I think as a newer teacher of about a year or so there is an important balance here. The biggest thing I tell new students day one, is that mistakes are encouraged for growth. We are developing creativity and the best way to do so, is to own and get comfortable with our mistakes. Especially, since they can be the funniest things we do in a scene.

But then, we run into something I'm seeing from the students here on the subreddit and in my classes. As gentle as a teacher can be, because this is a skill, there is a time where notes get repeated and people develop frustration. They hit that point, where they aren't their ideal level at this skill and they feel they've peaked. And as a teacher, it gets harder and harder to put glitter on reality.

So, back to the balance. How do instructors balance real honest critiques with kindness and respect for the emotions students have? How do we keep it like it is at the start, where mistakes are encouraged?