Comments on: 12 Tips for Teaching Tots

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 12:55:51 +0000

Happy to help, Natalie. Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:55:01 +0000

Thank you for this fantastic article!
I am currently a student teacher (hopefully soon to become a qualified teacher), but i don’t have much experience with little ones so this is incredibly helpful – i can’t wait to try the tips out!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 03 May 2011 04:02:51 +0000

Hi Anna! So glad you liked the post. I’m not experienced or qualified enough to give advice regarding the special needs of this child. What I’d encourage you to do, however, is to schedule some extra time with the child’s parents. Be prepared with some specific questions. They may be able to give you some ideas on what works or has worked in other situations with their child. Don’t be afraid to ask what you should do or try when the child exhibits certain behaviors – is it better to back off? turn it into a game? speak with a certain tone of voice? Also, I’d bet there are some great resources covering these disorders online for teachers and caregivers. The more you can learn about the child and his/her challenges, the better. Beyond this all I can suggest is… don’t take the child’s rejections personally, practice lots of patience, and maintain a positive, loving attitude.

By: Anna

Anna — Mon, 02 May 2011 09:53:23 +0000

These tips are brilliant!! I teach young children gymnastics which is a huge challenge! There is one child in particular who has downs syndrome and verbal dysphraxia and can be extremely challenging at times, any tips on how to encourage him when he doesnt want to do things and pushes me away?

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:25:17 +0000

Great to hear, Alexa!

By: Alexa

Alexa — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:45:47 +0000

Yes everything worked! Thank u it went very well!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:57:51 +0000

Glad you found them helpful, Alexa! You’ve been given a big task, I’d suggest having lots of possible activities planned and be flexible and ready to switch gears if necessary… and just stay upbeat and smiling Some partner activities may work well in this particular situation. Best of luck to you!

By: alexa

alexa — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:00:19 +0000

Great article! I’m only 16 and I assist a preschool class. The main teacher will be out of state for the next class and it’s bring a friend week! This article will definitely help me in every way!

Thanks!
-Alexa<3

By: Jess

Jess — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:11:52 +0000

Reading this post reminded me of my first ever ballet teacher. Very clever tricks and tips!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:30:11 +0000

Hi Vikki,

Try this one: http://danceadvantage.net/2009/05/08/mustering-student-motivation/

Or this: http://danceadvantage.net/2010/11/03/motivation/

Or do a search (top right) for goals or “setting goals” perhaps. There are probably lots of little places I and others have talked about working with older students. Also, if you haven’t already, try subscribing – I make little trips back into the archives via the email newsletter.

Thanks for reading! Glad you enjoyed the tips!

By: Vikki

Vikki — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:41:56 +0000

Loved the tips, any on inspiring teenagers who do once a week ballet ?

By: Frankie

Frankie — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:21:17 +0000

Thank you so much for this article! I’ve been searching for something this basic and informative for awhile. I’ve been teaching 2-4 year olds and 4-6 since September, and as a first time teacher, I’ve been running out of ideas! So thank you for all this info! It is exactly what I needed!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:58:20 +0000

Very kind of you to say, Karin. I’m glad you’re enjoying the site! Thank YOU for reading.

By: Karin Galligan

Karin Galligan — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:34:06 +0000

Amen Heather! These little ones can do it . . . whatever you ask of them. Two to five is my favorite age group to teach. They are fearless, work hard to learn, and have so much fun doing it:-) They are also too cute.

Great tips Nichelle! I utilize a great deal of this during my teaching, but I learned a few more helpful things. Thanks for all you do. Your site is the best resource I’ve found for dance teachers.

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Thank you for reading! I am glad you enjoyed these tips.