Teaching Philosophy

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Emily O’Donnell

I am a teacher because I strive to help others discover their own passion. I enjoy teaching because I have and will continue to love learning, and nothing has taught me more about myself than becoming a teacher. The skills that I have been taught in my dance classes reach so much farther than simple dance technique, but have taught me principles of self-discipline, time management, rationalization, and overall, becoming the best person that I can be. My mission as a teacher is to help others develop these skills and instill a love for the art and athleticism of dance.

Dance has taught me about life. Without being a dancer, I would not have the self-confidence that I have achieved; more importantly, without my teachers, I would not have discovered it on my own. My dance teachers helped facilitate an environment in which I could discover who I am not only as a dancer, but as a person. Learning by practice has been applied to my life through dance, but has not been limited to dance technique.

My teaching philosophy is based on the fact that above all, student learning come first. Learning does not always allow personal comfort and enjoyment; often times to truly learn and understand something, we must push ourselves out of our comfort zones. The learning process is truly a rewarding experience to those who put forth the effort into understanding a new concept that they are not familiar with. It is most important that a student fully learns a concept and takes the plunge into the learning process.

In dance, I share with my students the respect of the art form and express the importance and values of what I am teaching. As I help them discover their own passion for dance, I will respect them through their journey as they will respect me. I will facilitate a healthy and positive environment that promotes self-discovery and a hunger for learning. I hold high expectations of my students, and in return they will live up to that standard and produce quality work. Their understanding of what dance can teach them will increase, and so will their self-esteem.

While promoting a healthy and positive environment, I will also promote a safe one as well. In dance, it is important to teach proper technique and injury prevention. The foundation of any genre in dance is built on technique and gradually grows to more advanced movements. For example, in a ballet class if a student learns the wrong technique of a plié, all jumps and leaps they will gradually learn will be executed incorrectly. My students will learn correct technique that will help them grow as dancers, but also prevent injuries.

From my guidance as a teacher, my students will have the courage to take their first step out of their comfort zone and find a place where they can produce growth. I want my students to discover themselves through dance the way that I have, and I strive to help them discover how dance will influence their lives. I am excited to help my students through the learning process and in return, see how I can learn from them.