Learning to teach dance was one of the things I never really imagined myself doing. In fact, when one thinks of me, I’m sure the words patient and nurturing will likely be some of the last to come to mind. But pleasantly, the last 18 months or so of being a teacher as well as a student has been strangely rewarding.
There are the breakthrough moments, the candid moments, the ah-ha moments, and the moments that make you want to collapse on the floor in laughter and challenge you to keep a straight face. And then there are moments like this, when suddenly, one of your students just opens your eyes and reminds you why it’s just so important to keep learning. This one comes courtesy of Kia Wee, who’s somewhere far away in Europe, making a valiant effort to learn the local tongue:
Some similarities I’ve observed between learning a new language and learning how to dance from scratch.
1. The teacher makes it sound like it’s as easy as breathing. It’s not.
2. When I try speaking in class, it’s hard to be understood.
3. I don’t understand what’s being said to me in class either.
4. Everything’s way too fast outside of class.
5. Conversing outside of class with native speakers is laughably awkward.
6. Stringing together words was a lot easier in class when I had time to construct a sentence.
7. A friend who’s a native speaker and is willing to listen to semi-coherent attempts helps a lot.
8. Repeating the class helps, but I still don’t understand half of what the teacher is saying.
Love it. This one goes in the book of this teacher’s priceless gems!