As dance teachers, we have all felt frustrated in class when a child is not executing a step properly, (after several attempts at teaching it), doesn’t retain choreography, or is displaying negative behaviors. We wish everyone could be like little “Jenny” who is standing quietly in line, trying her hardest, and comes to class knowing her entire piece. Of course we all know this is not reality, and it’s our job as dance teachers to recognize different personalities and learning styles, and use this knowledge to help each individual child learn and grow.
Constructive criticism is a pure form of criticism or “critique”. It is delivered without judgement and is expressed in a friendly manner. It is reasonable, logical and valuable to the recipient. It involves delivering a mix of both positive and negative feedback to the recipient.
Using constructive criticism will bring about much more positive results. It will help children understand what you are looking for without them feeling judged. Children tend to remember negative words, so using positive wording while making corrections will put them in a more confident space to retain your feedback. Constructive criticism highlights what is right and what is wrong in a positive way. Saying “no you are still doing the step wrong Kelly!” would be better received if rephrased as “Kelly, it looks like you are still having trouble with this step. Let’s go over it one more time, and then I think if you practiced at home a few times this week, you will have it down. You are getting really close!” This approach identifies the problem and gives encouragement as well as an action plan.
A few things to remember about giving constructive criticism:
Be clear about what you are correcting.
Use the “sandwich” approach. Compliment, correction, compliment.
Have the child repeat back what it is they are aiming to improve.
Do not use an angry tone.
Give the child time to make the correction, and lots of encouragement!
Using constructive criticism can be a successful approach in any situation in life, not just as a dance teacher. It is the kind way to correct a negative behavior or action, and allows you to be helpful in the process.