It’s Day Seven in the Penhall house, and housemate Chris has successfully remembered the shine she learned at SOS on Sunday.
Having successfully completed the task, Chris has been allowed to order a bottle of Cava and a Kit Kat.
Chris is asked to come to the Diary Room
Big Brother would like to know why and how you have finally managed to remember a shine after six whole years of being crap at shines and only making a desultory and frankly shameful attempt at footwork.
Well, i did remember a shine two years ago after two private lessons. But the shine disappeared after a couple of months, due to lack of use i.e. lack of confidence on the dance floor to practice it. Because once you sort of dance ok, and stop, for the most part, looking like a beginner dancing on the dance floor, part of your ego goes “oh no, I am going to have to interrupt my “look, look, I can dance” and go, “just practicing, sorry. Could you bear with me for a couple of minutes while my eyes glaze over and I stick my tongue out; just got to concentrate……….ok, done, am salsa diva again……what, what…….oh, dear, did i dribble….”
But this time…and my theory as to why i have not only remembered but executed this particular shine several times already is, partly because I am really, really determined, but also because of the conversation I had with my friend Shelley on board the SOS bus one Sunday.
We discussed learning styles. And although I know i like a mixture of show, flipschart, notes, discussion and putting things into practice afterwards – but only after talking to myself and consulting notes – it had never occured to me that this was part of my problem.
I needed a flipchart, a pen and a notepad, plus a bit of question and answer (I used to be a staff trainer and loved writing things on flip charts…sad, but true).
But, I feel – and telll me if I’m wrong – that taking copious notes whilst the teacher is dancing, then expecting them to do a flow chart onto a whiteboard – would change the atmosphere of the class somewhat. And possibly inhibit others.
And after having realised how I learn, and then realising that i wasn’t going to learn a shine that way - No way – I managed to learn a shine and EXECUTE IT SUCCESSFULLY AFTERWARDS.
The human brain, honestly. Well, mine, anyway…..
