The worst day ever, BEST LESSON EVER!

I recently lost a good teaching opportunity. I got my first proper job in dance working in a school in South London. Even though I had little experience in schools, I have worked with children and young people in various settings over the last four years and I knew I had the dance knowledge and skills to deliver what the teacher wanted. So I asked for the top end rate and was happy when it was approved. I found myself really looking forward to going to teach and even my attitude at my retail job improved because for once I had a balance between what I had to do and what I wanted to do for money.

When I made the agreement with the school, I had only been given five hours a week on the weekends. However in the second week I was working the school students, I was given a further ten hours for the week and on the same day I had to work at the school. This only left a window of half an hour to get from one side of South London to the other, which was definitely possible in a car but not by bus(which is how I’m accustom to travelling). In a dissussion with the teacher she explained how challenging it had been  to get this after school programme up and running and that she has to send letters to parents about all the deatils and changes. Hearing this I didn't think that anything could be done about the change in my availibility so IK didn't mention it. The first week I managed to pre book a cab that would pick me up and drive me to the school. The next week my next shift at my retail job to my horror those that were doing the next shift were running late as well as there being a  cashing up system was had been malfunctioning for the last few weeks so when I eventually left I was meant to have been at the school.

When I finally arrived at the school all the students had left. I was of course apologetic but to no avail. I was told that “We should just put a line under it”. I even offered to work free in order to finish the work, I was devastated when my offer was not accepted. It was a long journey back to south east London and by then it was rush hour. Even though I was stuck in traffic my mind was racing, my most disturbing thought was that the students wouldn’t actually have a piece that they could perform.

My other thoughts included:

“I think we should just draw a line under it”

“You’ve let them down”

How dare she criticise my way of working

If I’m a winner, why do I keep acting like a loser?

Why did she bring another teacher, did she think I’d be confrontational?

My Feelings

 Disappointed             

Apprehensive

Misunderstood

Annoyed

Gutted

Tearful

The lessons Time to be on time!

If there was anything that I was pleased about in such a difficult situation was how I handled myself and I was able to keep humble and composed when I wanted to break down (I didn’t cry). On reflection I can now see how difficult I made it for myself I mean half an hour please, what was I thinking?! Although I gave myself too much of a small window I also see how the lateness of my employees affected me and it gave being on time more wait because I experienced how costly someone elses lateness can be to another. There are a lot of things that I have learnt and been reminded of from this experience.

These are the practices that  will apply in the future to my way of working:

·         I will tell whoever I’m working with any changes like my schedule

·         I will avoid doing two jobs on the same day less than two hours apart.

·         I was aiming to be on time, should aim to be early

·         I will always use and carry a journal/diary

The most important thing that I have learnt and that will be most useful to me in my future choreography ventures. What I was most devastated about my experience was not being given a chance to show my best. As a choreographer,  when I'll have to be auditioning people and offering opportunities to them that means a lot to them,  I will reconsider someone that may not initially perform the first time because I now believe it is not about the initial chance that you give someone but about the chance that you give them after a mistake that will really let them know how much potential or faith that you have in them.