March 2013
2 posts
5 tags
10 tags
Teaching on your injury: Primary Ages
I never thought this would happen to me, but it did. I was taking a gyrokinesis class, and my mat slipped on a dangerously sick floor.
So many questions came to my mind after the fall. “How will I teach my classes?” In a boot? On a chair? My Dr. Seuss rhyme is running out quickly as I struggle to choreograph with a broken foot and a broken wrist.
After one week out, I was able to...
February 2013
2 posts
4 tags
6 tags
On Leading: You're not a door holder.
We’re back in business at EIM, and as we are nearing closer to the recital, I have been busy creating arrangements (messing around with sound clips on my laptop) and choreographing for my students!
The girls love this part of the year, but with a lingering restlessness from the holiday season…
It’s time to get ourselves in gear. We have about nine classes left until the...
December 2012
6 posts
12 tags
A pleasant surprise
Today, I received some wonderful and unexpected news! An e-mail was sent to thank myself and the company for all we do to help this particular student remain “so excited to go to dance”!
This came as a complete shock to me, because this particular child is having a difficult time finding her place in the group. Because she is very little, she “misses her [stuffed animal]”,...
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How I mixed it up.
This past Monday was the first day of class coming back from a holiday break. You can imagine the girls would be wound up, and bouncing off the walls, invincibly as they do.
I wanted to have a change of pace for the girls, since I knew that I needed to keep each moment of their attention on a rough day back. As you might have read, I’ve been trying to establish a sense of independence in my...
8 tags
Approaching the end of our first season.
We are approaching the end of my first season with EIM. Only five months until recital, and we’re on our way! Our theme this year is “Colors of Dance” and we will be working on fun and creative ways to express ourselves through color.
I’ll ask them: Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
I have a few creative ideas for my dancers, and I’m working hard to...
October 2012
1 post
4 tags
A brief lapse into a guided victory.
The past two weeks, I have been battling all sorts of colds and viruses. I’m finally finishing my second round of antibiotics in the past 3 months, though I battled it like a hyena for its next dinner before settling on a better, a quicker recovery. (A Doctor’s appointment. Who has time?)
There have been a lot of changes in each of my classes, and I have decided to begin updating...
September 2012
9 posts
4 tags
Brockett Beauties 9/26
Are you familiar with baby ballet barre?
I came into class wanting to wipe my slippers across the stage with ballet. As I suspected, I would need to keep the class at a high energy level to follow my lesson plan.
I have two very little girls in my Brockett class, but they love doing just what I do. The older girls love to be exact with their technique, so I give them new and different...
4 tags
Oy Vey!: Oak Grove 9/24
If you all didn’t know yet, I share the gym at Oak Grove Elementary with another awesome teacher, Brooke. She has a class of older girls, while I have 1st grade and under.
Today, we decided on a more rigid schedule for our classes that would help our children stay focused and motivated.
Brooke is now beginning her class right at 3:30- while my little girls silently observe, with their...
4 tags
Brockett Beauties 9/19
Last week, I decided that my Brockett beauties needed some versatility in their lesson plan. I have two Pre-K aged dancers, and four slightly older students.
While some pick up movements quickly, others are learning best with gesture. I taught them a song with gestures that I l was taught as a little girl in my mother’s dance studio. My mom actually just gave me this music, and I need to...
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Oak Grove 9/17: The Sick Clique
Teaching primary aged students takes on a whole different perspective if you aren’t used to the idea of teaching little ones who are just developing boundaries and respect. You’re constantly having to correct behavior at this age!
And that’s okay! So long as you don’t let your students run your class, or eat you alive.
This is a particularly hard skill to gain...
6 tags
6 tags
Brockett Sept. 12, 2012
Hittin’ the stage with style at Brockett this Wednesday.
We have moved my girls to the stage, which has its strong and weak points. Unfortunately, after-care happens on the other side of the curtains before our class begins, so I have to keep a close eye on my little ones.
I am pleased, though. The stage has available chairs, which are helpful for classroom control when I need to change...
5 tags
Oak Grove Elementary, Sept. 10th
What did we learn in class today?
1. How to misbehave on catastrophic levels.
&
2. Jazz Squares
There comes a point where you have to casually ignore the photo-bombing of attention seeking children. By this I literally mean jumping in your face to get your attention.
Unfortunately, during my Monday class, my dancers were only successfully able to go through their warm up and...
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My first class at Brockett Elementary
Wednesday Sept. 5th:
Oh how sweet it was! Today was our first class, and my baby ballerinas are very well behaved and ready to learn.
With little girls (<5) you have to be reasonable with how much they are able to take in! For instance, the class time is smaller, energy level is high, and catering to needs should be manageable (at best!)
We began with Your typical “syllabus...
August 2012
3 posts
7 tags
Oakgrove: Monday, Aug. 27, 2012
Today at Oakgrove, my dancers have their second day of class! Hopefully we’ll have our waiver forms and a few more slipper-clad babies in class.
2:35-2:55 (Snack/coloring supervision/ roll call)
2:55-3 (Cleanup)
3-4 p.m. (Dance class)
We’ll start with a stretch and a warm up.
1.”Lee’s stretch”
Arm pulls to the sun, 8x2
Arm sun circles, 8x4
Touch the floor...
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There's a first time for everything.
I am officially taking on my first teaching job. I will be an instructor for a company that brings dance into elementary, middle, and high school after programs. It’s great because A. We are bringing dance programs into schools that do not already offer a curriculum in such, AND we’re bringing our company into the schools so that children will not need to travel in order to take the...
July 2010
6 posts
1 tag
I know I should have been making myself blog after every-single-day of my work, but it’s just been too much. Because I have just had too much to say and not enough time.
So this may come in installments. Today was my (Last) day of camp. I was in charge of directing 4 plays in 4 different languages. I chose the story, I worked with the kids to choose the set and how their characters would...
3 tags
Hey everyone, I haven’t been tumblring much lately! I have been really busy with balancing my social life and my work life. Trying to lay off the craziness of summer for a few days to recharge. Other than that, I’m doing well.
I’m loving this job, the kids really fufill me, and I feel like all other instances of stress seem to disappear when I begin working with them. The first...
3 tags
My first day.
I wonder how many posts have begun in the exact way. Today was my first day teaching. Sure- I have taught before, but not in a classroom setting, and it is different. I’ve taught girls at sleep-away summer camp who wear bathing suits to dance class, and care very little.
This is more of a show of how I handle children, and the tools I am capable of using to help them learn. It was tough,...
4 tags
lesson plan: week 1
Here’s my lesson plan that I mentioned in my last post!
Week One Scope & Sequence
Drama
Goal for the week: To introduce each age level to pantomime expression and improvisation with the use of concepts pertaining to celebrations and festivities involved in each language section. Each age group will be given the same premise, tailored to their capabilities. Each language will be given...
5 tags
main stage
Today was my first day of work, and I’m really tired, but somehow can’t seem to fall asleep (even for a nap). But something really cool/exciting/surprising happened.
Well- yesterday I was working on my first week lesson plan, scope and sequence. These contain learning objectives, activities and exercises, my weekly goal, what I will assess myself with from the feedback I receive from the...
June 2010
1 post
3 tags
sequence
I just got my first e-mail about my camp news! Exciting, I suppose I need to start planning my first-week lesson plans. Scary!! I guess, I’m more excited than “scared”. If you have any fun theatre games for children, please leave them!
Do you have an idea? Please post :D
May 2010
1 post
new(est) beginnings
This blog is to serve the purpose of documenting and crafting the student teaching I will be doing at the Atlanta International School. Today, I sent in my presentation of projects and activities to the head of the Summer Language Program, and after a few weeks of researching, I think I finally wrapped my head around the vision I want to set on these children!
As soon as I got the job, I was...
