This document summarizes Carla Mason's study into effective techniques for teaching dance to teenage students. Mason conducted interviews with 4 experienced dance teachers and observed their classes. Her findings showed that positive techniques like praise, respect, goals and demonstrations were most effective. Her analysis also compared these findings to literature on self-esteem, passion in teaching, and the psychology of teenagers. Mason created a prospectus sharing her findings to help other teachers. Through this process, she developed her own teaching skills and understanding of best practices.

1. How to Effectively Teach Dance
to Teenage Students
A study by Carla Mason
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2. • What tools have experienced teachers found
to inspire and motivate teenage students?
• What methods do these teachers use to
secure discipline within a teenage class?
How did I find out the answers to these importantquestions…?

3. Investigating
• Interviewing experienced
dance teachers from different
establishments.
• Observing the teachers in
action!
Planning
Writing out a series of questions that could
produce honest and authentic answers…
Blogging…
Chatting via the Sig…
Networking…
To gather other’s
feedback and
develop new
ideas!

4. Interview
• 4 teachers
• 2 working in a college, 2 in a dance school
• 9 carefully designed questions to ask each
teacher
• Discovering their motivational and disciplinary
techniques and also much more…

5. Observe
• These same teachers running a teenage dance
class
• Different dance styles and mixed abilities
• Comparing my observations with my interview
notes

6. Analysing my findings from interview
and observation
The major themes that occurred were...
Positive Attitude/Good Role Model
• Mutual Respect and Understanding
• Encouraging and Praising
• Enthusiastic and Passionate
Dress Code
• Teacher dressed professionally
• Student in uniform
“Carrot Method”
• A goal for students to aim for
• Exams and Shows
Demonstrate
• Make students aware of
teachers ability
• Helps students learn and
understand their aims
Rules/Sanctions
• Make students aware of
boundaries
• Sanction accordingly and
appropriately

7. Comparing findings against literature
• Encouraging and Praising
‘Self-esteem is a dancer’s feelings of worth or value. Self-
efficacy is a person’s belief that she or he can perform
a specific task successfully; it is one of the best
predictors of successful achievement. Teachers can
promote these positive psychological qualities…’ Lynda M.
Mainwaring, Ph.D., C.Pysch and Donna H. Krasnow, M.S. (2010: 17)
• Enthusiastic and Passionate
‘Passionate teachers are
fiercely devoted to their work
and greatly inspire their
students.’
Mart, Çağrı Tuğrul (2013)
• Demonstrate
‘Watching and doing should be
the predominant strategy
in teaching, especially when the
dancers are seeing and learning a
task for the first time.’ International
Association for Dance Medicine and Science
(2009: 3)
• A goal for students to aim for
This forward-looking strategy creates
excitement and anticipation, and
motivation is key in skill
acquisition.’ International Association for Dance Medicine
and Science (2009: 4)

8. Conflicting Literature
• Rules/Sanctions
‘…creating the necessary order is more
to do with the skills involved in
effective teaching in general than
it is to do with how you deal with pupil
misbehaviour itself.’ Chris Kyriacou (2007: 83)
• Demonstrate
‘Another notable drawback of the teacher
telling the students how to respond is it does
not encourage original or innovative
thinking by the students.’ Dyke, Kerry (2001)
• “Carrot Method”
…’teens face a variety of mental upheavals such as
depression…’ Feinstein, Sheryl G. (2009: 169)
Singling a student out
for special or lead roles
could make other
students feel shunned
and knock their
confidence
Constant use of
demonstration leaves
students struggling to
remember when the
teacher is absent, e.g.
exams and shows
Sanctions should be carefully
used and only as a last
resort. Consistency and
remaining calm can keep a
positive atmosphere where
sanctions aren’t necessary

9. Professional Artefact
• Prospectus for new employees of
Rossett Dance Academy
• Summarising the major findings of
my investigation

10. Show respect to all your students…
Act consistently, remain calm and
avoid emotional outbursts!
Highlights from my Professional Artefact

11. Use Repetition…
Demonstrate by Mirroring
the Class…
Take into account the growing
teenage body… Take into account the
development of the
teenage brain…
…only when students are
learning. Allow time to sit back
and observe…

12. Dress professionally… …and encourage students
to wear a uniform…
Be encouraging and offer praise…

13. My Development
The BAPP course and particularly my inquiry have
allowed me to
• Discover the importance of reflecting
• Delve into literature discovering teaching methods and the
psychology of the teenage brain
• Discover new teaching techniques and developing my own
• Improve my Web 2.0 skills broadening my online professional
circle
• Develop ethical standards
• Improve my confidence in the class room
• Develop and improve me professionally and
• personally