[Tango-L] Let's discuss WALKING

[Keith]

 On Tue Feb 12  1:59 , "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)"  sent:

 But I'd be interested in what the curriculum
>would be for a typical 6-week class in Argentina and the
>problems they tend to encounter there.

Trini,

I also teach 6 or 8-week beginner courses because that's what people like. 
But I have to say, I think they're a big part of the problem. In Buenos Aires, 
I don't see any fixed length courses being offered. Students just seem to 
go to classes, pay each time and keep going for as long as they think is
necessary. I haven't been to a beginner class in quite a while but I've seen 
the tail-end of many and they seem to be pretty much the same as before, 
which is walking, walking, walking. And, believe it or not, I see students in 
the beginner classes that I also see in the intermediate and even advanced 
classes. As I keep saying, this is the big difference, Argentines learn how to 
walk and it seems that many non-Argentines don't. 

As I'm sure you know, at the end of the beginner course, the students want 
to move on to improver courses, whether they're ready or not. They certainly 
don't want to learn any more walking. But, the fact is, they'll still be beginners 
after 6-months, let alone 6-weeks. So, for a teacher, it's a constant balancing 
act between teaching students what you know they need to learn and teaching 
them what they think they want to learn. 

Keith, HK