Over the past week I have been taking the afternoons at school with my class to study different types of dance. The program seems to be going really well and the kids are really enjoying the nice break from "work" with a chance to be active and learn about different cultures through music.
We started out the week with some easy rhythm stuff and the kids used wooden sticks called titi torea to keep the beat for some basic rhyming songs. After that the students had a chance to let loose and do The Chicken Dance, The Twist, and the oh-so-infamous Macarena--all of which they loved!!
I was then quickly introduced to a fit break fitness program for Primary Students that can be found all over New Zealand. Jump Jam is a program designed to keep kids active and they use it in many of the schools as part of their compulsory 15 minutes of fitness per day. It really was absolutely fascinating. I put on a Cd and all the students spread out and did a routine automatically with different moves and steps to increase their cardio workout. They all knew what to do and the loved it!! The students danced for six tracks straight and no complaints with songs like "Who Let the Dogs Out" and "Coconut Tree". Competitions even exist across the country for schools that can do the choreographs routines the best! Jump Jam was hilarious and interesting all at the same time.
Towards the end of the week I stole an idea from Shannon and had my students learn line dancing (of which Shannon was performing with her class for Cultural Day--see her blog). The kids absolutely loved it and picked it up pretty quickly which was great to see.
More importantly, I loved realizing how much a culture can be defined by its music and native dances. This has been both a really informative and enjoyable time for myself and my students.
1 comment:
It sounds like the education system in New Zealand has more focus on physical fitness for its students. What I wouldnt have given to dance to Who Let the Dogs Out or even The Macarana. Okay so I was being fecisious about the Maccarana. It just occured to me that as a Canadian who has been through every level of education in the Canadian system that we learn so little about the Native Americans. Also from experience in Australia I would have to say that we as a multi-cultural society do a very poor job at embracing the culture of the natives to our land.
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