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RSCDS "Teacher Support"

Marie Disiewicz

Marie Disiewicz

Oct. 2, 2001, 9:04 a.m. (Message 27650)

Top of the day to you!
This would interest me and maybe a few others have wondered about this.
Please inform me of any reading refernces that might answer my
questions!!!!!

1. What does your RSCDS Branch and RSCDS affiliate clubs do to encourage

and support  prelim and full certificate teachers  from their own clubs?

2. What! IF ANY ! qualifications should a RSCDS teacher  coordinator of
a RSCDS Branch have?

3. Prelim and Certificate teachers,  [ new or seasoned] what has been
YOUR experience for support and encouragement.?

4. Teacher coordinators -  RSCDS Branch - what is the  agenda to support
and encourage new and seasoned teachers?

5. What is the procedure in your area for  RSCDS  teacher coordinators
and RSCDS teachers?. e.g.: do you rotate or do the same people stay at
the helm.

xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
Happy dancing
Marie
Lara D. Friedman~Shedlov

Lara D. Friedman~Shedlov

Oct. 2, 2001, 5:21 p.m. (Message 27663, in reply to message 27650)

Marie,

I'm not sure what you mean when you mention "teacher coordinators," but 
here are some responses to your questions.

> 1. What does your RSCDS Branch and RSCDS affiliate clubs do to
> encourage and support  prelim and full certificate teachers  from 
> their own clubs?

Our branch subsidizes the cost of attending teacher 
training/certification workshops whenever possible.  The board also 
supports teachers by assigning other people to do some of the 
logistical/maintenance tasks that often fall to teachers in other 
groups, such as:  booking space, unlocking & locking up the space, 
cleaning up, etc.  Although our teachers are not paid, the branch does 
reimburse us (up to a set amount each year) for expenses such as dance 
books we may purchase.  The branch purchases music recordings for us to 
use (although some of the teachers in the group purchase their own); 
the branch has a huge collection of LPs and CDs and also provides the 
equipment to play them.

>
> 2. What! IF ANY ! qualifications should a RSCDS teacher  coordinator
> of  a RSCDS Branch have?

Not sure what you mean by a teacher coordinator.  Do you mean a teacher 
who is coordinating a class?  In order to run a class I think the most 
important qualifications are:

1) Dancing proficiency
2) Ability to clearly break down and explain steps and figures
3) Ability maintain the social nature of the activity while still 
actually teaching stuff (i.e. keep things fun, while at the same time 
educational)
4) Ability to convey the joy of dance
5) People skills -- tact, diplomacy, leadership, etc.
6) Flexibility/Adaptability
7) At least a minimal sense of humor


>
> 3. Prelim and Certificate teachers,  [ new or seasoned] what has been
> YOUR experience for support and encouragement.?

As a newly certified teacher (August 2000) I have been fortunate to 
receive a lot of support the people in our dance group, on many 
levels.  In addition to the things listed above under question #1, I 
have also received a lot of encouragement and positive feedback from 
the dancers.  That's really what makes it worthwhile.

> 5. What is the procedure in your area for  RSCDS  teacher
> coordinators and RSCDS teachers?. e.g.: do you rotate or do the same 
> people stay at the helm.

In our branch, there are about 6 or 7 teachers (not all of whom are 
always active in a given year).  We usually switch off teaching duties, 
each teacher taking about a 6-8 week long series of classes before 
another teacher takes over.  Since there is basically only one class in 
our area, no one wants to teach all the time (as you don't get to dance 
much while you are teaching), so we don't mind switching off.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Lara Friedman-Shedlov
Minneapolis, MN  USA



*******************************
Lara Friedman-Shedlov     
xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
*******************************
Alan Twhigg

Alan Twhigg

Oct. 2, 2001, 10:27 p.m. (Message 27676, in reply to message 27650)

Hi Marie,

In the San Francisco Branch, we have never had a
single person assigned to the role of teacher
coordinator. Instead, we have a Branch-sponsored
Teachers' Committee (TC) that meets approximately once
a quarter and is responsible for putting on teaching
workshops, choosing candidate class tutors, planning
programs for Branch-wide dances and balls, and other
related items to support teachers.

All Branch members who have passed either the
Preliminary or Teacher's Certificate RSCDS exams are
invited to participate, but of the 30 or so active
teachers in the Branch, perhaps half that number get
involved in the TC on a regular basis.

The Branch Executive supports the TC with financial
assistance to cover operating expenses, subsidize
workshops, and provide scholarships for individual
training. Officers who serve on the Executive or in
the TC leadership are elected to one- or two-year
terms and sometimes serve 2 or 3 terms, as there is a
learning curve implicit in these roles, but in general
individuals rotate out of these positions after that.

I can provide further details if desired, but don't
want to go on at length on a topic that may not be of
interest to the general list.

-Alan Twhigg.

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