Final Reflections
Overall, I felt pretty good during the learning process. In the beginning of the class, where we mainly watched videos/read articles and participated in activities in groups, I did not enjoy the class as much as the latter sessions, when students taught themselves. I loved learning from my peers and seeing the individuality each person brought to the classroom. It was fun to practice a variety of styles, especially ones I had not spent much time learning in the past. I think the fact that this course is taught experientially is perfect because it fully encapsulates what we are learning about and gives us an opportunity to see those topics in action.
I am a double major in Community and Applied Psychological Studies and Psychology, and a double minor in History and Dance. Thus, the materials I have learned in this class greatly apply to my field of studies. I hope to attend graduate school for Counseling Psychology and then work as a psychotherapist, preferably with children and adolescents. The importance of meeting people where they are at and empowering them to try, to grow, and to succeed definitely applies in this. As a therapist, I will be working with a vast variety of individuals and thus may need to individualize my plans of action and therapeutic orientations based on the client. For dance teachers, no two students are the same and so giving extra help to those who need it is definitely useful, as it is in the therapy realm. Additionally, the video we watched in class of a yoga/dance teacher turning the lesson into a silly story for young children really resonated with me. I do a lot of work like this when I teach dance to children at my old dance studio where I work, and this approach is very beneficial for children. Being approachable and having a sometimes silly demeanor will also be something I will utilize in the therapy room. Overall, I think there are a lot of similarities between instructing and therapy and many of my takeaways from this class will assist me in my field of studies and future career.
Even though I am under no circumstances a dancer, I still found Methods of Teaching Dance K-12 to be extremely beneficial even just in terms of life skills. During class, we focused a lot on developing a plan and how to handle "what if" situations in the classroom. Most of the time, no matter how much you plan something, there is almost always an obstacle you must figure out how to overcome. Without being able to adapt, compromise, and think on your feet, nothing would get done. We are only human and we have high expectations for ourselves, so nothing will ever be perfect, but the least we can do is figure out how to handle whatever is thrown at us in a calm and effective matter.
The learning process was a really unique experience to be a part as my peers played the role of an instructor or teacher. It forced me to appreciate not only what they were teaching but even more importantly, how they were teaching it. This made the process interesting in that it allowed me to figure out what types of teaching strategies are most effective for me as an individual learner. I could also clearly see how everyone learns differently and what may work for me might not work for the person sitting next to me. I am grateful for getting to experience this first hand as it is something I would not have challenged myself to recognize otherwise.
As I mentioned, I do not consider myself a dancer in the slightest, and at the surface, dancing seems to have no connection with my future career and genuine passions. I am a nursing student and am hoping to one day work in the hospital and potentially become a nurse practitioner. When I first stepped foot in the classroom, I thought I was only taking Methods of Teaching Dance K-12 to balance out my schedule. However, as the semester went on, I quickly realized that that wasn't the case. In my "takeaways from this class" section, I focused on our many discussions regarding adaptation and flexibility. As a nurse, both of these qualities will be essential in order for me to succeed in patient care. I will constantly be moving and having to deal with circumstances that I have never seen before. It is critical that I learn how to adjust if I want to be the best version of myself in a clinical setting.
3
Coming into this class, I was immediately very nervous when the final project was mentioned. I had danced when I was a little girl and had always been involved in sports that incorporated some form of dance; the main ones being gymnastics and cheerleading. I had never felt like the best dancer and my confidence in my skills definitely lowered when I was placed in the back of routines for cheer. I have always had a love for dance, both doing it myself and watching others perform. I think it is such a good way to express oneself and also a true art form. I was excited to take this class because as a psychology major, I love to learn the best methods that make the brain work best. One of the most important ways that contributes to the way a brain develops are the experiences that a person goes through; specifically, in a setting where a teacher is present. I have always found this a fascinating area of psychology and love to learn the way different teaching methods are implemented according to what may help a student learn best.
This class was perfect for my interest in learning about teaching methods because it exposed me to a side, I had not learned much about. I had been involved in some form of dance my entire life, but had never really analyzed the way I was taught or how I learned from certain teachers. I also was excited to get to take a class so different than my others that was highly recommended by some of my friends. I learned about so may teaching methods throughout the course as well as different dances. I learned about not only methods of teaching dance, but also what it takes to run a studio and the different rules that are implemented and must be followed. I also really appreciated our study of the methods that are used for students with disabilities. As a psychology major, this is an especially important topic because there are many neuro-atypical children and adults that do not get to experience things that many enjoy. I felt that the learning process in the class was very supportive and inclusive and really focused on creating an environment where students could thrive.
By the end of our lessons, I was able to knowledgably and confidently build a structured lesson plan for something I really enjoy, yoga and stretching. I appreciated so much that we were able to focus on things we found interesting and confident in to incorporate into our final project. I was very nervous the day of my final project but our professor did a great job of building a comfortable classroom environment. I felt very accomplished once I had been able to come up with my dance plan and present it in front of my peers. What I once feared became one of my biggest accomplishments of the semester. That is one of my biggest takeaways of the semester; even though something may be intimidating and uncomfortable, it is important to establish a comfortable environment to allow everyone to succeed to the best of their ability. I think in any field, this is a very important concept. In addition, it is important to create structure and set expectations by being the best role model positive. This is applicable not only in my field of study, but also in forming friendships and many different aspects of life.
4
Discomfort is when You Grow
Chelse Salnave
This class was a pleasure taking because I was able to learn more about myself through taking it. I would have never seen myself as a teacher, but this class taught me that teaching is about how you can figure out how to convey your love or appreciation to someone in a way that is understandable to any age group. I learned that organization is extremely important because you need to be able to have second and every third courses of action in the event that something goes wrong, which is bound to happen. Above all, the most important thing that I learned is that communication is essential. Without proper communication, there is no way you will be able to teach someone something. Therefore, it is important to always be aware of who you are talking to and to ask questions to make sure your point is coming across.
I would characterize myself as a pretty shy and self-kept person so taking this class took me out of my comfort zone. I also tend to stick to doing things that I actually know, so learning dances was uncomfortable but extremely fun, which I never would have expected. I liked learning about teaching itself and all of its components before we actually ran a class because it helped me to really focus my lesson on something that I knew would appeal, but also be fun to the class. Although I was extremely nervous, I found that I really liked to talk to a crowd of people, especially while teaching them to do something that is near and dear to my heart .
I would apply what I learned to my own field of studies, Business -
Finance/Creative Arts in Therapy/Health Management & Policy, by one, just
doing what makes your feel uncomfortable. In my job, I may be asked to
do a task I have never done before or teach people something I am really
good at. Although I do not like being the center of attention and
normally would have said no, I think this class taught me that
discomfort is when you grow and learn about yourself the most! Aside
from that, this class taught me to try new things. In my profession, I
have a set idea of what I want to do. Now, I feel like I can be more
open and flexible to trying things I would not imagine myself doing
because who knows, I may end up loving it just like I did jazz dance
(which is something I NEVER would have thought before this class!)
5
More Kinesthetic Learning
Kim Wyse-Sookoo
I feel like I have been able to take away many valuable lessons from this class. I now understand more of what it truly takes to be a great teacher, and how I can improve my own teaching methods in the future. Being able to observe others' teaching styles was also very helpful for me, as I was able to learn some new ways of teaching that I would not have thought about on my own. Lastly, I can take away that teaching works its way into everyone's lives, no matter their profession. I think that this class and other education classes are extremely valuable for anyone, no matter what they are planning for their future.
During the learning process, there were times where I definitely felt nervous or unsure of myself, but these times helped me to work on my weaker areas. This class had an extremely open environment where I felt comfortable to try new things and knew that it wasn't the end of the world if I messed up. This class also reinforced the fact that I am very much a kinesthetic learner, and challenged me to think about ways that I could help children similar to myself in academic classrooms where learning is mainly visual and auditory. I am grateful that I got to explore new methods and can leave this class knowing that I am more developed as a teacher than I was when I started the class.
I can apply a lot of what I learned here, outside of dance, towards my degree in Biomedical Engineering. In grad school I will need to be a TA and mentor to younger students, which will be well aided by the skills I have learned and developed in this class. As I mentioned above, I will also try to bring more kinesthetic learning into my teaching methods. Lastly, I can use what I know about the way I learn best to help me stay focused and present my best work in the future.
6
Hands On Approaches
Riley Scheier
This class gave me so many insights into the world of teaching. It was very exciting for me to explore the teaching side of a dance class, as I am normally the student in a dance situation. I learned about having realistic expectations for a studio, the importance of a vision and mission statement, and the importance of properly planning a lesson.
Realistic expectations are so necessary because even though one may have big dreams about one's ideal studio, they have to ensure that each of these desires is viable financially and logistically. A mission and vision statement are crucial to a well-run studio and classroom because they give the instructor a clear idea of what their goals are and a better image of how to get there. Properly planning a lesson is critical to the success of a teacher for many reasons. It ensures that classroom time is filled productively and that there isn't much down time that would allow for misbehavior.
This class provided enjoyable ways to learn the material. By far my favorite method of learning were the more hands on approaches that were taken. Teaching my own class as well as learning from other students provided real-world examples of the importance of the ideas that we learned about and was a very fun way of learning new styles of dance.
As a pre-dental student, the planning aspects of this course will assist me in my planning during my career. Furthermore, learning about how to treat different students with different learning styles and/or disabilities will assist me in working with different types of clients.
7
Purpose
Mikei Sanon
This class was very eye opening to the planning process of teaching dance at various levels. I grew up dancing in both the studio and school settings so, it was interesting throughout the class to see elements I saw being taught to me reflected back in the planning. Many of the things I used to think of as fun filler activities or weird instructional ones, I now understand the purpose of. The interesting parts of the class were the multifaceted elements of teaching dance. The incorporation of disabilities and various levels of dancers really allowed me to understand why some things are done the way they are. Not only is dance supposed to be fun, it should be accessible to everyone.
I reflected a lot on my past dance experiences during this class. While it was very nostalgic to remember my great and awful teachers, I feel as though I got an insight into their philosophy and teaching process. The way the class built on itself, from understanding the different teaching approaches to understanding what we wanted to be as teachers to the final lesson was greatly done. I loved how one lesson built on the previous one even if it was not apparent at the time. It had me thinking about the various aspects of not only teaching in a school classroom setting but also in the dance studio setting.
The activities where we had to immerse ourselves into the classroom atmosphere really set the tone for our final lessons. Getting to see the various styles of teaching that emerged during the final lessons was fun. I got to relive the ways some of my old dance teachers taught and it was fun to see how certain professors influence you as a teacher. The learning process was transformative as I can now take this knowledge and apply it in anything, specifically to my field of Business and Business Technology.
One of the most important things this class has taught me is the value of planning ahead and building off a solid foundation. The class allowed me to take a step back, slow down, really understand the teaching process and look forward to what outcomes I wanted. I’ve often not gone into classes with that mindset of setting the intentions I want in the beginning. Not only that, but this class allowed me to think of multifaceted ways to approach situations. The way this class outlined the different ways to teach, at different levels/age groups and to different kinds of students and brought that to the forefront of things to take consideration of, is something I will continue applying to my field.
8
Lifelong Learning
Bridget Craig
I think the main takeaway from this class I have is that dance can be lifelong learning. I did dance, ballet specifically, when I was younger. Then I started to do rhythmic gymnastics when I was in third grade to ninth grade. Unfortunately, the coaching was not the best and the team was going forward in a direction I did not like, and after not finding another team that was right for me I stopped. Although rhythmic gymnastics isn't exactly dance, I always liked moving around, doing improv and just having fun with it.
As I got older though, I wasn't as confident especially because I was not performing as much (I did with cheer but that was different in my opinion). After graduating high school I was in a mindset that if I was not good enough to continue on a college team or something like that, there was no reason anymore. Adding on a dance minor was my first step at getting out of this mindset, but this class is what showed me that dance can be for all ages with the right lessons and approaches anyone can feel welcome and comfortable expressing themselves. Not everything has to be so serious, and some things really can just be for pure enjoyment.
Another takeaway from this class I had is the importance of mind and body movement throughout the day as a way to deal with stress healthily. I enjoyed some of the lessons that focused a lot on clearing the mind and setting intentions. My intention most of the time would be to not think of anything else during the lesson, just connecting with my mind and body; and taking that hour for myself so that I could have fun with what we were doing without distraction. I think I tend to get stuck in a mindset that a healthy workout has to be at the gym with a combination of cardio and weightlifting, and I have to have a plan for at least an hour. Although I like having a routine, when I get stressed and feel like I don’t have enough time in the day then I fully skip. A good workout can also be just taking 20 to 30 minutes stretching, or doing a fun dance class to get the muscles loosened and moving.
I enjoyed the learning process. Starting off the first half of the semester learning about different teaching methods, how to make a lesson plan and action plan, and how to incorporate activities was helpful when we had to make our own lessons to teach the class. I enjoyed going through everyone's lessons because they demonstrated people's creative side. Even when those who were more new to dance came up with unique ideas of how to teach something fun while still maintaining everyone's comfortability.
I liked when some people would teach similar lessons but would have a spin on them whether that would be through activities or affirmations. I was always excited for class because it was fun to do the different activities and have it be a surprise every time. I was able to try things I had not been able to before, such as tap, and was able to enjoy things that I used to do when I was in high school or younger, such as cheer. I think everyone presenting their lessons was a good way to also bond the class even further. Since we had already been working on previous projects and discussion posts throughout the semester, it made us already more familiar with one another. The ambience of the class was very relaxing, welcoming, and friendly.
When I had to create my lesson, I originally wanted to do a line dance. Then I wanted to do something that would have more of an activity aspect to it which is why I made up my stretching flow class with the mirroring activity. I honestly was quite nervous going into my lesson day, but everyone in the class is always very respectful and willing to participate which is why about halfway through the lesson I felt much more relaxed. Afterward, I was very happy with how it went and did not know why I was nervous in the first place.
After undergrad, I would like to attend law school either focusing on criminal or international law. One of my friends from high school who graduated a few years before I did is on a similar path graduating undergrad this year and also pursuing law school, and in her free time, she likes to coach tumbling and stretching classes for little kids. She says she wanted to be on the cheer team at her college but it didn't work out so she began teaching and loves it. This is something I have kept an open mind about for my future because I did love rhythmic gymnastics so much, do it for so long that I do have the knowledge to teach about the subject, and now that I have taken this class I feel more comfortable being able to make lesson plans and knowing what to do to keep a certain age group engaged.
Currently, I am double majoring in political science and criminology with a minor in dance, which I think already resonates with how I would continue to use what we learned in my field of studies. My minor was originally business law and I changed it because I wanted to always have the arts featured in my life somehow, and although it is not what I want to pursue in my career does not mean I can’t have it incorporated into my hobbies or other work I do just for fun.
I think also an important lesson we emphasized in class is tailoring a lesson plan to the age group, which can resonate with really anyone’s career. It is important to change how one approaches a situation to make others feel comfortable, what kind of language to use, and how to get across your message best depending on who it is being pitched to. I definitely saw dance as a more engaging and fun way to learn life’s lessons and apply them in a grander scheme of careers.
9
Deep Gratitude
Destini Stewart
This class truly exposed me to a field that I have not been exposed to before. As a STEM, pre-med student, teaching was never really on my mind as a future profession, but this class has shown me how important and influential teaching children is. Furthermore, I never really understood the complexity of teaching; there are so many aspects and components that teachers must account for to have a class run smoothly. In addition, I learned that most of the time, teachers have to be quick on their feet when things do not go as expected to, again, have their classroom run as smoothly as possible. From this class, despite already having an immense respect and appreciation for most of my teachers, I feel a deeper gratitude for many of my current teachers, as well as past teachers.
During the learning process, I felt that I was never judged for my answers; everything I would say really did feel heard. I felt that you would analyze the videos or passages we had to read at the perfect speed and in the right way for us to understand. As previously mentioned, I am a STEM student, so teachers tend to move at an alarming rate and do not consistently ask us if we understand what we are learning. In this class, it was completely different, which I appreciated very much. I also appreciated being able to work in groups; working in groups is something I always favored because being able to get other classmates’ perspectives on topics has always made me learn more than just having my interpretation.
From this class, I have learned the best ways to work with children, which will prove useful for when I am a pediatric doctor of some sort in the future. Being compassionate and optimistic are key characteristics that I have learned that are the most important when working with kids, and even adults. From this class, I feel I understand children better, in terms of what they want and need, which will be essential when taking care of them. Also, in life, things do not always go the way you plan, and through this class, I have learned to prepare for the obstacles that may arise in my journey to becoming a doctor, as well as when I am a doctor.
10
Bringing Good Energy to the Class
Daniella Barrett
My takeaway from this class is the importance of getting more insight about teaching dance. I also learned what elements are required from a good teacher. I found it interesting that even if your students have disabilities, you can still teach them dance. You just need to learn to adjust to other’s disabilities or injuries and learn to work around them. There were some examples in class where the student had a lower limb injury and could only do movements on the upper body.
I felt like it was important for me to get out of my comfort zone and experience the ability to teach a class for 20-30 minutes. I was very nervous going into that, but I learned a lot from it since I got feedback from my fellow classmates and the professor.
Learning different dance choreographies from student’s mini-lessons was at first very hard, but I feel like the more I did it, the better I could remember them. I also realized the importance of facial expressions during teaching. I realized how essential it is to pay attention to the way you express yourself through your body
I felt a little bit out of my comfort zone from time to time, however I learned to dance freely without really thinking about others around me. Learning how to teach was also interesting since I hadn’t done it before. I learned a lot from my teaching experience and how I want to improve it if I get the chance to do it again at some point.
I might teach golf camps in the summer. Thus, being more mindful of student’s disabilities and that different strategies work different;y for different people is important. I also learned that I should always have a “teaching plan B” so that I won’t have dead time when there isn’t anything to do. Kids get distracted very easily so it is important to always have something to do. Being engaging and bringing good energy to the class is very important. I didn’t realize how much effort goes into lesson planning.
11
Life Becomes Much Easier
Anna Backman
I feel this class really taught me a lot. I have never taken a class about anything teaching related in the past, so most of the things learned in this class were new information for me. Firstly, the classes held by the student taught me a great deal of different ways to moving our bodies. I didn’t only learn new dances, but I also learned how we can explore the surrounding space, different heights and directions of it, emotions, and even feelings through dance and movement. These classes taught me how dance and creating choreographies can be used as an expression and a way of telling a story.
When it comes to the other parts of the course, which is mostly the time in the first half of the semester, I learned more about the actual teaching part. I learned what student-oriented, process-oriented, and goal-oriented ways of teaching are and how they differ from each other. This made me understand, that if I was ever to teach a group of any kind, I would want my teaching to be student-and process-oriented, instead of focusing on the goals and grades at the end.
I also learned, that when teaching kids, the way of teaching needs to be modified based on the ages and the individuals in the group. For younger kids and kids with disabilities, the way of teaching needs to be more fun and engaging, so that the kids won’t lose their interest, but they also need more assistance. One more thing that also really stuck with me from this class was that when planning a lesson, you have to plan for more than the actual amount of time you have during your lesson. This way, if something happens and everything on the schedule gets done before the class time is over, there is always something else to do, instead of just standing around.
This is also very important with younger kids, because as soon as they get no instructions, their minds start to wonder and they can possibly start misbehaving and running around. However, there is a great possibility that I won’t be teaching dance specifically in the future. This is why I find it great that the information learned from this class is something that can be applied to not only any teaching situation, but life overall.
I feel that this learning process really developed me as a student, teacher, and a human. At first, when I wasn’t really familiar with the teaching process yet, all the information coming in during the first classes was quite a lot to digest and sometimes even hard to understand. However, after we discussed the topic throughout the whole semester, everything cleared up and it felt like the pieces of the puzzle were finding their way into the right places. Week by week and class by class it was easier to understand what teaching requires and what are the best ways to approach it with.
I feel like I became more comfortable with the idea of teaching during the semester. One of the most important learning processes in this class I think was the lesson I had to teach to the whole class. I’ve never liked presenting anything or being the focus of attention, which is a big part of teaching. Everyone is looking at you, everyone hears what you say, and you have all the power to affect the students of the class. The idea of teaching the class was a little scary to me, to be honest, but as soon as it was done, I realized there was no reason for me to be nervous about it. I actually quite ended up enjoying teaching, and I think it was really important for my learning process to get out of my comfort zone. Overall, I really enjoyed growing as a teacher and a person, and I really enjoyed learning new and being able to then utilize the learned information in action.
Lastly, when it comes to applying the learned material to my own field of studies, I think it actually fits very well. At the moment, my field of studies is psychology. If I really think about what psychology is and what a psychologist does, it is basically teaching the patient to know themselves and their emotions better, as well as advising them how to be comfortable with those feelings and how to react when they emerge. In this class, everything I learned about the practice of teaching is something I could apply in the future and in psychology.
As said, I learned that I find the student-and process-oriented ways of teaching better, and this is definitely something I would use if I one day became a psychologist. I would want my patients to work on and learn about themselves instead of thinking that something is wrong with them and they need to be fixed or healed. I would want them to understand that everyone is different and that as soon as they are able to accept themselves and the events happening around them, and that they can only control what they can control, life becomes much easier.
In addition, if I was ever to work with kids on my field of studies, I have now gained a better understanding about what kids need in order to learn. They need to be given something to do so that they stay engaged in the process. For example, they could draw what they are feeling to then dance to it.
Overall, many of the things I learned from this class can be applied in the field of psychology, and I’m very glad I got to understand them already at this point of my life.
12
Working with my Body Instead of Against It
Hannah Porter
When I think back to last fall when I was picking my classes for the upcoming semester, I was so oblivious to the impact that this class would have. In all honesty, I took DAN385 because I needed a 300-level elective to graduate, and I thought that dance in my opinion was surely more interesting and fun than a science class. As I am now sitting here reflecting on the semester, I cannot even put into words the amount of gratitude I feel to have chosen to take this class with Professor Jorge. This class has taught me more about myself, my journey as a student, and life in general than I could ever wish for.
Although I learned a plethora about the methods of teaching Dance, I learned so much more than simply what the curriculum was based on. I learned how important it is to treat everybody with kindness and respect. I learned the importance of accommodation and making sure that everyone in not only the classroom, but in life, feels welcome, comfortable, and safe to learn and explore. I learned that sometimes things don’t always go as a plan, and that pivoting can actually be a quite beautiful thing. I learned that I don’t always have to take myself so seriously.
I often am so quick to criticize myself for not being “good” at something. This class guided me to accepting that there is no one way to dance, and I can be “good” in my own way. As someone who struggled with a life-threatening eating disorder for several years, I always viewed movement as a way to punish myself, burn calories, and change the way I look. This class taught me that movement can be a million different things, all having nothing to do with punishing oneself or in efforts to change your shape. I learned the beauty of tending to my body and appreciating the amazing and wonderful things that it can do for me. I feel like this class truly taught me to work with my body instead of against it.
Although I initially believed that this class would not apply to me career path, I was so wrong in thinking that way. I have always dreamed of becoming a Yoga instructor ever since I found my passion for yoga while recovering from my eating disorder. I haven’t had time to pursue my YTT training, however, this class motivated me to do so. I realized that being a teacher does not mean being a history professor, or preschool teacher, but it can mean so much more. Being a yoga teacher, I can take the skills that I learned in class and apply them to my practice one day. For when I eventually become a Yoga teacher, I now know the importance of having a plan. While that plan may not always go accordingly, we learned that teachers must be ready and flexible to accommodate to various situations. For example, if a yoga student has an injury, I must be accommodating to their situation, and offer movements that they too can participate in. Life is all about being flexible and ready to pivot when something doesn’t go as planned.
During the learning process, I often felt overwhelmed with information on how to be the best teacher and leader possible. I thought about the possibilities in a yoga class if someone were to feel uncomfortable and unsafe and would feel myself panic with thoughts of failure. However, I am trying to unlearn these self-deprecating habits, and with the guidance of Professor Jorge, I was able to challenge those negative thoughts. The thought of being a teacher in a real classroom frightened me at the start, but by the end of the semester, I can confidently say that I am willing and able to be a strong and brilliant teacher and leader. I feel as if without this class, I would have never felt ready to stand in front of a yoga room and guide the class.
The first few weeks of class dedicated to learning the different methods of teaching, and the details of how to make a lesson plan and execute it well, helped set me up for the real time activities later in the semester in which I would guide the class and become that teacher I was learning about. Overall, the entire learning process in this class was so beneficial and rewarding.
While I just saw that the last guiding question was how I would apply what I learned to my own field of studies, and I answered that throughout my entire reflection upon how I will be a Yoga teacher, I can also apply it to my career. I plan to work in Media Management, specifically the fashion and beauty industry. While this is not a teaching field of any sort, I can apply so many of the lessons to my future career. For example, we learned the importance of keeping the room engaged, attentive, and responsive. If I am ever in a meeting and discussing an idea I have, I will be more inclined to demand the attention of the room, and I learned so many ways to help engage my audience. If I do not have the eyes and ears of those listening to me, I won’t get anything done. I will make sure to accommodate to my team of colleagues and make sure that everyone feels safe and supported in the work environment.
My main takeaway from this class was looking at dance from a different angle. I started competitive dance at eight years old and I always viewed it as a hobby that required my physical and emotional dedication. This class taught me that that was only possible because of the excruciating planning my teachers put into it every day. I always knew that my dance teachers worked hard to choreograph dances and teach us steps, but I never knew the grunt work that went into each second of class. I had a lot of trouble writing the lesson and unit plans the first time we looked at them. Planning every step seemed unnecessary and tedious. By the time I got to the final lesson, I fully understood the necessity for having plan A, plan B and plan C when working with children ages K – 12. This class gave me a fantastic understanding of working with children and how dance classes can be so much more than simply movement. I think I also developed a new level of respect for my dance teachers, and I am very grateful for that.
The learning process was a roller-coaster for me. At the beginning of the semester, I came into the class feeling very confident. I took Teaching Dance to Children with Carol a semester or two before and thought this class would be a breeze. I played myself a little bit by doing that because I sat down in class and was very overwhelmed. Once I let go of what I thought I would be learning, the process became much simpler. I had trouble writing the unit and lesson plans at first. Having the practice of writing a bunch of different lesson plans on the Discussion Boards was immeasurably helpful to me. Overall, I feel like I learned a lot by doing in this class and that is the most effective way for me to learn. I liked how the entire class was taught in the way that you were teaching us to teach. Obviously, I loved both classes because I ended up taking another one!
I am a Criminology major with a minor in Dance. I plan on going to law school after I graduate in Spring 2023 and am currently studying for the LSAT. The first thing I learned in this class is that the teacher, or leader, creates the class, or group. I expected my Teaching Dance to Children class and my Teaching Dance to Children (K -12) class to be the same, but they were drastically different. Both taught about curriculum, movement that is important to development and dance as a teaching tool. This class taught me the importance of preparedness and scheduling. Having to account for every minute of a class to keep children safe taught me that I must be ready for anything that comes my way, teaching or not. As a lawyer, I will need to be sharp and on the ball 100% of the time. The only sure-fire way to achieve that is to be over-prepared and over-qualified.
14
Learning in Their Own Style
Saidah Lopez
As a future teacher, there were so many crucial takeaways for me. Teaching and dance are both passions of mine and having the entire semester to explore their cohesion was so exciting. Lesson planning is difficult, you have to be prepared while also giving your students the opportunity to learn in their own style. I think dance has proven to be one of the best methods of both pushing people and comforting them; I will most certainly be incorporating it into my future classroom!
Surprisingly, the process seemed to come naturally to me. I typically dread lesson planning, as I find it can be extremely frustrating to put so much time and consideration into a unit, only for students to still remained disengaged or struggle heavily. In this class however, it was so easy for me to feel inspired while creating lessons and even more gratifying to have my peers genuinely enjoy my class.
I hope to incorporate movement into my classroom in some way. I feel like especially with young students, it motivates them to learn and have a positive connotation to the classroom. As I envision it now, dance would be a sort of reward before lunch period as a good form of release for students. It would be something my students look forward to, that would allow for a new type of connection between their peers and me, their educator.
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http://questgarden.com/99/93/2/100405164118/conclusion.htm
Not Just About Reaching a Goal
Brianna Djonovic
This class has opened my eyes to a lot of techniques of teaching dance, which I truly am grateful for. My main takeaway from this class is being prepared for every class that I teach and having my day planned out. With that said, I know it is important to not just focus on a schedule of things I want to accomplish during class, but to move at a pace that is appropriate for my students and their needs. A class is not just about reaching a goal but making the student leave with more knowledge or feeling better than they did when they came in. I have taught some dance classes before and I had not realized about asking students if they need the material to be slowed down or if they need help that often. I’ve also shown up to teach and been unprepared, which now I will work on because I know it is not acceptable for students.
Another thing I took away from this course is the cool down. I personally have not taken many dance classes where I cooled down at the end, but I really like the idea and find it relaxing and a way to appreciate what I learned from the class. I will incorporate this into the next classes I teach. Overall, the importance of the students over myself as a teacher has been ingrained into my mind from this class, and is something I too am passionate about.
During the learning process, I felt connected to the ideas of the class and a passion to learn. A course in teaching dance is something I did not realize the importance of at first, but as we went through the process I felt eager to learn how to be a good teacher. I felt very connected with my peers and loved the social aspect of working in groups and the demonstrations we did. I love learning from other people’s ideas and it gave me a chance to learn from my peers. I really enjoyed teaching my own class and seeing others take part in my ideas and perform them. I also appreciated how everyone taught their own class and had been given a chance to share their own style of teaching, which I really took away from.
Everyone’s classes gave variety and allowed me to experiment in many styles of dance which was fun and made me feel a little bit more well rounded. Additionally, the learning process of this course was not too overwhelming and I feel we went at a great pace and the order of lessons was helpful. I like the incorporation of many different teaching materials, like group demonstrations, videos, lectures, and the questions that made me critically think.
I plan to use the information I learned in this class in multiple aspects in my studies. First, I am majoring in Business, and I will take the points of being prepared for meetings and work into accounting, and this can help me be more professional and confident in the field. Also, communication and making sure people are following along is important. Additionally, I plan to open my own dance studio, and it is important to me that my students are comfortable and want to keep coming back to my classes. With knowing how to be prepared and accommodating for my students I can ensure this.
It is also important to me to be a mentor to my students rather than just a teacher, as throughout my years of training in dance I have always been more passionate in the areas where my teacher had stood as a mentor. I aim to inspire my students just as you have inspired me Professor Morejon! You are a passionate professor and dance instructor, and your essence is something I want to emanate to my own students in the future. I thank you and appreciate you for all of your wisdom.
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A Small Family and a Safe Space
Deborah Zagales
This semester I learned about the ins and outs of what it takes to not only be a teacher but to be a good teacher who actually makes an impact on their students. One main takeaway was that every student is teachable. We see it from a young age that some students are more “difficult” and therefore most teachers wont have the patience to create a one on one interaction with them to get through to them. Instead these student may fall behind and not get the same knowledge and experiences that other “easier” students get. Mr. Morejon not only preached this individual care for students, but practiced it. It was emphasized how these students aren’t so much difficult but they just learn in a different way.
The learning process was exactly what we were being taught to do. I feel like every student was involved and the teacher never really got mad if students fell behind but instead worked on the problem and provided solutions with gentle reminders. It was a great atmosphere all around. What really made a difference in the experience was the teacher student interaction, where it felt like a small family and a safe space from busy schedules and school work.
In my own field of studies, Nursing, and in life in general, something can be taken away from this class and especially the instructor. Patience, communication, and understanding of those I work with whether they work below me or on the same level. It’s important to try to see things from other’s perspectives to reach a common goal. In almost all work related endeavors, I will have to work with others and the practice with interactions and presenting in front of others makes me feel prepared.
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The Instructor's Perspective
Dayzha Cartright
Thanks to this class, I was able to learn so many lessons that I will take with me as I continue throughout my career. One of the many takeaways from this class that I learned was the importance of planning. Planning allows us to be prepared for every scenario that may occur. Planning also assist an educator, like me, to have complete control of my classroom so that students stay engaged and behave while learning.
Another takeaway that I learned from this class is to meet my students at their level. By meeting my students where they are, I can holistically assess where they are in learning the material. This will also help me in assisting the child develop their confidence. The important influence a dance instructor or educator has on a student’s life is another takeaway from this class that I learned. I learned that sometimes we are the only individuals that make the student feel loved and important. Therefore, it is my responsibility to actively listen to the child so that they feel valued. Lastly, I learned how dance should be made accessible to all no matter their social/economic status, if they have disabilities, race, or gender, as there are so many benefits that dance can have on the health and life of an individual.
During the learning process, I felt good. The way how things were communicated during the learning process, made it easy for me to grasp the concepts. Being around other students, also really encouraged me to become the best educator that I can be. In terms of learning how to create lesson plans, I thought that it came naturally. I think it was easy for me because I enjoy having a set schedule or plan, so that I know exactly what I am supposed to be doing. The one part of the learning process that was somewhat difficult for me was when I had to figure out ways to praise or reward my students. Learning how to reward my students was somewhat difficult because I had to think of creative ways that would let them know that they are doing a great job. Overall, this class and the learning process allowed me to continue to learn about dance from a different perspective, specifically the instructor’s perspective.
I will apply what I learned from this class into my own field of studies in multiple ways. As a future nurse, I do believe that I am and will be considered an educator as I will be instructing other’s on how to achieve and maintain optimal health. There will be times when I will have to explain how to do something to a patient, so that when they are released home, they know how to take care of themselves. Also, as a nurse, I must listen to what the patient says, just like how a teacher should/must listen to their students. One thing that I learned from this class was the importance of having a welcoming environment as a teacher. I want to incorporate this into my own field of studies so that my patients feel comfortable telling me how they feel and what they need.
In this class I really felt like I learned how to be able to control a classroom. I know in classrooms there are often times children who have a hard time focusing or staying on track. This can be a challenge for teachers and I really believe it’s important to understand how to control this behavior. Even though I am not taking a path of being a teacher, it is still important to understand how to be able to help redirect wrong behaviors. Additionally I learned a lot about writing a lesson plan and how to effectively use it. The last few weeks of class were my favorite as we were able to effectively use the teaching methods we learned and connect them to dance. I really liked seeing everyone's different ways of teaching, and being able to teach my own lesson. The planning part of it was really fun to make sure everything was done correctly and had to make sure it would work out in the classroom with all the students.
Throughout this class I felt like I learned a lot. A lot of the days in class were dedicated to learning different things about effective teaching strategies. I also liked being able to come up with objectives and try to reach them. Throughout the class I felt more comfortable in lesson planning and teaching strategies. It was really helpful to actually be able to do a hands on project at the end of the semester. That really made me feel comfortable in my teaching abilities.
My career path has changed throughout my years at college. My major originally was education so I did feel like I had a lot of background knowledge before taking this course. However, now my career choice is real estate. When I start off I will definitely have a mentor and will learn from them. In their methods of teaching I can see what I like and don’t like in order to carry that on in the future when it is my turn to mentor someone or have someone look up to me. Although I wont be dealing with children there will be a point in time where I will have to learn effective teaching strategies to teach someone who is trying to learn from me. The teaching methods I learned in this class will definitely help me moving forwards!
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What is Most Important for Me as a Teacher
Patrick Haskell
I learned a lot during the semester and am grateful to be leaving with valuable lessons that I plan to carry with me for the rest of my life. The course covered a variety of topics that will assist me in not only being a teacher, but a strong leader. The class flipped the traditional student-teacher dynamic and I was able to take a class from a new perspective. I enjoyed learning about the Toltec curriculum and think that the West can learn a thing or two from it.
Education has become competitive and we’ve observed a decline in mental health in children across the country. I think it is important that we reform our system and include concepts of the Toltec curriculum like meditation and martial arts that will benefit students’ physical and mental well-being. Engaging in activities like the teaching philosophy, mission statement, and vision statement prompted me to reflect on my objectives as a teacher and the values I want to prioritize in my classroom. I realized that creating an inclusive, safe environment for students of all backgrounds and abilities is what is most important for me as a teacher.
I found interest in exploring the difference in coaching, mentoring, and teaching since they are concepts that are often incorrectly used interchangeably. I hope to serve not only as a teacher, but a mentor to my students. Creating connections is extremely important to me as I am a friend to my students before I am their teacher. I had fun creating my own dance company and a flier to accompany it. I feel I learned valuable skills that go into running a dance company that can also translate into whatever occupation I end up in. I had fun creating lesson and unit plans because it allowed me to examine the behind the scenes of how to run a classroom. An important takeaway from this is to always over-plan. I appreciated how we not only looked to the National Dance Education standards to see what we liked, but we were also encouraged to note how we would change it.
The environment Jorge established urged us to think creatively and never accept the status quo. I enjoyed investigating different learning theories and decided the humanism teaching style is most related to the values I hope to promote in my classroom. At the end of the day, my most important goal is to create better human beings and convey life lessons to my students that will last a lifetime.
It was beneficial to review the classroom rules, redirecting behaviors, and positive consequences. It is important to note when students are beginning to misbehave and bring them back on track. The use of positive consequences, whether short term, intermittent, monthly, or once a year will help to encourage students to behave properly. I am sure I will implement some kind of system similar to this in the future whether it be in a teaching position or as a dad.
Learning about dance in relation to people with disabilities was an important topic to cover. As teachers, we must be ready to accommodate anyone and modify our lesson plan to fit people of all abilities. It is part of my teaching philosophy and mission to create an inclusive environment. I enjoyed how we used the latter half of the semester to apply our knowledge and become the teacher. I had fun learning about lessons like cheer, tap, stretching, hip-hop and mindfulness. It was also an amazing experience to teach societal trends and a tiktok dance to the class. While learning through assignments and activities help to convey information, nothing compares to executing it yourself. The semester was full of valuable lessons and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take the class.
I had a lot of fun while taking the course. I appreciated the use of different modes of instruction like videos, written reflections, and hands-on assignments. I prefer kinesthetic learning, which is why I feel I was able to learn so much during the class. The professor understood the importance of executing the lessons conveyed in videos and readings, so I was able to experience the material first-hand. I enjoyed the material being taught and having the opportunity to teach part of class. While I was a little nervous to switch the traditional teacher-student role, I was grateful to have the opportunity.
The lessons taught during the semester are not confined to a teacher occupation. The class taught valuable skills like leadership, which can be translated into whatever occupation I end up in. I am minoring in dance here at the University of Miami and while I am not entirely sure what I want to do with it yet, I hope to be dancing to some degree after college. If I have the opportunity to run a dance class, I feel more than prepared to plan the logistics, advertise it, and run it.
The lessons taught have also developed skills to work with children. Concepts such as positive consequences, redirecting behavior, and classroom rules have demonstrated ways to work with children and keep them engaged and on task. I work at a summer daycare program and am excited to implement some of these lessons with the children I work with. I currently major in International studies and am adding a job in public administration, which may involve public policy and management. I will create a safe and welcoming environment in which mental health is a priority.
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Different Areas of Knowledge
Katy Hook
In this self-reflection paper I will be reviewing my experiences taking the DAN 385 Methods of Teaching Dance course taught by Professor Jorge Morejon. I was excited for this class because I have always taken dance classes where I am the learner. However, this was going to be my first time learning what it was like to be on the teaching side. I have had dance teachers who I have admired and some who I did not like their style of teaching as much. This class allowed me to look behind the curtains and see why those teachers taught the way they did. It was a very introspective class, and I am excited to take what I have learned with me through my life.
While this was a class for teaching dance, I learned a great deal about education in general. Dance teachers are thought to be different from traditional educators, and for some instances they are, but they are still teachers. Learning about basic teaching philosophies, learning styles, and how to reinforce good classroom behavior all can translate to different areas of knowledge. However, I also enjoyed learning the dance-specific aspects of teaching. Being able to design the ideal dance studio was fun to learn, since the teaching environment is important for the students’ ability to learn. It was also interesting to learn about the basic qualities of movement and how important those are to establish before introducing more complex dance topics. This class was able to cover both general and dance-specific education, both of which I am grateful to have learned.
My field of study is athletic training, which branches off from sports medicine. Athletic training is concerned with injury prevention, treating injuries, emergency care, and rehabilitation of injuries. Another valuable part of athletic training is education. What I have learned during my 4 years studying at this university is that educators make all the difference, and this applies to both classroom educators and clinical educators. I do not have plans to become a professor. I do, however, have an interest in becoming a clinical preceptor, who is someone that oversees a student’s clinical and hands-on education.
Unfortunately, there is no class or degree necessary to be someone’s clinical preceptor. Thus, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to take this class, as I will be able to translate the knowledge to being a clinical preceptor. For example, it is common for educators to have a teaching philosophy. If I apply that to myself, it may be easier for the clinical coordinator, who assigns students to preceptors, to be able to make a better pairing between me and a student. This is one example of many, and it makes me excited to become an educator.
I thoroughly enjoyed this class. From the topics we covered to everyone being allowed to teach their own dance lesson, I have genuinely had a great time learning. I used to take dance lessons when I was younger, and I had always thought about going back to teach kids, but I was never really sure of my own abilities. After being in this class, I feel much more confident. I also enjoyed how this class allowed me to meet new people. Often in other classes, you go in, you sit down, then you leave. This class is more interactive, so I was able to develop relationships with the other students.
This semester is my last one at the University of Miami. Before starting this class, I felt lucky that I had the opportunity. After this class, I feel the same. The knowledge I have gained and the experiences I have felt made this class one of my favorites in my undergraduate education. Not only did I enjoy the class itself, but I cannot wait to continue to apply this class to my own life.
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Sharpening Skills Across Domains
Maria Broom
Dance 211 was an amazing opportunity for me to use all the things that I have learned in various dance classes and expand my comfort zone by trying new things. I found that the classes at the beginning were perfect for learning how to organize various ideas for teaching and my eyes were opened to different ways of doing so. One of my favorite classes was when we learned about the mindfulness initiative that was brought to some schools and made available for purchase, I had never seen something like that before. I felt like this is something that should be more widespread so that it could have the opportunity to impact more generations, but unfortunately it is still only utilized in a limited number of schools and private institutions. I feel like that kind of educational technique would be beneficial to every child (if they choose to try it fully), and it would help children develop and sharpen skills across domains.
This class was intimidating at first because I have never taught a proper class before this semester. I had done a few yoga classes for my fraternity, but I had never done something outside of a small group of friends who already knew me. I was intimidated at first by the thought of teaching a class full of experienced dancers, many of whom are likely to be far more experienced than me, but I was supposed to have something to teach them? That seemed very unlikely to me at first, as I still have a lot to learn about dance and myself before I would feel confident teaching adults or young adults.
I was very happy with the different kinds of things that everyone was bringing in for their presentations. I wanted mine to be creative in some way and I think I achieved that. I was happy with the content of my project. I also believe I could have made it more cohesive and precise. I was grateful to see how everyone else also had their unique strengths and parts I may not have loved but I learned something each time anyway. This class was usually one of few I looked forward to this semester as it enabled me a time to reflect and adapt and express and that will always be very valuable to me.
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I loved Learning
from Our Peers
Alex Francois
This class taught us the importance of planning, always being ready for unforeseen events, and the importance of giving students a great warmup or cool-down to start their day. It was highlighted how important it is to fully plan out each individual lesson and class.
We saw this with how professor prepared each discussion board for every class. It is also very important for teachers to have lesson that can incorporate every student so that no one feels left out. Ultimately it is important to let your vision and mission statement guide your lesson planning process.
I really enjoyed the learning process. We started out watching and reading videos and articles. We also did many group activities which highlighted our lesson for each class. Towards the end I loved learning from our peers and seeing how their personalities affected how and what lesson of dance they decided to teach.
I am a finance major, so I will not have many opportunists to implement different methods of teaching dance. However I will be able to take with me the confidence I gained when teaching an entire dance class. The methodology of how to create a lesson plan is going to be useful and many financial endeavors. Lastly I will be taking with me the way to learn and teach new material.
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My Insight was Valuable
Kenz Assaf
Although I would not consider myself a dancer, I had many takeaways from this class. The most prominent one being how much I actually enjoy teaching. One thing I really got to understand from this class was how important it was to recognize each students level and make sure you're creating an open space where your students feel at ease and comfortable with being themselves. This was a concept that was heavily emphasized during our lessons and one that I think is incredibly important in all aspects of life. After my mini lesson, I saw these new skills that I learned in class come to light, and I am glad I was able to demonstrate my growth throughout this beautiful learning experience. I really think this class has allowed me to become a more understanding and more effective communicator which in turn, helped me better empathize with students and better understand their needs.
During the learning process, I must admit that I was a bit confused at first considering as I said before, I had no prior knowledge of dance, nor have I ever considered myself participating in that field. However, as the class progressed and I got more comfortable, I was able to fully immerse myself into the experience thanks to the way that the class was structured. I am incredibly grateful to have had a professor who understood where I was at with my lack of dance experience, but I never felt odd or unheard. I actually always felt as though my insight was valuable, which made me even more motivated to participate and willing to learn. It is unfortunate my ankle was injured towards the end and I was unable to fully physically participate in some of the mini lessons, but I always felt engaged and included which was great. I feel as though everyone in the class was able to truly showcase their skills and talents because of the learning process that was followed in the class. Overall, the skills I learned in this class from this learning experience have motivated me into becoming a Pilates instructor!
Considering I am now in the process of starting to train to become a Pilates instructor, this class has helped me more than I could have ever imagined! This class showed me the importance of recognized each students level and needs. It has also showed me the importance of having multiple back-up plans when things may not go as anticipated. In addition, this class exposed me to learning approaches that I will be applying in my own classes hopefully one day. Also, as I mentioned before this class has made me a better communicator which is applicable to three of my fields of study in International Affairs, Communication, and Entrepreneurship. Each of the things I learned in this class can be easily applied in all of these fields and will help me in more ways than one. I am truly grateful that I got the opportunity to be a part of this class and am even more grateful that it helped me realize my passion for teaching which as a result, has pushed me into becoming a teacher myself!
Once again, this class was truly an eye opening and excellent way to end my college journey, and I will forever remember it!
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Change Your Plans at Any Time
Julie Rice
I feel as though I have gained a lot of knowledge that I can use in many different aspects of my life. While I do feel more equipped to open a dance studio and teach my own classes, I also feel as though I have learned a lot about humans in general. As an education minor, a lot of what I learned in this class goes hand in hand with what I have learned in the School of Education. Should I inevitably become an educator, DAN 385 has provided me with an even stronger foundation on how to teach.
I really loved the learning process in DAN 385. I liked that there was learning from readings, videos, and discussions. Then, I liked that we took the time to combine everything that we have learned in the Mini Lesson project. The different ways of learning the material helped me grasp the concepts more easily as I was given the opportunity to look at it from 360 degrees.
One of the biggest things I feel I learned is the importance of empathy and flexibility. This semester was very challenging for both my physical and mental health. I know now that if I have a student who is in a similar situation one day, I should treat the student with care and respect and help them navigate whatever is going on. There is no reason to get upset with them, as they are doing their best.
The empathy I received as a student in this class is something I will remember and, if I become an educator, it is something I will most certainly try to emulate. I also had to be flexible and complete my work in different ways than my peers because of everything I had going on. As an educator, you never know what might arise and therefore you have to be ready to change your plans at anytime.
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