Remove what's unnecessary (no)
A stand-up routine is like crafting furniture: focused effort to…
take raw wood
cut it to shape
sand it to form
polish it for look
Spend hours preparing for minutes of content. Research existing material, finding ways to communicate effectively. Create open loops and callbacks, joining thoughts unexpectedly. Test parts, refining based on the crowd's reaction.
What's more, teaching must be relatable.
How will your students connect the big idea to life?
Paint scenarios with vivid illustrations,
thick descriptions,
and sticky hyperboles
Once the pieces link as a draft, share it in full
Night after night, small tweaks after each delivery
Listen for signal, eliminate noise
But even as one package, you can't go on auto-pilot
No audience is the same: maybe they had a bad day or the prior act was too good
How will you adjust to their response?
Go with the flow (yes)
An improv sketch is like emptying a box of different-sized bouncing balls:
no two performances are ever the same
"Yes, and!" is the golden rule of improvisational comedy
How do you build on what's in front of you?
No one can predict what the show will be like
You engage with the other players on stage
Likewise, a good learning experience invites students to dialogue
Are you prepared to wrestle with their questions?
Their curiosities, challenges, and confusion?
Are you ok with saying "I don't know" and thinking on-the-fly?
Prepare fiercely, adapt gracefully
Yes and, no
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