This is a guide to help parents, students and teachers have a successful first day of preschool dance.
Although it’s extremely hard to predict how any preschool dance class will be, here are a few things that I have found to turn first day of class chaos into success. I hope you find these tips helpful and can apply them to your own children and/or students.
Parents –
Prep, prep, prep! Your preschooler has no idea what to expect in a dance class when going for the first time. Most young children will be scared and nervous. How would you feel if you were going to a piloxing class for the first time, knew nothing about piloxing, knew no one there and had never met the instructor before? Piloxing is a non stop cardio fusion of standing pilates, kick boxing and dance. We all may have different feelings about trying new things, just like kids. All kids are different so one of these tips might work for your child while something different helps your child’s best friend.
1. Talk about dance every day. Go over what your child will do in class (Stretch, stand on a certain place, earn a stamp or sticker at the end of class if they follow directions, etc.).
2. Make sure your child understands that they will enter the classroom without you (the parent). Assure them that you will be waiting for them right outside the classroom and watching from the window.
3. Find out teacher’s name before the first class so you can help your child practice saying it. Attend meet the teacher night if your dance studio has one or ask to meet the teacher on a day before the first day of class.
4. Arrive to class a few minutes early to explore the dance studio with your child and show them where you will be waiting.
5. Be patient with your child as you help them enter the class but don’t linger too long in doorway or classroom. Trust that the teacher will comfort child if he or she starts crying.
6. After class, talk about everything that your child did and get them excited for the next dance day!
Give your child at least 6 weeks of trying a class before deciding if they are ready for dance. If after 6 weeks, they are still crying and have shown no progress, speak with teacher and see what they suggest. Your child may need to wait and try again when they are 6 months older.
Teachers –
Be prepared to quickly make changes to your lesson plan if a problem arrives. Have go to tricks in your back pocket. You will never be able to predict how a 2 year old dance class will result. I love teaching 2 year olds because I see them progress so much throughout the year. They may come in the first day crying and not dancing at all but 9 months later, they are dancing on stage at recital. It takes a lot of patience but all worth it in the end.
This past week was my first week of classes for the season and I had two totally different 2 year old classes on the same day. The morning class was very loud and chaotic. 4 out of 10 girls cried and did not want to participate. We tried singing “If your happy and you know it” at beginning of class, praying and clapping our hands. After trying to get class started, I decided to let parents come in to dance with us. This still did not get the 4 upset girls to participate very much but the other 6 danced just fine with parents and other students crying in the room. We took a cute picture at the end of class and we will try again next week. My second 2 year old class had no one crying in it, everyone came in just fine and sat down. We talked about earning a stamp at the end of class and prayed together before starting class. They loved holding hands and dancing in a circle. When it was time to stand on our stickers in the center, two of the cutest little girls decided they wanted to do their own thing and wander around the room having my assistant chase them. I will take running around any day over crying. I assured the mom that they are only 2 and will continue to learn proper behavior in dance class. No matter what crazy things may go on in a preschool classroom, I’m happy to use patience and try to figure out new ways to help children learn and feel comfortable with the experience. Here are some first day of dance tips.
1. Arrive 15-30 minutes early to greet and talk with new students before class. This will help them feel more comfortable entering the classroom with you. Learn their names before class even starts to help you quickly grab their attention throughout class.
2. At the beginning of class, go over your expectations for the class, call backs for when students are not listening and rewards for end of class if student participates.
3. Ask each child by name a fun question about themselves. Favorite snack, restaurant, ice cream, color, toy or vegetable are some I’ve used in the past. This is a great way to practice memorizing their names.
4. Pray with your students before class each week. I like having a Bible verse for the month to go over as well with my students.
5. Take a first day of class picture at the end of class. This will be a fun memory to give out at the end of the year and for you to look back on as students may change throughout the year.
6. Talk about what they will be learning next week before sending them out of the classroom. Get them excited to come back!
7. Parents enjoy having something to practice with at home with child. Talk about things you taught in class with parents in waiting area after dance and/or send an email with a video and dance steps to practice with at home.
Let me know if you have any tips of your own that I can add to my list! Happy Dancing!
summer 2015
The day I arrived in Texas. I surprised Chloe and she couldn’t believe I was actually here to stay.
The Traveling Sitter 