Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall

If you want to get anything done when teaching children, never, ever teach them in front of a wall of full length mirrors. It neutralizes all thinking processes and the brain shifts into a dormant stage where neurons screech to a halt and take a siesta.

The admiration for their own image is apparent by the twinkle in their eyes.  Soon the movement begins. With the boys it starts with lips and tongues.  Soon they're contorting their faces pausing between each face vogue style. The feet start to move and as they watch  in fascination, they jump high into the air, dance, shuffle, perform kung fu moves, and eventually roll about the floor.

Another issue with mirrors - The children can see each other.  They line up in a straight line side by side.  Without the mirrors, they face the teacher and can't see down the line.  But with the mirrors, they can see everyone in line.   Unfortunately for me, they fall like dominoes.  Count to three and there are three to four boys dancing, performing kung fu moves and rolling about the floor.

The girls tilt their head to and fro, usually a quiet stare of admiration or evaluation.   I'm not sure which.  Soon the movement begins.  First the arms swing back and forth ever so slightly and soon the body does too.  The feet move to side to side and a dance breaks out, or some girls start posing, first one angle, then the other.

I bring their attention back over and over.  As we do our drills in front of the mirror, these children are seriously checking themselves out.  They're not paying any attention to technique or the corrections I'm trying to make. Each  mesmerized, hearing nothing, and watching with fascination the child in the mirror.

I had to break up this little love affair.   Since breaking the mirrors is not an option, we moved our Lil' Dragon's class to the next room, you know, the one without the mirrors.