Dance
Through reflecting on the readings and the videos, what unique contributions does dance make to a child’s development?I can see a strong link to HPE in terms of body movement, balance and well being, but of course dance should not just be about those things: It is a creative way to express an idea, thought or emotion (Deans, Meiners, & Young, 2012, p. 128). It allows students to learn in a playful and open-ended manner. In addition, students are learning basic dance skills (perhaps without even realising!)
If students can let go of any inhibitions (I'm thinking upper primary) and really let loose, they can likely see how fun and rewarding dance can be.
I'm also very aware of our digital and technological lifestyles, and students may not have ever 'moved' in some of these ways before. Arching, travelling, bending and balancing (and more) can all be explored through simple, fun lessons, and this can help the child's body develop by making use of muscles and moving joints in ways they may not normally experience.
Dance can also teach students about concepts such as respecting other people's space and bodies (Cone, 2012, p. 24). These concepts can be transferred to other areas of their lives, such as sport, playground play and general interactions amongst their fellow peers, friends and family.
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Dance is...
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Resources / Lessons
Dance Til You Drop (Commercial, NSW) - Provides a structured dance program for Primary Schools and Preschools.
TasDance - School programs based in Launceston, Tasmania. Teacher resources & DVD also available.
References
Cone, T. P. (2012). Presenting Essential Content for Children’s Dance. In Theresa Purcell Cone, Stephen L. Cone (Eds.), Teaching children dance (3rd ed., pp. 21-34). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Deans, J., Meiners, J., & Young, S. (2012). Dance: Art Embodied. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeanneret, & J. O'Toole (Eds.), Education in the Arts (2nd ed., pp. 128-144). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford.
I loved your links to other curriculum areas.
ReplyDeleteThe premise that dance comes hand in hand with HPE is one that was prominent in my schooling and I think still prevails today.
I like the idea of spelling your name with your body, it would certainly engage children of all ages and it is something which would be easily done in the classroom.
With both specialist units we are currently studying, time is a huge factor and demands on our time in the classroom will be high. The only way to alleviate these demands would be to plan for these experiences around the core curriculum, something which could be overwhelming to begin with. With reflection and lots of colleague help, hopefully this will be something which will become easier with time and experience.