General Information and Background
The Class Coordinator is an elected officer of Tech Squares and acts as a liaison between the class and the club, officers, caller and cuer. The Coordinator's encouragement may be a critical factor in whether the class members feel welcome and want to become part of the club. Specific responsibilities of the job are outlined here and in the Tech Squares Constitution and Bylaws, as well as in the Coordinator's Timeline and notebookStanding Policies.
Historical note: Until about 1990, the Class Coordinator had a fairly straightforward role: To guide the class and plan the first few nights of class as well as graduation. After 1990, the Coordinator's job became more involved, with the Coordinator taking on a more active role. There were now class meetings and weekly emails to the class. The Class Assistant's role was also more formalized; previously, the 7:30 review session was led by various club members, whereas today it is taught by an appointed person (currently Bill Ackerman).
Job
...
The Class Coordinator's job requires organizational skills as well as group leadership skills. If one reads the Timeline, one can see that there is a lot of preparation of forms, emails and supplies before the fall and spring terms begin, with about the same amount of work required at the end of each term before graduation. The Coordinator sends out weekly email to the class as well as occasional updates to the officers, and is responsible for keeping an up-to-date attendance roster at the registration table. The Coordinator supplies the class with the weekly dance definitions and also runs the class meetings. The Coordinator must be able to attend the 7:30 review session and should be able to dance most of the club tips; this just depends on how big the class is and what is happening during the review sessions and the class meetings. It is important that the Coordinator dance most of the class tips in order to have contact with class members.
Class Structure
The class is currently 13 weeks long, during which we cover the Mainstream and Plus programs. In the spring, the term is preceded by a separate Fun Night (see below). No new people may join the class after the first night without your permission; this is to ease the burden on the caller as well as on you if the class is already large. Exceptions can be made for people with prior contra or square dance experience, or for friends of club members (ask those members to get their friends up to speed before class starts). It's not a good idea to accept any new people after week 2.
The term dates are determined by the officers and are posted on the Tech Squares website. Notice that there are student holidays during which we still meet. We follow the same evening format, although no new calls are taught.
The first night has a slightly different schedule (see Timeline), but after that we use the standard schedule of 3 club tips, 4 class tips and 4 rounds. The last hour is always subject to change, depending on how long the previous class tips took.
As Class Coordinator, you need to arrive before 7:30 to set up the registration table. You and the Treasurer can decide whether you will bring down the briefcase from the locker (the briefcase contains club attendance sheets, the money box and other useful items), or whether you will just set up your own half of the table with the class name tags and your attendance sheet.
The review session should start in the hallway as close to 7:30 as possible. Make sure all of the class members have spots in a square, and fill in with angels as necessary. Keep an eye on how people are dancing; the hall is crowded and you can see problems that the Assistant can't. Let the Assistant know if a figure needs to be walked again or if there is confusion he can't see.
Not all students attend the 7:30 session. Anyone taking the class for PE credit who misses a week must attend two review sessions to receive credit. Also, each class technically runs from 8:15--10:15.
The club starts dancing at 8:00. As club members arrive, encourage them to circumvent your teaching area so they don't disrupt the class. You bring the class in at 8: 15, and it is your job to make sure all of the class members have club partners, if possible, and to spread out the club angels among the squares. If the class is larger than the club, ask for assistance from strong club members in getting the class squared up. The caller will not start until you give him the signal that the class is ready.
Some class members will arrive late; try and get them into a square if possible. After the first class tip, the class should check in with you at the registration table.
The class meeting is the time to go over specific dance problems, such as harmful allemande grips. Club members will no doubt give you ideas for class discussion. This is also the place to introduce flourishes, but only after the class has been dancing the specific move for at least 3 weeks (see Timeline). If you feel uncomfortable teaching such moves, ask a past Coordinator or an officer for ideas of good club members who can do the teaching. After the formal meeting, there is an optional review session led by you or the Assistant for those who want it. Ask them for specific figures or make your own list based on your or club members' observations.
Fun Night
This introductory night is usually held only in the spring, at the end of lAP (Independent Activity Period in January, when regular classes don't meet). The purpose of Fun Night is to attract new class members with a party-like evening of square dancing. The schedule is roughly the same as a regular evening, although the cuer may teach a simple round dance. This evening does not replace or count as the first night of class. The caller will cover about half of what will be taught the next week, and could throw in a special call like Teacup Chain just to get their attention. You will collect names and email addresses of the new people and will contact them before next week's class in an effort to keep up their enthusiasm.
Helpful Nuts and Bolts
You may keep your supplies in the 4th floor locker; you should be given a key by the President. The current combination to the student activities can be obtained from the officers (it's a good idea to store the number on your cell phone). Note that when shutting the locker, the combination lock goes around the outside of one handle, not just through the hasp.
Copies of the weekly emails are in the Coordinator's notebook, or you can ask the previous Coordinator to email you the texts.
We have an account at the copy center on the first floor of the student center; talk to the Treasurer for details about this.
If you have facilities problems (Lobdell is too hot when you arrive, for example, or the assigned room is locked), call MIT facilities at 617-253-1500. Using a campus phone, just dial 1500. Ask for facilities then tell them the problem.
You will be sharing information with the officers via email using the tech-squares-officers@mit.edu
address. Be advised that this list contains more names than just the officers; the full list can be obtained from the President. If you want to discuss a sensitive issue, you might want to email only the members of the Executive Board (president, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity and Class Coordinator; you are the 5 with voting privileges).
When you are asked by an outsider for general information about the club, give the moderated Tech officers' email address (tech-squares@mit.edu) and the club phone number (617-253-7000).
If you are ill and can't make it on class night, email the club, not just the officers, to find a substitute.
The most recent Coordinators include Marcus Sarofim, Lisa Greenleaf, Amy Gresser, Heather Wakefield, Brian Hanechak, Eric Mulder, Sarah Carter, JB Segal, Cally Perry, and Benji Fisher. Feel free to ask them for help.
Class Members Who Are Having Trouble
Keep in mind that we teach the calls in 13 weeks, as opposed to one year for most other clubs. This pace is not for everyone. It is the Coordinator's job to keep tabs on class members and monitor their progress. It can be helpful to email the officers and ask them to dance with specific people and give you feedback. If someone is having trouble and holding back the rest of the class, it is a good idea to touch base with him and see if he understands what his problems are. Quite often, such people know they are falling behind and may not feel up to the pace. Others aren't so aware and it can be difficult talking with them, but it's important to let them know we are concerned about them and are watching them (you can ask an officer to initiate such a conversation as well, or the dancer's club sponsor, if there is one). If the situation does not improve and the dancer is dragging down his square, then it's probably time to suggest that he join another club where he can learn at a slower pace. These discussions are probably the hardest things you will do as Class Coordinator, so please ask for help from the officers or past Coordinators. In any case, don't wait until just before graduation to inform someone that he will not be graduating; it's very important to have established communication well in advance.
We usually finish Mainstream at week 8; this is a good time to encourage a failing dancer to join a Mainstream club. Do your homework and provide the names of such clubs to the dancer.
In general, we try and graduate all MIT students, as we are an MIT club.
There is also a strong assumption that MIT students can handle the pressure and
will improve their dancing over the next term. PE students receive credit for attendance, not for ability. Also note that PE students who complete the class receive 2 credits: one for the first 7 weeks, and one for the lat 7 weeks. Some students may quit after they earn their first credit.
Around week 10, you should contact the officers with an update of the names of those who will be graduating. If there is a controversial name on the list, remind the officers that we must all be willing to dance with and include anyone we graduate. Dancers who are shaky but have some potential can be told that they will not graduate, and we can encourage them to take the next term's class (ie repeat the class).
Badges
Each club member pays for his own badge. We take orders just twice a year at each graduation. Any new club members who did not go through the class need to be approved by the officers before placing a badge order with you.
Description
Basically, you are in charge of everything that has to do with the class. Some of this can be delegated, but you still have to be aware of most of it. Here's the list:
Make sure class members get partners and get into squares quickly and balance squares as needed (sometimes you'll need to get club to make additional squares to do this)
- Get names and pertinent information from class members, take attendance, take admission
- Run class meeting each week
- Attend walkthrus and make sure there is a caller for walkthrus
- Plan the class dance and any extra review sessions
- Send weekly emails to the class and maintain the class mailing list
- Place the badge order
- Keep tabs on class related supplies in the locker, so you know when to ask the Treasurer to order more
- Make class badges and place the club badge order
- Design and order t-shirts (this could be delegated)
Run an EC meeting to determine who will graduate the class and provide recommendations
Remove people from the class as needed, and speak to class members who are problematic
Maintain lists of calls and definitions taught in the class (this should already be on the website, but if it's not,you can get the webmaster to fix it)
- Organize graduation
- Add new graduates to the club roster and mailing lists
- Act as a liaison between the class and club
- (can't be delegated) Be a member of the Executive Committee and all that entails (usually just means some EC meetings, but can vary)
Job Recommendations
These aren't requirements, but having many of these attributes will make you a better Class Coordinator.
- organized
- able to lead a group
- able to make hard decisions/disappoint people
- knowledgeable about square dance topics (you'll have to talk about things like giving weight and making lines in class meeting)
- strong dancer (you need to be a good model, and you should be able to answer questions)
- able to call if you absolutely have to (if Bill is late to walkthrus, could you start reviewing without him?)
- good at fixing people while dancing (you're going to be dancing with the class at lot, especially at walkthrus)
- know call definitions well and can explain "unusual" usages (the class will ask)
- enthusiastic about helping people learn square dancing
- willing to miss most of the club tips
- able to make it (almost) every week
- familiar with some of the other officers and how the club runs (you'll need to work with them, but if you don't start out familiar with them, you'll pick it up)
Recent Class Coordinators have included Veronica Boyce, Jonathan Tidor, Tracy Gangwer, Benji Fisher, Cally Perry, JB Segal, and Brian Hanechak. We are currently using Majestic Badge, PO Box 546, Peabody, MA
01960-7546. It is owned by Steve and Peggy Schevis; email Peggy at majestic.badge@verizon.net. Four weeks before graduation, it's a good idea to send them a heads up about the approximate number of badges you'll be ordering (see Timeline week 10) and to get prices for pinback and magnet back badges as well as bars (one line attachments that say such things as President or Secretary). At a minimum, the company will need to have two weeks to complete the order.
When ordering, specify first line ( first name), second line (last name) and pinback or magnet back. Ask the company to drill holes for dangles. See sample order sheets in notebook.