http://web.archive.org/web/20110323111514/http://andabien.com/html/teaching-tango.php
I'd love to know your comments.
I'd love to know your comments.
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Notes on Teaching Tango
- Thread starter AndaBien
- Start date
I think it's great that you took the time to think about this and document it. It is a lot to go through, but here are the ones that I really agreed with in my first pass through your list.
4 Be prepared to teach.
7 Be patient and supportive.
8 People learn in different ways.
9 People have trouble with different aspects of a step.
22 Explain important leads for the men.
35 If the majority of a class is having trouble with a step, it is your fault.
36 Leave your ego at the door.
:cheers:
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bordertangoman
Well-Known Member
following dchester's succinct reply:
1. i agree, but a (pofessional)teacher told me that I was being critical but I was giving "immediatley do-able instruction.
4. should be no. 1. Know what you're going to do, stick to to it but be flexible, if the class are slow to learn keep working at rather than stick to your plan.
6. Disagree; yes warm-ups are important and so is avoiding collisions but you must give people responsibility for looking after themselves and each other and to know their own limits and or weaknesses.
12. Strongly agree; some people will watch you and get it straight away other will make common mistakes; so go over these.
13. I agree. I was taught like this.
14. Dont understand this.
23. A moot point;I think this will vary according to level/experience. My experience is that sometimes you get a blame game; where leader and follower are blaming each other for not being able to do something. If they're a couple outside the lesson separate them and give them different partners. Then work with each in turn to sort out difficulties
27. Get them to work out the movement first as slow as they need then work it with the music; some movements will have more musical/rhythmical relevance than others.
29. Rule of Three: do each exercise with three different partners ( and three different pieces of music) at least.
X+1: Tell people its okay to make mistakkes.
x+2: Use humour;clown about: dance all the mistakes they are likely to make;
people laughing are more relaxed and learn better.
1. i agree, but a (pofessional)teacher told me that I was being critical but I was giving "immediatley do-able instruction.
4. should be no. 1. Know what you're going to do, stick to to it but be flexible, if the class are slow to learn keep working at rather than stick to your plan.
6. Disagree; yes warm-ups are important and so is avoiding collisions but you must give people responsibility for looking after themselves and each other and to know their own limits and or weaknesses.
12. Strongly agree; some people will watch you and get it straight away other will make common mistakes; so go over these.
13. I agree. I was taught like this.
14. Dont understand this.
23. A moot point;I think this will vary according to level/experience. My experience is that sometimes you get a blame game; where leader and follower are blaming each other for not being able to do something. If they're a couple outside the lesson separate them and give them different partners. Then work with each in turn to sort out difficulties
27. Get them to work out the movement first as slow as they need then work it with the music; some movements will have more musical/rhythmical relevance than others.
29. Rule of Three: do each exercise with three different partners ( and three different pieces of music) at least.
X+1: Tell people its okay to make mistakkes.
x+2: Use humour;clown about: dance all the mistakes they are likely to make;
people laughing are more relaxed and learn better.
I agree. This would be a very important part of teaching tango. (I tend to be somewhat serious by nature).
Dave Bailey
Active Member
Very nice list - I like. I agree with almost all the points, and they're very well made.
However, I'd disagree with this:
If I understand what you're saying correctly, I think this pushes students down the "sequence" route, which I think is the wrong mindset for AT.
I'd also add:
X+1: Do it wrong deliberately to demonstrate problems. For example, posture - if you show people how hard it is to lead / follow someone with backwards-leaning posture, then get them to adopt such posture for an exercise, that demonstrates what not to do.
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Yes, I agree. I wrote these notes many years ago, when much of what was being taught was sequences. These days I teach elemental steps.
Dave Bailey
Active Member
Cool
Although maybe there is some value in sequences - for example, fitting a particular set of movements to a particular musical phrase, rather than having to re-invent the wheel each time.