Rachel Osborne started this discussion ·
As teachers... As students... What are your best tips for getting the most out of a mixed level class? Apologies if this has been done before...
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darcit ·
As a teacher I try to have different variations on the same move so that everyone can be working on the "same" thing at the same time. With some less advanced students making sure they don't get discouraged watching the more advanced students can be a challenge. Or, with other students, the challenge is to keep them from doing something that they see a more advanced student doing that they're not ready for yet.
I hadn't done mixed levels before I moved here but I think it can work very well - definitely if everyone is taking a basic move and then more advanced students adding to it - like basic stag spin/sun wheel then the experienced students try it one-armed, or backwards, or extending leg or whatever, then everyone tries linking/floor work/transitions. That way new students can see what the basic move can develop into and the more advanced students can return to basic spins but with perfect form and added twists. The challenge is if half the class wants to invert and do tricks and the new ones are still struggling to climb or sit. An instructor can't spot everyone at once!
As a teacher of individual level classes I always note the advanced girls coming back to refresh their beginner level skills and have them progress from a basic move that's being taught to something like you have mentioned...working up to one arm and focusing on technique or variations of the move. We can always find something to work on! From my personal pov as a student attending mixed level classes at other studios I feel like these could be great classes if they were planned out but I usually notice new girls with the "deer in the headlights" look getting left behind or advanced girls not getting any pointers because they "should know" how to do it. I'm interested to hear success stories of how any of you make the mixed levels work to everyone's advantage in case I ever find myself teaching one...afterall, students pay good $$ to learn in class not just stand there!
Ok, this may sound stupid, but maybe have the same level of polers grouped together in the studio. intermediate level together, beginner together, etc. rarely my studio will mix levels in a class and it really helps when the other girls on my level are nearby. we kind of watch each other to see what we should be working on. And when I was a beginner, it was really frustrating to have more advanced students surrounding me when I wanted to see what the other beginners were doing. But, I'm kind of weird. I really learn from watching someone else at my level doing a trick more than watching the instructor do it , most of the time. I don't know if other students feel that way...sometimes mixed level classes are some of my best classes:)
muroo ·
Yeah, definitely have the different levels grouped I think. Or you can kind of set it up that way, but tell the students and let them choose which pole they want based on that. Maybe advanced students are interested in perfecting some basic spins that day!
We have two classes, one that's doing basic one and our group, which is doing basic 2 - 4. They try to make sure that the best of the basic one groep transfer to our group and then there is a spot in the basic one group for someone new to start. Yesterday we had a mix of levels though because there was someone who only had a few lessons. It wasn't a problem for us, when we worked on the harder moves she could do an easier version or a totally different move. I think it might be frustrating for her because she had to do other things but it might also be inspiring to see what you're able to do after just a few months!
I agree that mixed level classes can work really well, especially if everyone is learning different variations on a move. I just had one class recently where the instructor taught us handsprings. Of course, not everyone there was ready just yet, so we also learned different levels of spins to build up to it. I was at the lower end of the pack, but I thought it was very helpful to see what I was preparing for. I also think the students in the group matter a lot. I've learned so much by going up to more advanced students and saying, "How did you do that? How are you balancing? What grip are you using?" And I also try to help lower level students when they're trying to learn moves I already know. When everyone's a teacher AND a student, everyone gets more out of it, I find.
