TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I believe in using a holistic approach to create a tailored educative dance experience. I view each student as a whole individual composed of many unique parts, and my goal is  to develop diversely intelligent learners as physical beings in the areas of cognition, intellect, artistry, and social competence. My goal is achieved through modeling behavior and authentic embodiment of my art form.

 

In addition to passing down generations of revered artistic tradition, my lessons are infused with mindfulness as I teach my students what skills they can use in class to be fully present and how to use these skills effectively. The practice of mindfulness promotes self-awareness in learners thus preparing them for success beyond my class.

 

I believe that deeply personal participation drives positive change. In order to maximize student engagement, I personalize the learning experience through using relevant and appropriate imagery, vocabulary, and music choices. This cultivates trust in my classroom which in turn allows my students to feel safe putting forth their best effort, making mistakes, and self-assessing their work.

 

Arts education is a vessel for empowerment. Through active participation in dance classes students build life skills that prepare them for success in the 21st century. My overarching aim as an educator is to share in the joy of movement with my students in order to cultivate curious, holistically healthy, and socially responsible individuals.

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WHY LEARN DANCE?

 

Dance is a healthful artistic practice that promotes…

• Brain development, cognition, plasticity, and increased brain mass

• Neurogenesis, thus supporting learning and memory functions

• Creative and critical thinking

• Collaboration

• Communication 

• Cognitive processing

• Persistence in problem-solving

• Attention to detail and precision

• Construction of viable arguments

• Ability to identify and make use of structure

• Strategic and extended thinking

• Openness to continual learning

• Innovation

• Taking responsible risks

• Meta-cognition

• Listening with empathy

• Independent and interdependent thinking

• Social competence

• Self-regulation

• Capacity for choice making, goal setting and self-reflection

• Learning in math, reading, science, and social studies

• Higher GPAs and achievement on standardized tests

• Positive school climate

• Success beyond K-12 and college years

• Art appreciation

• Construction of complex knowledge of self in relation to the world

• Community building

• Multisensory engagement

• Positive mood and stress management

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Sources:

A Report on the Impact of Dance in the K-12 Settingpublished by the National Dance Education Organization; Dancing to Learnby Dr. Judith Lynne Hanna; Body, Mind & Spirit in Action by Patricia Reedy

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