7) Students that skip several classes, and when returning want the entire class to stop what thier doing to "catch them up".


Oh yeah. I can definately vent about this one. The place I work at allows Parent Observation and its not the child, but the parent who expects me to stop the class to catch them up.

We have a rule, if you miss, you catch up on your own, we do not slow down class for you. If you are late past warm ups, you cannot dance, only observe and are not allowed to leave class if you can't take class. If you miss more than 6 classes, you cannot perform in our show. Of course there are the parents that think you will bend the rules for THEIR kid but I don't. Too bad, be responsible.

"Do I HAVE to buy her all that stuff?" (meaning 1 leo, 1 pair of tights and dance shoes. I hate to spend ALL THAT MONEY. What if he/she doesn't like it?"
But it's Ok to spend $50 on the baseball glove, or the soccer shoes or whatever, even if he/she doesn't like it.

AND THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WITH A NICER CAR AND MORE EXPENSIVE CLOTHES WHO GO ON VACATION 2X PER YEAR, TOO!

I have a little boy in class this year...the whole dance and choreography has been arranged around him....and he won't DANCE!!!! I bought him a hat and a microphone (he's a circus ring master)...of course he loved it, but he won't do it!!!! .... when I told his mom she got huffy with ME!!!! , uh excuse me, it's not my fault he won't dance....I can't have 7 girls in the class that know the dance....and the STAR not know it!.... He also has an older sister that does not like to work hard in my class. If she can't get the step she pouts!Or she'll all of a sudden have an acute case of polio or arthritis and just have to sit out of class......or play with the baby toys in the room.....it is very irritating....

That is why when I have young children, especially boys, I don't star them. This way, if that happens, I am not stuck. It is quite tempting though.

I don't like it when parents make excuses for their child's laziness and try to blame it on the teacher or other kids in class. My mother would have said to me, if the teacher said I was lazy in class, "I am not wasting my money on you. Either work or I will pull you out!" I never was lazy, so that was never an option, but she would have.

Notice that most of the problems with kids start with the parents. Even if it is more the kid, if the parent does not back up the teacher, then we are the Big Evil Witch who wants to make their kidw work. Like WORK is a bad word!!

Now what do I do???!!! I have two sisters that just enrolled in dance. They are 11 and 12. They had to be in the same class which is fine. The problem is-they are very slow. Their mom didn't 'take care of herself' during her pregnancy and the girls aren't able to focus or even learn simple steps. They are so old that they can't possibly be in any lower level. They are already with the eight year olds. I have tried my hardest but the fact is, they are holding the other kids back and they just aren't able to catch on. They can't even tell me their right from left. What do I do? I hate to say they are hopeless but that's how I feel. Oh- I'm an awful person for saying that!!

For their left and right, get cheap plastic bracelets that are colored. Give everyone one bright color on one hand and one ankle and one on the other in a different color.

I teach Green hand is Right and Red Hand is Left, or something like that.

You have to keep repetition for them going with simple moves. Get an assistant to help them and ask mom to tape them from the back so they can practice at home by watching themselves.

Make them say the steps out loud. Yes this is stuff I do with very young ones, but it may work with them.

tap ties...tap ties....tap ties!!!!

Oh we dont use tie tap shoes, nor tie jazz shoes, or ballet shoes. Our taps r buckle, jazz shoes are slip ons, and ballets are also. I HATE HAVING TO STOP CLASS TO TIE SOMEONES SHOES FOR THEM!

oh thank god i need this! here i go:

1. All my classes are titled, "On-THier_own" programs. This means you as a parent cannot stay. If you cannot leave your child alone for 45 minutes, then you are in the wrong place.

2. Rehearsals and recitals are IMPORTANT! Skip church for that one sunday out of the year...god will forgive you.

3.If iask for specific attire for class I assume it will be followed. You cannot do dance in jeans.

4. You will kill yourself if you think you can do hip hop in platforms! What are you thinking?!?!

5. I instruct serious hip hop classes.... it is NOT a booty show and tell! Cover it up!

6.Last but not least, if you sign your five year old child up for a class please give them the opportunity to participate. Just becuase you want to be a deadbeat parent does not mean you little one has to suffer for it! That means showing up to everything, classes, recitals and rehearsals! (this comes from an experience i had this year...the child missed rehearsal and the following week was so upset when everyone was talking about it. that is just not fair...what are parents thinking sometimes.)

oh..I have to agree with you JLL parents are way too easy on thier kids now. Don't get me wrong you don't have to be hard on them but I hear too many excusesfrom parents, like, "oh she was tired today go easy on her" or "if she is too tired she can sit out". Well if she is too tired than perhaps she should have stayed home today. I will be the one to say who sits out.
Not to mention how it seems the kids are always right. I have had too many parents giving me hell becuase they believe their child immediately before finding out the entire story. URRGHH!

Hey MissJennifer - your rules are right on. Especially #1 and #2 - I had to say "amen"


I start back at the studio today, I'm sure after 2 weeks off it will be interesting. I have Jr. Jazz and Teen/Adult Jazz and a pilates combo

Had a nice turnout for classes except for teen/adult jazz. Only 1 showed up. Will probably have to cancel the class.

Dear idance,
How many dancers were registered into that dance class? I wish that more dancers were deterimined and dedicated to their art. I feel bad for you and the one very dedicated and determined dancer who wants to be there. I hope that everything works out for the best.

Love, Peace, and Pointe Those Toes,
~missdancediva~

Hi missdancediva: there are 6 people registered. One dropped b4 the class even met. I found this out when I went to pick up my daughter from school, the girls mom informed me that her daughter couldn't do jazz this fall because she would be doing a school activity that day. The others just didn't show up. , I suppose I will give it another week before I actually take it off the schedule. Luckily I had a big Jr. Jazz group. I know I don't have to tell you how disappointing it is when you make a class plan for a particular group and they don't pan out. THe studio owner I work for does require at least 4 people to keep the class on the schedule. We will see what happens! I thank you for your support.

Dear idance,
Wow! I feel that the mom should of came to the dance studio to speak to you and the dance studio owner about this situation. I totally think it was on the spot when she mentioned this while
picking up the children from school.
The fact is that it was done in bad taste and it wasn't fair to you, the dance studio, or the dance studio owner.
It might be a good idea to call the other dance students before the next dance class to make sure they are going to be in dance class.
You basically need to tell it like it is to all of them.

idance, I'm there for ya! I wish you the best!

Love, Peace, and Pointe Those Toes,
~missdancediva~

Yes, Miss Jennifer, if I didn't know better I'd swear that you worked at my studio (the "Let her sit out if she is tired thing etc.)! I'm sure if we teachers all sat out when we're tired, we'd never stand up! But what really bugs me is that the parents say these things in front of the kids, so natually the kids take advantage of the situation. Don't they even have enough common sense to know that they should discuss these things privately with the teacher? And OF COURSE the kid is always right and there is not another side to it...GRRR! Ok, I'm over it.

We have a student that is absolutely being defiant now...and so is the mother. You'd never expect this kid to do it because she is soooo soft spoken and never talks in class etc. Model student (or so we thought) until she doesn't get her way. She is a very oddly coordinated girl and has an odd look to her, but she is on our 2nd company. This company caters to dancers that love dance but are not ever going to be good enough to be in our top company, but gives them a group to belong to, they compete in lower level competitions and have fun. This girl has Lyrical and Tap at the same time. She was supposed to take a lower level tap class (which isn't a big deal because when she goes across the floor I give her harder things to do or have her add a pullback or a wing etc.) Since she wants to be in the higher level tap class (which she can handle) she has decided to move herself up into the highest lyrical class so that her schedule no longer conflicts. The owner of the studio was out of town when the drama started...she has since come back and explained to the mom and daughter that she can't take the advanced lyrical and unfortunately other students are in the same situation with the tap class and have to take the lower one this year, but maybe we can do a small group for them or something. They both said okay, but last week she showed up to my advanced tap class and the advanced lyrical class. her mom said she was just finishing out the month of August. This last week she did the SAME thing!! Next week she'll be kicked out of my class and the lyrical class if she comes to the wrong one and will have to have another meeting with the studio owner. What the heck is up with that???

All I would like to comment on now is class placement.

Please do not tell me which class your child should be placed in. As the teacher, I know what class level your child is capable of progressing in. I don't care if he/she has been dancing since birth. When "Suzie" does nothing but chat in the corner with her friend for the one hour a week that she is here, don't expect her to be moved up a level the next year. Come and observe a class and see for yourself how much she knows compared to her peers. Then we'll talk!!! Besides...would you walk into public school and tell the principal that "Suzie" is so smart because she knows all of the words to the new Hillary Duff song, so she should be in High School instead of 1st grade?????

BOY DO I HAVE SOME VENTS!!! We have a very small studio and the abnoxious parents are endless!!! haha
* NOOOOO your beginner 5yr old cannot be in advanced tap with the 12 yr olds because her neighbor is and they carpool!
* Don't sign up fot tap class and then have a hissy because you actually have to wear a pair of tap shoes! ....their explanation: But rather just wear sunday patent dress shoes - but they "LOOK" the exact same why should I buy anything else!
*When we send out the newsletter stating NO CLASSES DURING X-MAS BREAK with the dates we are closed, don't show up and leave a note on the door stating you were there but no one else was...Blah blah I'm really upset i drove all the way ON X-MAS EVE!!! HELLLOOOO
* Why do parents feel that it is okay to just not show up without notifying of an absence when you expect them for a solo practice, and then say oh I forgot what day it was......when it's been the same time and day for a 1/2 a season!!!!
*Why can't parents understand all children learn at different paces. Love those who sign up for tumbling class w/ no expir. and if they aren't doing RO backHSPG, and arial and a triple tuck by the 2nd class - they drop because that's all they wanted to do
* This list could go on for hours but I thought I'd just share the unique ones with ya!

Students:
Just because i am not your regular teacher does not make me any less in charge of this class. I am the substitute hired by the studio director and normal teacher of your classes for a reason. You better give me the same respect as you give Miss Janice.

Parents:
SEE above

I am nice enough to give up my personal time so that your child can still have class when the regular teacher is sick.

What is it with constantly having to say "stand up! we're dancing now!" no one sits down unless I say you can! Grrr- it is so disrespectful and I get offended when the kids immediately sit down as soon as we finish one combination and then sit there while I explain the next one. No way will I let this continue!!

PARENTS!!!!

Taking too long to leave after they have paid.

Bringing along their other children and allowing them to run riot!!

Asking me what size of leotard, tights etc they should get for THEIR child!!

Bringing their friends along just to pay the class!!!!!

I have a funny story that goes along with the previous comment about us "knowing the size of their children".
This past season I made things soooo easy on the parents...or so I thought. I put up sign up sheets with sizing charts next to them for tights and over under orders. all the parents had to do was look at the sizing chart, find their childs size, and wirte it on the sign up sheet. Then we would order the requested sizes in everything that their child need for the recital, put the $$ on their regular monthly invoice for them and hand it to them when the products arrived.

You would have thought that we were asking them to build us a new studio.
"you just measured them for costumes...don't you know what size they are"
"you have her for your next class, can't you just look at her loetard and write down the size....(this woman said this with a Dunkin D coffee in one have and a magazine in the other sitting on the comfee couch in my waiting room.)

This year I will do none of these things. I will let them go to the dance stores in recital season and JUST TRY to find the CORRECT tan tights, in their daughters siz(that just happens to be 90% of the other dancers size and is on back order until 2008)

I will let them stress about the fact that they waited until dress rehersal to but ballet pink tights.......and there are non left in anystore for a 100 miles radius.

They will all see how easy it could have been......and how silly it is for the 300 moms to have to go to the same stores looking for the same thing when I would have just taken care of it for them if they would have treated me with respect!!!