If you decide to stop bringing your child to class, respond to our emails/calls to be sure she is not ill or worse. And when we tell you that tuition is owed on the month she was absent and not withdrawn, don't argue. Learn to call when you are changing the enrollment status.

I am refreshed to see other teachers struggling with the same things I do! Here are my tops...forgive me if its been said.

1. Do not call me with your handout in hand to "confirm" everything it says in black and white in front of you, as if challenging me. Yes, I wrote it. Yes, I meant it.

2. Do not call me on the day of recital to ask questions about hair, makeup, or tights. The tights are always pink. It should be in the handout you got but didn't read. I'm really REALLY busy.

3. My studio phone is linked to my cell phone because I don't keep office hours. If you have a quick message for me, like "Susie will be late / absent today" just e-mail me! If I don't answer, don't repeat calling me 47 times! Leave a message!!!

4. Please don't ask me to bend the rules. Just follow them. Just figure it out. I'm sorry you've over-booked your life, but it's not my mess to clean up.

I teach in a rec centre with a window and viewing area...

Because your child is shy, or tells you to come in doesn't mean you can come into every class to sit in - it's disctrating to all the children and especially your own.

With the viewing area- please don't let younger children bang/knock on the window and don't stand or pull up a chair infront of everybody else so only you can see in the room, and keep the talking level down.

Take your child pee before class - because we all know that starts a chain reaction with 3 yr olds.

In a parented class - stop chatting and start participating with your child - and get into a circle isn't code for sit down

Don't let your child in with jewlery and toys

For my adult class...when the class starts at 1pm that doesn't mean arrive at 1pm, we start dancing at 1pm and comfortable workout clothes do not include jeans!

wow am I bossy??? lol

I started reading through, then looked at the clock and realized I didn't have the time to finish, so I'm just going to post what I have to say.

#1) Don't play the "I didn't know" card- we have bulletin boards and signs up EVERYWHERE, on brightly colored paper, AND we TELL YOU, plus we send out EMAILS!! Don't say you didn't know something was going on!

#2) Don't complain that you don't feel like going to Nationals. You were well informed when you signed your child up to be a competitive student that they would be attending a national competition. It's not like we chose to go across the country or anything, get over it, suck it up, or pull your kid NOW so that we can fix the gaps in the dance before it gets too late.

#3) You do not need to watch every single class every single week. That is not the purpose of dance class, and particularly not the purpose of a private lesson. If I invite you in during the last few minutes of class, then you are welcome to observe. But you are not welcome to waltz in whenever you feel like it and start gabbing on your cell phone or telling me how you think I should choreograph something. Get out of my class and let me do my job, you're distracting your kid and other kids, and that's not what I'm paid for.

Please make your child finish what they've started even if it's just a semester. If you only have 2-3 weeks of classes left let them finish it and don't tell me AFTER payment was supposed to be due that you've decided to pull her out.

We love our students so much that we take the time and money in planning something special for them for Christmas/end of year time. When you've drop your student you have basically wasted my money and time as well as yours. Yes it's a hard time of year and kids need to learn that when you start something you finish it with a smile even if you don't like it. Odds are your student is just wanting to play at home or be lazy then come to class even though the second she gets in she is having a blast.

BabyBusy, I agree with your statement about being there on time. Parents often drop their kids late or right at the starting time, and that's a waste of time for teachers. We want to start on time, not have to sit around for an extra ten minutes because their kid is a slowpoke and couldn't get dressed in the car or at home before they left- hey, I had to do it, and I was always on time instead of dilly-dallying around in the dressing room. There's no excuse.


Also, parents, quit complaining about registration fees, or thinking that because you know the SO you can have that fee waived. It doesn't work that way. Everyone who walks through the door is receiving a service, and that service needs to be paid for by every customer. Just because you're "friends" or "acquaintances" with the SO doesn't mean he/she is going to waive fees for you or give you freebies.

Also, on that note, just because you think you're buddies with the SO doesn't mean you get more say than any other parent does. You don't want to go to competition? Then why did you sign your child up to be a competition student? What were you thinking? You don't like where we're going for nationals, and would rather go elsewhere? Too bad, you people PAY the SO to make the PROFESSIONAL decisions, and to decide what's best for EVERYONE, so stop trying to do his/her job. When I was growing up, you did what you were supposed to and went where you were told, and that was that. I don't know why parents nowadays think they should be deciding.

I have more! The main complaints I get from ballet parents are about placement. These are the following comments I hate:

1. My daughter is bored in her class. Can she please move up to the next level?

2. My daughter was so disappointed because her best friend was moved up and she has to do the same things all next year!

3. My daughter does not like all the barre exercises you do in class. You should do more stretching / choreography / games / etc.

or worse...

4. My five-year-old really wants to do barre exercises! She is bored with the center things you do, and already does them very well.

LOL.

I also have trouble when I'm casting things like The Nutcracker or other story ballets. Everyone thinks their child deserves the lead role. From what I've seen, I think the parents really pump their kids up in a negative way. It starts as a proud parent compliment- "Honey, you have the best turns in your entire class!"- and becomes something that the kids take to heart. "Mommy says I'm the best, so I should get the best part."

I am the studio owner and only teacher in a rural-area ballet studio. My two baby sisters, ages 14 and 12 are in my classes. The 12-year-old is actually a talented, well rounded dancer, so she is sometimes given solo parts. I probably judge her more carefully than the others because I don't want it to appear that I am showing preference, but darn it, she shouldn't have to be deprived of good parts just because she's my sister. Any time she is given a role that is deemed "coveted" by the students, I hear whispers of "She only got that part because she's Miss Nicole's sister." I KNOW the parents are adding to this, because it's young kids saying these things! UGH.

Anyway. Too much coffee this morning.

1. Please don't correct your child from the waiting room.

2. Check the website's schedule page. It's quicker than calling.

3. I know your 10 year old doesn't like dancing with 9 year old, but I'm not moving her in with the 13 year olds.

4. When I say your child is placed by her age as of Aug 31 it doesn't mean I can squeek her by because her birthday is in Jan.

5. Your child cannot remember the choreography for her 4 groups routines. I really don't think she's ready for a solo.

6. To help your cash flow I ask for a costume deposit in Nov and the balance in Dec. Don't yell at me if you choose to pay for it all in Dec.

7. If your child doesn't attend class regularly don't expect them to learn much.

8. That new car I drive comes from the other 40 hour a week jobs my husband and I work. If I billed everyone in my studio for all the time, blood, sweat, and tears I put in, you wouldn't be able to pay for college when the time comes.

9. If you cannot afford 4 classes then just enroll your child in 3 classes. Don't ask for a discount if we have spent the last year chasing you for payments.

10. Stop in the studio at least once a month during parent week to see what your child is up to. They would love to show you what they've learned.

This is for teachers to post. Parents can post on the same thread on the Ask A Parent Board. Thanks.

Please, please, please do not schedule your family vacation the same weekend as the recital. I gave you the date of the upcoming May recital back in August, at the beginning of the school year. I have repeatedly reminded you of the date via paper newsletters and emailings. For the love of all that is good, pay attention! Even if the recital is not important to you, your daughter has worked hard all year and is going to be very disappointed if she can't participate.

(Note: This above is probably my biggest kvetching point. However, I've also had many more amazing parents, like the one who cooked dinner for all of the advanced girls last year and brought it to the theater, or like the one who tipped me $100 for Christmas.:))

I understand. Point taken. Just wondering how the two groups will understand each other if they're on separate posts.

That is why I linked it to here. It was more for the parents to read and learn. A good idea is to start a post for the parents in a similar vein.

Parents, please READ. When it says: "This is for parents to read too, (BUT NOT TO REPLY)", you're not supposed to reply!!!!!!!

Isn't this ^^^ exactly what this post is about? About parents not reading, nor listing, nor following any guidelines. But just blind headed, selfish, running ahead, .... I'll stop here.

This also the teachers board, and that only teachers are allowed to post! That's sort of the point!

lidwina wrote:

Isn't this ^^^ exactly what this post is about? About parents not reading, nor listening, nor following any guidelines. But just blind headed, selfish, running ahead, .... I'll stop here.

Yes, that is the point. You are 100 percent correct, Lidwina.

No problem. I appreciate your professional communication skills JLL. The post title invited me to read to perhaps understand other points of view. I was glad to see that I didn't fit the pressing comments on the thread, but I'm getting the feeling that this is primarily a gripe session only thread. Best of luck.

My goal it to educate parents to make their child's experience in dance a positive one. There are parents who need educating and there are teachers and studio owners who need educating. I continue to learn things and I am 55 years old. You really should start a "perfectly bad dance school" or "perfectly bad dance teacher" thread on the Ask A Teacher/Studio Owners Board. That will do the same for us as it will for the parents.

1.Please don't try to put an underaged kid into my class. If it says "preballet aged 4+" don't try to sneak your 3 year old in there. There is a HUGE difference between 3 and 4. We even had a parent lie and tell us that their child is 4, when she was only 2.5! The 2.5 got to class and she could barely run much less skip.

2. Please stop buying those ballet slippers that are house shoes. Yes they are satin and have a bow in the front, but that doesn't make those shoes danceable.

3. Don't buy tights that are too small for your child. They can't stretch in them without putting a hole in the crotch area.

Jazz_lover, I totally agree about the ballet slipper thing! I am seeing so many "pretend" ballet slippers this year! It's driving me absolutely nuts. The shoes are flopping off the children's feet and parents look at me like I'm stupid when I tell them their child is wearing the wrong thing to class. Can they not see the difference between what the other children are wearing, or do they not care that their child is sliding all over the floor because they were too cheap to go to the dance store and buy the necessary items for class?

^^^ I have flat out told the parents that the nylon bedroom slippers that look like ballet shoes will not work properly for dance. But they refuse to buy our discounted leather slippers, which we sell right there, for $10/pair. They must think we're ripping them off, because as long as the cheap shoes stay on their child's feet, they don't see the problem.

I had a parent once peek their head into class, which upset the child, the child would no longer do the skill I was teaching them then she came into the class and performed the step (wrong I might add).

I have really enjoyed reading all the comments as it makes me realise that I am not alone. I agree with all the comments and have experienced all of them at one time or another.

However just one wee word. If you are getting wound up with parents for one reason or another. Its helpful to remember that thier child is the most important thing in thier life and often nasty moments usually arise because of this fundamental thing that parents want the best for theie child

But phew we do have difficult job us teachers sometimes
Marie

Yes, they do want what is best. Unfortunately, many do not know what "best" means.

Too many parents do not want the best for their child. They want the best for themselves, thinking: 'If it suits me, it's the best for my child'.

Like in: "I want my child in the Monday class at 4 PM."
SO: "Your child is too young for that group, she should be in the Thursday group at 4 PM."
Parent: "That is not possible for me, so I want my child in the Monday class at 4 PM."

If parents would want the best for their child, they would be interested/reading in our newsletters, they would inform themselves about the rules before registration, and they would pay in time so the SO doesn't have to waste her time with calling them to ask for the tuition, but can prepare her classes instead.

If parents wanted the best for their kids, they would understand how important it is to keep the relation with the teacher well, instead of yelling at us, because that certainly has an effect on how we look at their child.
--Let me explain: When a parent yelled at me, every time I see his/her child I remember that. So, it becomes harder for me to feel positive when seeing this child, no matter what a lovely child it is. Therefore, yelling at the teacher is not the best for your child.