The most important ingredient for teaching is building self-confidence in a student.

Positivity

It is best to use positive instruction and never negative. Praising the one best attribute a student has can cause that one skill to develop into two and so on. Eventually, the student will feel successful. On the other hand, screaming at a student will alienate her or him from any desire to dance or perform. Negativity does not encourage growth. It encourages dancers to stop entirely. Naturally, the technique needs to be corrected, but first, point out the positive then do the correcting. A child is like a fragile flower; if you abuse it, it withers, and if you nurture it, it blooms.

Criticism Doesn’t Always Sound Like Criticism 

Many times a parent has already deflated a child’s self-confidence without even knowing it. When a child registers at the studio, the parent might say, “Here is Susie. She can hardly do a cartwheel and is very uncoordinated. She really needs dance.” This parent loves their child but does not realize she is telling the child to be uncoordinated and clumsy. Even small jokes can make a dancer feel inadequate even before they have started dancing. Dance teachers should encourage these parents to build confidence and self-esteem at home while they are concentrating on the same thing at the studio.

Love Encourages Confidence

Encouragement is bringing hope for the future. If you expect the best from your students, more than likely, you will get it. You have probably found that students are eager to please. This is especially true for students have encouraging teachers that reward them for what they do right rather than reprimand them for what they do wrong. I’m not saying not to be strict. You will always remember the strict teachers. I’m asking you to give encouragement and love.

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Veronica Good has been with Showstopper Magazine since 2016. When she isn't keeping you updated on the latest trends, she is at home with her many pets or probably playing The Sims 4. Veronica has a BA in English and an MA in writing from Coastal Carolina University. She is also a writer of fiction and poetry, and her work can be found in Archarios, Tempo, and Scapegoat.