The Magic of Dance
Some stories are told verbally, some are expressed in writing and others through art. Dance is a physical art which permits emotions to be portrayed through movement. Dance is a compulsory aspect of the Alberta physical education curriculum, promoting kinesthetic awareness and contributing to the physical literacy of the student. Spatial and body relationships are developed through dance and enhanced by music.
Here at Captain Nichola Goddard School, they just wrapped up an amazing month of dance in physical education with a ‘Dance Extravaganza’, an afternoon filled with a combination of several line dances, social dances and amazing energy! Lights in the gym were dim, students strapped on their dancing shoes and were dressed to impress! People walking through the halls were captivated by the energy that exuberated from the gymnasium!!
I’ve had the privilege of being a student teacher in the physical education department alongside Mandi Connolley for the past couple of months. Since its innagural year in 2012, Connolley has created a positive culture within her gym, especially during the dance unit. Typically, students that love physical education are not a fan of the dance unit, however, Connolley has quickly changed that attitude. She has been able to implement dance in a way that is fun and engaging for everybody, including the teachers!
Personally, Connolley has changed my view of dance first and foremost! To be able to influence me as a student teacher is a testament to the greatness Mandi Connolley possesses within the confines of the four walls of her gym that carries through to the hearts of her students. She has made it her mission for students to love and hone the skills of dance that will carry with them through.
Great teachers like Mandi Connolley remind me of the power of influence we have on others around us. Every day we have a choice to use our lives to affect the heart of others. Connolley’s greatest attribute is her unique gift of being present. She allows herself to be so absorbed in the moment with her students that when she looks back, she knows that moment was hers. Stay in the moment.
Here at Captain Nichola Goddard School, they just wrapped up an amazing month of dance in physical education with a ‘Dance Extravaganza’, an afternoon filled with a combination of several line dances, social dances and amazing energy! Lights in the gym were dim, students strapped on their dancing shoes and were dressed to impress! People walking through the halls were captivated by the energy that exuberated from the gymnasium!!
I’ve had the privilege of being a student teacher in the physical education department alongside Mandi Connolley for the past couple of months. Since its innagural year in 2012, Connolley has created a positive culture within her gym, especially during the dance unit. Typically, students that love physical education are not a fan of the dance unit, however, Connolley has quickly changed that attitude. She has been able to implement dance in a way that is fun and engaging for everybody, including the teachers!
Personally, Connolley has changed my view of dance first and foremost! To be able to influence me as a student teacher is a testament to the greatness Mandi Connolley possesses within the confines of the four walls of her gym that carries through to the hearts of her students. She has made it her mission for students to love and hone the skills of dance that will carry with them through.
Great teachers like Mandi Connolley remind me of the power of influence we have on others around us. Every day we have a choice to use our lives to affect the heart of others. Connolley’s greatest attribute is her unique gift of being present. She allows herself to be so absorbed in the moment with her students that when she looks back, she knows that moment was hers. Stay in the moment.
Jennifer Le is an aspiring physical educator. As she submerges herself deeper into teaching, students become her true sources of inspiration. She has quickly learned that becoming a teacher is genuinely a life study and she will always be a student of her profession.
RSS Feed
