The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.

The Whole Person

Prepared by HARMON JORRITSMA, Chairman, Education Committee, ROUNDALAB for presentation an Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas, October, 1981

A person develops as a whole with his entire being, his mind, his emotions and his physical body active together at one time in the learning process. In dealing with the person we must realize experiences are not learned as separate parts but in a pattern or sequence acceptable to the whole person.

The implication then is that the experiences in the dance class, regardless of level or phase, must be integrated into a single pattern which will make sense to the learner. The challenge to such integration is an especially acute one in our activity. For example, what efforts are being made to plan in such a way as to present a pattern of dance experiences for our learners? We must ask ourselves - What is being done? What should be done? Should ROUNDALAB adopt a sequential system of teaching compatible to phases already accepted? To accomplish a consistency in the teaching of basics which will provide all teachers and learners a guideline to teaching and learning Round Dancing, I feel it is necessary that ROUNDALAB, as an association, work towards developing a clear, workable system of teaching Round Dancing aimed at helping the whole person and assisting the teacher.

Instruction is most effective when it deals with present life experiences. We must not live in the past - we must deal with the here and now. We refer to the past and look to the future but we must realize it's what we do now that is important. When a group of people assembles to learn, the teacher must be prepared to teach. Common sense tells us to be prepared before we enter the arena. How many times have you felt participation in an activity was a waste of time? Round Dance Instruction must be made so exciting by the teacher that the learner takes away something useful and new each session and leaves with the attitude of hardly being able to wait for the next session. Regardless of what has gone on before, the learner must experience a feeling of accomplishment at each session and go away feeling satisfied. Once again, a system must be developed, planning is necessary, none of this will happen without an effective systematic approach to teaching.

In our planning, we must consider readiness of the individual. One learns most efficiently if the learning experiences are planned to coincide with the level of readiness. In other words, when is the learner ready for the 2-step? the box? the fishtail?, etc., etc. We cannot use a hit and miss attitude. Again, a sequence must be developed considering the whole person, his present situation and his readiness. Certain implications arise. For instance, when is a person ready to learn to Round Dance? Is it necessary for both partners to be ready? When is a dancer ready for intermediate or 2nd phase basics? When is he ready for Waltz basics? How does the teacher recognize readiness? Can readiness be stimulated or induced?

The teacher can recognize readiness through enthusiasm, vocal remarks, facial expressions and general observation. The teacher must also recognize that there is a difference between physiological readiness and psychological readiness and deal accordingly. The teacher, as a whole person, must be patient, considerate, respectful, kind, friendly, observant, alert, diplomatic, and, above all real as well as knowledgeable in the Round Dance field.