To NECCA I go: Teaching training workshop, part 5 (Final)

Obviously I'm a few days late on this last blog post. One reason being that as soon as the workshop was over and I'd said my goodbyes, I got in my car and drove home--this time it only took me the 2 hours it should to drive from Brattleboro to Somerville. The other reason is that, as I mentioned in my last post, I've run out of new and/or interesting things to say about the workshop.

I'll try to summarize a few thoughts I have regardless.

1. It was a lot of information. I think my learning curve was much higher than most of the people at the workshop, having never taught aerials before. I had to learn about spotting (where to put my hands, how to move around and with the student, when to spot, etc). Thankfully I didn't have to learn any new moves (there might have been 1 or 2 on the trapeze I'd never done before, but they were easy-peasy), although I still had to figure out how to break them down and explain how to perform them. Plus, there were additional info sessions after lunch about injury prevention, learning styles, and rigging, and I was trying to make notes of the different warm-up routines.

By Thursday, my brain was pretty saturated. I don't know how people stuck around for the foundations training workshops in both fabric and trapeze.

2. There was a lot of trapeze. Although the time spent on each apparatus was equal (or close to), I think it's fairly obvious that this session started out as a "How to teach trapeze" workshop. The spotting explanations were the most specific for trapeze, and there were few times where we were told to "take a few minutes and just figure this out for yourselves." The latter statement was more common for the fabrics portion of the day, and then we often didn't have to try to explain to a partner how to perform the move. I'm not saying that it's bad that there was a heavier focus on trapeze, I'm just pointing it out, because that's the way it seemed to me (possibly because I'm a verticals person).

3. Spotting, spotting, spotting. In my opinion, I'd say too much spotting was encouraged. Maybe that's just me, maybe that's my Canadianism coming through (i.e. Canadian's don't automatically jump to threats of lawsuits if something goes wrong--more likely a student would apologize for having a fall), or maybe that's because when I started I was in a class with several other fairly athletic adults (and so heavy spotting wasn't necessary). I'm also weary of the idea of doing too much for a student rather than letting them fail. Sure, it's not fun to not be able to do a move, but I feel it's better than being over confident in the belief that I can do something, only to discover that when I don't have a spot I either hurt myself, or I can't lift my feet off the ground.

4. I managed to keep my Darcy-pants off. I was extremely nervous about having to be social without Andrew or another friend around for 5 straight days. I tend to be socially awkward at best, or come off as a Darcy-pants at worst, but I think I managed the workshop not too badly. I did bounce a little between groups, partially because I was trying to work with different people, but also because I didn't want to appear like a lost little kid, desperately following around attendees like a shadow. I was extremely grateful to those who let me join their groups, and helped walk me through how to do things. I was amazed how many people gave me pointers in a friendly, non-threatening fashion, when they could have easily put me down and made me feel bad. Circus people are awesome.

That's all I've got for now. I'm hoping to take more of the fabric instruction workshops, (possibly expanding to the rope workshop after I've taken the foundations session) in the future--and of course, I'll blog about it.

Ciao,

Andrea

To NECCA I go; Teach training workshop, Part 4

Since I blogged after the first 3 days, I feel like I really ought to blog for the remaining 2, except I also feel like I'm starting to run out of new things to say about the workshop. (Note how I used the word 'feel' twice in that sentence...it's probably a good indicator that I'm a kinetic learner.)

So, Day 3: I got up, I worked a little before I went over to NECCA, we did trapeze work in the morning, there was a rigging workshop after lunch, and fabric work in the afternoon. We talked more about giving appropriate spots, how to think about and explain moves, and troubleshot (or is it still shoot? It seems kind of weird) why students may or may not be able to perform certain skills.

I still feel awkward and tongue-tied in at times, but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

A very fun thing we did first thing, was a Kids Warm-Up. I'm probably never going to teach kids, but that doesn't mean warming up like them isn't enjoyable. It meant games. Running around, yelling, and making funny noises and shapes with your body. I spent 10 minutes of my phone conversation with Andrew telling him how to play Ships and Sailors (a kind of very involved tag-like game with a nautical theme), and how to do a Clown-style warm up.

The biggest thing for me on Day 4 was that I got a private session on fabrics. It was awesome, and I was completely exhausted after an hour (it's a lot of work when you're the only student). I've got videos with explanations to take back with me so I won't forget anything...and damn it, I need to remember to point both of my feet when I perform skills (my right toes are often pointed...my left foot seems to like to flex a lot). I was so excited with the new moves that I learned that I spent another 10 minutes of my phone conversation trying to explain them to Andrew.

I will refrain from explaining them here...as aerials moves written down aren't nearly as exciting compared to watching them being performed (although, I have written a new manuscript, which is an aerial romance!).

That's it for now. I've got one more day of the workshop, then home, where I'll hopefully soon be able to put my new skills into action.

Ciao,

Andrea

To NECCA I go: Teacher training workshop, part 3

Day three was the big Sample Class day. For a lot of people it was probably no big deal. As I've said before there are a lot of people at the workshop who already teach, but I'll admit I was kind of nervous. Or, maybe not so much nervous as worried I wouldn't do well. Does that make sense? Is there a difference? I think so.

When I'm nervous I get all gittery, I feel like I need to pee constantly, and my mouth goes dry. Last night I was reasonably calm, but I was worried about how I would do. Would I be able to speak clearly? Would I be able to demonstrate effectively what the students were to do? Could I successfully put those two together? Would I spot appropriately?

For the sample class we were placed into groups of three. Two people were to actively teach and support a 25 minute session on the fabrics, and two people were to actively teach and support a 25 minute session on the trapeze. The person left out would sit and observe (not to be the same person both times). Since I was the only one who had experience on both apparatus, I ended up participating in both, which was probably best for me since I have zero teaching experience.

I think our session went fairly well. We had three guys (one teen, and two in their early twenties) and they seemed to enjoy the whole thing. They thought it was cool to hang upside down and make poses, and they seem impressed with the few skills we demonstrated. Interestingly none of them seems to think twice about using my knee as a stepping tool up to both the silks and the trapeze. I got through my explanations reasonably smoothly, although I probably talked more than necessary, and faster too, but I think I made sense. So, go me? But I still need more practice, practice, practice.

Homework:

We were asked to think about our teaching habits. Words and phrases we use repetitively, gestures, etc. One brief session isn't enough for me to pin-point these behaviours yet, but as I wrote above, I suspect I issued more words from my mouth than necessary, and at-a-faster-than-optimal-for- comprehension (see what I did there?). Words come out of my mouth quicker than I can make sense of sometime, and it's probably the same for others. If I continue onto the certification program (which I hope to) I'll have to video tape myself teaching, then critique it. It's painful to watch myself in these types of situations (I had to do it for a class in my Masters), but I'm sure it will do wonders for identifying areas of my teaching that require improvement.

Ciao

To NECCA I go: Teaching training workshop, part 2

So, after the completion of day two, I still feel like the worst spotter/instructor in the room. Maybe that’s because I can’t see what anyone else beyond the small groups I work with are doing, or maybe I feel that way because I keep ending up with people who already teach and know what they doing, or maybe I just really lack confidence in this and need to build it up. It’s probably a mixture of all three, but at least the people I work with don’t seem to be holding it against me. In fact, I kind of like working with people who already teach, because they seem to be happy to teach me how to spot.

I also got hit in the nose with the end of a trapeze in the morning. That didn’t exactly help my confidence. And I accidently felt up someone’s butt (when I thought I was holding onto their sacrum) while I was trying to spot them through a bird’s nest pose. I will improve with practice, right?

Something new we talked about yesterday was learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinetic. I’ve known for some time that I’m pretty strongly kinetic in my learning style (apparently it’s a fairly small portion of the public that is, around 10%). For one thing, when I’m in a fabric or knitting store, or shopping for clothing, I MUST TOUCH EVERYTHING. If it doesn’t feel nice, I’m not interested.

How does being a kinetic learner factor into my aerials training? For one thing, I have what I call, a "gold fish brain" when it comes to learning new moves. As much as I try to position myself in a good spot to see what the instructor is doing, and hear what they’re saying, once I get up on the apparatus to try the move myself, I’ll almost immediately ask, “Okay, so what do I do now?”. Then I need to be walked through the steps again. The good thing is, once I get something in my brain and body, it’s pretty much in there…but only if I totally get it.

If I haven’t mastered something by the end of the class, chances are I’ll need the instructions over and over again until the information and my body click to perform the manoeuver I was struggling with.

Everyone’s learning style is different, and most people aren’t 100% one type of learning style only. In terms of teaching it means that you have to use a variety of techniques to demonstrate and show students how to accomplish aerial skills. It means I have to think of ways that maybe somewhat foreign to me of explaining how to do things to others. It’s a challenge, but hopefully one I can rise to.

Ciao.

To NECCA I go: Teaching training workshop, part 1

After the first day of the teacher training workshop I would say I’m a hesitant spotter. I hope this is just because I haven’t ever taught something that required spotting before, and that I’ll overcome this with practice. Yesterday we went through what might be a typical first class on fabrics, and a typical first class on trapeze.

It’s hard to remember what those first classes were like. I know both Andrew and I enjoyed it enough that by the end of our first hour and a half on the equipment we asked when we could enroll in our next session. I also remember that I couldn’t manoeuver my knees up to the trapeze bar without a small jump, and then desperately tring to hook my toe onto the bar so I could push myself through to an inverted pike.

Almost 3 years later, I don’t give much thought to getting up onto a trapeze (when I do venture onto a bar), I just do it.

So, spotting. It’s important. You need to keep your students safe at all times, the priority being, as Serenity Smith-Forchin said, your student’s computer (aka brain) and to do that, you need to put your hands on them—but in the right way. Not creepily, not with too much force so that you’re practically doing the move for them, not too little so that they can’t perform the move either. It’s something of a Goldie Locks situation, where you need just the right amount of support and guidance. I don’t have the golden touch, yet.

I hope by the end of class I’ll be on my way to getting there.

Our homework from yesterday:

Postural Analysis (a part of injury prevention): While standing, and thinking about it, I can maintain a reasonably neutral spine/pelvis position, although when simply standing around I tend to jut my pelvis slightly forward. I also think I’m reasonably good at keep my shoulders engaged when I lift them. But this might just because I was thinking carefully about what I was doing. I know when I work at my computer I have a tendency to allow my shoulders to slouch forward (who doesn’t?). I frequently remind myself to sit up straight (and sometimes Tweet it too).

Goals for the first year of teaching: Given what I wrote above, I’d like to grow my confidence as a spotter. Along with that, I feel I also need to build confidence in giving step-by-step instructions as I spot (We didn’t exactly do this as we practiced in class, but many people seemed to do it naturally. Some people were very good at it, others, not so much. It doesn’t help that everyone in the workshop knows very well what to do without help).

Ciao,

Andrea

To NECCA I go: Teacher training workshop, part 0.5

I had something of a challenging start to my week of aerial teacher training.

The drive from Somerville, MA to Brattleboro, VT is only about 2 hours, but last night it took me…3.5, I think? There were 2 reasons for this: 1) the weather was kind of crappy, and I spent much of the time driving between 60 and 80 kph, even though I was on major highways where I should have been driving more like 100 kph or more; 2) I’m still not a pro at navigating the New England area, which meant that in the dark…well, it was awfully hard to read my directions. At least every time I made a wrong turn I realized it almost immediately and just had to wait for an opportunity to turn around.

Then I thought I lost my wallet. I stopped to get a snack on my way, since I was driving over dinner, and threw my wallet on the passenger seat when I got back into the car. Then, when I arrived at my accommodations, I was in a hurry to get out of the car and must of have knocked it over so it was wedged between the seat and the door. Later, growing panicked and very dark, when I went out to look for it I couldn’t see it, so I called Andrew to tell him I’d lost it. He was at a party, but agreed to cancel my American credit card for me, and we’d deal with the rest in the morning. Good thing we didn’t go all gung-ho and cancel everything, since I found it this morning, in the day light.

Now I’m just having some breakfast and gearing myself up for 5 days of socializing with people I don’t know. This is a pretty major challenge for someone who’s a Darcy-pants like me, especially when I don’t have Andrew, or other friends with me as backup.

Wish me luck.

Ciao,

Andrea

A long slow return to blogging

I went blog-silent in December.

No particular reason, I just didn't have anything interesting, or note worthy to post about. Toward the end of the month, I did get my Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), which means that Nora is now up on Amazon. There are other spots on the Internet that provide a detailed explanation as to how to obtain an ITIN, but I might add my own two cents if nothing better to write about pops up.

I worked on a new story in December, a pure romance about the circus. It's mostly done, just half of the last chapter left to go, but now I'm a bit stumped as to what to do with it. Correction, last night I decided that my heroine, Beth, needed a better resolve, so it'll be another chapter or two before I'm done. I'd like to send it to Entangled Publishing (they expressed interest in Cimwai's Bay, but ultimately turned it down), but I'm not sure what line my story would best suit. It's about the aerialists and acrobats in a travelling circus. My character's a little too old for one category, I'm not sure if there are enough romance tropes in it for another, and there's no sex. There will probably be sex (Eep, I've never written more than a kiss before, so this shall be...interesting).

What's coming up for me in the new year? Not a whole lot. Andrew and I are still in something of a transitional stage, living in Somerville. Even if he get's a job offer (there are interviews coming up), we may opt to stay in the States until his postdoc funding is complete (it's good for two years). I'm still working remotely, which is fine for the most part, although it can get a bit lonely at times, especially right now while the days are short. I've started to volunteer with a food pantry organization nearby, which helps get me out once a week.

I'm also going back to NECCA in February for their Introduction to Teaching Aerials workshop and I hope to start helping at Esh Circus Arts as an assistant instructor for the next session. I'd once thought of becoming a figure skating coach (for kids), but since I stopped skating when I started aerials I gave that idea up. I'm still interested in coaching/teaching in some form, and since my focus has changed, I feel like being an aerial instructor might be a nice alternative. I'll report back after the Teaching workshop.

Currently we don't have any major travel plans beyond my driving to Vermont. We might go home to Ontario over Easter, but that will probably depend on how busy Andrew is with research stuff.

I hope everyone is warm and safe wherever they're reading this from. Somerville's been a real treat weather-wise. We were +10 Celsius yesterday when much of Canada was disgustingly cold, and even though today was on the negative half of the thermometer, at least it was sunny.

Ciao,

Andrea

A circus break: a trip to NECCA

This past weekend the hubby and me took a short trip up to Brattleboro Vermont, the home of the New England Center for Circus Arts. We visited there in the summer to participate in the aerials skills week, and while there were informed that they would be holding workshops over the last week of October. We decided back then that we would try to arrange to return for one or more of the workshops, in particular we were interested in the day long session on rigging.

Brattleboro is a two hour drive from our home in Somerville. The journey is rather picturesque, as you drive through the rolling hills of the Appalachians, passing by (and over) rivers. Some of the roads are very twisty, and at times you're driving on an undivided highway of only one lane each direction, so you need to be paying attention. When I return in February (more on this in a bit) I'm going to have to be careful on these roads. Anyway, this isn't about the drive, it's about the aerials learning.

On Sunday we did a 2 hour session with a friend of ours from Edmonton who was at NECCA for teacher training. Our instructor was Destiny Vinley, who we'd met in the summer. She was super fun to work with, and we learned several cool poses that can be built upon to do all kinds of different moves. I only a have a few videos from this session, which are rather slow and not very graceful, so here are a couple of shots from the summer instead.

Monday was a 6-hour workshop on rigging for aerial equipment. Andrew and me both felt it was important to learn more about rigging, in case in the future, we find ourselves performing on our own around Ontario. The session was very informative, but as pointed out by the instructor, we are not now free to travel about the country rigging silks and trapezes as if we were professionals. What we are able to do is recognize when rigging is done safely or not, which is key for aerialists.

One of the coolest things we saw during the session, was how many pounds of force are created from different aerial tricks. Surprisingly, the greatest amount of force achieved was just shy of 1,000 pounds (from a double ankle drop). That was very reassuring to see, as it tells me that the ratings for all of the equipment is far greater than what is needed to avoid crashing to the ground. I think we'd both like to take more sessions in the future, so that we might become more qualified and experienced with rigging.

I'm going back to NECCA in February to take their introductory course for instructors. I'm looking forward to the 5-day session, as I'm hoping to start assisting with a couple of the beginner classes at the studio in Boston.

Ciao,

Andrea