THE PANDEMIC CHANGED EDUCATION
In The Beginning…
When the pandemic hit, our children were severely impacted. They were, understandably, very uncomfortable with suddenly having to learn online:
They couldn’t be face-to-face in the same shared building with their friends
The social dynamics of learning shifted drastically
With makeshift desks in their own bedrooms, many didn’t want to turn on their cameras out of embarrassment, anxiety, or fear
But there was another group of people that we respect and rely upon who were also impacted especially hard: teachers. Our teachers, understandably, struggled with how to set up and use their technology. Worse, because many of their students muted themselves and had their cameras off, most found themselves teaching into a silent and black void.
Change Through Play was already offering free online improv classes to kids aged 9-15 to students from around the world. We thought… what if we ALSO offered a workshop geared specifically for educators?!? Then, we had another idea, even more radical:
What if we teach educators the same improv exercises that we use to teach children and show them how to use those to teach their own curriculums?
An idea was born. A workshop was announced. To our great delight, educators from around the globe — the US, the UK, Central America, and Scandinavia! — joined us for our workshops. In many cases, the individual teachers who attended told their principals. Those principals sometimes hired us to provide training for their ENTIRE staff of educators and administrators. We’d discovered something important and powerful to offer!
A pic from one of our Educator Workshops in July of 2020.
In The Present…
Our 2-day workshop continues to this day and is geared specifically for educators, facilitators, administrators, counselors, and coordinators. It's designed to share what we know about how to succeed in the physical OR virtual space. Anchoring our workshop is our Founder, David Koff. David has worked for 25 years as a technologist and 30 years as an improviser and facilitator.
Day One focuses on what technology to use and how to set it all up — computers, microphones, lights, audio & video settings — and then… how to leverage the advantages that those technologies can unlock with certain applied improvisation exercises. For those workshops which are held in person, we’ll focus on how to physically set up a classroom and discuss which tools - computers, projectors, speakers, and even small stages - can be used to great advantage.
Day Two focuses on exploring and using virtual exercises that are geared to delight and engage students of ANY age. We’ll break down the various styles of learning and then showcase exercises that can optimize learning for each style. Exercises will focus on different creative levels: verbal, physical, written, emotional, and more.
In addition to the 4 hours of workshop time (2hr on each of the two days), participants will also receive:
class videos to download and use for personal review (for those workshops which are taught virtually)
a 12-page handout on which specific & affordable technology to buy and why
a 12-page handout on how to set up your technology correctly
a 20-page handout on various applied improv exercises, broken down by learning category
15-30min follow-up phone call or Zoom to ask follow-up questions
Contact us to learn about pricing, availability, or the specific needs that you and your organization have. We’re also available to consult on your educational processes, procedures, and tools.