Rules for the "Find a Coach" forum
- Thread starter mullaney
- Start date
It's a tough club. The ratings make it potentially cutthroat. I don't find that bad--you're laying the territory, so non-5-star ratings come with the territory. You have to take the ratings with a grain of salt, of course. I know there are some people who will rate you without personal experience, or based on hearsay. And why not rate yourself 5 stars?
<b>Support support support support support.</b> It's an odd community--it seems there are a handful of people who might practice support onstage but not in real-life interactions. That is a criticism I've held for a long-time about the community, nothing new. Any community has it, but I find it particularly ironic in the improv community.
Do you have a recommendation for a place a coach can post without being submitted to IRC ratings? Just curious. I guess it's free advertising you're offering, so coaches are subject to your rules.
<b>Support support support support support.</b> It's an odd community--it seems there are a handful of people who might practice support onstage but not in real-life interactions. That is a criticism I've held for a long-time about the community, nothing new. Any community has it, but I find it particularly ironic in the improv community.
Do you have a recommendation for a place a coach can post without being submitted to IRC ratings? Just curious. I guess it's free advertising you're offering, so coaches are subject to your rules.
About the ratings: They don't show up unless two people have voted. Also, if you are using Internet Explorer and you put the mouse cursor right on top of the stars, it will tell you how many people have voted and what the precise average is. You can also click on the column heading to have the threads sorted by rating.
I know it might be rough to deal with the ratings, and I know that some people are rating based on second hand knowledge or a best guess of the ability of the coach based on their experience. So of course, it should be taken with a grain of salt. The best thing you can do if you are shopping for a coach is talk to people directly and to give coaches a test drive.
I know it might be rough to deal with the ratings, and I know that some people are rating based on second hand knowledge or a best guess of the ability of the coach based on their experience. So of course, it should be taken with a grain of salt. The best thing you can do if you are shopping for a coach is talk to people directly and to give coaches a test drive.
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I'm using AOL. Mullaney, this is a problem when I access the boards to vote or rate through the AOL browser.
To circumvent the problem, I use Internet Explorer on the same computer. I can then vote and rate.
Ben
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I'm using AOL. Mullaney, this is a problem when I access the boards to vote or rate through the AOL browser.
To circumvent the problem, I use Internet Explorer on the same computer. I can then vote and rate.
Ben
One thing I think I need to clarify is why are there thread ratings and why am I encouraging people to use them:
Because coaching is a commercial service. By offering yourself up as coach, you are offering a commercial service, and if that subforum is going to be useful for people to find coaches, there needs to be methods of feedback.
Certainly, some of the best quality feedback is going to be testimonials in the form of replies to threads. Beyond that people should be seeking out information from the teachers and performers which they respect. Thread ratings are certainly less helpful than other means.
However, I do think they are useful. Go ahead and comb this message board, where have students said ANY negative thing about a coach in response to a thread soliciting business? Nowhere.
When I have asked for personal feedback about coaches, I have sometimes received negative feedback. Noone would have shared those things with me if I was planning on posting those opinions in this forum. It's understandable that in a forum like this, few people would critique a coach with the same boldness and honesty they would a book or movie they disliked.
The ratings are a way for people to share their opinion about a particular coach without personal negative consequences. In our little subculture, people are very paranoid about this shit. They think that if they rub someone the wrong way, they are doomed and will never get to perform at the UCB. I think that small amount of anonymity is important, especially when people are giving feedback on a commercial service that others are providing.
Ben mentioned the irony of people not being supportive of coaches. I feel you are missing the point. If I'm on stage with someone, it's my job to make them look good. It's a sacred trust. But coaching is more like headshot photographers. They provide a service and I am committed to allow people to give feedback on the quality of that service.
Lastly, are ratings only legitimate if a person has actually been coached by someone? Of course not. Case in point: Chad Carter. I have never been coached by him. However, I've worked with him on shows and had the chance to get to know him over the last few years. He's smart, articulate, modest and patient. He's a solid director and good guy to be around. He's got a lot of experience with Harold and has performed on teams since before the theatre opened. For all those reasons I think he would make a good coach, and I think I have every right to express that through a thread rating--even though I've never actually been coached by him.
Because coaching is a commercial service. By offering yourself up as coach, you are offering a commercial service, and if that subforum is going to be useful for people to find coaches, there needs to be methods of feedback.
Certainly, some of the best quality feedback is going to be testimonials in the form of replies to threads. Beyond that people should be seeking out information from the teachers and performers which they respect. Thread ratings are certainly less helpful than other means.
However, I do think they are useful. Go ahead and comb this message board, where have students said ANY negative thing about a coach in response to a thread soliciting business? Nowhere.
When I have asked for personal feedback about coaches, I have sometimes received negative feedback. Noone would have shared those things with me if I was planning on posting those opinions in this forum. It's understandable that in a forum like this, few people would critique a coach with the same boldness and honesty they would a book or movie they disliked.
The ratings are a way for people to share their opinion about a particular coach without personal negative consequences. In our little subculture, people are very paranoid about this shit. They think that if they rub someone the wrong way, they are doomed and will never get to perform at the UCB. I think that small amount of anonymity is important, especially when people are giving feedback on a commercial service that others are providing.
Ben mentioned the irony of people not being supportive of coaches. I feel you are missing the point. If I'm on stage with someone, it's my job to make them look good. It's a sacred trust. But coaching is more like headshot photographers. They provide a service and I am committed to allow people to give feedback on the quality of that service.
Lastly, are ratings only legitimate if a person has actually been coached by someone? Of course not. Case in point: Chad Carter. I have never been coached by him. However, I've worked with him on shows and had the chance to get to know him over the last few years. He's smart, articulate, modest and patient. He's a solid director and good guy to be around. He's got a lot of experience with Harold and has performed on teams since before the theatre opened. For all those reasons I think he would make a good coach, and I think I have every right to express that through a thread rating--even though I've never actually been coached by him.
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<B>GO, mullaney! GO, mullaney!</B>
He said my name!
Coaches are also performers too. Support is a great thing all around. It's a human thing--we're all humans. It'd be great to have a supportive headshot photographer too, but that's kinda a different industry.
But your point is taken and understood. I like the ratings, esp. since they're kinda evil!
He said my name!
Coaches are also performers too. Support is a great thing all around. It's a human thing--we're all humans. It'd be great to have a supportive headshot photographer too, but that's kinda a different industry.
But your point is taken and understood. I like the ratings, esp. since they're kinda evil!