Page 13 - FIS_World_May_2015

More Than a Dance
Grade 6-8 Counselors’ Perspective on School Dances
School dances are more than just a dance, they serve as a develop- mental rite of passage. Dances
are a major milestone in a pre-teen’s emotional growth, as they are one of the first safe environments in which students can experiment with more mature social situations.
Grade 6-8 dances bring a range of feelings for the student who has never been to one before – excitement, freedom, nervousness, and self- consciousness to name a few. What do I wear? Can I dance well? Will I dance with another person or just in a group? These important questions sort themselves out in a healthy and protected way by experiencing a school dance.
Erik Erikson’s popular psycho-social stages of development highlight this
Dances are a major milestone in a pre- teen’s emotional growth
time in a tween/teen’s life with the focus on “identity versus role confusion.” This stage is most important, as children are beginning to develop a sense of who they
are. Their need to belong to a society and fit in is of great importance at this time. By experiencing this awkward (at first) social moment, children can learn how to appropriately participate in more mature social settings without the safeguard of their parents.
As chaperones of many FIS dances, we value these wholesome social situations for our students to experience “good clean fun.”
Charlene Aspinwall and Jeff Kalas, FIS Upper School Counselors (Grades 6 - 8)
February 2016 FIS World 11