Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Reasons Finding A Really Good Dance Curriculum Is So Vital

By Sarah Wilkiamson

Young children have special needs and a dance school's curriculum should be aware of this. Teaching kids isn't like teaching adults, there are different things to take into account and different methods of delivery.

A good curriculum blends fun with learning techniques to get a result that keeps young children engaged as they progress. Some schools allow dance classes to become a glorified kindergarten class, with little or no dance related learning. This is really big mistake as no progress is being made by the students. It is supposed to be a dance class, after all.

On the other hand some dance disciplines are quite hard and require the students to focus well on the learning part of it. Ballet is one of these and is also the most popular form of dance for young children. It is important to know when the students are getting burned out and need some relaxation. The curriculum should not be too ridged and only concentrate on the learning part of dancing.

In order to prevent the class becoming draining and boring to young people, creative teachers and a flexible curriculum is needed. Variety is important to reduce frustration and boredom and young students are especially prone to this. A good teacher becomes an absolute necessity to keep a good dance class on track. Without a good teacher, a class can just become another play group.

Basic skills of dancing, like appreciation of rhythm, can be taught in a more relaxed atmosphere, whereas actual steps and routines may take a little more concentration and skill. Mixing these two forms of learning will help to keep a young child focused.

Always try to assess your child's strong and weak points by keeping in close contact with your child's teacher. Try to schedule a conference with them if you feel there are any problems. Make sure the curriculum is really suitable for your child and if necessary change the school if it is not. Remember that it is best to resolve problems as soon as possible before they grow too big to handle.

Observe the classes before you make any decisions about a school. This way, you can assess whether the dance school curriculum will be right for your child's needs. Observation later on will then help you to see how your child is doing, as well as how they are reacting with the teacher. It's important to keep a close eye on your child's progression and not feel bad if there's a need to move them to a better structured school.

Every child learns at a different speed and the dance school schedule should be flexible enough to accommodate this fact. Some dance schools give more consideration to older students and just let the younger students have a slightly modified version of the older student's curriculum. The better schools will tailor their curriculum according to age. This is much better as younger students have specific needs. It is wise to bear in mind that dancing is a special discipline in that it is best when you start learning at a young age. This is why it is very important to choose a school that understands this fact and has a proper curriculum for younger students.

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