Students need the skills to ask higher-order-thinking questions, the ability to support their choices with personally discovered answers and evidence, which are necessary to make autonomous artistic decisions.  My mission is to provide students with these tools and the confidence to consciously and vigilantly shape their lives. This process requires cooperation between the teaching discipline and the adaption of instruction to accommodate each student’s abilities. To create life-long ‘sculptures’, one needs to scaffold techniques for these tools in a way that ensures mastery and have long-term applicability. Our expectations and processes evolve as students grow. This evolution of development corresponds with the sociocultural learning theory developed by Lev Vygotsky.  In the tool mediated stage students learn how to hold the tool and need explicit instruction for its use. During the Zone of Proximal development learners are exposed to different uses with the guidance of a mentor. During the final self-regulated stage, learners are independent to question the tool’s applicability and to make decisions, in conjunction with the techniques taught in school, to change its use based on their needs (Lantolf & Thorne, 2007; Wertsch & Tulviste, 1995).  Experiential learning enables my students to synthesize and apply knowledge to shape new ideas. (Pritchard, 2013, p. 745)

As an interdisciplinary dance educator, I create a harmonious balance between pedagogy and content knowledge (PCK[1]) to foster a learning environment where educational and artistic concepts are integrated with physical movement. I create this environment through Nottingham’s principals, which guide my yearlong student learning objectives. By implementing backward design I facilitate continuous opportunities for students to learn how to learn. This requires that students build the “skills for thinking” by asking questions, providing evidence, organize new information, to understand concepts (Nottingham, 2013, p.1208). This also includes opportunities for students to make kinetic connections to core subjects through dance.

I encourage my students to think independently and engage with their environment to sculpt new ideas. Albert Einstein once said, “The development of general ability for independent thinking and judgment should always be placed foremost, not the acquisition of special knowledge” (Nottingham, 2013, p.1950). Through experiential learning each dancer begins to build their independent artistic identity. I routinely employ absolute responses (cued-response), guided discovery, opportunities for convergent discovery and divergent production, and learner-initiated creativity. These approaches are used to help students learn the applicability of content through movement (Gibbons, 2007, p.78). Implementing these teaching styles encourages my students to learn and utilize decision-making skills, collaboration, refining processes, communicating clearly personal reflection; ultimately leading to thinking, questioning, and connecting dance to their core curriculum.

My curriculum starts with an understanding of “Labanotation”, a system of using symbols to notate dance, which was developed by renowned dance educator, Rudolf Laban. This promotes classroom communication through a common language, dance. Fundamental to immersion in the creative arts is our commitment to developing trust and establishing a safe space for learning and free expression. Students are taught to explore movement, choreograph independent dance, and confidently perform their choreography in front of supportive peers. Initially, instruction may appear teacher-centered as expectations and procedures are established. But as lesson complexity increases, learning transitions to student-centered.

Gardner’s progressive Theory of Multiple Intelligences allows every child the opportunity to choose one, or more, to enable meaningful learning. By promoting the active construct of the students’ learning this theory develops well-rounded autonomous artists. I try to recognize each student’s preferred learning modality when planning units that advance creative exploration to create a wide range of responses. I integrate each of these intelligences for empowered learning. Gardner (1999) acknowledges that the intelligences are not rigidly aligned to specific criteria, but are a “judgment call” (p.xxi). Therefore, every objective, activity, assignment, and assessment I create supports exploration and success.

My instruction also incorporates multiple forms of communication and language.  Spanish, English, Sign Language, and Dance vocabulary create channels of communication without barriers. Being fluent in Spanish, and observing the second language development of my relatives, greatly influences my instruction of interaction with ELL and ESL students regardless of native language.  It is important to establish student-teacher connections for a vibrant learning environment. According to Weinstein (2014),“A large body of evidence indicates that the experience of an emotionally supportive classroom is related to better attitudes toward school” (p.72). My students are encouraged to keep an open-mind while staying actively engaged. Class discussions problem-solve questions as they arise. Students observe and participate in cooperative learning. Preconceived notions of dance can initially lead to feelings of intimidation or disengagement from learning. Soon, students embrace dance as another form of self expression through creative movement as they embrace their roles as choreographer, researcher, investigator, presenter, teacher, and ultimately, sculptor.

[1] Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) encourages teaching academic content alongside artistic content to provide an experiential and physical learning experience. 

Works Cited

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York City, NY: Basic Books.

Gibbons, E. (2007) Teaching dance: The spectrum of styles. Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse. 


Kagan, Spencer (2009). Cooperative learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing.

Lantolf, J. & Thorne, S. L. (2007). Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning. In. B. van Patten & J. Williams (eds.), Theories in Second Language Acquisition (pp. 201-224). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.     

Lerman, Liz (2003). Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process: a method for getting useful feedback on anything you make, from dance to dessert (Kindle Books). Baltimore, MD: Dance Exchange, Inc.

Mosston, M. (1972) Teaching: From command to discovery. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Nottingham, James (2013). Encouraging Learning: How you can help children learn (Kindle Book). New York City, NY: Taylor and Francis.

Penuel, W. R. & Wertsch, J. V. (1995) Vygotsky and Identity Formation: A Sociocultural Approach. Education Psychologist. 30(2). 83-92.       

Pritchard, Alan. (2013). Ways of Learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom [Kindle book]. New York City, NY: Taylor and Francis.

Weinstein (2014). Elementary Classroom Management: Lessons from Research and Practice [Kindle Book]. New York City, NY: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.      

Wertsch, J. V. & Tulvesti, P. (1992) L. S. Vygotsky and Contemporary Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology. 28(4). 548-557.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1981). The genesis of higher mental functions. In J. V Wertsch (Ed.), The concept of activity in Soviet psychology (pp. 144-188). Armonk, NY: Sharpe.

Zakkai, Jennifer (1997). Strategies for teaching and learning. York, MA: Stenhouse Publishers.