Minute Masterclass Episode 13

Welcome to your one-minute masterclass. I’m Andrea Trench, founder of DiscoverDance. Self-regulation in our students is the ability for them to regulate their own behavior without us intervening and reminding them how to behave. Rae Pica writes in her online post, Fostering Self-Regulation in Early Childhood: Are we doing it wrong?, “If we know that young children aren’t developmentally ready to be either still or quiet, why do we ask them to do so and expect they’ll comply? And if we know that joy is what inspires and motivates young children – and that movement is their preferred mode of learning – why aren’t we more often taking advantage of this knowledge?”. 

Let’s foster self-regulation in our dance classes so we can set the foundation for optimal learning. Rae recommends movement activities such as Simon Says (great when exploring body parts or relationships), exploring slow movement (the concept of speed), and my favorite, the Freeze Dance. Of course these activities are fun for the children, but we know they have an important role in their development. For more information, visit DiscoverDance.com.

*Click HERE to view valuable books on early childhood education, written by Rae Pica and other amazing authors.