Differential Treatment of Whole Classes by a University Dance Teacher

abstract

The purpose of this case study was to examine whether a university dance teacher treated students in two dance classes differentially. Based on instructor feedback results, it was found that students were treated differentially. Students in the beginning jazz class received less instructive feedback than students in the beginning modern dance class. Data were collected through informal interviews and analysed following tenets of qualitative research. Themes which emerged from the interviews included the teacher's teaching philosophy, her style of teaching, her preference for one dance style over the other, her physical limitations, and the mixture of student abilities. It was suggested that this differential treatment was the result of the teacher viewing the two classes differently through her own lenses composed of her beliefs, curricular knowledge, values, movement preferences, and experiences as a student herseff. Findings from this study have relevance for teacher educators, dance teachers, and pre‐service teachers. The importance of personal teaching philosophy, teaching style, preference for a specific dance style, and specific movement preferences cannot be overlooked as factors affecting one's teaching. When these factors impact instructive feedback negatively then alternative measures must be considered to enhance the teaching‐learning environment.