The previous post discussed the history and varied application of The Failure Bow, a well-loved improvisational theater technique for returning to the present moment after a seeming mistake. This post, Part 2, explains recent body chemical research that shows how and why the Bow works—and argues for its wider application for creating and spreading confidence, [more…]
First Idea: Forego or Follow?
I heard several provocative guidelines for excellent design when our Applied Improvisation group toured Stanford’s graduate Institute of Design (d-School). One principle stood in particular contrast with a foundational tenet of improvisational theater. Now, a day later, I still find myself trying to make sense of the tension: should we follow a ‘first idea’ or [more…]
Some Questions About Praise, Performance, and Privilege
Offering praise for inborn talent feeds a fixed mindset that can create self-doubt, weaken resolve, and reduce resiliency. In short, it can cripple a student’s ability to learn. Does that mean we should never celebrate God-given gifts?
Helping Goldilocks Grow
When designing ideal conditions for learning, we do well to consider the case of Goldilocks. If we make a lesson too difficult, our learner may shut down in frustration. Make it too easy and the learner walks away in boredom. In between those two poles lies a “Just Right” moment, a learning location that both fits and stretches.
Spontaneity School: 10 Improv Games to Develop Courage, Compassion and Creativity
Use improv games to develop mindful presence–for groups and for you. Check out the new Playful Mindfulness book! And for “a curious romp through the worlds of mindfulness and improvisation, subscribe to the Monster Baby podcast by clicking here! It’s that time of year. Parents have plucked the back-to-school aisles clean and have watched their [more…]
Dolphin Training (part 2 of 2)
(This post continues from the previous one. To read that entry first, click here.) The Dolphin Training game shows us how much fun–and success–we can have when learning by positive reinforcement methods, yet so few teachers use the approach the game suggests in their own pedagogies. I’m not yet sure myself what teaching improv–or any [more…]
Positively Tricky
We use the word “positive” to mean many different things—and muddy our waters of understanding as a result. In the behavioral sciences, in the strictest sense, the word positive means “something added in.” In positive reinforcement training, then, “positive” means “treat” or reinforce added within a setting to make a particular behavior more likely to [more…]
