Last week we did an exercise in class called “transportation conversation.”
We arranged two chairs as if they were the front two seats and two chairs as if they were the back two seats of a transportation vehicle.
We then invited a single student at a time to pull a slip of paper that would start an improv scene in that vehicle while they chose which chair they wanted to sit on.
The teacher/facilitator of the activity then responded to the opening line and gave as much information as possible to the student to play off.
There was some hesitation at first, but once we got started, it went very well.
The scenes went into some very interesting and odd places, and that was a good thing.
Why do we speculate that was?
Because we often got very silly and that lowered everyone’s’ defenses and walls.
(Below) is a post from linkedin.com from Maddy Reeve that discusses the importance of silliness in the classroom.
Anyone who has been taught by me over the last seven years will know that I love nothing more than a bit of silliness in the classroom. Whether it be telling embarrassing stories, acting out new vocabulary, attempting tongue twisters, or running around the classroom like a headless chicken, I can’t deny the fact that I rather enjoy making a fool of myself. “But why?”, I hear you ask. Well, for starters…
1) Being silly with your students can create a positive change to the classroom dynamic. Students tend to see teachers as a figure of authority and nothing more. They often forget that teachers are people with worries, weaknesses, and a life outside of work (albeit a limited one)! Showing them your silly side makes you more relatable, and as a result, difficult or skeptical students may treat you with more respect. Furthermore, if you’re willing to look daft in front of your students, they are far less likely to worry about what they look ot sound like in front of their peers. Consequently, more reserved students may be more willing to ask questions, share their worries, and contribute answers fearlessly.
2) To be completely honest, silly facial expressions, flailing arms, and hand gestures are quite often the best ways to elicit new vocabulary. Visual aids are highly beneficial to lower-level students, so why not bring in some of your personal belongings, dig out your old fancy dress box, or teach them a game that you loved when you were young. Remember, wearing an extravagant headpiece or singing along to a new pop song doesn’t have to impede learning!
3) To put it simply, being silly is fun, and when students are having fun, they’re less anxious. When they’re less anxious, they contribute more. When they contribute more, they progress more quickly. Sharing embarrassing stories or pulling silly faces while you attempt tongue twisters can be the perfect way to build rapport in the classroom and increase the rate of progress. Plus, everyone knows that teaching is a challenging job with long work hours, so why wouldn’t you want to have as much fun as possible in the working day!
So, stop reciting verb tables, let your hair down, and embrace the silliness! You won’t regret it!
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As we have mentioned before, we think that silly gets a bad rap in educational settings.
Does that mean that it should be overused (outside of arts’ classes) on a regular basis? No.
As Ms. Reeve mentioned in her post, the silliness can (at least temporarily) put the student and the educator on the same level, thus, allowing them to relate with a smile and/or a laugh.
Both the students and the educators are often under immense pressure that neither knows that the others are experiencing.
So, perhaps, silly isn’t an enemy of effective education and student/educator relationships after all.