Yesterday I was in a Second Grade class doing some literacy work with a small group of students while the classroom teacher was meeting with kids one on one to conference about their writing. Halfway through the period, the teacher rang a chime and a cry went up from the class: "Dance Time! Dance Time!" I had never seen them move so quickly and with such a concerted effort. Everyone stood up, put their books and papers in their desks, tucked in their chairs, and struck a pose. But, really.
"Ready?" the teacher asked, finger on the portable CD player's PLAY button.
"YEAH!" the kids replied.
And what do you imagine came out of those little speakers? At HIGH volume? Nothing less than Jailhouse Rock, by none other than the King himself, Elvis Presley.
Even better was the fact that as soon as the music began to play, the students sprang into action. Because, you see, they have a choreographed routine that they dance through, as a class, to this song. And swim, two, three, four...and Twist! Two! Three! Four! What could I do but join in?
And so there we all were, stretched out across the carpet in front of the whiteboard, Chorus Line-style....Snake Eyes! And, Jump! At the end of the song they all struck the standard Elvis pose, one leg extended to the side and the other knee bent, finger pointed skyward. I could no longer control myself and burst out laughing at all of us, as King-ly as we were going to get without capes. "Okay! Back to work!" the teacher said, clicking off the CD player, and without talking they all went back to their desks and sat down, picking up right where they had left off.
On his way back to his seat one of the boys I've been doing literacy work with pulled on my sleeve and motioned for me to bend down so he could talk into my ear. From behind a cupped hand, he whispered. "Hey, Teacher--you can really shake it!" And giving me a wink and a thumbs-up, he headed back to finish his journal writing.
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