Profession development: May 1, 2020
Approach:
- Making distance learning social.
- SEL and brain-based activities.
- Tools for core content review
- How to implement, debrief, and customize.
I would appreciate your feedback, there are two quick questions at: https://christianafrank.com/survey-wcsd-gt-pd/
Video
- Social Brain (2.5 minutes)
- What is Applied Improvisation
- Basic rules of Applied Improvisation
- Show up, be deliberate.
- Make those around you look great!
- Say Yes And.
- Don’t try to be funny.
Basic notes:
- Online/ in person classroom climate.
- Online etiquette ideas:
- Find a quiet location to set up. Please turn off all TVs and radios.
- Have enough room to stand, move your body, and stay in the screenshot.
- Know what is in the frame behind you, as we will all see it.
- If possible, have the device plugged in, so it stays charged.
- Log on early if an option and get comfortable with seeing yourself online.
- Please type in student full name in the left bottom corner of the screen. This can be done by clicking the three dots at the top of the screen. (Zoom).
- Do not check phone, email, or other devices during the workshop.
- Please do not change name, background, or send private messages during the workshop. (Zoom offers the option to turn these off.)
- Please use headphones and mic if you have one.
- We love pets, yet please do not engage with them during the workshop or put them on the screen.
- If an activity requires you to leave the room to get something, leave your device where it is.
- No recording of the session or taking pictures, without prior agreement with KidScape Productions.
- No eating (water is fine.)
- Do not upstage and take extra care with short turn-taking.
- Be flexible, kind, and courteous.
- Keep your focus on the action.
- All items not being used for the lesson out of hands and sight.
- Teach students (interactively) about how the brain works.
- Embed full/partial body movement before, during, and after lesson or content review.
- Review on what observed, what valued, and what will apply.
- Teachers viewpoint.
- Classroom viewpoint.
- Student viewpoint.
- Stay aware of changing emotional needs during this time.
- If makes sense to your class, time to connect casually with each other for a few minutes before, during or after the lesson.
- Instilling complimentary energy with a strong focus on stress resilience.
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- What type of energy does your group need/not need?
- What type of movement does your group need/ not need?
- Helping students with balance. Out of fight or flight and couch potato mode. Somewhere in the middle. Increasing focus and intention.
- “Yes, and”
- The Growth Mindset.
Movement and brain-breaks:
Identify how often a break is needed.
- Simple and Quick
- Chair stretches.
- Toe lifts
- Jumping Jacks
- Get creative!
- Tongue Twisters
- Unique New York.
- Red leather, yellow feather.
- List of tongue twisters.
- Environmental
- Explore online and in person space, find the opportunities to move and open up more discussions during lessons.
- Breath work
- Box Breathing
- 4-7-8 Breathing
Brain-based activities for increased attention, movement, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion. Please keep in mind that there are many options of variations to reach your group’s needs. The lesson is in the debrief. These activities work for self and group assessments in core content and social emotional skill sets.
Yes/And Intro
The teacher asks a question to the group.
First round, together everyone says “No”.
Second round, everyone answers together “Yes”.
Third round, everyone answers together “Yes, and….” (followed with an idea that builds off what they’re saying yes to).
Ball Toss Feelings
The teacher or a student begins and makes an “I feel…” statement.
They chose another student and pantomime passing a ball to them through their screen. The receiving student catches the ball and says what they do when they feel that way. The student with the ball says how they’re feeling, and pass it to some to someone else, and so on.
Mirroring for Give and Take.
A student (or the instructor) is the Leader and moves their body in an interesting way.
All other students match the Leader’s movements (as best they can).
Someone (who’s not the leader) in the group freezes in position.
As other notice the frozen student, they too will freeze until everyone is frozen.
Once everyone has frozen, one student will become leader by moving in interesting ways.
A Pen
Student 1 says “I have a(n) [object of their choosing]”
Student 2 makes up a problem which has nothing to do with the object.
Student 3 proposes a way to solve the problem using the object.
Half Life
Role play a 2-min. scene where two students share a problem, then work together to find a solution.
Replay that same scene in 1 minute, then in 30 seconds. Then in 15 seconds.
Note: this game is not about going faster, but paring down the contents of the scene to what’s essential.
Compliment Circle
First student says what they like about themselves then calls another participants name and says what they like about them.
This continues until everyone has had a turn and it ends with the person who started.
Works for SEL, and content review.
Get creative on how to students pass to each other and if appropriate include movement, sounds or key wording.
Resources
- Assessment results: The benefits of Applied Improvisation for SEL in Gifted Students (7th-12th) – C. Frank
- 23 Reasons for Teachers to Apply Improv in the Classroom -M. DeMichele
- Improv experience promotes divergent thinking, uncertainty tolerance, and affective well-being – P. Felsman, S. Gunaawardena, C. Seinfert
- Applied Improv Enhances Executive Functioning – C. Frank
- Wired To Connect: Social-Emotional Learning Through Applied Improvisation- J. Wolff
- Improv for Social-Emotional Learning: Serious Play – J. Wolff
- International Applied Improvisation Network
- Reno/Tahoe Applied Improvisation Network
- Christiana Frank Consulting (Organizational / Leadership Consultant)
- KidScape Productions (K-12)
- 2019 World Gifted Conference : Applied Improvisation in the Classroom
