The Pamela Humphreys Dance Program is underpinned by the development of social skills and capabilities as students participate in individual, partner, whole-class, and whole-school dance, engage in culturally diverse forms of dance and music, and learn to interact and work with others in engaging, creating, and responding to dance. This document describes how the program can be used as a tool to report to parents, how we align with the Australian Curriculum

Reporting to Parents:
The Pamela Humphreys Dance Program understands the necessity for educative programs to be curriculum-aligned with the opportunity to report on knowledge and skills. The Pamela Humphreys Dance Program is completely aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Dance syllabus. Our learning assessment criteria provides a checklist of knowledge and skills accompanied by relevant content descriptors. The program can also be tailored to integrate cross-curricular content. Copies of the Learning Assessment Criteria are available for school administrators to view at their pleasure. The program can also provide Professional Learning to school administrators and staff in the use of the Learning Assessment Criteria to satisfy the Dance Curriculum.

Our Program is Cross-Curricular:
The Pamela Humphreys Dance Program can be tailored to align with the Australian Curriculum according to school needs:

Health and Physical Education – physical activity to stimulate cognitive development, social practices to align with social-emotional development

History – genres from the past and the present

Geography – genres from around the world

Civics and Citizenship – our program promotes multiculturalism and diversity

Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia – specific dances to focus on Asian cultures

General Capabilities – our program promotes a range of General Capabilities, including:

Literacy – students use and modify language in the dance context to communicate and participate effectively and confidently. They learn to use and understand kinetic language as they create, design and evaluate their own dancing. Students use and understand dance-specific terminology to comprehend dance, express thoughts and emotions, and interact with others.

Numeracy – Students understand the role of mathematics in different contexts as they use spatial reasoning to problem solve space, understanding timing through rhythm, and show positions using amounts of turn, area, and movement. Mathematical concepts are used frequently as students choreograph and perform dance.

Critical and Creative Thinking – Critical and Creative thinking is used in dance when students make and respond using imagination and innovation. They consider feedback both individually and collectively in learning and performing contexts.

Personal and Social Capability – this capability is developed as students work individually and collaboratively to make and respond to dance. Students are encouraged to apply their own personalities and emotions to technically-specific dance. They empathise with others’ emotions and needs, and develop their social skills in a range of situations.

Ethical Understanding – Students are encouraged to reflect on how their behaviours have an effect on others through developing dance etiquette in asking and responding to partner dancing. They are encouraged to consider how their feelings impact their actions, and how their actions impact on their partner.
Intercultural Understanding – this capability is developed as students grow an appreciation for culturally diverse forms of dance. Students engage with the different movements and music from diverse cultures to promote mutual respect. The program promotes multiculturalism and diversity in all facets.

Protective Behaviours:
Protective Behaviours are supported through the program as students understand appropriate forms and contexts for physical contact. Dance holds are modelled by instructors, with hand positions carefully demonstrated and explained. The aim is to show students that certain physical contact is acceptable according to the educative and artistic context.

References

Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority (2019). Western Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/curriculum-browser