Questions during the class

[Jaana Heino]

Susanne's post about corrections inspired me to raise this topic.

 

How do you feel about student questions during a class?

 

I'm of two minds about this. Of course, the basic rule is that if you don't get something, you should ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question, etc. The class athmosphere should be such that you feel comfortable with expressing it, if you don't understand something.

 

When some new material is or has just been introduced, I like it if people ask for clarifications - like, "could you go through the arms again?" or "I don't understand - from where should I feel that the movement comes from?" Sometimes they ask questions I needed answers for, and wouldn't have realized to ask myself. This is good.

 

Yet, I often find myself annoyed by questions in the class, too. For example, if I don't remember the whole of the combination once it has been given, I'll just shut up and it comes to me with the music, or if it doesn't, I copy others. But some people always ask - "was it two tendus front and then to side? or three?" - and that annoys me, when it happens several times during a class (once or twice is fine).

 

Also, when someone receives a personal correction, and spend a lot of time with discussing it with the teacher I sometimes get annoyed. I think maybe it would be better if the class went on, and they sorted it out after the class... of course, I get annoyed mostly when I myself understand that particular correction already, so I feel the feeling is unfair, too...

 

(Then there's of course the category of questions that are not really questions but showing off one's knowledge: "One is supposed to do this like so, isn't one?", but that's not a ballet class specific problem, so maybe I'll skip complaining about that...)

[Susanne]

Me again, the correction girl!

 

My feelings are mixed.

 

But generally, personal inabilities to do something or showing off are the most annoying questions during class. Unless it might apply to lots of students these kind of questions I believe should be asked after class.

 

But if the question is of the "tree left two right"- nature, I'm usually only pleased that someone else had the guts to ask. (Provided that the material is new or difficult)

[Mel Johnson]

Me, I like students to ask questions.

[Guest beckster]

I think questions are good, and I am happy to ask a question if I need to. But that is simply for clarification of something I'm not sure I understood. However, it is quite irritating when the teacher has said something several times in several different ways and has shown you what they mean, and then two minutes later someone asks about it because they weren't paying attention. Or when someone takes a lot of time out of class by turning a simple correction or question into a long-winded and pointless discussion about how they had misheard the first time and that they had thought it was something else, and didn't we do a combination 6 months ago where it had been different and has anyone seen the Matrix 2 yet and so on ...

[citibob]

If you forget the steps, you can try asking another student.

[Susanne]

Or when someone takes a lot of time out of class by turning a simple correction or question into a long-winded and pointless discussion about how they had misheard the first time and that they had thought it was something else, and didn't we do a combination 6 months ago where it had been different

 

You made me laught loudly! It seems as you have been to one of my classes! There is one girl doing exacly that! It seems as people all over the world are quite similar

[Miriam]

Hmm... I think in my class I'm the one doing most of the questioning :eek: I get lots of corrections too Just in that once a week class though

 

I used to be in this jazz class back in the days when I lived in the Caribbean, and there was this girl who used to ask a *lot* of questions... that was very annoying, especially when it was a pointless one What I also hated back in that school was having girls in balletclass that didn't really want to be there!