Dance Teacher Blog: Preparing Parents for Your Class
By Brandy Curry
Being a dance educator in Los Angeles has its rewards and its challenges. One of the challenges I find is that the LA dance parent has superior knowledge about the dance biz and wants to know that your resume will help their starlet become the next, great dancer. While I appreciate the enthusiasm these parents have for their children, I always have to set boundaries. It takes time away from lesson planning, but I also have more support when I need parent volunteers because I set clear boundaries and appease them by answering their many, many questions.
MEET THE TEACHER
Before my classes get started I set up a "Meet the Teacher" for my dance parents. If an Open House or Back-to-School night is not scheduled on the master school calendar I email my class roster and invite parents to meet me. Sometimes forty parents show up, sometimes I get a hundred parents. I prepare a speech about my classroom expectations, I print out copies of my syllabus, and leave time to answer questions. I always dress like a dancer, but mix it up with a blazer. (Thank you J Crew and Banana Republic for catering to the educator; you get up to 15% when you show your school ID card.)
POST HEADSHOT & RESUME
Depending on my bulletin board space I always post a headshot and resume. If there is no space, I upload my headshot and resume onto my Haiku page, or onto the school website. Dance parents want to know you've performed before, and have professional dance experience. See my headshot below:
SYLLABI
I create a syllabus for each of my dance classes. If I teach nine (9) classes then I create nine syllabi. I list what I expect my students to wear from jazz shoes to proper dance wear. I list books I require or books I suggest students read. I put my expectations for student behavior, and put a behavioral contract for parents and students to sign and return to me. One of the most important parts of my syllabus is my contact information, and parent expectations.
Even if your Department Chair or Principal tell you it is unnecessary, it is still the best way to sell your program, and to keep your class(es) organized. Putting it down on paper also gives you ammunition should your program receive news of budget cuts, or being dissolved. Even as a Performing Arts teacher in Los Angeles I found my program year-to-year being cut, or re-tasked, and the only thing that kept my classes untouched was my solid syllabi.
HAIKU, FACEBOOK, BLOG, TWITTER
If your school allows you to create a class Haiku page, a class Facebook page, a class Blog or class Twitter...do it! Check with your Department Chair and Principal about what you are allowed to post. Connecting to your students and parents via social media is fast, and easy. Have your pages or posts ready before your "Meet the Teacher."
DANCE WEAR FLYER
I contact my local dance store and leave a list of my class requirements for each of my classes. I also put a link on my Haiku page or website to Discount Dance. Discount Dance is an excellent, easy to shop place for your teacher dance wear and they have an excellent Teacher Program that allows you to select and suggest dance wear for your students. Visit Discount Dance Teacher Program
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
I ask for the support of my parents the first meeting I have with them. I get them excited about my classes and excited for the dance program. I inherited a parent organization from my school, and I have the parent representatives talk at my "Meet the Teacher." The representatives bring sign up sheets requesting parents to volunteer for various shows not just in the dance department, but in the overall performing arts department. It's always nice to have parent volunteers at my shows to help from applying make up, to manning the concessions, or helping secure buns.
If you are new to the school ask the parent organization to introduce you to the school at their first meeting. Introducing yourself to the school community will put nervous parents at ease. Dress professional, smile and be prepared to speak.
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