When a new year begins, we often take time to reassess how we have been doing things in order to find ways that we can improve. We also look for new ways of doing the same thing to continue succeeding with a refreshed method and way of looking at the tasks at hand. As teachers, one of the things you are likely looking at refreshing is the way you motivated and encourage your students to continue working to be better and more talented dancers. This can be as difficult as teaching them advanced moves and as simple as giving them access to encouragements and experiences that inspire them to continue dancing.
Quotes
Motivational quotes are a great way to inspire students. Even if they do not repeat the quotes themselves, simply having the words in mind can be beneficial to fostering positivity. You can share quotes with your students in many ways. Try incorporating motivational quotes an imagery in your studio art. Send out emails with motivational quotes in them. You could even start each class with a quote from a dancer they look up to. The key is to provide them with positive and encouraging phrases that they can use later if they find their motivation is failing.
Put YOUR Best Foot Forward
Often a student’s greatest role model is the person teaching them. You are not only someone with knowledge. You are also a person that has skills they hope to one day be able to have themselves. Because of this, everything you do serves as an image of something they should one day be doing. Your students look up to you, and you should strive to show them amazing things to work toward. Try setting aside a section of class time for them to watch you perform something you are working on. Chances are, they will want to learn to create and perform like you.
Compete
Competing can be stressful, and it requires lots of hard work, but it also encourages students to keep improving. When a student knows that a competition is ahead, they will likely work harder because they know that the difference between their normal efforts and their best efforts can affect the way the judges score them. At the same time, however, competing can hurt a student’s desire to perform if they have an unpleasant experience. Make sure to make the time and efforts leading up to competing positive so they can enjoy performing as much as possible.
Perform
If you perform, invite your students to attend the performances. It might just seem like something you do outside of your teaching career, but for a student, watching their teacher perform on stage gives them a chance to see a professional dancer in action. The best part is that they can interact with that professional dancer and ask them questions! So, let them see you perform and give them a chance to ask you about what it takes to become a professional dancer because chances are they want to know.
