Improvisation – An Essential Tool for a Progressive Educator

Outcomes. Goals. SMART targets. League tables. Tick-tick-tick.

That stuff has its place—but when you’re working with outliers, kids on the margins, neurodivergency, or just the bloody-minded brilliant ones—data doesn’t cut it.You need improvisation.

Not just the funny stuff. Not “Yes, and” in a black box theatre. I mean real, on-the-fly, seat-of-your-pants responsiveness.

Improv Connects. Listens. Responds. Leads. Follows. Adapts. Transforms. Celebrates. It should be compulsory—in and out of schools

I first practiced it during a stand-up course. Turns out I wasn’t much of a stand-up. But improv grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and never let go. Listening, adapting, mirroring, building—it was electric. It made sense of a chaotic world.

So I took it to work.

In special education, nothing goes to plan. The timetable’s theoretical.Fire alarms, meltdowns, mood swings—standard. And in that glorious mess, improv became my go-to part of my toolkit.

A mirroring game in the corridor calmed a brewing fight.A nonsense gibberish language broke down resistance faster than reason ever could.

A faux Russian accent turned a maths lesson into a Cold War-themed number mission:

“Comrade, we will conquer fractions for the glory of the great Soviet Union!”

That one was for a lad who loved all things Russian.

Then there’s the auctioneer character I conjured mid-maths lesson—hammer in hand, fake moustache, flogging numbers like used cars or knock-off motorbikes. 

It’s not gimmickry—it’s a set of simple, powerful communication rules.

But here’s the deeper bit: it works because it listens. It plays with, not at.

Most of the young people I teach—especially those with SEN or trauma—have never been properly listened to.Improv gives them space. A stage. To be heard. To be responded to. To laugh.

And you’re co-creating all the time. Side by side.Building trust one gag or gesture at a time.

It’s real, human learning—done in the moment. Often messy. Usually joyful.

That’s where I live.That’s where the magic is.

Takeaways:

●      Improv is a teaching tool. Use it to listen, not just perform.

●      Let the moment lead. You can’t plan brilliance, but you can welcome it.

●      Have a laugh. Connection often starts with a shared giggle—or a made-up language.

What do you improvise your way through? Tell me your best "made it up on the spot" moment.