TeachingasImprov:

WhatMakingThingsUpTaughtMeAboutEducation

MATCSynthesisPaper

Inpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthe
MasterofArtsDegreeinTeachingandCurriculum
DepartmentofTeacherEducation,MichiganStateUniversity

BenjaminJ.Buursma
PIDA49326020
August7,2012

Introduction
Alltheworldsastage,Andallthemenandwomenmerelyplayers

WilliamShakespearefrom
AsYouLikeIt,
ActII,SceneVII
Myfather,ateacher,hadcertainphraseshefavoredtheabovequotewasoneofthem.I

cannolongerrecallthescenarioswherehedturntotheBard,butnonetheless,thewordshave
stuckinmymemory.Ilikethequote,notbecauseofsomeparticulartruthitholds,butbecause
ofitsperspectivechangingquality.Thinkingoflifeasaperformanceputsadifferentlenson
yourinteractionsandexperiences.Ihaveoftencontemplatedteachingthroughthis
performancetintedview.Teachingisaperformanceart,butunlikeactinginaShakespearean
play,thereisnoscripttomemorizeorblockingtoexecute.Thislineofreasoningthathaslead
metoseeteachingasimprov.
Improvisaspecificformofperformanceartwheretheplayerscometogethertomakea
sceneorplayagamewithoutknowingwhatwillcomeofit.Thereisnoscript.Playersare
literallymakingthingsuponstagenotwoperformancesarealike.Mostpeoplearefamiliarwith
improvthroughthepopularshow
WhoseLineisitAnyways?
orthefamousimprovtheatre
SecondCity,whichhasproducedthelikesofTinaFey,StephenColbert,SteveCarell,among
manyothers.Ihavealwayslikedbeingonstageandgotmystartinimprovduringcollege,asI
wassimultaneouslystudyingtobecomeateacher.Whilesomemightbalkatthethoughtofa
teacherwholovestomakethingsup,improvisationhasbeenakeystrandinmyprofessional
developmentandunderstandingofeducation.Improvandteachingalikethriveoffthe
connectionsformedinrelationshipscharacterizedbyagreementandtrust.Iintendtoshowhow

suchconnectionsandrelationshipsdrawtightparallelsbetweenthelessonsofimprovandmy
growthasateacherinMichiganStatesMastersofArtsinTeachingandCurriculum(MATC)
program.

Connections
Teachingisseriousbusiness.Thestakesarehigh.Itiseasytofeellikethefutureof
childrenrestsinyourhands,andinaveryrealway,theydo.NoothertimedidIfeelthisreality
moreacutely,thanduringmythirdyearofteaching.AftertwoyearsteachingataChristian
internationalschooloutsideofJakarta,Indonesia,Ifoundmyselfteachingatahighrisk,urban
charterschoolinWashington,D.C.ThestudentsItaughtdidnotlooklikeme,soundlikeme,or
learnlikeme,oratleast,Ididnotfullyunderstandhowtheylearned.ThepersonalstatementI
wrotethatsameyearforadmittanceintotheMATCprogram(Artifact1)servesasawindowinto
myemergingunderstandingoflearnersandtheirdiversity,asdescribedbyStandard1.Inmy
statementIwrite:
...mycontext,acharterschoolinWashington,DC,hasprovedalmostmoreforeignthan
mypreviousinternationalschool.Mostmystudentscomefromahomewithlow
socioeconomicstatusandlackthebehaviorsandroutinesInaivelyexpectedthemto
posses....Iwonderhowtheneedsoflearnersmightchangebasedontheirsocioeconomic
status.Ithinkaboutthecommonnecessitiesoflearningforallstudents,nomattertheir
context.
AsIwastryingtomakesenseofmynewsetoflearnersandtheirneeds,thepressureI
feltwascompoundedbythedysfunctionofmyschoolandtheintensefocusplacedonreading

andmathscores.ThestudentsItaughtweredecidedlyonthewrongendoftheachievementgap,
withmanystudentsmultiplegradelevelsbehindinmathandreading.Furthermore,itwas
preciselytheirscoresfromstandardizedtestsinmathandreadingthatdictatedeverythingfrom
teacherreviewstotheschoolssuccessasawhole.Evennow,inmycurrentcontextata
wellresourcedindependentschool,freeoftheburdenofstandardizedtests,thebasicpressure
remains.Thelionshareofstudentsuccessandlearningfallstomeastheirteacher.Iam
responsibleforeverythingfromtheirunderstandingofplacevaluetohowtheyhandleconflict.I
spendmoretimewithmystudentsthantheirownparents.Teachingisseriousbusiness.
Asitturnsout,comedyisalsoseriousbusiness.Althoughitcarriesnoneofthesame
consequences,thepressurefacingteachersisasmalltasteoftheanxietythatcomeswith
performingatanimprovshow.Justasstudentscometolearn,theaudiencecomestolaugh,tobe
entertained.Itfallstotheplayersonstagetomeettheirneeds.Therewasnotasingleshow
whereIdidnothavebutterfliesbeforeitbegan.Giventhepressuretobefunnyimprovisers
caneasilyfallintothetrapofmakingjokes.Improv,however,ismorethanthat.Theverybest
laughsandmostsatisfyingscenesdontcomefromwittyonelinerstheycomeoutofplayers
makingconnectionsandfindingpatterns.Improvistheoppositeofstandupcomedywherethe
playeronstageissellingtheirmaterialandhopingtheaudiencewillbuy.Audiencesare
shrewdconsumersandanyhintofLookhowfunnyIam!breedsopposition.Improvinstead
mustbeaboutsincerityandhonesty,whereplayerslooktodiscoverthetruthincomedy.Nothing
isfunnierthanthetruth.Audienceslaughwhentheycanrelatedtowhattheyseeonstage,when
ascenecapturessomethingoftheirexperience(Halpern,Close,Johnson,1994).Teachingisno
different.

Whatistheteachingequivalentofmakingjokes?Isitaworksheet?Perhapsthe
ubiquitouspowerpointpresentation?Whatisthedifferencebetweenateacherasanimproviser
orasastandupcomic?Asastudent,Irememberwellmyfierceresentmentforanyassignment
withnoclearconnectionorpurpose.Perhapsmorepoignantaquestion,whatistheright
teachinganalogtoascenethatcausesthegenuine,authenticlaughofanaudiencewhohasmade
aconnectiontotheirownexperience?Howdoteachersdrawtheirstudentsintothesubjectand
makeconnectionssteepedintruth?Whentakentogether,IthinkStandard1and2oftheMATC
programencapsulatestheimprovisersjobofmakingconnectionsthatrevealtruthincomedy.
Teachersmustbothdeeplyunderstandtheirlearnersandtheirsubject,andconnectthetwo.
ParkerPalmerarticulatesthesentimentwellwhenhewritesaboutthespiritualityofteaching:
Wecanevokethespiritualityofanydisciplinebyteachinginwaysthatallowthebig
storytoldbythedisciplinetointersectwiththelittlestoryofthestudentslife.Doing
sonotonlybringsuppersonalpossibilitiesforconnectednessbutalsohelpsstudents
learnthedisciplinemoredeeply.Learningdoesnothappenwhenthesubjectis
disconnectedfromthelearnerslife.(p.3)
Themostchallengingandrewardingexperiencesinbothmyteachingandgraduatestudy
workhavecomefromconnectingthetruthsofadiscipline(science,inmycase)tothetruthsof
studentsexperience.Myfourthartifact,awebsitemoduleexploringscienceunderstanding,
standsasaprimeexample.InitIarticulateavisionofscienceunderstanding,planinstruction,
anddiagnosestudentunderstanding.Thelessonandassessmentattempttofindwherethebig
storyofscienceandintersectswitheachstudentslittlestoryofunderstanding.Forme,thisis
thestoryofteaching,toldoverandoveragaineachday,yearafteryear.

Whatsupportsteachersastheydothiswork?Howdoteachersandimprovisersdiscover
connectionsthatrevealtruth?Whetherteachingorimprovising,relationshipsarethebedrock
thatmakeperformancepossible.

Relationships
Nothingkillsascenefasterthannegation.IfIsay,Wow!Whatabeautifulbeautifulday
onMt.Everest.andyourespond,Whatareyoutalkingabout?Weareatthemovies.Passthe
popcorn!youmightgetalaugh,butyouhavedonesoattheexpenseofthesceneandmytrust.
Improvisersmustbewillingtoletgooftheirpreconceivedideasforasceneandinsteadbuildon
theoffersofothers.Itissimultaneouslyfrighteningandfreeing.Playersgiveupcontrol,butdo
soknowingthatanythinghesaysonstagewillimmediatelybeacceptedbyhisfellowplayers
Hispartneraddstohisidea,andmomentbymoment,thetwoofthemhavecreatedascenethat
neitherofthemhadplanned(Halpernetal.,1994.p.47).Hilarious,truthfulconnectionscan
onlybemadeanddiscoveredinthisway.Playersagreetotrusteachother,andinsodoing,form
acommunity.Theytietheirsuccesstothesuccessofeachother.Everythingthathappensnextis
builtupontherelationshipstheplayershaveforgedoutoftrust.
Echoesofthesesamethemesarecanbeheardclearlyinmysixthartifact,
TheCasefor
JusticeCenteredFlourishinginEducation
.InitItackleStandard3headonbyidentifyingthe
theoreticalperspectivesandconceptualframeworksthatframemyprofessionalpractice.
Specifically,IdrawontheworkofNicholasWolterstorffs
EducatingforShalom
(2004)to
advocateforaguidingframeworkofstudentflourishingpredicatedonjustice,andrealizedinan

ethicalcommunitywhereallmembershaveafullandsecureplace.Iwritethatinsucha
community,onepersonsflourishingisdependentupontheflourishingofothers.Trustisto
improvisers,asjusticeistoeducators,withrelationshipscentraltoboth.
Whataretheimplicationsofajusticecenteredviewofeducation?Howdoteachersand
studentscultivaterelationshipsoftrust?HowdoIteachjustly?Thelatterquestionhasguided
mycriticalinquiry(Goal1)throughouttheMATCprogram.Itisaquestionnoteacherever
completelyanswers,butinsteadcontinuallyandsystematicallyreflectsupon.Artifacts3and5of
myportfolioserveascompellingevidenceofmygrowthandcommitmenttothisgoal.In
Artifact3,Imakeconnectionsbetweenscienceandart,whileArtifact5looksatintegrating
technology(iPads)intomyinstruction.Theseactionresearchprojectsconnectedmewith
professionalliterature(Standard5),strengthenedmyprofessionalpractice(Goal2),andrevealed
findingsaboutinstructionalapproachesthathonorandembracestudentdifferences(Standard1).
Forme,findingwaystoengagestudentsasindividualsthroughartortechnologyrepresents
tangiblewaysofteachingjustly.Bringingitbacktoimprov,actionresearchisabitliketrying
outanewcharacterorideaduringashow.Theybothareexplorationsintotheunknown,and
bothdependonadheringtotheframeworkoftrustandrelationshipforsuccess.Actionresearch,
however,isnottheonlywaytoexpandonesprofessionalpractice.
Someofmyfondestmemoriesfrommycollegeimprovdaysarenotsolelythemoments
whenIwasonstage,infrontofanaudience,butalsowhenIhadthechancetobeinthe
audienceandwatchothersperform.Whetheritwasenjoyingmyteammatesperform,orour
annualtriptoChicagotoseeafewshows,steppingoffthestageandwatchingotherswas
inspiringandinsightful.Goal3andStandard6oftheMATCprogramspeaktotheimportanceof

steppingofthestage.Althoughtheyarenotprominentfeaturesofmyartifacts,learningfrom
others(opposedtothelessonsIlearnedthroughexperience)havebeenformativeinmy
development.JustasImapartofmyclassroomcommunity,Ialsoworkwithinalargerschool
community.Teachersdownthehall,tosaynothingofthoseinotherschools,havemuchtooffer.
Movingforward,Ihopetocontinueaccessingtheseresourceandlearnmorefromthe
performanceofothers.

Conclusion
ThelessonsIvedrawnfromimprovandteachingarenotcomplex.Forme,theyaredeep
andsimpletruthsthathavebeenformedbymybestexperiencesinschoolandonstage.Atthe
sametime,thesetruthscontinuetoinformmycurrentpractice.Theshowisnotover!Thegoals
andstandardsoftheMATCarenotmeanttobelinesofascriptthatarereadonceandforgotten
theyplayoffandsupporteachotherineachothercontinuallyasintegralpartstoeverynew
lesson,unit,andscene.Inolongerperformwithanimprovteam,butthelessonsIhavelearned
havestayedwithme.Eachnewyearteachingrepresentsanewsceneofsortsanopportunityto
buildrelationshipoutoftrustandjusticethatmightrevealconnectionslargertruthsabout
ourselvesandourworld.

WorksCited
Halpern,C.,Close,D.,&Johnson,K.(1994).
Truthincomedy:Themanualofimprovisation
.
MeriwetherPublishing.
Palmer,P.J.(1999).Evokingthespiritinpubliceducation.
Educationalleadership
,
56
,611.

Wolterstorff,N.,&Joldersma,C.(2004).
Educatingforshalom:EssaysonChristianhigher
education
.GrandRapids,Mich.:W.B.EerdmansPub.