Here are some guidelines to prepare your space, and for teaching a basic 40 minute lesson plan broken up into 8 five minute segments. Any of the elements can be worked on one at a time to make them a 'sponge' activity, absorbing a few minutes of extra class time productively. Here is a link to The Basic 40 Minute Lesson Plan.

Providing Space

For the full 40 minute lesson there needs to be ample floor space to maneuver.

Some choices if using the regular classroom are to move furniture to the outer perimeter of the room to free up the center portion, or to move furniture to the center of the room to work in a large outer circle. Shoes on or shoes off; either way works, but if practical, shoes off exercises the feet more.

'Sponge' activities can mostly be done right alongside the furniture as it normally sits in the room. And the clapping and rhythm activities can be done right at the student work stations.

Protocols and Benefits

- Maintain eye to eye contact with the students. This develops their attention span.

- Work right along with them, encouraging cooperation between the generations.

- Wait for all students to give you their undivided attention before beginning; developing concentration.

- Wait for complete quiet before beginning; developing self-discipline.

- Keep a positive attitude with each student as they practice learning the sequentially more difficult body movements. Remind them that practice makes perfect. Success breeds self-esteem, especially in the child who has difficulty learning just by seeing, listening, and memorizing.

- Challenged students benefit through the coordination developed in mind-body movement. Encourage each student's individual progress. Success here encourages the child to try new things.

- Allow each student to 'star' in the lesson by individually moving in a rhythm by going across the room or around the perimeter of students who are in a circle. Again, this feeds the student's self-esteem.

- Go on to the next segment of the lesson if children lose interest, and likewise stay longer with a segment that is spontaneously developing beautifully. This shows the child that it is okay to be flexible in changing circumstances.

- End a full-length lesson on an upbeat note by having the children gallop or skip out of the room or back to their work stations. The exuberance generated by upbeat physical activity promotes, stimulates and invigorates.

I recommend this text for in depth instruction -

Free to Move - Learning Kinesthetically by Susan Kramer
A comprehensive guide to teaching kinesthetically in a 90 page fully illustrated ebook, outlining rhythms, motor skills, floor exercises and lesson plans, plus anatomy for the dancer explained.


Article by Susan Kramer