Start With 'Yes': An Applied Improv Approach to College Teaching

This interactive session teaches how the basic tenants of improvisational theatre and applied improv-based communication are used to develop a positive, learning-centered classroom culture and improve student engagement and success. Participants will explore the intersection of Spolin-based improv and characteristics of learning such curiosity, trust, authenticity, and risk. Foundational theory and research will underpin experiential, game-based learning. 

Presenter: DeAnna Massie, MFA, ED. D., is a teaching artist, actor, and researcher specializing in applied improvisation and performance. She has worked as a consultant and facilitator for training events in a variety of corporate and academic settings. Trained at Second City and PaperSlip Theater, Dr. Massie is an eighteen year veteran of improv who has toured the United States as a performer and been featured at international conferences as a presenter and researcher focusing on improvisation as a tool for professionals. She has trained groups at Bayer/Monsanto, Centene, Nestle Purina, the St. Louis Special School District, YouthBuild USA, Washington University, and the University of Missouri St. Louis, among others. Her formal arts education and study of theater as an agent of change, along with her specialized training in leadership and inclusion contribute to her innovative approach to professional development.  Dr. Massie is a Lincoln Center trained teaching artist and a lead teacher with the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission Canvass Project and the Springboard to Learning Teaching Artist Institute. She currently serves as chair of the Lewis and Clark Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, President of the Midwest Regional Association for Developmental Education, and was a 2016 nominee for the ICCTA Teacher of the Year  Award. Her latest research can be found in the Journal for Faculty Development,  and she is currently writing a book based on her original method of using dynamic improv-based communication skills to navigate difficult conversations.

When: Friday, November 15, 10:00 am - 11:15 am

Where: Peck Hall, Room 1309