In researching movement in the classroom, I came across information on Dance/Movement Therapy. The information in one of the articles I read, "Dance/Movement Therapy During Adolescence," written by Einat Shuper Engelhard, discusses how movement can help adolescents deal with emotional problems.
What's the story?
"Dance/Movement Therapy During Adolescence" addresses movement for adolescents through the lens of Dance/Movement Therapy. This type of therapy addresses mental health issues through movement based therapy sessions individually or in a group.
Movement therapy for adolescents can be extremely useful. As Engelhard says, "...Movement allows adolescents to express their conflicts in an active, behavioral form that is often easier for them to communicate," (p. 499). As adolescents' bodies and emotions change, their ability to deal with problems shifts. Movement is an outlet for those kids who may be struggling emotionally or mentally.
Is it useful?
While this work is not directly related to the classroom, it is still useful. Movement gives students an unconscious outlet for emotional and physical frustration. In the classroom, this could be as simple as allowing students the option to get up and move to a new area if they are feeling distracted or upset. Another example could be engaging students in a few simple stretches during a transition to keep their minds focused and their bodies calm.
Conclusion
The power of movement is clear in the Dance/Movement Therapy community. Some of the lessons are relevant to teaching and some are not. I see this fitting into my role as educator in the same way the practices of active listening and compromise do. These techniques give me a toolbox to draw from when a student is unable to learn due to an internal or external force. These are valuable tools to have.
References
Engelhard, S. E. (2014). Dance/movement therapy during adolescence - Learning about adolescence through the experiential movement of dance/movement therapy students. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(5), 498 - 503.