I was speaking yesterday with a colleague about looking at our own strengths and weaknesses, as well as ways to receive feedback and have a dialogue about our work.
Content aside just for today, let's consider those key components of our dance classes, such as pacing, command of the room, and the energy in the room. Here are 10 ideas to reflect upon.
1. What is the energy in the room? Calm, vibrant, bursting, peaceful, or a combination of several?
2. Classroom management and command of the room. How would you describe each of your classes?
3. If a student described you as a teacher, what 2-3 adjectives would be used?
4. Observations. Has anyone from your site or district observed you this fall and provided feedback? Have you had the chance to observe other teachers on campus for ideas and inspiration?
5. Who are 2-3 people you can turn to for advice on teaching, discipline, curriculum, etc? These could be non-dance colleagues or dance colleagues in the greater community.
6. How do you balance the new and old with your students? How long do you repeat activities? How often do you launch new activities and projects?
7. How do you balance the new and old for yourself as a teacher? This relates to confidence in teaching material, developing your signature activities, and balancing the amount of prep work needed each week.
8. How much talking and explaining goes on in each class? If you counted, how many minutes per class are students moving?
9. How are you "chunking" the class? What is your timing for each part of the class? Do you have variety in terms of activities and also places in the space (ex. facing the mirror, traveling across the room, working in small groups, dancing as a whole class, etc).
10. How are you staying present, curious, and enthusiastic about the work?
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Life as a Modern Dancer 
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