Using empathy to teach a new dance step

I was teaching Kick Ball Changes to my students last weekend. I noticed they were able to do it pretty well with their right legs but not their left. As a result, they focused only on the right leg and forgot about kicking with their left.

Knowing how well kids are connected to their emotions, I gave each leg a feeling.

I asked the students to relate with how it feels when someone learns something faster than the other. Then, I explained:

Your Right Leg got the step faster because that's usually what happens if you are right handed.

But poor Left Leg wants to learn the step too! So, let's not ignore it. It deserves to learn as well.

Immediately, I felt the children's energies shift as they becamr very concerned about how their Left Leg must be feeling. This made them feel determined to stand up for their Left legs. I am pretty confident that I will return to a class full of kids with stronger Left legged Kick Ball Changes.

Here's a video that captured this moment in class...