Lesson Overview 

I have probably never taught as powerful a lesson in cooperative learning as I did with the Rufty Tufty Lesson.  I know - that I did absolutely no direct instruction - and no dancing that it was one of the most exhausting lessons of the year.  Exhausting because you, as the teacher, are almost channelling the students' collective confidence.  You are pushing them to believe in themselves - to believe that they can teach themselves this English Country Dance - in 35 minutes or so - and then go out into the Lunchroom, in front of their friends, and perform this new dance.   I probably did it for only 10 years - as time went on I lost the  energy - sadly.  Got tired of other teachers asking me why I didn't just lecture to the kids (which is slightly less worse than what the new teachers were telling me the final few years: "Why do you push your students so hard"?)  But I do know it worked.  I know the students had a blast - and it stuck with them for the rest of year and beyond.

What's the point of the lesson: Well learning about the Renaissance is all well and good - but I wanted to give them something that went beyond that.  That gave them the feeling of rebirth - excitement - of pushing the boundaries of what was known.  What better way than learning a new dance?  How do you do it?  Here are the steps...(maybe a pun intended).

Entering Class

Have the class desks pushed to one side of the room and stacked to maximize dance practice space. As students enter the classroom, hand them - in the right order (you just need to have them stacked in the right order) a ticket that tells them if they are a Lord or Lady and which group they belong to.  If you have them stacked in order - this will take care of the grouping and it will ensure there are 4 people in each group (which is what you need for the dance).  See the Rufty Tufty Tickets handout below.  The other two  wonderful thing this accomplishes is to make sure you have enough or the right dancing position (Lord/Lady) in each group and allows students to not worry about being gender identified.  Also give each person a Rufty Tufty Instruction Handout , and each group gets ONE Playford Dance Instruction Handout.  You could have these positioned around the room to save time.

The Two Handout - Directions

There are two handouts - A. The Rufty Instruction Handout (each student has one) AND B. The Playford Instruction Handout.  Here's were Critical Thinking comes in.   Handout A (Rufty Tufty Instructions) refers to general instructions found in Handout B (The Playford Instructions).  Tell students to give B. Playford Instructions to the member with the most dance experience - or to anyone they think fit.  Tell them they have 5 minutes to look over the directions (from both handouts).  In 5 minutes you will play the Rufty Tufty for them to give it a try.

Practice

1. In 5 minutes - play the Rufty Tufty music (at normal speed).  You will play it for probably 30 seconds, before you realize everyone is lost!  That's fine.  Tell them to look it over again.  

2. In two minutes you will play it again.  A SLOW VERSION.  In two minutes play the slow version of the Rufty Tufty.  Tell them to do their best - to keep going.

3. Now - tell them they have 5 more minutes - and they can consult with other groups.  At least one person in one group will start to catch on how to do it.  From that one person it will spread - you can facilitate that by having the most competent person at the dance (so far) go to group to group to help them out.  In 5 minutes Play the Slow Version again.

4. Now that they've tried it 2 1/2 times - show them the video.  It is short - and it's important they first try to figure it out themselves BEFORE they watch the video.  When they do - they now have a reference point and it will make more sense.  Remind them to glance at their instructions.  Show the video a second time and announce they have 3 minutes to practice and you will play the song again.

5. After 3 minutes - play the slow version of the song again.  After - tell them they have a minute to correct anything and you will play it again.

6. After a minute play it again.  This time not the slow version, but the fast version instead.

7. Show the video - tell students they need to be polishing it up.  Identify any groups that have got it down (this is where the cooperative learning - and people using their best assets really comes into play). Tell them there will be two more practices - first slow - then normal speed.

8. Play the slow version of the Rufty Tufty for them to dance to.  Tell them they have 1/2 a minute and you play the normal speed.  A final practice.

9. Play the Rufty Tufty at normal speed.  Let them practice one more time.

10. Take them out to the Lunch Room - or whatever common space you prefer - and let them dance!  I have never seen a spectator be unkind - and there was always a huge round of applause and good natured joy.

Thoughts on the Lesson 

For ten years we did the Rufty Tufty - and for ten years it was one of the most thrilling days of the year for me.  However, it was also the time that I started to realize how easy it is to get discouraged as a teacher - to turn lessons aside, simply because it is a lot easier to not do it...   I am so glad we had those ten years!