Exhausted by school distracting me during dance...

[PSB Ballerina]

Okay so I go to a public school but we get an insane amount of homework for a 7th grader. I do on average 3-4 hours of homework a night. I've already brought this up to numerous teachers at school and also it's especially hard on dance days because I dance until 8:00 pm and I go to the studio straight from my house after getting off the bus (3:45 and arrive at 4:15). No breaks besides water breaks which are only 3 minutes at best. Their responses (my school teachers) are "Dance isn't an excuse!" "You should cut down on your dance classes..." etc. Because of the homework I go to bed exhausted and wake up still tired. After school (my classes are mentally painful/exhausting because they are really boring and all we do is busywork and I end up teaching my friends who don't understand) on dance days I'm so tired and during class I'm really worried about how I'll get my homework done. I'm a great student and I don't like getting bad grades and if we don't hand in our homework we don't go to recess of which are our only breaks and they're always cut short to 10 minutes and only 2 times a week or we have another thing we have to do for not having our homework. I find it hard to really give myself to my dancing because I'm too worried about school or I'm just exhausted. A lot of girls in my class at dance are in the same grade as me and have half the amount of homework as I do. What is your advice?

 

***I wasn't really sure where to post this so sorry if it's in the wrong section***

[Victoria Leigh]

PNB, learning to prioritize your time is a major factor in the life of a dancer. My understanding from former posts is that you do not have that many classes a week. What would you do if you had 6 days a week of classes? Right now, you have to finish this year, however, if you increase your dance classes next year, then you may need to consider a different academic school. In the meantime, you need to make use of any time you have in school, like Study Hall, for instance, to do homework. Do more on the bus. Then finish up when you get home. I really don't think there is a reason for you to be exhausted if you are only having classes two or three days a week.

[PSB Ballerina]

We were told by our teachers never to do homework on the bus and they don't want us to ever. We don't have study hall. The only other free time we have is lunch but I need to eat. Also I have a lot of classes on two days (not only ballet, in terms of ballet I don't have many classes but I have company, ballet, and contemporary one day and ballet, tap and tap company.)

[Victoria Leigh]

Well, you have written about wanting a lot more dance. Two days a week is minimal, and considered a recreational, not a pre-pro track. What would you do if you were in a level and a school where you have ballet 6 days a week? By age 14, you really need to be at that level of training if you have any hope of becoming a professional dancer. Therefore, by next year, you will either need to change your academic school or your ballet school, or both. For this year, I really think you ought to be able to do your school work and your very limited dance hours without becoming exhausted at 13 years old. Dancing until 8 p.m. is not that late. Many students go until 8:30 or 9 every night.

 

I'm sorry if I do not sound very sympathetic, but at your age the word "tired" was not even in my vocabulary, much less "exhausted". I was dancing every day, and going to school, and for me the most important part was dancing, and there is no time for being tired if that is something you really love and want to do more than anything. You find a way. You have to be a high energy person, and, you really can learn how to organize and prioritize your time.

[PSB Ballerina]

I guess I was sounding somewhat pathetic. It's just really challenging to figure everything out and I do truly love to dance and wish I could dance more. I guess I would make it work if I was dancing 6 days a week. It just can be frustrating but I'll get over it/ What mostly bothers me is my teachers telling me dance isn't an excuse because I'm not trying to come up with one in the first place! I just want them to recognize it's not always easy to get good grades and have homework everyday and if I do forget it once a year it shouldn't be that bad. Even my mom who went to private schools her entire life says the amount of homework we get is a lot for a 7th grader. I don't think my parents will let me change schools until High school and then maybe I'll change dance schools as well or get extra private lessons in ballet etc. Or maybe if I get accepted into an SI they may consider a better school or more classes for next year!

[PSB Ballerina]

Also Ms. Leigh did you ever find out anything about Berwick's Academy's dance program?

[Victoria Leigh]

Nothing more than is on the website. It does not list faculty or dance schedule. I would be somewhat hesitant about it.

[PSB Ballerina]

Ok. Yeah that was why I was wondering about it.

[booklover234]

PSB Ballerina, I've had the same issues as you. I take 11.5 hours of dance a week over 5 days, and generally have 2-5 classes worth of homework, one project, and multiple tests or quizzes going on. There are some things I do to help with that (I also have the same issue of helping my friends in class.) I've found a couple solutions. First, I've seen that I can generally do all of my math homework in lunch, and when I have any extra time left over, I can start on my homework from my other classes. Also, which probably isn't a good idea, I can sneak some work into my less important classes (for example, in Judaics, I can sometimes do a bit of English homework.) I don't have study hall either, or I have limited breaks. On your late nights, do homework in the car (if thats how you get home) and I would suggest getting very ahead of homework on weekends. I realize that its hard for you to take a lot of classes, but remember, it could always be a lot more work so you should be able to manage this year . Good luck!

[PSB Ballerina]

We're not allowed to get homework early on weekends and our lunch periods are very short. But thanks for the tips!

[Victoria Leigh]

I'm sorry, swanchat, but although that was a lovely post, this is the YD 13-16 forum.

[swanchat]

Sorry! (Must be seasonal overload)

[123dancinggirl]

Hey I'm in the same boat, although I'm in high school and have ballet six days a week. I'm in very high classes in school and all of my time not spent dancing is spent doing homework. While it's nice to get sympathy, it's more beneficial to just focus and get the work done as fast as you can. What I do is try to do as much homework as I possibly can on my one day off from ballet. And you can always do some in the morning and eat breakfast on the way to school (bus/car/walking).

[gavotteindmajor]

Well, is there any risk of you seeing teachers on the bus? If not, then just do your homework. Really that's what it comes down to. You will also have to learn which assignments are more important. If you know that one teacher only spot-checks homework, I know it sounds terrible, but don't put too much stress into it. As PSB said, during some less-important subjects, you can do some homework. I know you want to be a good student, but that's what you may have to do.

 

Like your school, my school is actually famous for its insane homework (the kids who skip class are doing it so they can do homework haha). I sometimes do homework during my lunch period. How short are yours? Homework shouldn't take more than half an hour, and that seems to be the minimum amount of time for lunch.

 

You could also consider asking (no...begging!) your teachers if they can give you the week's work so you can do it early. There is nothing more annoying than no homework on a non-dance night, and then a ton of homework on a dance night. And honestly, I think most teachers may be impressed with your initiative.

 

However, I do have free periods at my school, and I think they are the only things saving me from exhaustion.

[PSB Ballerina]

15 minute lunch breaks. My bus ride is 30 minutes so I do get my reading homework done then because we have to read for at least 30 minutes every day.