A woman wearing a black body suit and scarf, leads a crowded room of dancers

Mentored Teaching Experiences

The dance artist remains closely tied to teaching throughout their career.  Teaching often sustains a dance artist while they pursue their career as an independent choreographer. As director of their own company, the dance artist may also be the main, if only, teacher for the company dancers. Often dance artists are required to include a “teaching” residency within any grant or fellowship proposal.  In addition, the ability to teach remains a main component in applying, achieving, and retaining a dance faculty position in higher education.  Specifically, job postings want a dance faculty member who can teach within a given genre, and to teach many levels of ability within that genre, along with teaching courses within several complimentary or secondary, or related subject areas.  Therefore, the Washington University MFA in Dance Program requires second year candidates to fulfill two types of MTEs, as described below.  The MTEs offer the opportunity to the student to develop their understanding of pedagogical methodologies and to enhance their resume with evidence of college level teaching experience.  Moreover, the MTEs will offer theoretical and practical content that will help the graduate student formulate a personal Teaching Philosophy Statement.

Therefore, the student will confer with the DGS Dance during the Spring of their first year as to which courses are most appropriate for the students’ development and interests.  Typically, the MTE, category 1, would occur in the Fall, category 2 in the Spring, but scheduling of the candidate’s courses as well as departmental offering might reverse this order.  The students are to complete and submit the PAD MTE form which will be signed by the faculty mentor and the DGS in Dance. 

Category 1

Assisting the dance faculty with the faculty also acting as a mentor.

Responsibilities:

  • Learn about syllabus design and implementation. 
  • Teach some classes as directed by the mentor.
  • Read all material assigned for the class.
  • Read and grade some writing assignments.
  • Attend performances required by the syllabus.
  • Meet with students who are attending the class under the supervision of the mentor.
  • Learn how to prepare any practicum quizzes, mid-terms exams, and/or final exam.

Category 2

Teaching the course with the dance faculty acting only as a mentor.

Responsibilities:         

  • Write syllabus.
  • Prepare and teach all classes.
  • Read and grade writing assignments.
  • Attend performances required by the syllabus.
  • Meet with students who are attending the class.
  • Prepare any quizzes, mid-terms exams, and/or final exam.

The dance faculty/mentor will continue to encourage the student to create a Teaching Philosophy Statement which is to be included in the student’s Portfolio presentation in order to graduate.

Registration

Students register for LGS 600 section 07 for both Fall and Spring.  Depending on the responsibilities, the student will be on the course listings as teaching, with the assistant position not listed.  The final assessment of the student assigned to the dance faculty/mentor will be either successful or unsuccessful.