Some might call me a ‘course tourist’ (you know who you are!) but I really do love learning.
Partly because it often means compiling the newly acquired knowledge into a folder which feeds my love for stationery as well as recognising that I now know something new.
Within the dancing word you never stop learning – you pick things up from other teachers and instructors as well as the people (young and not-so-young) who take part in your classes and it all goes towards constantly working to improve what you do. Also, within the dancing and education worlds there is a great emphasis on qualifications to ensure that you are the right person to run the classes. The qualifications give reassurance that I…
- have the relevant subject knowledge.
- teach the technical aspects (steps and movements).
- teach correctly and safely.
- teach the work to examination standard and enter pupils for examinations.
- have critical knowledge of anatomy and physiology along with correct warm ups, limbering, stretching and cool (warm) down.
- keep up to date with developments in the syllabus/curriculum and teaching practices.
Here are the teaching qualifications I have and the courses I’ve attended recently, with a little bit about why each one is so useful…
Associate Ballet, Tap and Theatre Craft – syllabus and teaching practice suitable for pre-school children up to and including Intermediate grade;
Licenciate Freestyle – steps and movements, anatomy and physiology, warm up/down, stretching and limbering for children and adults;
Dance Exercise Diploma – all ages and all styles of dance with fitness and fun as the focus;
Zumba – steps and musical appreciation to create simple and effective fitness routines;
TinyTalk – sign language for babies and young children to help everyone communicate;
Safeguarding and Protecting Children – awareness of the procedures for ensuring the safety of the children who attend classes;
First Aid for Sport – just in case there are any injuries or medical mishaps;
Nutrition for Sport – to understand what the body needs to support an active lifestyle, and how to ensure your diet is meeting your needs;
PE and the National Curriculum – to keep up to date with the changes so I can be sure I’m meeting the requirements.
Next on my list is ‘Exercise to Music’ and ‘Zumbatomic’…
