Another year ends...
Although my space is clean & clear,
I’m still processing the end of year…
For many years I’ve gone directly from the close of school to teaching an intensive graduate course on “Learning through Movement.” It’s made for a grueling transition to summer vacation, but it’s always given me a chance to take a long view on my work by spending 2 weeks on my soapbox, in support of dance education.
Last year, the university responded to the down economy by canceling summer electives, so I did my year-end processing by leaving immediately for New York City to present at the NDEO Conference.
This year, summer vacation is really here ~~ no teaching, no travel til later… unstructured time with nothing but a list of “to-do’s.”
But still the urge to process the year gone by. So I’ll continue looking at the kids’ reflections. … to enjoy them & mine them for developmental changes that occur from kindergarten to 5th grade, as well as for insights about teaching. I’ve already highlighted kindergarten & 1st grade…
2nd graders danced a medley of cultural dances for the end-of-year performance:
Yakyu ken, a dance about baseball from Japan that has a lot in common with Tanko Bushi & the variations of it that are performed at Obon,
Brown Jug Polka, or Heel ‘n’ Toe Polka, a circle dance with partners from Australia,
and Sasha! from Russia.
And here’s what 2nd graders had to say (let your mouse hover to see if it’s a boy or girl responding):
When we performed, I felt nervous and ecxited at the same time. My stomach was doing flipflops. I learned don’t be nervous. Forget about the crowd and just do what you are supposed to be doing. and you will do a great job.
When we performed, I felt nervous because my mom and my little sister was stairing at me. I learned that you don’t have to be afraid to dance while the audience watch you dance. you can be shy some time but not every time. dancing is really really fun.
When we performed, I felt surprised of how many people I had to perform so many people. I learned that you don’t have to be shy to perform and you have to brave also you got to dance with all you potent energy also you can do different and awesome moves.
We did the “Baseball” dance, “Brown Jug Polka,” and “Sasha!” for our friends and families. When I was danceing in front of the friends me and Flora were haveing fun too on stage and we laugt to much and when I see my grandpa and my uncle and my baby cusin Steven I was haveing more fun and just made them in jonie it and when I was danceing in front of my famally and my famailly friend I was realy scrad and. But it was fun anyway so It wasn’t scary to more and I realy injoyit when my teacher show me the dance I dance it was realy realy fun I realy like it so much this is all I have to say. And one more thing my teacher is the best and she teach us everything we need to do and I just like it so much and the performis is so fun and I am realy enjoy it when I was dancing in front of my family and in front of my friend.
When we performed, I felt fhy, happy, and it was so amazing. I learned that my dad and my mom saw me dance my dad and mom said to me that was amazing.
When we performed, I felt happy and shy scared. I learned that it’s hard to go up stage, and permore to eyerone in the school looking waiting for you to performe. My parents said you did a great job.
It was real fun. I lots of fun with my partner and I fell imprest of my self. I liked what I did. I was realy happy of what I did about my self. I felt kind of shy.
We did the “Baseball” dance, “Brown Jug Polka,” and “Sasha!” for our friends and families. I was kind of shy but when it was the middle of the dance I wasn’t shy anymore because no one laughed and me and Khaleea were adding some tricks to dance when we were doing the Parade. My mom was videoing me and my mom said go Malyun go you rock!
I find it interesting that kids expressed similar thoughts, regardless of the different sentence-starters I gave them — they talk about their feelings, their partners & who was in the audience…
