kids:
they dance before they learn
there is anything that isn’t music.

from “Keepsakes,” William Stafford

I have done it at least a hundred times. Sat in a circle with kids, sharing, listening, and building community. Long before I began Smiles and Frowns, I did Community Circle with my kiddos. And though each session was itself gold, last week was my most golden yet.

But first, here are the basics of Community Circle. As the name suggests, we sit in a circle around the room. We used to move all the desks and sit on the floor, which added a comfortable intimacy to the activity, but it was…well, the floor. Now, we just arrange the desks.

We establish, re-establish our simple guidelines: be great listeners (no talking while others are sharing, and making a visual connection with the speaker), snap or clap agreement, share appropriate answers, ask for a “comeback” if you are not ready, and pass if you choose. The right to pass is imperative. This should be something kids want to do, not something they have to do. Some kids pass. Most don’t. In my experience, they are eager to share.

And, then, we get started. I pose a question/prompt, and we go around the room until everyone has a turn, and we move on to the next topic. We do it for roughly forty minutes on the first Friday of each month.

This month, we moved it to last Wednesday because of the three-day week created by conferences. It started as any other Community Circle: kids shared; we listened; we built community. But then, on a whim, during third period (my second class of the day), I pushed the kids. And they responded.

“Would you rather sing or dance in public?” I have used this “Would you rather” dozens of times with past classes, and kids have simply responded, “sing” or “dance.” But, this time, finding myself seated next to Marlena, an accomplished ballerina, I said, “Okay, do it,” when she said “dance.” Her mouth dropped open; she looked to her peers whose own expressions revealed their wide-eyed knowing of what was about to go down: they would actually have to sing or dance.

All eyes were on Marlena. She moved her desk, went to the middle, and danced–beautifully. The ball was rolling. And it didn’t stop. Kid after kid sang or danced, or both–and not always beautifully, but my gosh we had a blast. Of course, the kids didn’t have to. I never make them do something they do not want to, and the right to pass is sacred in room 206, and some kids certainly–understandably–used it in later periods. After all, who wants to sing or dance in public?

Turns out, most of my kids did, some completely shocking me. I could not believe they stepped out of their closely-guarded comfort zones. From there we settled into more serious topics, ending with, “When is the last time you cried and why?” From the frivolity of dance to the vulnerability of tears, we learned each other last Wednesday, creating community, building bonds.

Of course, some might suggest that we were wasting valuable instruction time with such nonsense as singing and dancing. But once, before we taught them differently, kids moved and sang without apprehension, without prodding, with joy–because they found it natural, normal, necessary. And then, we showed them the “sense” of things, and they stopped dancing. Wish we hadn’t.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…writing introductions for argumentative letters.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…discussing Why with Sy.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.