Positive feedback in a dance lesson

[pygmalion]

Right now, I have two main dance teachers who take two totally different approaches to positive feedback for students. One is very sparing with the positive feedback, the other generous. Both approaches work for me.

I wonder what you think. Is positive feedback inportant to you in a lesson? As a teacher, or as a student, how do you use it?

[TheArchon]

I have a response, but to the Barbara Striesend quote, it just poped.
Depeche Mode - People are People

People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully

So we’re different colours
And we’re different creeds
And different people
Have different needs
It’s obvious you hate me
Though I’ve done nothing wrong
I’ve never even met you
So what could I have done
I can’t understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
People are people
....

[pygmalion]

LOL. That's my signature line of the day. Sorry. Guess I'll have to restart the song lyrics game. :oops: :D

[HothouseSalsero]

I find too much positive feedback distracting. One of the things I liked about my teacher was that she didn't overdo the praise. I find that sort of thing a little patronizing. I'm a little weird about being praised in general. I'm sure that to some extent I like it, but there's something suspicious in my nature, and I tend to try to let praise go in one ear and out the other. I do like to know when I get something right that I've been trying to correct.

[HothouseSalsero]

The other thing is that positive feedback in a lesson is pretty meaningless if I can't take what I've learned and apply it on the dance floor. And if I can apply it on the dance floor, then positive feedback from a teacher is unnecessary. The reality of making progress speaks a lot more loudly to me than any verbal encouragement.

[SDsalsaguy]

While welcome when earned, I do not need any type of praise.

BUT...positive feedback can mean something else too. If I've been working on something than it is just as important to be told when I have it right as when I had it wrong. Correcting bad habits is only 1/2 the issue after all, cementing good ones is also part of the picture. Positive feedback certainly doesn't need to be excessive and, as HHS suggests, I get suspicious when there's too much of it, but as accurate feedback it can be as essential as correction.

My $.02

[pygmalion]

Exactly. I get suspicious too, if the positive feedback gets excessive. Back when I was at my first dance studio, you should've heard the arguments I'd get into with my teachers. They'd say, "oh that's really good." And I'd say, "No it's not. It may be better, but it's not good. Not good at all."

Too funny. I bet I was a pain to them. But to me, if everything I do is good, at some point, you must be lying or at least exaggerating.

[SDsalsaguy]

But to me, if everything I do is good, at some point, you must be lying or at least exaggerating.
...or not know any better!

[Sagitta]

I agree that excessive positive feedback defeats the purpose. I took this one lindy class a while back where everything was great and everything was good. It will be a while before I take something like that again!!

[Blondie]

I believe that positive feedback is necessary during a lesson. A good teacher will find something truthful to praise, but should not overdo it if it's not deserved. And this should be balanced with the not-so-positive feedback which we all need in order to improve our dancing. That's what teaching is, pointing out where improvements must be made as well as praising what we do right (as well as teaching the student how to dance). :)
I expect some positive feedback, at least sometimes! If I never got it, I'd have to give up dancing and take up...uh....skydiving? :roll:

[redhead]

If my teacher says "it's good" and it's not the day of the comp, I'll go look for a different teacher. "It's better" is the best praise for me. "It's better" means "you're improving"; "it's good" means "That's your ceiling and it's hopeless for you to even try to do it better". My favorite teacher says "well, before you couldn't do this move at all, and now you're at least doing something". This one is worth a thousand of compliments.

[Adwiz]

I like rare, specific positive feedback. Both my Standard and my Latin teachers are outstanding. They often fear that they criticize too much, but that's what I'm there to hear. However, what I do like is when I do something really right, they say, "that is exactly what I want to see every time." It usually relates to one specific detail that I was working on, but lets me know that I've nailed it, at least that once.

[dancin_feet]

The feedback I get from my instructor is mainly constructive criticism and pointing out where I am going wrong and what I can do to make it better. I appreciate this approach a lot as it gives me a basis of where to start my home practice. When I do something right, he simply says that was good or better, sometimes does it again (just to make sure it wasn't a fluke!) and then moves onto something else.

Not overly positive, but then if he was, I don't think I'd appreciate going to class to get praised all the time. That's why I go to class, to learn, not be told what I can do well.