So yesterday I found that I have been given 3 dance classes to teach at the secondary school that I work at. I am in the UK, and here dance is a subject in the national curriculum, so I will be teaching dance to year 7 students (11-12 years old), both boys and girls, a totally mixed range of levels I'm told.

I have taught dance before, but only the occasional class outside of a studio setting (church youth club night, a group of Brownies getting their dance badge, a short hip hop routine to a high school phys ed class, etc), but never on a regular basis as a subject in school. Does anybody here teach dance in a high school? How is it different from teaching a studio lesson? How is it similar?

I know that it will be challenging having a mix of ability levels as well as boys/girls. I'm also a bit nervous because the only dance classes I've ever taught before have been full of kids who WANT to be there, not kids who are forced to take it at school. I know kids can be self-conscious at that age- any tips on getting boys (or even girls) who might be reluctant or self-conscious to dance?

And how do you grade them anyway? Do you do theory work with them or mostly practical skills? Theory tests? Give them a theme, tell them to choreograph a piece, and then have them perform it and give them a grade?

I know that most of my questions will probably be answered when I get a look at the syllabus on Monday, but I also teach my first class on Monday so was hoping some of you might have some advice for me to think about over the weekend! Thanks!

YOu'll probably want to start with some terms and history to get them into it. Maybe type up a list of vocab and go over it with them and discuss different styles, etc. And maybe discuss how dance has evolved over the years and ask them how it has affected their life and what styles interest them. Then when you get your syllabus you can take it from there.

I teach dance in both a studio and a public school. In the public school I teach grades 6-8 (ages 11-14). My classes are also a mixture of boys and girls with various abilities and backgrounds, although most have never danced before.

A big difference between studio and school is that at school you will have kids that do not want to dance. Part of teaching the class will be to convince them that dance can be fun. I also have a lot more discipline issues at school than I do at the studio. So much of my time is spent dealing with kids who choose not to behave in an acceptable manner (keeping them after class to talk with them, calling parents, assigning detentions...) That is the most frustrating part.

This is how I structure my school classes:
Each class is 12 weeks, meets every day for 50 min.

I introduce various genres of dance (mostly jazz, ballet, and modern) during the course. We spend about 2-3 weeks on each style. I teach a warm up appropriate to each style that introduces the concepts. We also do cross floor combinations. I also teach a short, simple piece of choreography that we work on each day while we're studying that genre. My focus is not on training them to be dancers in that style, but introducing the style, it's theories, BASIC technique, and history. My goal is for the students to develop an appreciation and respect for the art form. I do give them written assignments and written tests/quizzes. The tests are over vocabulary, history, and theory.
My students also have to perform one of the pieces of choreography for an assessment (This is required in the state curriculum). They are assessed on memorization, rhythm, directional changes, technique, and performance. However, I take the fact that they are all beginners into consideration when I grade them. This is also different from the studio. It's a different set of standards.
After we have spent about 7 or 8 weeks dancing and learning different genres, they are assigned a choreography project. I spend a couple of days going over choreographic tips and elements that they are required to use in their piece. I also give them a topic they have to use as inspiration (a poem, painting, story, etc.). They have about a week and a half to create a dance in a small group, then present it to the class for a grade. They are graded on how well they applied the elements of choreography that we discussed and how well they used their "inspiration" to assist them.
Here, I have a problem with kids only wanting to choreograph "hip hop", and it's not even real hip hop. That is why I make them use a poem or something to inspire them...so when I see the soldier boy and the stank leg in their choreography I can say "how does that relate to your poem?"

At the end of the 12 weeks we put on an informal performance for other classes at the school and parents. They perform the choreography I taught them and present their choreography projects.

Their final grade for the course is broken down like this:

50% participation (dressing out, being on time, participating without causing disruption...I give them a daily participation grade that is averaged together to be their final participation grade)
20% Tests and Quizzes
15% Projects/papers
15% Homework and written classwork

Hopefully this kind of helps you figure out some ideas that you can use.

^^^ Really great ideas up there.

As far as getting students to participate, I think that laying out your rules in the first few classes will help them understand that participation is the biggest part of their grade.

The class I taught, the students came right from other classes, so they were wearing whatever they wore to school that day. You might want to make a rule that long necklaces, big earrings, hats and other loose 'accessories' must be taken off in the beginning of class if this is the case for your group.

Make your warm-up include fun and easy things for both the boys and girls. You could remind students that dancers need to be strong and include "tough" things like push-ups or plank holds that the boys will want to show off.

Students this age will enjoy creative movement and team building exercises adapted to dance. We used to do an exercise with 6th graders (11-12yr old) where the students can't talk but have to form a specific letter ("A","Q", etc) as a whole group in a formation/pattern on the floor. This shows who are leaders and makes them work as a whole group, not just boys v. girls. Use this as a jumping off point about discussing different formations and using inspiration in all forms.

You could also incorporate some acting into your exercises as a warm-up. Another exercise we did - "meet and greet". Two people walk up to one another and without talking they "greet" each other like old friends / snobs / enemies / people in a hurry / children / old people / very shy etc. You could give each pair their own character and have the rest of the group guess what they are. Then discuss about how without talking they portrayed the story.

I would break the class down into:
5 minutes - attendance taking and review rules
5-10 minutes - warm-up
5-10 minutes - short creative movement exercises
10 minutes - explanation of lesson (dance history, theme, etc)
20-30 minutes - long dance exercise (learning routine, group work, discussion)
5 minutes - cool down

I'm sure the syllabus will greatly help you focus your lessons as far as themes. Good luck!