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View Full Version : Does a Teachers age make a difference?



Jive Brummie
3rd-October-2005, 09:50 PM
Right I was thinking about this earlier on today. Don't know why...but hey, humour me.

Does the age of the teacher make any difference? Do you listen more if they are older? DO you assume they know less because they are younger? Are their ideas and principles irrelevant because you assume they only apply to younger or older people..etc etc.

You know that sort of thing. I'd like to hope that nobody on the forum judges a person and/or teacher on their age, but in the 'real' world do you think it's probable that it does occur?

Answer's on a postcard to....

Discuss.

JB x x

Little Monkey
3rd-October-2005, 10:00 PM
I think I'd listen just as much to a young teacher as I would to an older teacher.... Obviously an older teacher might have more experience in dancing/ teaching than a young one, but this is not always the case! Young teachers might have started dancing when they were barely out of their nappies, and the old teachers might bot have started dancing until they were adults.... I think I'd judge the teacher on his or her 'preformance' - how good at teaching is he/ how good a dancer/ do I like their personal stule etc etc. Age, to me, doesn't matter.

Funnily enough, when I was teaching dance classes in Norway, at the tender young age of 21, most of the people in my class thought I was about 30!!!! Maybe I was just very, ummmm, authoritative.... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Or maybe they were just so dazzled by my, er, fantastic skills, knowledge and teaching abilities, that they thought I couldn't possibly be as young as I really looked! :whistle:

LM

Minnie M
3rd-October-2005, 10:05 PM
Right I was thinking about this earlier on today. Don't know why...but hey, humour me.

Does the age of the teacher make any difference? Do you listen more if they are older? DO you assume they know less because they are younger? Are their ideas and principles irrelevant because you assume they only apply to younger or older people..etc etc.

You know that sort of thing. I'd like to hope that nobody on the forum judges a person and/or teacher on their age, but in the 'real' world do you think it's probable that it does occur?

Answer's on a postcard to....

Discuss.

JB x x

Jordan & Tatiana WCS teachers who were at Southport :worthy: both in their early 20's, and this year Kyle & Sarah only a couple of years older and brilliant teachers :worthy: :worthy:

However, both couples have been dancing since young teenagers, so they have many years experience in dancing and at least 5 in teaching PLUS they themselves have been taught by very experienced teachers who obviously rubs off.

I don't think anyone even thought about their age in the classes, we were all in awe of them :clap:

Jive Brummie
3rd-October-2005, 10:26 PM
Fair point Minnie, but these people you've mentioned are superstars of who'm dancing folk in general are well aware of.

Now however you've walked into you resident dance class to find a younger/older person there. You don't know who they are and you have no idea of their dance back ground... Do you still listen quite so intently or do you approach the class with some scepticism/optimism with regard to their assumed age (sp?)?

JB x x

Little Monkey
3rd-October-2005, 10:30 PM
Now however you've walked into you resident dance class to find a younger/older person there. You don't know who they are and you have no idea of their dance back ground... Do you still listen quite so intently or do you approach the class with some scepticism/optimism with regard to their assumed age (sp?)?

Errr........ Something you want to tell us? Anyone been nasty to you? Not getting respect from the punters in your class?? Come, tell auntie Little Monkey all..... There, there....

:rofl:

LMC
3rd-October-2005, 10:32 PM
None at all - it's their teaching ability that matters to me.

ShinyWeeStar
3rd-October-2005, 10:33 PM
I think I'd listen just as much to a young teacher as I would to an older teacher.... I think I'd judge the teacher on his or her 'performance' - how good at teaching is he/ how good a dancer/ do I like their personal style etc etc. Age, to me, doesn't matter.

:yeah: I'd wait and see how someone teaches before making a judgement. Sometimes it's easier to relate to a teacher who's about my age, but then age is only one of many other factors (e.g. personality, sense of humour, skill, etc.) and just because someone is my age doesn't necessarily mean that I will relate to them better or that they'll be a better teacher than someone older....if that makes sense! :rolleyes:

frodo
3rd-October-2005, 10:53 PM
... so they have many years experience in dancing and at least 5 in teaching PLUS they themselves have been taught by very experienced teachers who obviously rubs off....:yeah: I think it is experience rather than age; it is noticable that some teachers clearly improve over time.



Does the age of the teacher make any difference? Do you listen more if they are older? DO you assume they know less because they are younger? Are their ideas and principles irrelevant because you assume they only apply to younger or older people..etc etc.I don't think age matters much as far as initial impressions go for male teachers, except perhaps if the class isn't well managed.

However seeing a pattern, not apparent elsewhere, of individual, young and pretty female teachers, especially if not convervatively dressed, might affect initial assumptions for young female teachers to a greater degree.

Dance Demon
3rd-October-2005, 11:18 PM
I think technique is more important than age. if a teacher teaches in a way that holds the classes attntion, either because they make it interesting, or humourous for example, then it doesn't matter how old they are. A teacher with several years experience, that has a boring technique, will have less people in their class than a teacher with a lesser amount of experience, but with a quirky , more charismatic approach...IMHO.......

Gadget
3rd-October-2005, 11:29 PM
I think that it's presence and confidence that give a teacher respect. Signs of nerves, unsure of moves, having to prove themselves, ... all lower them in my estimation.

Both age and experiance give confidence; an assured presence on stage. This can be received from either/both of these - or neither. As long as they have it, age dosn't even enter into the equation. (although eye-candy might :whistle: )

I have been taught by teachers who have been dancing less time than I have. I have been taught by teachers that travel the world and are sought out by the best. I have learned from both.
If someone thought they could teach me, I would listen. I may not learn what they intended, but I will learn something; even if it's how not to do something.

MartinHarper
3rd-October-2005, 11:34 PM
With young female teachers, I pay more attention to the legs, to, err... pick up footwork tips, or something.

Since you ask, I guess I expect very old teachers (eg, Frankie Manning) to teach a traditional style, whereas very young teachers (under 21, perhaps) I'd expect to be more innovative or ideosyncratic.

Minnie M
4th-October-2005, 07:57 AM
......Now however you've walked into you resident dance class to find a younger/older person there. You don't know who they are and you have no idea of their dance back ground... Do you still listen quite so intently or do you approach the class with some scepticism/optimism with regard to their assumed age.......
hmmm... personally, I would be interested in how they teach rather than the opposite.

Perfect example is Adam Crewe (Adam & Tas) Adam has been on the dance scene since the age of 12 (I remember dancing with him then :cool: ) and has been teaching (I think) for at least 2 years and he is only 18 :eek:

He has always drawn a sizeable crowd and not all of the class know have seen him before.

Whether people return to the class must then depend on their technique and personality etc., (as said above by DD and others)


.......approach the class with some scepticism/optimism
more likely to happen with an older (much older that is) teacher - eg: I have been dancing MJ for a very long time and even did RnR etc., when I was a young teenager - but IMO would never be accepted as a teacher however good I became, even wanted to be a Competition Judge (because of my background) :tears: but was turned down (even in my home town) :tears:

David Bailey
4th-October-2005, 08:39 AM
I hope I haven't yet got to the point where I assume these young whippersnappers know nothing - neither do I assume these old fogies don't relate to me.


Now however you've walked into you resident dance class to find a younger/older person there. You don't know who they are and you have no idea of their dance back ground... Do you still listen quite so intently or do you approach the class with some scepticism/optimism with regard to their assumed age (sp?)?

It honestly hadn't occurred to me before, but it's a good question.

However, I think I can, at least by now, tell how experienced the teacher is (as a teacher and a dancer), and that makes a difference.

So yes, I'd guess I could be slightly biased against 18-year-old teachers on first sight (which is a bit dumb, because as people have said, they could have been dancing intensively since they were three)

But maybe I'd just be jealous :)

Heather
4th-October-2005, 09:21 AM
My personal opinion is that It should not matter , however from a classroom teacher's perspective (in regard to my own personal experiences) I can tell you that it does matter.
I have been teaching for over 20 years and one of my fellow teachers who is older than me has been teaching less time than me. (She took years off until her daughter was old enough to go to school).
I am fortunate enough to look young for my age and my colleague is 7 years older than me and looks her age!
At parents night last year I had occassion to tell a parent some negative things about their child and the parent was not pleased complaining to my boss 'what does she know?' . My friend had the same child this year and had to impart the same bad news somewhat more forcefully than me and the parent conceded. We discussed this in the staff room the next day( as you do) and we came to the conclusion that in the parents mind I was a 'young and inexperienced teacher' and that my colleague was older and more experienced . In this case I definitely think that perception of the teachers age/ experience had an influence.
However, I don't know that this would neccessarily be the case in the dancing world, but human nature being what it is.....?
:hug: :kiss:
Heather,
xx

TiggsTours
4th-October-2005, 09:23 AM
It certainly shouldn't, it should all be about teaching ability.

A friend of mine wanted to teach for Ceroc a few years ago, he's a fabulous dancer, and teacher, and has been doing training within his job for years. He's been a taxi dancer for years, and is always being praised by his beginners for his teaching ability, his clear precise way of explaining things and his patience, and is constantly approached to teach privately. Ceroc told him that, because he was over 35, they could not consider him as a teacher! However, a young whippersnapper of 19 who has been dancing 6 months? No problem.

I understand this attitude in Ceroc is changing, but surely this should be covered under age discrimination, and equal opportunities.

Petal
4th-October-2005, 10:30 AM
Do you still listen quite so intently or do you approach the class with some scepticism/optimism with regard to their assumed age (sp?)?

JB x x

I would probably approach the class with some scepticism, but that would be nothing to do with the teachers age, just the fact that it was someone different, and not the teacher i was used to, but in saying that we've had stand in teachers at the class i attend in the past, and i am more intererested in the the moves they are teaching, how they are taught, and their age would make no difference at all.

But i can guess what your are meaning, getting the classes attention sometimes can be difficult.

Martin
4th-October-2005, 10:36 AM
Right I was thinking about this earlier on today. Don't know why...but hey, humour me.

Does the age of the teacher make any difference? Do you listen more if they are older? DO you assume they know less because they are younger? Are their ideas and principles irrelevant because you assume they only apply to younger or older people..etc etc.

You know that sort of thing. I'd like to hope that nobody on the forum judges a person and/or teacher on their age, but in the 'real' world do you think it's probable that it does occur?

Answer's on a postcard to....

Discuss.

JB x x

I actually think your age is an advantage... In Australia they are actively seeking younger teachers to draw the younger crowd, sounds like it is the same in the UK as well. Most of us "oldies teachers" all hit the "just reached 40 mark" - I could real off a whole list from UK and Aussie - (but that would be tellling - including me)

I guess it all comes down to confidence and winning the students over.

You and FC are great, so if you ever want to hit Aussie, let me know and I will arange accomadation in my place and get you some gigs...

Martin

Gus
4th-October-2005, 11:36 AM
I think technique is more important than age. if a teacher teaches in a way that holds the classes attntion, either because they make it interesting, or humourous for example, then it doesn't matter how old they are. .Totally agree. Had a conversation on this subject with one of the Dance Gods about a year ago and the salient point was that, with few exceptions, the young teachers (especially the sub-20 brigade) didnt have the 'world' experience to command authority, know how to communicate clearly nor be able to deal with 'non-standard' exceptions. I havent seen anything to change my mind on this. :( Please note I'm NOT saying that all old foggies like myself can achive all the above ... just that they seem to be better able to cope overall.