Minute Masterclass Episode 224

Welcome to your one-minute masterclass. I’m Andrea Trench. If you enjoy our minute masterclasses, consider continuing your professional development as a student in our Foundations Course for Early Childhood Dance Educators and as a member of our DiscoverDance Experience online community. You can learn more about both of these opportunities at DiscoverDance.com.

Let’s talk about best practices for distributing props.

 When it’s time to distribute props, you have two options. The first is free choice. When a child gets the option to choose, they have ownership of their decision. This builds independence, confidence, and responsibility because that is now “their” prop to take care of. When you follow the choice with an instruction, this gives them a job to do while they wait for everyone else to make their selections. Keeping them busy with their job allows you the opportunity to make your own selection and quickly get the extra props out of sight before it’s time to begin the activity.

Next, is teacher choice. There may be times when you hand out the props individually. I do this for rhythm sticks especially, because I don’t want the dancers walking around with them. Another time would be if we just did a high energy activity and we need to catch our breath. I may have them stay on their spots, while I bring the prop to them. For example, I’ll say, “show me how tall you can stand as you balance the bean bag on your head.” Then I place a bean bag on each dancer that is standing tall until every dancer has one. Their job, which is going to keep them engaged, is to keep the bean bag on their head until the music begins.

 For more information, to enroll in the Foundations Course, or to join the DiscoverDance Experience, visit DiscoverDance.com.