kay- so I used to do the 6 week session format & didn't like it- too many folks dropped the second session in a semester & that held other students back too much, so i settled on a 12-14 week session which has been working out BUT for the last 2 years I've been getting calls mid march-april asking about new beginner classes- now I can't see starting another 12 week session as every one seems to skip town in June, but what do I put in a 6 week session? it seems to short to teach anything substantive! Right now my 101 class covers half of what I consider basic moves & transitions, plus intro to veil, 102 covers the other half of basics plus intro to zill. I am hoping that folks wanting to start now will want to continue in the fall- what can I offer that will get them started without messing up the system that seems to be working otherwise? veil & zill are now so integral to my semester teaching style, I am having a hard time formatting anything different!
Just for reference, my intermediate level classes are arranged by style or special topic, broken into 4-6 week courses, so I am not completely incapable of thinking in that time frame, I just don't know what I could cover in 6 weeks for a real beginner!
Just for reference, my intermediate level classes are arranged by style or special topic, broken into 4-6 week courses, so I am not completely incapable of thinking in that time frame, I just don't know what I could cover in 6 weeks for a real beginner!
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Alaska
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Re: semester format woes
Mon, April 21, 2008 - 3:50 AMmaybe something folkloric ?, or stick ? - that would give you the chance to teach the basic moves and give some styling differences to those who already did the basics, plus everyone loves dancing together and some basic stick work.
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Re: semester format woes
Mon, April 21, 2008 - 6:19 AMDear Alaska
When I started teaching (only a year ago) I thought I was going to do 6 week sessions then a break and then an other session. The crazy part was the students didn't want to stop dancing even during summer break so now I teach year round still using the 6 week session to allow new people to join more often and allow time off for the ones that have other plans. I take a break when I need it or I go to Europe visit my family.
It's been working out good but I'm reaching a point where I could make the sessions longer. I asked my long term students but they rather pay for 6 weeks. I guess financially it works better for them.
I hope this little bit helps.
Sadira
www.arabianmountainspice.com
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Re: semester format woes
Mon, April 21, 2008 - 5:38 PMinteresting ideas both- Sadira, do you do rotating topics? how do you allow for students to advance? -
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Re: semester format woes
Mon, April 21, 2008 - 8:05 PMI started with 3 classes on Fridays... a noon class, 6pm & 7.30pm, all beginners. At summer time the number of students went down and had only the 7.30 class going. But on the next session I had a new hit with beginners so I switched the 7.30 class to advanced/performers class and have 6pm as the beginner class. So far it works. Cross my fingers.
Happy Dancing !!
Sadira
www.arabianmountainspice.com
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Re: semester format woes
Tue, April 22, 2008 - 8:13 AMOk, I teach 7 week sessions since that is what the community center I teach at wants. I'm getting ready to start a new layout of moves so not sure how its going to work, but what I have been doing is 2 sessions of beginner work that alternates and does not include any veil or finger cymbals and then three sessions of Intermediate that also rotate and do include finger cymbal and veil and then advanced which is always special topic.
My new format is going to have 3 sessions of beginner rotating (a student could start anywhere as long as they complete all three 7 week sessions before moving up to intermediate) and either 3 or 4 sessions of intermediate (I'm still working on the curriculum for Intermediate) which rotate with students eligable to move up to advanced after mastering all beginner and intermediate level moves and at a minimum completing one complete round of both beginner and intermediate, but two rounds of intermediate recomended. Advanced will continue to be special topic.
