School just doesn't understand!

[Guest]

I think some teachers are high achievers and see something like dancing as a hobby. My eldest son went to grammar school, where he performed the lead role in, The Rocky Horror Show, he looked rather fetching in stiletto's and fishnets complete with pink feather boa. It was suggested by his English teacher that he apply for drama school, but that was never an option for him. In his eyes, no one that went to his grammar school would waste his education studying for a degree in Drama!! Move forward a few years and his degree is in English Literature and he is to become a primary school teacher. His younger dancing brother away at 11 at vocational school, missed the academic genes and was given the dyslexic ones, never I fear to achieve a degree in English Literature, needs to study much harder and stop messing about with dancing according to his brother!!!! So if this train of thought can happen between siblings, how many other high acheivers out there feel like this about dancing, drama etc..................

Thank you for commenting. I hope both your sons are doing well in their chosen pathways. I also have this problem with my younger brother as he sees dancing as just a hobby. It hard trying to explain to non dancers the people who are passionate about dance NEED to dance and don't simply just want to. People have the perception that dancers are thick when this is far from the truth! As my dance teacher' sold dance teacher told me when she watched my class the other week 'darling you have brains and you will go far. A dancer with a brain is a dancer I would want in my school'. Very wise words from one of the most inspirational people I have ever met!

[taxi4ballet]

So, your younger brother thinks dance is just a hobby...?

 

Ask him whether he thinks football is just a hobby - for a lot of men who like to run about and play with a ball.  

[Legseleven]

I hope you can resolve this issue, anaballerina and well done for studying 5 A levels, dancing and rehearsing, playing your musical instruments and holding down a job! You certainly aren't asking for special treatment in terms of fitting everything around your dancing. If you were perpetually asking for extra time to do assignments because of your dance commitments (and a girl at DD's school does this - even with pre-GCSE work) or musical commitments - or sport commitments, as some of DD's classmates also do - then the school could rightly comment that if you are not coping with schoolwork on a regular basis and you are considering that the extra-curricular activities should take precedence over schoolwork, you need to rethink your priorities. That is obviously not the case here!

 

I suspect that the biology teacher may have had issues of her own to deal with and this might explain, at least in part, her attitude. Just smile (through gritted teeth if required), go again to ask her to allow you to apologise if you didn't have the chance to do so last Thursday and say that you fully understand that the late assignment will be marked when her schedule permits, as she said. Yes, it was a little childish perhaps for her to say that, but equally you handed the work in late because your rehearsal schedule meant that you couldn't complete it on time - and you don't know whether she needed to collect all of the assignments on time so that she could keep up with her own planned timetable and commitments. If you show that you can deal with the situation in a mature way and understand that the delay caused by your scheduled commitments does affect the teacher's schedule, that can only go in your favour.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Legseleven

[BankruptMum]

Can I suggest being pro-active may help?  

 

The school at which I work (not as a teacher) has very high achieving dancers, show jumpers, olympic rowers and musicians, all of whom have been supported - the showjumper is juggling sponsorship commitments with the 5 A levels etc!   Taking her as an example, as soon as she has qualified for any national/international shows she works with the teachers to make sure she is ahead of her work, and checks for any upcoming coursework deadlines.  Were the school made formally aware that you had a major performance coming up, and would appreciate their support in combining this with the schoolwork?

 

Yes they should support you, but perhaps you and your parents could make it easier for them to support you by planning for upcoming performances (I know you can't help funerals) rather than dealing with problems when deadlines have been missed.

 

However hard it is, let them say their piece before you react - are you listening to them as well as carefully as you are expecting them to listen to you?  Are you offering them the courtesy that you expect from them?  

 

In any walk of life, and perhaps especially as  professional dancer, you will not necessarily have the chance to change to a teacher you like, and slamming doors will never get you very far in the long run.  Maybe the trick is to learn to recognise you have no personal relationship with a teacher but that changing course or teacher may not be in your interest in the longer term.

 

Just a different point of view

 

I think this is a very good idea - if you provide plans and show how rehearsals, classes, homework, revision can all fit together and you can satisfy everyone, it will show a mature approach.  You are after all the only one who will benefit from your A level results, the staff are there to support and help you but it must be frustrating for them too if they have an able student and all they hear about is dance.

 

Maybe when its all down on paper you may find you are overstreatching things just a little and perhaps need to show that at important exam times you are reducing the amount of other commitments to make your A levels the priority -  or you may find you have more time available than you think ;-).

 

Good luck, its not easy for anyone Year 10 upwards.

[LinMM]

I certainly couldn't have coped with Five A levels a job and doing loads of dancing!! I thought three A levels was a big deal!! Playing the lead in the ballet is a big responsibility too. You are obviously a very talented student in areas you put your mind to and maybe this could be behind this teachers response......she thinks you could do really well (perhaps one of her top pupils?) in HER subject and is disappointed when you may display that (to her) you may be losing interest.

 

Most teachers forget at some point that students are studying other subjects other than their own.

 

Whereas Biology teachers are concerned I have to say that one of the most inspirational teachers I had in my entire school career and even though it wasn't my main subject was a Biology teacher and it is entirely due to her that I won the school prize in Biology (much to my parents amazement.....I am a Language person usually) and have also had a lifelong interest in Biology and Nature ever since.

 

Inspirational teachers are priceless and should be treasured but teachers are human too!! And occasionally make errors of judgement or bring personal issues to their workplace.

I'm sure this can be resolved successfully. Perhaps if she did come to your performance you might ignite a new ballet fan!! But if not....bad weeks are bad weeks and unless this should be carried on now on her part...unnecessarily....is best forgotten I think.

Good luck with it all anyway

[ballet teacher]

Hi,

I really feel for you.This is the hardest bit and it will pass.This teacher is not going with you the rest of your life.Take from them what YOU need and press on with your dream.My senior dance students talk about similar things and it is hard. It is great when this week arrives for the dancers when they know where they are going next in their dance careers and the A levels are finished with a smile and all the problems they had have are forgotten.

Schools do not understand about dance but there are plenty of us out there who are right behind you. Keep going.All the best.

 

Ballet Teacher

[Guest]

Thank you to everyone who has commented and given me advice, I really do appreciate it!

With regards to the situation after a meeting with the deputy head we spoke to him about our concerns and I said I felt as if I wasn't getting any support in my chosen career path and that certain members of staff seem to be viewing it as 'childish' and a waste of time. Anyway it went on and he swapped me biology classes and had a chat with the teacher and told her that the comments she made were unacceptable but as of yet she still hasn't apologised!! I've now made myself a massive wall timetable with everything on so I can plan my time more effectively in the countdown to exams :s!!!

Thank you all again for your support and everything????

[2dancersmum]

Don't lose any sleep over the lack of apology.  You seem to have shown more maturity over the situation than your biology teacher.  I am glad you are getting support elsewhere in school and wish you all the best with your studies and your dance.

[Guest]

Don't lose any sleep over the lack of apology. You seem to have shown more maturity over the situation than your biology teacher. I am glad you are getting support elsewhere in school and wish you all the best with your studies and your dance.

I definitely won't be:) I'm muh happier in the new class and even got an a* in my mock today! Considering in my last one in the old class last week I had 12/53 haha!xx

[TheMightyTwiglet]

Well done fore a* - that's great! Hope you do as well in the exam and I'm sure you will!

Glad that things seem better for you- sorry I didn't manage to post earlier

[osmum]

Not dd had an English teacher who was a very 'cranky old bat' always on at the girls in her class to work harder, make more of an effort, focus etc. dd used to 'float ' under her radar so escaped her wrath most of the time. At 15 1/2 dd left school to train full time and study by correspondence. On her last day in class Dodd told this teacher what she was doing ( nervously waiting for the criticism ) but he teacher was exactly the opposite, hugged her, told her how proud of her she was in taking such a huge step, wished her all the luck in the world etc.not what dd was expecting.

 

Hope you have sorted things outanaballarina