Policies
You can view the policies established and implemented by the EEFC by choosing one from the right.
Program Committee Guidelines for EEFC Workshop Teaching Staff and Class Selection
Organizational considerations:
- budget constraints – the Committee utilizes the EEFC staff budget for travel and honoraria as approved by the EEFC Board of Directors
- fit with EEFC mission
- space constraints - available class spaces per workshop
- overhead constraints – ease or difficulty of teaching staff interaction with the organization may be considered, for instance, new staff members generally require more attention and resources, therefore the organization may not be able to hire a large number of new staff in a given year; also, new staff may require a dedicated sponsor to facilitate travel and unusual negotiations (e.g. tours, visas, transatlantic travel)
- Program Committee is not responsible to arrange visas or transatlantic travel
Staff makeup
- evaluations - staffing suggestions and staff reviews from camper evaluations are considered seriously
- teaching ability and/or depth of knowledge/skill in a particular area
- availability of staff (some staff may be difficult to get/afford, but would be a great asset)
- continuity - staff members are frequently invited for a second year to provide some continuity for students and also allow new teachers to improve based on evaluations
- variety of staff – staff may be varied over time to allow students to experience different teaching styles
- diversity of staff – underrepresented groups are encouraged, e.g. male singing teachers, female instrumentalists
Themes or genre focuses
- Staff/genre support - expected staff contributions to evening party genres that might otherwise not be covered (e.g. responsibility for running a set, dance leaders, musical support)
- Periodically a camp will have a featured band or focus, then members of that band or focus would be priority to invite
Classes
- evaluations - class and level suggestions from camper evaluations are carefully considered
- traditional/village instruments (e.g. bitov and izvorno) are considered a priority to offer regularly as it is not easy to learn these elsewhere
- traditional dance (as opposed to choreographed or composed) is considered a priority
- modern instruments (e.g. accordion, clarinet, violin) are only offered in a Balkan style at the intermediate and advanced levels as basic skills on these instruments are widely taught elsewhere, and may not be offered every year
- variety of levels
- per class slot
- over the years as it is generally not possible to offer all levels every year
Approved by the Board of Directors of the East European Folklife Center, Inc. October 2004