Teaching kids, young adults, vs. mature adults. Different?

[pygmalion]

This came up as a major digression in another thread, so I figured I'd start a new one. Dance teachers and students who've made the transition: How is your teaching methodology different between teaching ballroom to young students, college-aged students, and mature/working adults? Just curious. Here's my take, from another thread. (I'm coming from the mature adult perspective,LOL!)

This is totally off topic, but what the heck. In my view, when you're teaching adults, even if it IS dance, you have a totally different way of relating to them than you do to children ... if you want to succeed. For a dance teacher to automatically assume he or she is "above" me because he/she is the teacher is crap, to me. I know as much as or more than any teacher I'll ever encounter. Not about dance, maybe, but I have plenty to teach, as well as much to learn. Dance teachers need to have some humility to go with their knowledge. Just my two cents, based on some admittedly bad experiences.

 

[Sagitta]

Age diferences is only one way people must differ in their teaching methods. They also have to change them based on what are the expectations of those who come for the classes that are being taught. For all situations I would say that humility in realizing that one does not know everything is important. It does not matter your age. You can tell when someone is full of themselves.

 

[Adwiz]

I've had some experience with this because I take private lessons together with my 15-year-old daughter and other private lessons together with my wife.

It seems that the teachers do use slightly different methods with my daughter than with my wife. The thing is, I don't know whether the differences are the result of the greater showmanship and confidence that my wife and I have vs. my daughter. Our life experiences have given us a basis for being more confident when we dance. We also recognize the importance of practicing, so this is taken for granted during the "adult" lessons while it is mentioned often in the lessons with my daughter.

My daughter is encouraged quite a bit more, with the coach giving her positive feedback very often, even when she isn't "getting it" in regards to a specific issue. The lessons with my wife are more critical in nature, pointing out only the areas that need improvement with very little positive feedback. I believe the coaches recognize that we have less sensitive egos than a 15-year-old and can take lots of correction without feeling hurt or discouraged.

Again, there can be many reasons for these differences, including the coaches' perception of what she needs to hear vs. what we need to hear. It doesn't mean that these methods work better for her, although they certainly do work.

My gut feeling is that these distinctions are right on. At her age, it may be too crushing to hear only correction. At my age, I don't want to have my time wasted with positive feedback, I want to know where the improvement has to happen. Perhaps for some people the opposite is true.

It's quite possible that our coaches are so good at recognizing each person's individual needs that they are simply meeting our expectations regardless of age.

 

[SDsalsaguy]

It's quite possible that our coaches are so good at recognizing each person's individual needs that they are simply meeting our expectations regardless of age.

Certainly an option. I wonder, might you ask them about the difference you've noted? It does seem interesting!

 

[etchuck]

There's also the issue of physical differences. Teenagers can probably do certain things that require physical movement easier than people who are older.

 

[Genesius Redux]

What about immature adults? :lol:

 

[pygmalion]

LOL! Somehow I suspect that would be you, GR. Immature to the core. :wink: :lol: :lol:

 

[etchuck]

Well, the playful immature adults are fun. The creepy immature adults are not.

So yesterday a couple of people hired our swing dance instructor to teach their little ones (can't be >10... heck, maybe they weren't even 8). Granted the rest of us were learning samba at the time, but it was really cute to see the two siblings learn swing.