Feb 3, 2013 - So, it is with amazement that I take in the annual dance unit at Chat- elech Secondary and witness nothing
I dance, you dance, we all dance At Sechelt’s Chatelech Secondary all students are engaged by and participate in a dance program that offers fun, boosts school spirit, and models best peer to peer practices. by Vanessa Clarke
H
igh school PE Dance Unit. Just the mention of it brings back faded memories of sweaty palms and the awkwardness of adolescence that permeated every painstakingly long square dance. As a student, I lived in fear of the dreaded dance unit each year, always managing to find myself stuck with some oaf of a boy cursed with two left feet and a mother who believed in daily doses of onions for lunch. So, it is with amazement that I take in the annual dance unit at Chatelech Secondary and witness nothing short of sheer unadulterated joy in each and every participant. The four male teachers who make up our PE department work wonders every year with this program and have created a culture of inclusion, safety, skill development and above all, fun! They kick off the event on the first of December and every gym class in the school falls in line (no pun intended!). Each block, any and every grade level are thrown together, first with a mixer so that everyone gets a different partner for every dance, then practice time to learn new steps, and finally every class ends with 15 minutes of line-dancing to songs that have become standbys year after year. Not being a particularly huge fan of country music myself, I know they’ve made an impression when I’m humming Shania Twain songs all afternoon! Each day is a different theme and the staff and students all dress according, starting with Western day, moving into Hippie Day, Gangster-style, February 2013 • Adminfo • 12
neon, polka-dot, etc. finally culminating on Test Day with formal wear. It is the most peculiar phenomenon that students who have been getting poor work habits all semester for “forgetting their gym strip” suddenly have no problem remembering a full-on costume day after day! A student new to our school was in my office recently for skipping gym class during the first week of the dance unit. After some conversation, she explained that she didn’t like dance and at her old school, students skipped gym all the time in order to “get out of dance.” She looked at me oddly when I explained that, at our school, I am hounding students who have skipped out of other classes because they wanted to get into dance! The rule is that any student can join the class once the registered students have had their technical lesson for the day and drop-in students have to have their classroom teacher’s permission to be there; at some points during the month, there can be close to 150 extra students in the gym as kids beg and plead their teachers to let them
Students who struggle with the steps are strategically placed and partnered so they can lean on peers, and students who excel are taught extra flairs, spins and twirls so they can take their learning to the next level. There is never any down time. head to dance once they’ve finished their classroom work. Students come out at the end of the unit feeling competent about performing the waltz, two-step, tango, jive, the list goes on and on. They spend the block laughing and moving, encouraging and teaching each other. What makes this atmosphere so special? In my opinion, it’s a combination of excellent teaching techniques coupled with brilliant timing on the part of the PE teachers placing it right before the Christmas break. Students are excited, full of energy and are looking for a break from the routine of weekly runs and traditional PE games. The way the dance unit is taught embodies everything positive about personalized learning; students progress at their own rate and are assessed on their own skill development. The basic curriculum is the same for every student in the school from grade 8-12, from our Life Skills students to our gifted kids, but the expectations
are all individualized depending on what background the student brings to the class. And everyone participates together – all levels and abilities learn in the same gym at the same time with peers helping peers through modeling. Students who struggle with the steps are strategically placed and partnered so they can lean on peers, and students who excel are taught extra flairs, spins and twirls so they can take their learning to the next level. There is never any “down time” – the class is fast-paced and dynamic, and students know that if they don’t pick up the skill right away, that’s ok, the steps will be reviewed again tomorrow and they will have another chance to solidify their learning. And finally, the teachers have done everything they can to engage their learners. Music selections will often include songs that students recognize, thrown in with a few teacherchosen favourites, and the use of videos from YouTube up on the big
screen helps to demonstrate final products, so kids know what they’re aiming for. Once testing is complete in the final week, any student is welcome to enter So You Think You Can Dance Chatelech?, which is an opportunity for the high-flyers to strut their stuff and showcase their exceptional talents and skills during a whole-school assembly at lunch. The dancing? Well, it rivals any TV show I’ve seen! One of the true tests that a student has actually learned something is whether they can demonstrate it in a new or different setting. Our new principal this year was pleasantly surprised when he offered to chaperone the first evening dance that Student Council put on for senior students. As per many school dances, the atmosphere at first was somewhat tentative, with groups of students doing more standing around and nervously posturing rather than actually dancing. That is, until we prompted the DJ to play one of the tunes from PE class. All of a sudden, everyone was joining in, shoes were being kicked off, kids were mingling and you could feel the visible relief from everyone that they felt in their element. Parents and staff stood at the doors to the gym awed by the shift in attitude and energy. The weeks leading up to Christ-
mas Break can be tough in a high school, and as vice-principal, I see it daily. Anxiety levels amongst students and staff begin to climb. Students may be feeling the pressure of poverty issues at home or the uncertainty of two weeks off without the safety net of school, and teachers are feeling the crunch of getting content covered as the exam-driven month of January looms. For me, the dance unit has become a little haven of cheer and joy amid the chaos of holiday events and deadlines. I use it when I’m feeling overwhelmed with the needs and requests of my job – it doesn’t take much, just a five-minute visit gives me a chance to watch students loving their time at school, and it works every time. Seeing our most vulnerable students taking risks and being included, alongside our most confident and capable students, is truly heart-warming and I always walk out feeling a little lighter. The gym becomes a magi-
cal place with just that perfect combination of competition, challenge, safety and camaraderie. Our last day of school before the holiday, an afternoon Talent Show choreographed by dedicated staff has been a longstanding tradition at Chatelech Secondary. The finale for this event has now become a whole-school line dance – 583 students will all rush to clean up chairs and staging so that we can fit in as many songs as possible before the buses arrive to take them home. On more than one occasion, I have seen staff and parents brought to tears as they watch the finale unfold. The sense of unity amongst the students is overwhelming. This year will be my last time attending the Talent Show but I know that the Chatelech Dance Unit will remain a cherished memory of mine.
Shelley Green, cont’d from page 3
ment you will see one concept over and over again. Our leaders are dedicated! They love what they do and their passion shines through with every activity they undertake. In daily routines they are everywhere. They open their schools early in the morning and attend meetings or basketball games late into the evening. They make big picture decisions about their school’s goals and meet with service clubs at 6:00 am to advocate for extra funding for the breakfast program. They challenge their professional skills and development. They take courses, attend workshops and read professional materials to remain current in the everchanging educational world. All of this comes so naturally to our principals and vice-principals that if you Vanessa Clarke is Vice-principal at asked them at the end of the day what Chatelech Secondary and can be they did they would likely respond… ‘Oh, that was nothing special!’ reached at
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Leading for Learning
ShortCourse July 8 - 12, 2013
2013
Moral Stewardship: The “I” in Leadership Relationships: Hearing Voices • Instructional Leadership Organizational Capacity • Inspiration to Lead The University of British Columbia
Watch for information and registration details through all the BCPVPA communication channels February 2013 • Adminfo • 14
