![]() | Feature: Healthy Living Move for Health | No.49 January 2007 |
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Introduction
Whilst there is much evidence to support the role of physical activity
in promoting good health, the focus of this presentation is an examination
of the intimate relationship between dance and health in young children.
The concept of health will be explored in its holistic sense, predominantly
through relevant literature that confirms the physical, mental (psychological),
social and emotional components of health. Dance activities that are currently
taught in United Kingdom (UK) nursery and primary schools will be reviewed,
and the potential for dance to become a health-promoting activity for
young children will be investigated. This will be briefly discussed within
the context of UK government initiatives. Above all, however, the case
and need for dance, as well as its importance to children’s health,
will be emphasised. Health
Early explanations of health focused on it being nothing more than the
absence of disease. This was why the 1948 definition of health by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) was considered a somewhat ground-breaking
statement at the time, because it introduced the three aspects of health:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being,
and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity”(1). This historic
definition has since been heavily criticised for its unrealistic and
idealistic nature, and some sociologists have subsequently proposed
that the notion of health is the foundation from which a person can
achieve their realistic potential. Health is thus seen to be closely
linked with improving people’s quality of life(2). In later years,
WHO also identified aspects of health that encompass this viewpoint,
providing a rich definition of health that recognises it as a dynamic
state:
“…the extent to which an individual or group is able, on
the one hand, to realise aspirations and satisfy needs; and on the other
hand, to change or cope with the environment. Health is, therefore,
seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living; it
is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as
well as physical capacities.”(3)
Identifying the various aspects of health raises awareness of its complexity
as a concept and the WHO’s 1948 definition also helps clarify
the concept of health for this paper. Nonetheless, a fourth dimension,
emotional health, will be added to the WHO’s threefold notion
of health. Physical Health
This is perhaps the most obvious dimension of health and is primarily
concerned with the mechanistic functioning of the body. In structural
terms, physical health is the ability to move a large muscle mass through
such actions as bending, pulling, pushing, twisting, turning, swaying,
balancing, rolling and stretching. However, a more widespread understanding
of physical health subdivides it into the two areas of physical fitness
and physical skills. Mental (Psychological) Health
Good health also includes the presence of good mental health. This effectively
means the ability to think clearly and coherently, although mental health
has been integrated with other aspects of health and defined as “maintaining
a good level of personal and social functioning” (DfES, 2001).(4)
“YoungMinds” present a similar perspective of mental health,
maintaining that “A mentally healthy child feels good about himself
or herself, enjoys relationships, learns confidently and overcomes his
or her difficulties”.(5) Clearly, a positive mental outlook is an
essential component of a person’s health, and no matter what their
physical condition is, they will not appreciate their health without
this. Social Health
Although mental health can be distinguished from social and emotional
health, there is an intimate association between all three. In essence,
social health means the ability to establish and maintain relationships
with other people. Humans are social beings and have a need for social
contact, so it is imperative that children learn the social skills of
working supportively and effectively with others whilst also respecting
the rights of others. The more general social skills of cooperating,
negotiating, listening and being empathetic are also essential for future
social wellbeing. Emotional Health
There is increasing recognition that emotional abilities have been underrated
with regard to the role that they play in helping to ensure a healthy,
fulfilling and successful life. Howard Gardner’s well-known work
on multiple intelligences includes reference to intrapersonal and interpersonal
abilities. Albeit implicitly, the first refers to knowing about one’s
feelings, while the second pinpoints tuning into the feelings of others
(Gardner, 1993). Regardless of intellectual capacities, some people
do seem to have emotional stamina that helps them to withstand the stresses
and difficulties in life and have empathy with others. Emotional (affective)
health incorporates this capacity to cope with stress, tension, depression
and anxiety, above all being able to recognise, express and manage emotions
appropriately, whilst simultaneously keeping a positive sense of self-worth
and self awareness. Holistic Health and Education: Dance for Young Children
The above dimensions of health have been individually examined, but
it should be recognised that all aspects of health are interrelated
and interdependent. This holistic view of health is of great importance
when working with young children, and will now be further explored by
focusing the discussion upon the health-promoting potential of dance. Physical Health through Dance
From approximately 2 to 8 years of age, children lay the foundations
for a lifetime of movement. Through exploration and extension of their
capabilities, children refine their basic physical skills such as balance
and coordination, gaining control over their bodies and the way they
move. Clearly, there are basic motor skills in Dance that are essential
to learn, in that they will encourage the child to continue their participation
in physical activity and consequently enjoy its many health benefits.
This is affirmed within the Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) Resource
(Hands et al, 2004), in which twenty-two FMS are categorised and considered
central to the development of children’s movement proficiency.
Moreover, in terms of the health-related parts of physical fitness,
it is clear that a well-designed dance program with a wide range of
physical challenges has the potential to improve a child’s cardiovascular
fitness, strength, muscular endurance and flexibility. Mental Health through Dance
The two-way process of the mind affecting the body and the body affecting
the mind is of vital interest to the dance teacher for it does indicate
that the state of the organism is an important aspect of health. Within
the dance lesson, there are many opportunities to focus upon the mental
development and health of the child. One of the exciting things about
teaching dance is that the teacher can ‘see’ the children’s
thought processes in action through their understanding of, for example,
the exploration of changes in dynamics. The teacher can also regularly
involve children in the decision-making process, allowing them to plan
and compose their own dances, develop strategies, discover schematics,
observe connections, make judgements and generate alternatives. Moreover,
through dance appreciation and composition exercises, the child can
be encouraged to think more abstractly, independently, imaginatively
and creatively. Thus, the dance lesson can be a powerful means of enhancing
young children’s thought actions, and in turn, their mental health,
but the understanding and acceptance of movement as a thinking process
is of central philosophical importance here. Social Health through Dance
The whole basis for young children and adults living and working together
is founded on good relationships. Achieving a sociable environment is
not always easy, and children under five are inexperienced in interpersonal
skills. As such, social development now forms a major part of the UK
nursery curriculum, because considerable social learning is involved
in adapting to a group. Davies (2003, p. 29) suggests that “Associating
with other people is an integral part of the movement activities of
young children”. In addition, taking part alongside others in
a physical activity such as dance is clearly something that young children
enjoy. Children also share space and resources in a dance lesson and
there are many moments of interaction that help to foster their social
relationships. For example, shared dance-making encourages children
to communicate with and relate to others, and gives a sense of social
cohesion, supporting relationships between peers. Children relate to
other children as they grow in confidence, and the friendships that
they make are dependent on them acquiring and practising complex social
skills. Dance is a medium through which children can develop their social
abilities (and resultant social health), nurtured and aided by the early
childhood practitioner. Emotional Health through Dance
Social and emotional factors are vital aspects of effective learning
and the reference to emotional development was a significant addition
to the Early Learning Goals for children in the foundation stage of
UK education.(6) Children’s movement is linked with emotional and
expressive behaviour and dance is an effective means of facilitating
the investigation of emotions and feelings, since its intention is to
use the body expressively, often to convey ideas or moods.(7) Children
need to recognise negative emotions and come to accept and regulate
them. Alongside this, positive emotions can be stirred and developed
through sensory experiences such as dancing to music. Dowling maintains
that children will only ever achieve emotional health if they experience
and express a range of emotions in their own way (2000, p. 63), and
she subsequently recommends creative and expressive activities such
as dance. Conclusion
During recent years, health in young children has become a ‘hot
topic’ in the UK, with acceptance at government level that physical
activity is a desirable component of health behaviour.(8) The dance lesson
in the nursery and primary school is an opportunity for young children
to develop their health in a structured and supportive environment.
For some children it may indeed be the only opportunity they have of
being active during the week, thus the early childhood teacher can make
an essential contribution to children’s movement and overall healthy
development by teaching regular, varied and enjoyable dance lessons.
Dance is a developmentally appropriate physical activity, which will
help children appreciate the joy of movement and what it can accomplish
in their physical, psychological, social and emotional development.
It can make a unique contribution to young children’s development,
health and well-being, and should therefore be an integral part of an
education system that encourages and enables health-promoting activity.
It is for this reason that “…early childhood practitioners
[need] to do everything they can to ensure that movement and dance become
equal partners with other activities in the teaching learning environment”
(Davies, 2003, p. 207). (1) Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health
Organisation as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York,
19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61
States (Official Records of the World Health Organisation, no. 2, p. 100)
and entered into force on 7 April 1948. (2) See Mansfield, K. 1977. Letters and Journals.
London: Pelican Books (Mansfield discusses health in terms of becoming all that she
is capable of becoming, which has become a well used quotation). (3) World Health Organisation 1984 Health Promotion:
a WHO discussion document on the concepts and principles. Reprinted in
Journal of the Institute of Health Education. Vol. 23. No. 1. 1985. (4) DfES, 2001 in Dryden et al, 2005, p. 26. (6) (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), 1999) (7) “By the end of Key Stage 2 it is expected
that most children will be able to in dance express feelings, moods and
ideas through movement in response to stimuli including music” (QCA,
1998). (8) See government directives such as “The
National Healthy Schools Programme” (October 1999), “The School
Sport Strategy” (October 2002), “Every Child Matters”
(2003) and the Public Health White Paper “Choosing Health: Making
Healthier Choices Easier” (November 2004). Bibliography
Davies, M. (2003). Movement and Dance in Early Childhood. 2nd ed. London:
Paul Chapman Publishing.
Dowling, M. (2000). Young Children’s Personal, Social and Emotional
Development. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
Dryden, L. et al. (2005). Essential Early Years. Hodder Arnold: London.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Hands, B., Martin, M. & Lynch, P. (2004). Fundamental
Movement Skills. Preparing Children for an Active and Healthy Lifestyle.
Western Australian Minister for Education: Western Australia. (UK STEPS
Professional Development website: http://www.steps-pd.co.uk/).
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). (1998). Maintaining Breadth
and Balance at Key Stages 1 and 2. London: QCA.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). (1999). A Curriculum
Entitlement for Children 3 to 5 Years. QCA. Contact
Rachael Jefferson-Buchanan, BEd (Hons, MA)
Bath Spa University Bath, United Kingdom R.Buchanan@bathspa.ac.uk http://www.youngminds.org.uk/briefings/02_06_01.php ![]() http://www.icsspe.org/portal/index.php?w=1&z=5 |