Replies to This Discussion

StudentPermalink Reply by Riah on March 10, 2011 at 8:07pm

I think you should take this oppurtunity and look at it in a different light. If you teach the students, you become a leader. You will be the reason everyone else has learned. You're thinking your self confidence will deflate, but I think it would be the opposite. There can be nothing better for your self confidence than seeing an entire group of people laugh and have fun and know you are the reason for it. Besides, you already know more tricks than them. When they are learning the basics, you'll be working on challenging tricks they can only dream of doing!

 

You could even create your school's own hooping family tree. Start with you and your best friend at the top, then everyone you teach below you. No one will ever be able to top you and your friend, because you taught yourselves. You started the tree.

 

You can always set up a trial run. Try teaching for 3 weeks. If you don't like it after that time, you can stop. But you just might find that you like teaching others and spreading the hoop love. : )

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Permalink Reply by bridget m on March 10, 2011 at 8:34pm

one of the greatest things that i've gotten out of the hooping community is everyone's willingness to share and teach and to be on this journey together. one thing that has constantly humbled me is how astounding hoopers are so ready and willing to share their insights and tips and tricks. it's emboldening and it is empowering.

 

high school is rough and i have no doubt that it's great to have something that you and one other person excel at, but you should use this opportunity to grow into a mentor...and that is a really wonderful thing. these kids will look to you as a teacher, someone who helped them grow, and that's way more fulfilling than just being better than someone at something.

 

plus, you all can learn from each other. no two hoopers have identical styles, and that's another thing that makes hooping so excellent, we all learn from each other.

 

so i say try to shed some of the ego and try to embrace this opportunity.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah "Dwiizie" on March 11, 2011 at 8:17am

I'd have to agree with both of the above. You can do this. Have strength, believe in yourself, and share it!

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Permalink Reply by Scunshine on March 11, 2011 at 8:54am

when I found out I had an opportunity to teach hooping I was incredibly nervous as well, thinking to myself that I wasn't a good teacher. Once my friend and I got started, I realized that it definitely wasn't as scary as I had made it out to be. After we taught the class the basics, like how to keep the hoop up, how to walk backwards and forwards, etc. we started to treat it more like a hoop jam time. If we see that someone looks bored, we might go up to them and ask, "have you tried darting your hands in and out of the hoop as it goes around you?" or some other simple move that they can try out. It's a great way to connect personally with everyone in the class, and it keeps it challenging while staying pretty chill. I'd love to work on a more structured class in the future but for my first (unpaid and somewhat accidental) teaching position, it's been working out pretty well.

As for worrying about other people learning and not thinking of you as awesome, I'd say you don't have to worry too much. Even if they do become awesome hoopers, you'll always get the credit for teaching them, and you'll have new people to hoop with! Best of luck, you'll do great :D

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Permalink Reply by Stellar Sunshine* on March 11, 2011 at 11:46am

I agree with what everyone else has said.  Especially Bridget.  In high school you (not specifically you.. Just in general) are trying so hard to find your niche and identity.  So it's normal to feel some anxiety about so many others becoming interested in a unique thing you do.  But remember that other hooping hooping doesn't take anything away from you.  Here's a quote that speaks to this situation, I hope it helps:

 

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

- Buddha

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StudentPermalink Reply by The CircularPhile on March 11, 2011 at 11:55am

I love that quote.

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Permalink Reply by bridget m on March 11, 2011 at 12:00pm

awesome quote

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Permalink Reply by Stellar Sunshine* on March 11, 2011 at 1:02pm

*remember that other people hooping

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Permalink Reply by Lauren Love ☮♥♪ on March 11, 2011 at 1:00pm

I also agree with everything everyone has said.  If you don't decide to teach others and they pick up hooping on their own, you won't be the one who introduced them to the beautiful hooping world and you wouldn't get any credit for it.  Personally, I would feel better knowing I got credit for being the one who introduced them and taught them their basics than if I refused to teach them and they exceled on their own.  Ask them to return the favor - ask the girls who are good dancers to teach you how to be a better dancer!  I just think that even if you don't teach them, someone (maybe even a group of people) are going to have enough interest to teach themselves and then this whole thing you could've started is being taken over by others.  I started Hoop Night in my hometown and when hoopers started having hoop night without me, I was extremely upset but the thought that I AM the reason they're hooping makes the hurt much more bearable.  I have spread hooping joy to 15+ people and knowing that I started it ALL feels absolutely amazing.  I can't imagine how I'd feel if I refused to share this joy with others, they found it on their own, shared it with others, and then took credit for something I introduced.  Best of luck to you!  I really think this would be a good opportunity to improve your dancing skills with the help of others and allow your more self-confidence :)

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StudentPermalink Reply by Kacie Knight on March 11, 2011 at 1:17pm

I have to agree with everyone.... It's important to share the love with others.... It won't diminish you in any way, it will only make the love grow bigger, stronger and brighter!

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Permalink Reply by Rachel Bond on March 11, 2011 at 1:28pm

So, I am on a hoop making journey, and after I get good at this, My daughter and I are going to donate some hoops to her school. She is the only hooper in the entire school, and we thought this would be a good way to help her continue hooping during the winter months and also spread the joy of the circle to others. And it would give her a chance to teach others and become a mentor. An awesome charactieristic I want to instill in my child. She loves the idea of sharing our hoops, and always welcomes others to hoop with us when we are out hooping.

She is 9 years old and will be the the 4th grade when we accomplish this. She has never mentioned to me any fear of it taking away from her, but only express the awesomeness of everyone hooping with her hoops. I just wanted to share this perspective with you. You should embrass your talents and share them freely. Good luck creating your own style of hooping

Life is not about finding yourself, Life is about creating yourself ~

George Bernard Shaw

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StudentPermalink Reply by luluperuse on March 11, 2011 at 10:24pm

This is a big subject and entirely a personal choice.  I am not entirely sure why you are reluctant to teach hooping to your class.  I can fill in the blanks and see why you are hesitant...  But if you don't want to for whatever reason right now, you don't have to.  It is your choice.  Whatever motive you base your choice on, it is fine.  Maybe a few years from now, you might think, "Perhaps I should have taught hooping to that class because...."  Or you can also feel glad that you didn't because it didn't feel right to you at the time.

Also: you can dance!  You are a dancer.  As much as I love watching ballet and other high academy forms, dance is as intrinsic to human nature as language, as music.  Dance is communication.  Just find your form of communication.  Cross-culturally, everyone dances.  You may not be a "jazz dancer" or whatever, but you are a dancer.  All good dancing originates from the spirit.

First and foremost, respect yourself and your feelings.  There may be consequences, there are always consequences, but listen to your heart and just know whatever you choose is right for you, right now.

 

NB: When I was growing up, personally and I don't mean this as an afront to the advice above, which is also so very true and I wholeheartedly believe, I was taught a lot about what I "should" do.  I was never really encourage to embrace my own feelings and instincts, but what I should do.  It was more about fitting in with society than fitting in with myself.

 

I really love the Shaw quote, that is very true

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