The advantages of using Imagery when teaching

Going back to my journal writing and reflective practice I wanted to write a blog about a few things I have learnt whilst teaching.

Since starting teaching properly in July this year I feel in a short amount of time my classes have improved because of my increased understanding of the use of Imagery.  The words that are cropping up in my journal regularly are 'images', 'imagination' and 'creativity'.

A small experiment

In one of my classes called 'Tricks and Tumbles' which is a combination of Gymnastics and Dance, I decided in this session I would be teaching 'Split leaps' or 'Split Jetes' across the floor.  The children I teach in this class range from 6-9 years and are mostly beginners.  At first, I explained the move and showed them how it should look.  I asked them to give it their best shot and do the move across the floor.  After this, I used the image of a big puddle in the middle of the floor and they had to jump over this puddle from one foot onto the other foot.  Immediately, I noticed a huge improvement in the leaps and I could see a lot more excitement in the children's faces.  I developed this idea with the children and added in a fence in front of the puddle.  Again, the height in the children's leaps improved greatly.  Since this lesson, I have used images in most of the moves that I teach.

This brings me to Ken Robinsons quote as shown below:

I have realised the importance of imagination so much in the past few months and think it is something that all teachers should use in their classes.