Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
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To master the steps, revisit the basics
By Suzanne Bouffard
Categories: FundamentalsApril 2020
Vol 41, No. 2
Whenever I learn something new — dancing, cooking, statistics — the beginning of the learning curve tends to be quite rewarding. It’s the next stage I find most frustrating, the stage I think of as going beyond the basics. In my early adulthood, I became enthralled with Lindy Hop. In this style of social dancing, the partners know a common vocabulary of steps but determine in the moment which ones to dance and when. Beginning Lindy Hoppers start with the aptly named basic step, gradually adding more complicated moves. Simultaneously, you learn the physical cues of how to lead and follow. With those foundational skills, you’re ready to go out dancing. It’s just after you gain confidence that things fall apart. It happens when you
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Suzanne Bouffard is senior vice president of communications and publications at Learning Forward. She is the editor of The Learning Professional, Learning Forward’s flagship publication. She also contributes to the Learning Forward blog and webinars. With a background in child development, she has a passion for making research and best practices accessible to educators, policymakers, and families. She has written for many national publications including The New York Times and the Atlantic, and previously worked as a writer and researcher at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Duke University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University. She loves working with authors to help them develop their ideas and voices for publication.
Categories: Fundamentals
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