Additional teacher for inter foundation

[annaliesey]

The opportunity has arisen for my DD to be able to do an interfoundation class at a different school with a different teacher in addition to doing her class with her existing teacher.

 

My DD has done a class with this additional teacher before to help us out when our current school weren't offering the syllabus and grade that she was doing at the time and all went well and DD got a distinction in that particular exam.

 

Both teachers get on well with other and respect each other but have a rule about not poaching students from each other.

 

Naturally there is a bit of movement of students between them but it's all amicable etc

 

I haven't spoken to existing teacher about this plan yet and just wondered if anyone had tips or advice.

 

I feel a bit disloyal but want to do whats best for DD and she really wants to do an extra I/f class but can't do this where she is.

 

Can anyone foresee likely problems?

 

TIA

[hopeforpointe]

To me it seems perfectly reasonable to want to seek out an extra class elsewhere if it can't be found at the home school.  Sometimes it can be helpful to take a class delivered by another teacher, particularly if there's something your DD is struggling with - for me I've found a different teacher can sometimes explain things in a new way that suddenly makes sense.

 

The only real problem I can see is deciding which school will be entering her for the exam if they have both taught her, though I don't know if this would be a big problem - I think it depends on the attitudes of individuals teachers sometimes.

[Cara in NZ]

My DD is doing IF, but due to senior teachers travelling to examine in other countries she has had three different teachers for syllabus classes this year. Now the two senior teachers have returned so she's had five teachers' input. I have to say that they don't all agree! Even when a teacher has checked with the RAD DVD, the senior teachers call it an 'aide-memoire' rather than 'gospel'. So I would just say that coping with ambiguity/inconsistency is also part of the decision. I think that as long as you are honest about it, it should be fine.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Even within the same dance school it's wuite common for different teachers to teach the vocational grades.

 

I'd say go for it.

[Legseleven]

Different teachers have different perspectives, different strengths and explain things differently. I would go so far as to say that at a vocational graded level or at an advanced ballet level if not following a syllabus, it is almost required to have the input of more than one teacher if at all possible. It can only help to be accustomed to the different ways teachers run their classes; the examiner is an unknown quantity and especially at IF level, as the first of the vocational grades, a candidate who has only been taught by a 'smiley' teacher could be put off by a non-smiley examiner, etc....;-) (Not suggesting that teachers should be chosen for their smiley or non-smiley attitudes! Just that different people run classes, exams, auditions etc in very different ways.)

 

If the other teacher has helped out with additional classes before, I can't see your main teacher having a problem with her helping out again. As long as you don't go behind the main teacher's back, as a matter of courtesy, it can only help your DD.

[bluebell]

It's perfectly reasonable for you as the paying customer (and a mum!) to decide what is best for your child. Both teachers can enter her for the exam-both their names/dance schools can be on the entry form. It definitely helps to double up on classes at the higher grades-even more so for the vocational grades and can be beneficial to have more than one teacher.

[annaliesey]

Thanks everyone I know the existing/home teacher will want to take the lead and put exam entry in in her name and that's all fine.

 

I hadn't really recognised the benefits of more than one teacher so thanks for that

 

It was more that DD has spare time and wants to do more of this class if she can and happy to drop some other low value classes for this instead. She's so keen to do more that that was my main emphasis.

 

It might just be a delicate conversation and I'm cautious of being met with over protective flim flam if you know what I mean