Creative Dance (pt.1)

What?

When I think of children’s creative dance, I always thought about those choreographed dances that I was forced to do with my classmates, and then perform for our parents in a giant assembly. I was never introduced to anything like we did in class—dancing to a book. It makes much more sense, now, and I can see how dancing to a story, or even to a school subject, could help with memorization skills and student attention in class.

I have always needed movement in order to help me remember things, so it was nice to realize that maybe all students need movement (and dance) for the same thing. Dance would also help with students who have too much energy to pay attention in class, and could help the shyer students display their ideas and draw them out. It is a way for all students to connect and have fun, while still learning important lessons.

So What?

It is definitely something to consider when going into field—if our cooperating teacher will allow it. We have to teach lessons on Utah Mountain Men and Explorers, and it would be fun to find a story about one or more of them and have the students either dance or act out scenes in the book. Having our experiences from class would help us do this, and make it easier for us to know what to expect in the students we will be teaching.

Now What?

I think using the experiences we receive in class, as well as the ones we get in our Field work, will help in the future as we plan lessons like this for our own classes. I also think going to one of those courses Professor Escalante mentioned would be beneficial, if I ever get the opportunity. I would like to have further experience on how to teach creative dance in my classroom—and you can never have enough instruction yourself.