Currently, in Mrs. Joelle Johnson’s sophomore gym classes at Emerson High School, the students have moved on to a new and unfamiliar unit. Each gym unit has typically been filled with running, basketball, and different kinds of sports. However, the Physical Education Department has changed this by implementing a dance unit to make gym more fun (and still active) for all.
So far, Mrs. Johnson has provided the students with various kinds of music, and they’ve clapped to the beat. She’s also made the students walk around to the music to get a feel for the rhythm and tempo. Needless to say, there have been some mixed emotions within this unit; many individuals love the idea of dancing and showing off their moves, while others feel a little uncomfortable to fully participate.
No problem. Mrs. Johnson has helped to alleviate this situation by dancing along with the students to make them feel more comfortable, and to create a positive and safe environment. She has even given the students the option to share their dances with the class or privately, making it less nerve-racking and more, well, fun.
It’s interesting to note that Mrs. Johnson participated in dance from kindergarten through sixth grade, and actually coached a dance team during college. Therefore she is quite experienced and very familiar with this unit. While she feels at home in this unit, she acknowledges that some may feel a little awkward because this is new territory for them.
Mrs. Johnson explained, “Most students are uncomfortable with this unit because it takes them out of their comfort zone, yet they realize in the end they enjoy it! In the beginning stages of each regular unit, most students participate and there are fewer gripes with it, whereas in this one they were more hesitant to begin but enjoyed it after.” She hopes the students will come out of their comfort zones long enough to realize how fun dance is.
Adding on, Lily Downing expressed, “ I would love to do this unit again, I find it very fun and I feel like I am bonding with my peers more than I normally would. This unit is enjoyable because I feel less embarrassed to do fun things.”
Lastly, Brayden Blanken says, “ I love this unit because I can get my energy out, and I can interact with my friends!”
As you can see, the students are extremely entertained by this exciting new dance unit. Hopefully, Mrs. Johnson will continue teaching it for the grades to come. This way, she can teach others the same important lessons that she is teaching the sophomores: To be brave, outgoing, and creative.
