Never Teach the Bunny Hop in Slovakia

We have just completed finals at school, serious testing for all eight grades with the senior school having more testing spread over three weeks time. The main schedule has been altered as it often is to accomodate the exams. For me this means I might proctor an exam as I did earlier this week, see a class back to back so they can get their allotted PE classes in, or even stranger have a class come two times in the same day, morning and afternoon. The atmosphere was quite tense here for the entire school community: students studying and sitting for exams, teachers preparing, grading and recording grades. It's similar to Lab, lots of pressure, anxiety, and sick kids. (I just re-counted: My excuses number over 90!)

In an effort to lighten things up a bit I decided to teach a rhythms lesson, by first teaching the Bunny Hop (easily done) and then explaining that I wanted them to make up their OWN dance (bit more complicated) with some of the same characteristics, so it must be 16 counts, everyone doing the same thing at the same time, using repeatable steps. Using my trusty dry erase board, I explained this to the class, having them work in small groups in order to demonstrate and later teach their combination to the whole class. Understand? Yes, they enthusiastically shouted! Good, I'll go turn on the music. Started the selection, turned around to see their smiling, eager faces...and the whole class lined up Bunny Hop style ready to give it another go!

NO, I laughed, hauling out the dry erase board again. After some ten lessons in Slovak I can actually count, so I thought I was making myself clear about the 16-count length. We discussed the word "repeat" and "same" and thought we were finally all on the same page. Cue the music. Raz, dra, tri, styri... NOW we're cookin'... wait one group has formed alternating lines and another group is kicking OVER their partners heads. Partners?! Who said you could have partners?!

There was a hip hop group and a salsa group. A duo of non-dancers did a sort of marching, slaphands version."Do you speak English?!" I found myself saying sharply to one attitude-challenged student who was blatantly and consistently NOT EVER following directions. Yes, she blankly replied, my dripping sarcasm lost in translation. Or maybe she understood and it was just 8th grade attitude. I have my suspicions.

After repeatedly intervening and pointing out that some dances were 64 counts, while others had no beat awareness and didn't even know how long they were dancing, etc., etc. I backed off and watched the show. Expecting that this should take 10 minutes max, I was surprised when the first class barely finished the challenge in the 45 minute period, mainly because they had created and changed about 12 dances in that time period. Quite prolific but unable to agree on a final product.

I had dances with pretend fighting, but then a conciliatory shake hands ending. Latin is huge here so the gym really heated up when some girls tried to incorporate their dancing steps that they learned in their "training" as they call it. LOTS of big production ending, never mind that there was to be none, because what fun was that? The Primas were into gymnastics, going by the theory if you don't dance you can always tumble, I guess. So we had girls circling 'round their headstand-holding headstander. Another group did crossing cartwheels. All different, exciting and so...wrong!!!

But as Pete Miller, our PE Department Chair at Lab said when I tried to explain my dance lesson gone awry, "That actually sounds like about most dance classes I have taught at Lab. It's all good." And of course it was. Students were engaged, cooperating, practicing and having fun. And maybe the music teacher can address beat awareness and repetition...in Slovak. Choose your battles.

Grades are now completed, all of us working on computers designated to certain classes. PE doesn't assign grades but I did need to write about each student, with the exception of my swim classes. I was limited to 80 characters for my 100 students and found it frustratingly difficult to be so hamstrung. My principal read my comments, and changed three reports which really surprised me. I had included mile run times in two reports because I had mentioned fitness and thought they were exceptionally good times. In another I had mentioned a girl by her first name. Saying that it wasn't exactly wrong, it just wasn't the uniform way things were done here, she deleted those parts.

During the course of last week I noticed students names accumulating up on the public notice board in the teacher room, which is open to all students and doubles as the general office.These students were to be discussed at the upcoming classification meeting regarding marks in behavior. The system is such: All student in Slovakia receive number grades for academic subjects and behavior, 1-5, 1 being the best.

At our school when a teacher feels there is a student with behavior issues, that name with supporting documentation goes up on the board. Each class takes the information back and discusses it, chaired by one student representative. The class determines an opinion. At the meeting, all these students reps (9 in Junior School, 8 in Senior School) convene together with its own faculty to discuss these students, nine individuals this past semester. The students themselves may attend but often do not. Our principal insisted one boy attend, however, because she was going to recommend expulsion - something about acid in biology class - didn't sound good. Eight were boys (surprise!) and the one girl was someone I teach, a goth-dressing student who among other issues, didn't want to do PE. I did not attend these meetings as they are in Slovak. The meetings lasted a few hours, students and faculty discussing the "designated ones", with the result being that everyone basically got warned in a public forum by a concensus of their peers and faculty.

So that's finished, reports have been distributed. Many teachers have received flowers, as is tradition. The whole country (finally) had a holiday Friday to mark the semester. Many schools have balls to mark the occasion, and now start the ski trips! Our 4th years called Qvartas (8th graders) are leaving today for one week in the mountains. Two other levels are also scheduled to go during the following 2 weeks. Some of the PE teachers who are also certified ski instructors have quite the gig, usually going for at least 2 of the 3 weeks. I, however, not being certified, remain at school substituting for their classes. Bummer.

But tomorrow I leave for my Fulbright Mid Winter Conference in Trencinske Teplice, a spa town located in the Lower Tatras a few hours north of here. Spa towns are all over Slovakia, but not your American brand at all. All have natural springs, but traditionally, are considered healing places. They tend to be medicinal and antiseptic, have doctor-like people walking around. You go to get "prescription" written out for your ailments before you go for treatments, and up until recently, state health care paid for up to a three-week stay at these places. Many are trying to upgrade and get competitive with the surrounding areas. But still for many Germans, Russians and of course natives, the spas in Slovakia are the places to go. I'll let you know.

So I board the bus tomorrow, making sure to wear my Bears hat. It remains to be seen as to how or if we can watch the Superbowl on Sunday where the Colts are for sure in for a whooping! I think it's on at midnight but I'm not certain. Besides the Superbowl on the unofficial agenda, we will all make presentations explaining our Fulbright experience. There will be an assortment of people from both the Czech Republic and Slovakia, only 6 of whom are exchange teachers like I. We number about 30 and will present over 3 days sharing our unique experiences. I have completed my presentation but am re-thinking it. Maybe I should teach the Bunny Hop in Slovak for a reverse cultural opportunity. Raz, dra, tri, styri...