We all improvise every day, but we don’t always recognize it.  When you bought that cup of coffee this morning, there was no script – you improvised that entire transaction (and there was more to it than you might think). As educators, there are many moments that cannot be anticipated, and so you will improvise your way through those, too.

Veteran improviser Scott Benjamin**  believes that everyone can use a little improv in their lives.  Many people think that to do improv comedy, you have to be “fast on your feet,” or “extra clever” or “naturally funny”.

Scott has learned that improv is really about something else; it’s about learning to listen and observe (and to respond, truthfully). Scott has said, “There is no job (including teaching) that you won’t be better at, just by being a good listener and observer.”

Improv is positive: it’s all about saying “yes”. You’ll learn the fundamental rule of “Yes, and…” and you’ll see what it can do for you, even if you never set foot on a stage).

Improv is judgment free. In improv, there are no mistakes; we learn to embrace “happy accidents” and use them to create something remarkable.

Improv is fun (Scott guarantees that)! By the end of the session, you will have laughed a lot, you will have learned a lot, and you will have created some never before seen (and never to be seen again) comedic theater…

…and, you’ll see how these simple and fun techniques can help you to be a better educator.
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**Long time cast member of improv troupes at New York City Improv theaters including The PIT (People’s Improv Theater), The Armory, 10,000 Hours, and others.