I’ve come to see my time as a high school teacher as less about imparting knowledge of algebra or SAT vocabulary – and more fundamentally about creating experiences that students are excited to be part of and return to.
I was reminded of this shift in my thinking – from teaching as just helping others through content knowledge, to teaching as gathering people together to experience something new – after attending my first hip hop choreography class since the pandemic started.
These dance classes, often seen in viral videos and filmed under vibey lights, can feel like being dropped into a scene with its own language, dress codes, routines, and behavior norms. It can be an intimidating and impenetrable place for beginners like me. I’ve tried to invite friends along to classes, but many are too nervous to join.
But on this night, I took the best beginners class I’ve ever experienced, hosted by a teacher with a particular gift for creating an inclusive environment for newbies. It had to do with her caring personality, but also with simple, specific practices she used that I want to reflect on here.
1. Start with a strong introduction
I’ve been to many classes where the teacher, perhaps in excitement to get to the material, forgets to introduce themself at the beginning. Not only did my teacher share her name and dance background, she also mentioned how much enjoyed teaching classes for beginners specifically. She asked who was attending their first class to raise their hands. She asked us to focus on having fun first, and commended us on trying something out of our comfort zones. She encouraged us to greet our neighbor, something many of us probably dread. But as someone who attended the class alone, it gave me helpful social permission to meet others and made me feel less isolated.
A strong introduction like hers can be very simple. But it showed great understanding and care for her audience of beginners. She intentionally gave us a sense about herself, tried to lower any nervous energy, and built social fabric by giving people an opportunity to connect with others if they wanted.
2. Share what to expect
A common feature of these dance classes is teachers will split attendees up in small groups and have each group perform the day’s choreography for everyone toward the end. Sometimes staff will film these performances for social media. Often, this portion of class is not explained until right before it happens. It’s also not usually made clear if there’s a way to opt out. Potentially mortifying for someone new!
Instead, at the very beginning of class the teacher laid out how the class would go – stretching, learning the choreo in parts, then performing for each other. A few sentences on what to expect helped orient me and be more present during each section because I wasn’t wondering what was next in the back of my mind. Noting how much time is allocated for each section may also be beneficial.
3. Make the implicit explicit, as needed
After we’ve been at something for a while, it becomes easy to forget what it was like when we first started out. Or maybe we don’t want to remember all the feelings that come with being new to a particular setting – the awkwardness, not knowing where to go or what to do, or nerves. What might be obvious or natural to you now may not be to others.
I imagined the teacher, having been through many of these types of classes, thinking through how they typically go and asking herself at what points previous knowledge or context are sometimes assumed. Is there anything unspoken about what, how, or why we’re doing something that would be helpful to just say aloud? Is there anything I just had to pick up on when I first joined that would be better for someone’s experience to be explained? What can be demystified?
The teacher did not overhaul the structure or culture of these classes but led with a new sensitivity. That means, for example, not shying away from special terms or ways of speaking that make this specific dance culture special, but simply taking one additional breath to say “what I mean by that is…” or “when you hear teachers say this, they might be referring to…”
We sometimes should be able to expect people to use clues and cues, imitate, and try things without knowing much in advance. That is one important way to learn how to do something new or be somewhere new. But in general I’d much rather err on the side of over-communicating than under, and risk leaving beginners questioning.
Whether you’re a teacher sharing about a subject you’re passionate about, an organizer trying to rally people around a cause, an artist planning a party, or someone just facilitating a work meeting, I believe we all can strive to help others have a softer landing and invite them more deeply into the spaces we’re creating.
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