"This is Why" - Improvisation
By Brent Bell - Faculty
Last week, I had the good fortune of attending the CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference in New York City. CASE is the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and NAIS is, of course, the National Association of Independent Schools of which Darlington is a member.
I had not previously attended a CASE conference or one devoted to ways to advance your school. The conference did not disappoint, and I especially enjoyed the title “Independent Groove.” In every aspect, the conference lived up to its promise to take its cues from jazz.
The 46th Annual CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference takes its cues from the creative process of jazz. Join us in New York for a journey through improvisation, adaptability, collaboration and leadership. This year's program has been crafted by a committee of some of the strongest leaders in independent school advancement and is designed to explore a range of topics critical to advancing your office.
The conference also reminded me of a TED Talk and a blog I wrote a couple of years ago. Here is that blog in its entirety (including a link to the TED Talk, which is better than the blog)! This blog was written while I was the Head of Upper School at Randolph School in Huntsville, Ala.; as a result, Capstone is a course taught at that school. The improvisational qualities of that class could occur anywhere.
Blog – Improvise, make it sing!
I am not a musician and often regret that fact particularly when I hear a band “jam” or learn more about the improvisational nature of jazz. I am a fan of TED talks and recently enjoyed a talk from Stefon Harris, a jazz vibraphonist and band leader. Most significantly for me, it crystallized some of my thinking about education. Simply put, we are at our best when it feels like we are improvising. At the same time, improvisation is far from making things up as you go along; it is in fact, the culmination and growth of your educational foundation. What Stefon and his band show are that when you know your stuff, you are ready for more.
Students report that the best classes are the ones where they are engaged and challenged participators who feel relevant. Doesn’t that sound improvisational? I’ve encountered this on many occasions in our senior Capstone Seminar. Fourteen students lead, or are led, through a wide ranging conversation where their ideas matter. Is something learned? Absolutely. Is it always exactly what the teacher thought? Absolutely not. Does that matter? No, why? Because these students will find out what they need to know when they are engaged in their learning.
The class is largely unscripted but it doesn’t work without the foundational knowledge of a presentation, reading, or piece of music. The fundamentals must be in place first. Other classes are more highly scripted and emphasize building this foundation, yet they still feel student-centered, or improvisational. Creating this atmosphere is one of the great gifts of teaching. Our students express this with comments like, “I like this teacher because he shows many different ways you can solve a problem which makes it easier!” Or “ . . . is strongly encouraging us to find our own voice and to analyze literature in a challenging way we are not used to.” Or “she lets us share ideas whenever we want.”
In sports, we most enjoy games that are “entertaining” or “fun to watch.” We have fond memories of pick-up games in the grass or on the playground. Why is that? Because it has an improvisational feel to it. But, once again, the athletes that seem most improvisational, Michael Jordan for instance, are also the ones most grounded in the fundamentals.
Improvisation in sports, like music, is not about simply doing what you want it is about the ability to play off of your teammates and your opponent. John Beilein, head basketball coach at the University of Michigan, talks about finding the right balance between “drills” and “games.” “Drills” are crucial for learning fundamentals and developing confidence. “Games” allow players to put what they know into a real life situation. Too much of only one stunts your development as a player. Coach Beilein’s offense is highly structured; it is also highly improvisational. It is like that class where one question leads to another until finally the “aha” (an open shot?) moment is reached. Each player has a role to play and must know that role while at the same time knowing that the role will change based on the actions of their teammates. When run well, it is simply a joy to watch.
We see improvisation in the arts all the time as well. It is often small, two actors playing off each other and making a scene really work. Once again, practice and confidence are at the heart of it all. You could read more from me but I would recommend watching Stefon (and heeding his advice . . . that there are no mistakes on the bandstand!)
