Mrs. Kelly O'Grady

  • 9-12
  • Dance Teacher, Career Center Specialist, D Street Director, Spirit Advisor
  • Bonita High School
Gym
2065
ogrady@bonita.k12.ca.us

About Me

(For information regarding dance class or D Street please click here.)

I am passionate about helping high school students succeed in any positive way that I can. At Bonita I serve in the Career & College Center as well as teaching Advanced Dance, coaching the D Street Dance Team, and facilitating the after school tutoring program. 

My role in the Career and College Center is to provide information and support to the students that are checking out majors, colleges, future careers, or entering the work force now. Information is power. My hope is that students will find out what they value in life and then pursue that in college and work. 

I know something about doing what you love and what you are good at. In addition to mentoring students for over 15 years I have also been a dancer, choreographer, and business owner. I decided what I wanted to do with my life when I was in high school and I can happily say I stayed on that path since then. 

For my role as Dance teacher and coach: 

·         As a dance educator I embrace dancers at all levels and backgrounds.

·         I create a safe environment of hard work coupled with patience and encouragement.

·         I strongly value technique as a foundation for cultivating an individual's artistry.

·         I believe in the emotional benefits of dance such as the promotion of self-confidence, self-esteem, and a strong sense of self-identity. The communal nature of dance learning often helps students who might otherwise feel isolated or alienated in group settings. The opportunity to relate to peer on this level often translates into standard academic settings and promotes peer cooperative learning across the board.

·         I believe in the physical benefits of dance such as flexibility, strength, coordination, gracefulness, promoted flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health, childhood obesity, bone formation, joint stability, neurological development, and other physical childhood issues. 

·         I believe in the academic benefits of dance. Students of dance also develop and use creative higher-order thinking skills while inventing solutions to movement problems. I believe in the correlation between dance and higher standardized test scores (College Board Statistics). Students learn problem solving, social awareness, patterns, sequences, and structures that transfer into other areas of learning and achievement. ​

My philosophy on teaching involves creating an environment that fosters rigor, relevance, and one that builds positive working relationships. With patience and a keen ability to call attention to and clarify details, I maintain an ongoing dialogue with students to address issues that may arise during the course of class and work with them to find solutions. I believe that I have a responsibility to educate students in the artistry of dance as well as an understanding of the dance industry in regards to employment. Teaching dance is a journey of discovery; finding ways to connect students from all walks of life. My teaching style is energetic, encouraging, and compassionate. This style of teaching has led me to my ultimate goal as an educator, which is for my students to become people that value life, art, diversity, and seek meaning in all the things they do.

 

I am grateful every day to get to use my talents and experience to help students in the areas of both college/career planning and in dance.