Playful Improvisation in Teaching: What We Can Learn From Art Educators

• In Event: Equity, Relevance, and Playfulness in Art Education

Abstract

We believe that there is a lot that teachers can learn from the arts, particularly the role that improvisational play can play in teaching. Teachers often find themselves in situations that require them to respond on the spot to mistakes, either made by themselves or their students. Playful improvisation allows educators to accommodate and restructure these “mistakes” and use them as a springboard to creative solutions. This preliminary study seeks to better understand the role of playful improvisation in teaching through in-depth interviews with experienced art educators—individuals who live at the intersection of the arts and teaching. Analysis of these interviews provides insights into how a focus on playful improvisation can support personal discovery and artistic expression for all educators.

Authors

• Shagun Singha, Arizona State University

• Punya Mishra, Arizona State University