2726  teachers' behavior

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 16:57:00 -0500
From: Frank Williams <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: teachers' behavior

Hey friends,

Concerning the recent chatter about teachers' behavior:

1) If you put people under the magnifying glass, you might not like
everything you see. Among teachers, Susanna is only the most recent to
elicit 'doubts', and there are numerous others whose criticisms have been
less strident. When I joined tango-l, the bad boy du jour was Pablo Veron.
Since then numerous others have not fared any better in the glass house of
tango student opinion. I know a little bit about student opinion from my
graduate student classes - it can be merciless and unyieldingly egocentric.
It is often irrational and unrelated to the success of the teacher in
imparting knowledge.

2) If you put TANGO under the magnifying glass, you might not like
everything you see. Of course there are many lovely, lovely people. People
with generous, open hearts. ...or so it seems. So when some of "the dark
side" surfaces those who are surprised pull out phrases like 'inappropriate
and demeaning' or 'unprofessional'. If you were expecting a tennis lesson
at the country club, yeah, maybe. What if you were expecting a blues lesson
from a master musician whose dues have been paid in the currency of pain and
rejection? Maybe you'd expect to cut them a little more slack. I suggest
the same for dance teachers whose love of tango *may be* equal to or greater
than their love of your tuition money.

3) I have not encountered any saints in tango - and only a few angels.
...but I know not to pull on their wings to be sure they are 'real'! My
experiences with Susanna Miller have all been positive. ...in some
respects, quite memorable. [I'm an n of 1] But the learning would be the
same whether we liked each other or not.

Students are often the ones in need of 'professionalism'.

Abrazos a todos,

Frank - Mpls.

Frank G. Williams, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
frankw@umn.edu
612-625-6441

Department of Neuroscience
6-145 Jackson Hall
321 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
1971 Commonwealth Ave.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108