How you teach is how you do everything – part 5: spontaneity via improvising
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Training & development
‘How you teach is how you do everything’ is the title of a recent blog post written by Jen Louden and Michele Lisenbury Christensen. The essence of the post is an 8 point outline of what it does and doesn’t mean to teach with heart and soul.
I’ve written a post for each point. You can read the first four posts here:
- About ‘needy students sucking you dry’ here
- Being brave and bold
- Humble pie – there’s power in humility
- Bears? Fireplace in the way? No heat? No problem!
Point #5
Some under-prepare and wing it every time, and shame themselves afterwards with “I should’ve done better.”
Others use their spontaneity skillfully, building on a base of solid planning to serve in a way that makes them proud (enough of the time).
My take on the beauty of spontaneity via improvising
Yes preparation is essential. Yes a good plan, which links learning objectives to creative learning activities, is critical. And yes a supply list, handouts, and the other assorted flotsam and jetsam that comes with training is important.
AND.
I work with professional improvisers all the time because while Rock.Paper.Scissors is a corporate training company it’s also a corporate entertainment company and our form of entertainment is improv.
AND.
I’ve learned the beauty of improv as a way to amp up learning. Being in the moment. Laser focused listening. Weaving ‘lived experiences’ (participant’s reactions to interactive activities) into practical application makes learning pop.
Being in the flow.
Improvising means custom tailoring learning down to the moment. Improvising means responding to curve balls, to questions and to curiousity.
It’s a heck of a way to teach and more importantly learn.
To find out more about the TeachNow series with Jen Louden and Michele Lisenbury Christensen (including an interview with yours truly) click here.
Tags: humour, improv, jen louden, michele lisenbury christensen, self-care
April 11th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
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