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A significant part of being able to react quickly to a situation that has gone unexpectedly or in brainstorming solutions to problems is staying in an agile mindset. One powerful tool that can improve this state of mind is the “Yes, and” role playing exercise.

“Yes, and” is a fundamental principle in Improv acting that encourages active listening, building upon the ideas of others, and creating a positive and collaborative environment. The exercise is simple: Two or more people role play a conversation, and whenever one participant makes a statement, the other(s) respond with “yes, and” before adding their own thoughts or ideas to the conversation… making sure to incorporate at least some part of the statement that the first participant provided.

Here’s how to do the “yes, and” exercise in Improv acting:

Gather a group of participants and choose a roleplay or situation to role play out.
Begin the roleplay and have the participants take turns making statements.
Whenever one person makes a statement, the other(s) should respond with “yes, and” before adding their own thoughts or ideas to the conversation that include elements of the last person’s statement.
The participants should continue to build upon each other’s ideas and statements, creating a fluid and dynamic conversation.
Practice this exercise for several minutes, until the roleplay feels complete, or the entire group collapses in laughter (not an uncommon outcome).

To make up a good answer to this exercise, participants should always be present in the roleplay and in the moment, actively listening to their roleplay partners and looking for ways to build upon their ideas. They should also be open to new possibilities and be willing to take risks in their responses. It’s also important to keep in mind the roleplay and the actual role that you are playing.

The “yes, and” exercise is an important skill in life because it encourages active listening, collaboration, and positivity. By responding with “yes, and” instead of “no, but,” individuals are able to accept and build upon the ideas of others, rather than shutting them down. This leads to a more dynamic and creative conversation, and a more positive and productive work environment.

The “Yes, and” exercise is an exciting (and often hilarious) Improv skill that is exceptional for helping participants develop a nimble mindset and find creative solutions in a collaborative manner. It’s also an important skill to be practiced in life when faced with personal challenges. Add this fun exercise to the start of your next training program or brainstorm session and see what a difference it makes in uncovering solutions.

Guardian Adventures provide consulting and licensing of educational adventures, including a free LARP and cultural programs, for summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

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Transfer is the ability to apply what was learned to new situations – especially situations outside of the formal learning environment.

We’ve all seen it: A student or employee who has been taught a specific lesson or skill but when the teaching or training ends, they seem to either forget what they learned or fail to understand how to apply what they now know. In the field of education, this is referred to as a failure to transfer knowledge.

Debriefing is an essential aspect of learning that involves reflecting on experiences, thoughts, and feelings after a lesson or training session, or even a specific event. In both the classroom and the workplace, debriefing can improve lesson transfer. Transfer is considered the pinnacle of all education because without it, the learning will only be applicable in the exact environment in which it occurred.

Here are some techniques that can be used for debriefing to improve transfer:

Reflection

Reflecting on a lesson involves thinking about and also discussing what was learned and how it can be applied in the future or in different environments. In the classroom, this can be done through writing assignments, group discussions, or individual reflection. In the workplace, this can be done through post-project evaluations, team meetings, or individual reflection.1
Review

Reviewing key points through a slightly different lens helps to reinforce what was learned and identifies areas that need further improvement. Summing up the key points of the training or lesson is good – but even better if the summation comes from the learners instead of the trainer. In the classroom and the workplace, this can be done through having the learner reframe and review the lesson by using analogies and metaphors.2
Discussion

Discussing challenges and successes as it pertains to the topic being learned helps to identify personal areas of strength and weakness, and can help learners formulate solutions to any residual problems. In the classroom, this can be done through group discussions, writing assignments, or individual reflection. In the workplace, this can be done through team meetings, break out groups, and even online forums.3
Identification

Identifying transferable skills helps the learner see the big picture and how what was learned can be applied in other situations – especially through the lens of what matters to the learner. When applying the learner’s perspective of why the content matters, the learner creates a sense of ownership over the information. In the classroom and in the workplace, this can be done through group discussions, individual reflection, or follow up tasks associated with both the lesson and the interest of the learner.4

Debriefing can have a significant impact on lesson transfer and can help individuals not only understand, but also retain what was learned for a longer period. Through the use of these techniques at the end of a class or training session, you will an improvement in how your students or employees use their newfound knowledge beyond the learning environment.

References:

Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Kogan Page Publishers.
Stenger, M. (2017). 10 Ways to Improve Transfer of Learning. OpenColleges.edu.au
Moon, J. A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice. Routledge.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic books.

Guardian Adventures provide consulting and licensing of educational adventures, including a free LARP and cultural programs, for summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Integrating Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) into a summer camp can be an exciting and engaging way to provide campers with a unique, educational, and immersive experience. LARPing allows campers to physically embody a character and interact with others in a live setting, which can help to build problem-solving techniques, improvisational skills (thinking on your feet), and competency in teamwork.

The first step for integrating LARP into a summer camp is to decide on a theme or setting for the game. This can be based on a fictional world, historical event, or even a real-world scenario. The theme or setting you decide on will provide the foundation for the game and will help to guide the creation of the story, characters, costumes, and props.

Once the theme or setting has been decided on, the next step is to create characters for the campers to play. These characters should be well-rounded and have distinct personalities and abilities. They should also be appropriate for the setting of the game. Providing a character sheet with the character’s background and abilities can be helpful for the campers to better understand and connect with their character, as well as for remembering what their chosen skills are, and how many times they can utilize them.

In order to further the immersion of the experience, campers should be provided with (or have time and resources to make) costumes and props to help them fully embody their characters. These can be as simple or as elaborate as desired, but they should serve to amplify and support the setting of the game.

If the game style involves physical conflict scenarios with play weapons then foam swords and shields or NERF Blasters can be provided for safe interactions. Or if the conflict (which is what makes an adventure a challenge) is only verbal, what real-life or pretend skills can you provide that help the campers navigate the conflict and succeed through the practice of those skills?

The set of game rules and mechanics (how the game works) are also important. Choose a system that is not too complex, making it hard to comprehend, and not so simple as to make it limited and boring. If you are a novice at LARPing, you may choose a simple LARP system to start and then graduate to a more robust LARP system that provides more character, skill, and interaction options.

The final step is to create an interactive scenario, or “quest”, for the campers to participate in. This scenario should provide a clear goal, perhaps one that is in alignment with your camp mission, for the campers to work towards. The scene should also include challenges and obstacles that will require the campers to work together and use their characters’ abilities. Ideally, each scenario requires a diversity of skills so that each camper has the opportunity to “shine” in the moment when they use their special skill to accomplish the goal.

The scene may also require campers to accrue their skills through the completion of projects based in STEM or other academic topics. The important thing is to make sure that the STEM is directly related to the challenge the campers are facing and not just “tacked on” as an educational lesson. These educational elements add a much higher level of value to the camp program because the campers can learn topics applicable to their studies at school.

It’s also important to have a clear safety protocol in place and to train staff and campers on safety rules before the start of the LARP event. This includes the use of safe weapons and shields, guidelines for physical contact, and even established rules of verbal conflict that keep the interactions from escalating to an “out of game” situation where the campers feel personally attacked.

In addition to the LARP event, there are opportunities to include other activities that tie into the game. This includes workshops on crafts that fit the theme such as archery or fencing lessons, historical reenactment and improv lessons, negotiation and social-emotional exercises, and other activities that will help to further immerse the campers in the LARP while also enriching their lives outside of the game. You can even run online LARPs during the non-summer camp season so as to keep your campers engaged in your camp alongside the friends they made at your camp.

Integrating LARP into a summer camp can be an exciting and engaging way to provide campers with not just an entertaining and exciting activity, but a truly enriching and educational experience. Give it a try with our free LARP game and see how quickly your campers will feel like heroes as they take on the challenge of saving the world.

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About: Guardian Adventures provides free and licensed educational games, adventures, and LARP systems for summer camps, schools, and recreation organizations.

Live Action Role-Playing, or LARP for short, is a type of role-playing game where the players and staff physically act out their characters’ actions and interactions in a live setting. Unlike traditional tabletop role-playing games, where players describe their characters’ actions and roll dice to determine the outcome, or video games, where players roleplay through an avatar, LARPing involves the person physically acting out the actions and using their own body and voice to portray the character. Staff are considered Non-Player Characters, or NPC for short, and are the people who present the story and environment for the players who are sometimes called Player Characters, or PC for short.

LARPs can be based in a wide variety of settings, including fictional worlds, historical events, and even real-world scenarios. These games can take place in many different types of locations, such as forests, parks, and even classrooms or summer camps. Some LARPs are held in dedicated LARPing venues, which may include buildings containing costuming, props, and other special effects to enhance the level of immersion in the experience.

One of the main draws of LARPing is the ability to physically embody a character and interact with other players in a live setting. This allows players to experience the story and world in a much more visceral and personal way than is possible with traditional tabletop or video role-playing games. Since both players and NPCs are not strictly scripted with their interactions, the game can provide a superb opportunity to practice improvisational acting. Additionally, LARPing allows for a wide range of creative expression, as players can create their own costumes, props, and weapons made of foam or other safe materials.

Another important aspect of LARPing is the community and social aspect. Many LARPers form close-knit groups that meet regularly to participate in games and events together. These groups often develop strong bonds and friendships, and the sense of camaraderie and shared experience can be a significant draw for both players and NPCs. This experience can also be transferred into simple roleplaying through video chat, text messaging, or online forums to provide engagement when a LARP is not in session.

LARPing is not just for adults, as many children, and young adults participate in LARP events and games, and it can also be an educational tool. It can be used to teach history, literature, STEM, and other academic subjects. As well as to build non-violent conflict resolution techniques, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and Social Emotional Learning.

If you haven’t tried LARPing, you should consider it. The unique form of role-playing offers both players and staff the opportunity to physically embody a character and interact with others in a live setting with all of the benefits of exercise, skill building, and creative play. With a broad variety of settings, costumes, and props, LARPing allows for a wide range of impromptu expression as well as an immersive learning experience. Additionally, the social and community aspect of LARPing can be important for many players and NPCs who are highly creative and looking for a sense of belonging. You can usually find a LARP near you by doing a Google Search… or you could create your own LARP! Either way, it is sure to be a learning experience.

Guardian Adventures provide consulting and licensing of educational adventures, including a free LARP and cultural programs, for summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

LARP, or live action role play, can be a tool (or perhaps a better term is “vehicle”) in education that involves students role-playing various characters or scenarios in order to learn and understand new concepts. Educational LARPs are also known as EduLARPs.

Subjects for study can vary from SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) to academics like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Which learning concepts the teacher wants to explore can determine the best story for the experience (what we call “Adventure” or “Module”).

LARP can be effective in teaching for a variety of reasons:

LARP promotes active learning: LARP requires students to actively participate in the learning process, rather than simply listening to lectures or reading materials. This can make learning more engaging and interactive, and can help students to better retain and understand the information being presented. As well, if time for active reflection is provided after the adventure, LARP can improve transfer of this knowledge into both the academic setting as well as their personal lives.
LARP encourages critical thinking: LARP can encourage students to think critically about the information being presented, as they must consider the perspectives and motivations of different characters and make decisions based on that information. This can help students to develop their critical thinking skills. It can also make room for “in-game” (during the adventure) consequences which shows why the critical thinking skills are important.
LARP can be inclusive: LARP can be inclusive and culturally sensitive, as it allows students to bring their own experiences and perspectives to the role-playing scenarios. Allowing a student to bring their full, authentic self into the learning environment can improve their sense of belonging and therefore motivation. As well, by using scenarios from a variety of cultures and viewpoints, teachers can create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment.
LARP can be adaptable: LARP is flexible and can be adapted to a variety of different subjects and age levels. Teachers can use LARP to teach a wide range of concepts, from language and literature to STEM and history by making the successful outcome of an adventure dependent upon this knowledge. LARP can also be useful in Informal Learning environments where participants want an immersive learning experience.
LARP can teach SEL: LARP can provide a safe environment for participants to exercise positive social behaviors and relationships with their peers and adults. The safety to explore and decide which directions they want to take their character encourages students to bring those decisions to their lives. They build their own sense of moral, purpose, self-awareness and confidence which leads to decreased emotional distress, reduced risk-taking behavior, improved test scores, grades and attendance.
LARP can be entertaining: LARP can be a fun and enjoyable way to learn, which can help to create a positive and welcoming classroom environment.
LARP can teach Improv: Improvisational skills are vital in both the workplace and personal life. If the adventure is getting boring, a teacher can use improv to adjust the interactions and make the story more exciting.

LARP can be a challenge to use in educational settings if the students or teacher are confused by the “game” aspect of the adventure. This can best be addressed by creating a simplified LARP system that can be easily and quickly understood. Other venues, like summer camps, can have time to explore a more complete LARP system that can be profoundly immersive.

And yet, LARP can be a powerful and effective tool for engaging and educating students. By using LARP in the classroom, teachers can create a more dynamic, interactive, and inclusive learning environment, and help students to better understand and remember important concepts.

About: Guardian Adventures provides free and licensed educational games, adventures, and LARP systems for summer camps, schools, and recreation organizations.

Cultural Education and Culture Based Learning are often confused because of the similar outcome of higher student engagement. However, there are subtle differences that can help you determine the best approach for your learning environment.

What is Cultural Education: Instruction or interactive experiences that provides education about other cultures in the learning environment for each subject. IE: Asian math techniques are presented in Math class. The Indigenous perspective is presented in History class. Any number of authors from non-Eurocentric cultures are studied in English/Literature. Islamic Science is investigated in Science. As well, how science or engineering is used in different cultures and famous scientists from different cultures. Language classes are offered in sufficient number that are beyond Romance and Germanic language classes. In the arts curriculum, music and art would be explored from musicians and artists that are typically unrepresented in the school.

Cultural Education is important for the following reasons:

We live in a truly global community and learning about cultures that are not like our own can help us integrate into that community as an adult
Presenting different origins of subjects and how they are utilized in a diversity of cultures provides more opportunities for comprehension of the learning material
Allowing students to see their own culture represented in the learning material can improve their sense of belonging in the learning environment.

What is Culture-Based Learning (CBL): The process of integrating different cultures or lived experience of the students into the formal learning topics. IE. Using history books that cover perspectives from the students’ cultures with primary sources that are of that culture. Cultural performers, authors, and artists that represent the cultures of the students are frequent guests into the learning environment. Teachers or professors also encourage students to discuss their own culture or lived experience in the classroom and allow it to be a part of the topic being explored. There is a recognition of cultural holidays outside of the typical state or federal holidays.

Culture-Based Learning is important for the following reasons:

A diversity of perspectives can improve students’ abilities to find numerous solutions to a single challenge
Encouraging a student to integrate their culture into the learning material can improve not only their interest, but their comprehension and application of the learning material.
Allowing each student to present their culture or lived experience can help promote cultural awareness and appreciation of similarities which can prevent bullying

Adding Cultural Education and/or Culture-Based Learning to the classroom can be a powerful factor in improving student learning, retention, and application. It can also improve the transfer of the education outside of the formal learning environment and into the student’s lives and interests. Transfer of knowledge is considered the pinnacle of solid education and these concepts can improve this objective.

See the video below for How to use Culture Based Learning in Education.

Sources

1. Representation Matters: https://tatp.utoronto.ca/teaching-toolkit/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/representation-matters
2. Diversity Leads to Better Solutions: https://showmethedata.blog/diversity-leads-to-better-solutions
3. Using Formal and Informal Curricula to Improve Interactions Between Home and International Students: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1028315308329786
4. Overcoming Perceived Differences to Prevent Bullying: https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2015/10/13/overcoming-perceived-differences-prevent-bullying
5. The Relationship Between Sense of Belonging and Student Outcomes in CS1 and Beyond https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3446871.3469748

Guardian Adventures provide consulting and licensing of educational adventures, including a free LARP and cultural programs, for summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Daniel Bauer: In this episode with Meghan Gardner, we discuss 1) How being a hospice volunteer helped create a non judgmental leadership approach., 2) Creating emotionally engaging cultural educational experiences, and 3) Masterclass on empathy, listening, and powerful storytelling for leaders to use…

Show Highlights

How being a hospice volunteer helped create a non judgmental leadership approach.
Creating emotionally engaging cultural educational experiences.
Masterclass on empathy, listening, and powerful storytelling for leaders to use.
Decision making requires enough time to be uncomfortable with time
Fantasy and games create commonality and open up necessary possibilities for students
How to cause good trouble in the world
Before you can make a ruckus, you’ve got to create a sense of belonging.
Inspire the idea of challenging what we think.
Decision making is about mistakes and the outcome. Own any outcome.

“One of the hardest things to do is to give that kind of compassionate listening when you are being judged. When the person you’re listening to is having a hard time listening to you. It’s tough because as a leader, you’re in a position of authority. By that very nature, you are the one who has power over them or over the outcome. It can be very challenging when that emotional burden is in your chair because it is upon you to give more compassionate listening. Boy it can feel lonely. There can be days when you’re human too, and you just don’t want to hear yet another reason why someone thinks you’re wrong.”

-Meghan Gardner

Meghan Gardner’s Resources & Contact Info:

Guardian Adventures has been focusing on how to improve cultural education.

You have seen our blog updates to help Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion specialists and Cultural educators get found and hired by different industries. And our networking events, on the Clubhouse mobile application, to discuss cultural education. But we haven’t stopped there. This mission is important to us and we have another event dedicated to cultural education.

On July 15th at 10am EDT, School Administrators and Directors of Curriculum can participant in a free event by joining Meghan Gardner, Founder and CEO of Guard Up’s Guardian Adventures, Genein Letford, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of CAFFE Strategies, and Giancarlo Brotto, Catalyst Co-Founder, facilitating an interactive, output-oriented discussion to generate new ideas on how to integrate Cultural Education into classrooms in a way that improves equity and inclusion for students as well as make subjects more culturally appropriate.

Find out more information about this event by visiting https://share.hsforms.com/14kecG5-tSTqM2VexRjNCtw5bkrq and saving your seat!

Our Cultural directory is live for receiving submissions! The database helps cultural educators, centers, crafters, and performers can get found and hired by schools, entertainment industries, manufacturers, and more. If you are interested in listing as a cultural educator or diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist in our searchable database then visit CulturaConnector.com and select the “List Now” button. The comprehensive listing form is free to submit.

If you are interested in using the database to locate cultural educators or DEI specialists, there is a “Notify Me” button for when the database will be open for searching.

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Meghan is the epitome of Intercultural Creativity and discusses what it means to challenge yourself to grow, to be self aware, and to push the boundaries of your comfort zones in order to connect with others and connect with yourself. Listen to From Fire Breathing to Global Escape Rooms – How to Live an Intercultural Creative Life of Adventure with Meghan Gardner.

Click to listen below!

Newer Posts

Older Posts

“Yes, And” Improv Exercise

How Debriefing Can Improve Transfer of Education or Training

Reflection

Review

Discussion

Identification

How to Add LARP into your Summer Camp

What is a LARP?

Why Use LARP in Education?

What is Cultural Education and Culture Based Learning?

Transform Your School Through Story

Show Highlights

Meghan Gardner’s Resources & Contact Info:

Integrating Cultural Education into Schools

Cultural Directory is Live for Submissions

From Fire Breathing to Global Escape Rooms – How to Live an Intercultural Creative Life of Adventure

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