One of my most magical teaching moments happened in one of my workshops for 5th graders at a local public elementary. After the class, the teacher came up to me and explained that one student, who was absolutely shining in my class, was one of her hardest students. English was his second language; he had learning disabilities which often meant he was struggling in her class. She was amazed to see him in this new light. I felt so happy to have facilitated that boys development, and to deepen this teacher’s perspective on her student. The experience was so fulfilling and transformative, it encouraged me to explore additional opportunites to teach.

In 2006, I took a very intense week-long immersive workshop to become a certified teaching artist in New York City through “Stages of Learning”. I moved back to NH in 2012 and began teaching local adult improv workshops. In 2014, I volunteered at The Well School, a private school in Peterborough NH, to teach their 5th-8th graders “project week” in Improv and Theater games. Through an invitation from a teacher at The Well School I attended a workshop called “Techniques for Exploring Culture, Identity, and Community in the Classroom” led by Genevieve Aichele of the New Hampshire Theater Project. After the class I was invited to THE NHTP to teach my “Shakesploration” class for their Jr. Rep student artists (8-12th grade). I was soon introduced to Vicky Pittman, The Colonial’s Education Director, who also started taking one of adult improv workshops. I didn’t realize it then, but the class I was teaching was actually an audition. Ms. Pittman then invited me to become a guest artist with The Colonial Theater’s Education outreach for one of her afterschool programs. After the succeess of the first class I became a regular teaching artist with The Colonial leading my own workshops and after school games for 5-8th graders in the Keene public school area.

IMPROV RESIDENCY WORKSHOP – Improvisation, or improv, is a form of live theater in which the plot, characters and dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up in the moment. It is fun and requires no memorization or theatrical training and it is a highly accessible medium for teaching. My style of Improv is inclusive and outside the box because I bring years of “straight” theater and classical training to the workshops. I feel any student can excel at improv and have FUN doing it! Improv builds confidence and helps with listening skills and life skills like: Saying Yes, And., Learning how to fail and be ok with it, Playing the game, Listening to the rules, Committing 100% to what you are working on, and how to think outside the box and find creative solutions to tricky problems. The great thing about improv is that it is adaptable and I can make the workshop fit the ages, needs and skill levels of the particpants. We can “share” or showcase what we learn in many ways. I have taught improv in ½ hour blocks as a one day play workshop that ends in a very presentational game of “freeze and replace” with a “yes, and” twist. Because the game feels like performance – anyone can watch or participate. I have also taught 9 hour blocks (1.5 hour block twice a week for 3 weeks) that end in a public/peer performance showcase that consists of improv “highlights” from the class – favorite games and some scene work.

LIVING LITERATURE RESIDENCY WORKSHOP – a Chekhov and Grotowsky based acting technique combined with an improvisational philosophy that explores movement, improvisation, and physical theater to create a new piece. I base this residency on my past experiences directing and producing in NYC and on an October 7th 2015 “Shakesploration” master class that I taught at the NH Theater Project for their Jr. Rep class. In this 1.5 hour workshop we took sonnet #60 from simple cut up lines of text on pieces of paper to a fully presentable piece of art. Using movement the students connected to the text in a new way. And while we did not “showcase” the sonnet we certainly could have invited parents, teachers or friends to see it. I can use this method to breath life into any poem or text given to me by the classroom teacher.

Improv is an amazingly versatile art form and I love teaching all ages. Improv is an excellent form of team building and it will help anyone on staff – the more the merrier! A simple ½ hour to one hour teacher development class would be an easy and fun way to get teachers and staff thinking creatively and saying “Yes, And” to their students! The skills you learn in improv help in all facets of life – saying yes, listening, turning mistakes into presents, and getting silly helps everyone release stress and get to know each other on different levels. I know if teachers and staff adapt their new found improv skills into their everyday lessons they will become better teachers and better co-workers!