Our Action Plan

 Our Class at a Glance:

I believe that dance should be a student's opportunity to express themselves entirely and freely, and thus, as a result, allowing them to emotionally connect with his or her environment.  Dance provides a way of learning, one that develops communication abilities, problem-solving techniques, and creative and critical thinking skills, while also functioning as means of entertainment and self-expression. 

Our Rule:

Make everyone feel comfortable by respecting yourself, your peers, and your teacher. 

Our Class Procedures:

1.      Entering the room: Enter the room prepared; dressed in the correct uniform; have a positive, open mindset. 

2.      Participating in group lessons: Do not bring anything with you unless I ask you to; politely find a place to sit where you can do your best learning; sit flat, not on your knees; listen carefully for new information; raise your hand to speak; do not speak when someone else is speaking.

3.      Obtaining help with assignments: Quietly ask the students near you for help with directions if you need it but wait for me to finish talking; if you are working alone, raise your hand to get help from me.

4.      What to do with unfinished work: If we don’t finish learning a new combination, we will finish it as a warm-up for our next class!

5.      When and how to use the restroom: If I am not teaching the whole group, stand by the classroom door with your hand raised; if I say "no," wait for a better class time to go; if I nod, leave the room quietly; do not play in the restroom; return to class promptly.

6.      Finding lost items: Ask the people around you if they found the item you lost; if not, check the Lost and Found box; if it is not there, ask me at a time when I’m not teaching the class; if you find it, thank the person who turned it in; next time, try to take care of your things. Consider going through the Lost and Found box at the end of each month with the whole class. If an item remains unclaimed, give it to the person who turned it in.

7.      Being a classroom helper: The studio could always use some extra helping hands; if you see trash, make sure to pick it up; if you see a friend struggling, you can help them or call me over for guidance.  These are just a few examples. 

8.      Signals for attention: When I need your attention, I will ring the chimes (or sound the rain stick, open the music box, etc.); as soon as you hear the signal, stop what you are doing, look at me, and listen for directions.

9.      Helping other students: In a cooperative classroom, it is good to help one another; if someone needs help with directions, help him or her if you are able; if someone needs help with understanding, tell him or her to ask me for help; never put down another student who asks for help.

10.    What to do during free time: If we have down time, make sure to utilize your break effectively; you may get water, stretch, or mark anything you are struggling with.  Feel free to come to me with any questions or concerns.

Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-5:30 PM (Afterschool program)

3:30-3:45 pm: The students arrive and enter the studio dressed and ready to go.  We will spend 15 minutes allowing them to stretch individually, complete their gratitude journal, and use the bathroom after having to commute to class. Students may also take this time to eat a snack. This is a time for students to relax after having a busy day at school. 

3:45-4:00 pm: The teacher will lead the class in stretches.

4:00-4:05 pm: The students will be given a 5-minute water break before starting to learn a new style of dance.

4:05-4:10 pm: The teacher will teach the students about the history and background information of the style of dance they will be learning and practicing today. 

4:10-4:25 pm: The students will listen to the teacher’s music selection and carefully watch and mark as the teacher performs the combination.

4:25-4:45 pm: The students will learn the combination piece by piece, adding on a new movement to what they already learned.

4:45-5:00 pm: The students will be given a 5-minute water break before wrapping up and performing the combination in its entirety.

5:00-5:20 pm: The students will perform the entire combination with and without the teacher. High performing students will be asked if they want to perform the combination as a solo or small group, this opportunity will act as a reward.

5:20-5:25 pm: The teacher will guide the students in a cool down. Students can drink water during this time

5:25-5:30 pm: The teacher will remain with the students until each one is properly picked up by a parent or guardian. 

Positive Consequences:

*Free and frequent: I will always offer a smile, hug, or high five.  My class as a whole or individual students will be verbally recognized (prasied) when appropriate.  

*Intermittent: Saving time for a dance-related game, like freeze dance, if a particularly challenging class runs smoothly. After each class, the top five high-performing, hard-working, well-behaved students will be chosen and will be allowed to pick something out of the clas treasure box. I will take the time to reach out to parents each month to give them updates on how their kids are performing in class. 

*Strong and long term: At the end of the month, one student will be chosen as "Dancer of the Month," and will recieve a plastic crown as a reward for their behavior. He or she will be recognized in front of the class. 

Correcting Behaviors:

Behavior crisis plan:

1.      Alert another teacher working in at the school studio that I will be sending my students in. The students will play freeze dance in order to combine the classes.

2.      Send the rest of the class to another room with the teacher I notified. Remain calm and reassure the other students that everything will be okay. Avoid power struggles, arguing, or becoming defensive. Don’t embarrass or humiliate the student.

3.      If possible, help the student in crisis to reestablish self-control. Model/practice taking breaths from nose, then blowing air out through the mouth, use a soft voice, and slow cadence or pace of speech in hopes of calming the student down. Respect the student’s personal space and keep a reasonable distance. Avoid touching orgrabbing the student. Avoid body language that communicates anger or frustration. Move slowly and deliberately toward the problem situation. Establish eye-level position.

4.      Bring the rest of the students back to class once the crisis has been addressed. Assist the student to re-enter the classroom activity. Use prompts, verbal reinforcement, and offers of assistance. If the student is uncomfortable with group activities, offer the student individual or independent work. 

5.      Call home. If not possible, send the student home with a note warning the parent or guardian of the extreme behavior.  It would be ideal to speak to the parent or guardian picking up the student in-person.

6.      If the offense is repeated, schedule a meeting with the parent or guardian along with the student to go over a behavior contract that the student must sign and maintain.  Make sure to go over any consequences if the contract should be broken.