford to pay me enough to live off of at yours. Deal with it. Stop accusing me of "being more committed to them"! I love all of my studios, as well as all of my students equally. Does that help?

YOU DON'T REALLY PAY ME MORE THAN ALL THE OTHER STUIOS OUT THERE!!!!!! When I get a pay check you act like you are bestowing the greatest gift I'll ever recieve. Hon, I have about 2 job offers a week. These are sometimes more appealing than your measly pay. I'm here because I love your kids, and because I'm a committed teacher. For that matter, why always promise me one pay scale in August, and then re-negotiate in October? Badly done.

If you and I have a disagreement on technique, and I tell you I'm going to research it, and you keep saying you don't want me to change the way I teach, please don't involve the students. They don't need to know that you are angry with me. If you are that upset with how I teach, fire me! Oh, and I did the research, turns out, YOU'RE WRONG! (okay, so that was a little childish, but at least I haven't told your students)

There is so much more, but time is running short. You know, that did feel better. Thanks guys!

Here is my vent... So, at the beginning of the year, we set out that if you have any comments or concerns about your childs class email the association or call the president and we will set up a time to meet and talk. I have this one class of older beginner tappers, whos mother love to talk to me before class, therefore shortening the class time of their daughters, or when I am on my supper break, they catch me going to the washroom and then talk my ear off. I do not want to be mean to them, but really I am teaching for 5 hours in a row with a 15min break. I would really love to take that 15min break and gather my thoughts before the next class comes. Plus, all the classes that nite are tap, so I need to relax a little.
BUT NO, there are always waiting at the door when those kids leave the classroom, here comes the mothers. And honestly it is nothing important to talk to me about. They are all issues which have been addressed in past meetings or things that have not been decided about yet. And, when I say I have no idea on a subject, I really do not have an idea (I teach for an association, so things have to be run past a bored first). But, they continue to question me on it... I think to make matters worse one of the parents who like to snag me is one of those people who are a little high strung, making the conversation with her a little difficult..
That is all for today folks.. Thank you off to teach I go...

AMEN!!!!!

GRRRR! We are picking out costumes and my one dance is to We're in the Money. The costume I picked out for this originally was green sequined leotard with a green sequined skirt. Well, first this mom tells me that it looks street walkerish. Then there was another costume in right next to it that was the same except it had tails and gloves. I figured that was fine as long as the costume was green. It was really hard for me to find a green costume. Well, today I get a call from the studio owner stating that NONE of the parents approved and that they wouldn't let their daughters perform in the recital if it was that costume. There is NOTHING wrong with this costume! I'm very conscious of how appropriate the costumes are for certain age groups, and I don't know what is wrong with this costume. Even the studio owner who doesn't always agree with me on costume choices doesn't see what is wrong with it. Some parents really need to get a life! It's getting harder and harder to be courteous to them to their faces. It sounds horrible, but it's true. They are really wearing on my last nerve. So the studio owner picked out another costume and I have to go in tonight to take a look at it, but it's in BABY BLUE! Doesn't come in green. RAHHH!

That sucks! parents are weird. If I were you I would just order plain leotards and dye them green, maybe the moms will get a clue when they see the other kids on stage in sequins & skirts.

I think you work for my old boss!!! I finally and joyfully quit in June and have not been happier!