Open Forum

Hello, 

A significant component to and Acting class I teach is improvisation. We do warmup activities, short scene work, and eventually some long-form improv. As I am working on an SLO right now (I want to focus on helping students make "big choices" and eventually develop scenes) I have struggled with making improv skills "measureable." 

I am wondering how or if you score students on improv skills. Does anyone have a good rubric they'd be willing to share? 

Thank you!

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Colleen Lentz
Speech and Drama Teacher/Director
WI
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Ms. Lentz,
Yes, grading improv is a challenge.  Attached are a long-form rubric and the 'guidelines for successful improv'. "You can't break improv." so even if you are breaking the rules (yes..and, agreement, playing characters, establishing environments) it can be great if played as a game.  I could talk forever about the specifics which you might assess in activities.  I think it's best to separate the (physical, vocal, yes...and) skills by using certain short improv games that work on those skills (listening, agreement, heightening) with plenty opportunity for success.  There are no mistakes in improv, either, so as long as players make each other look good they can all succeed.  That requires trust and confidence.
When I've taught improv in the past there has never been an end to what one can work on.  I've used the following 'guidelines' (adapted from my supervising student-teacher Mrs. McClatchey) and this long-form improv rubric culled from notes doing work at Improv Olympic.  I've used lots of games and then some reading about Viola Spolin (Dramatic's article from a few years ago) and, also, Jill Bernard's "Small Cute Book of Improv" as well as Del Close and 'good initiation, support, opener' info found online...  seriously, it's endless...play on!!
Let me know if you have any questions.
Shannon

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Mr. Shannon D. Peery
spguittheat@yahoo.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-27-2017 15:50
From: Colleen Lentz
Subject: Grading improv (or rubrics used for improv?)

Hello, 

A significant component to and Acting class I teach is improvisation. We do warmup activities, short scene work, and eventually some long-form improv. As I am working on an SLO right now (I want to focus on helping students make "big choices" and eventually develop scenes) I have struggled with making improv skills "measureable." 

I am wondering how or if you score students on improv skills. Does anyone have a good rubric they'd be willing to share? 

Thank you!

------------------------------
Colleen Lentz
Speech and Drama Teacher/Director
WI
------------------------------

Hi Colleen,

I struggled with that too, and I made multiple rubrics for different goals. I've included two, including a self evaluation. The self eval was actually most useful as students developed skills.
Feel free to use or adapt. I have others too, so feel free to contact me for more questions.







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Barb Lachman
Drama Director (former)
Shoreline WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-27-2017 15:50
From: Colleen Lentz
Subject: Grading improv (or rubrics used for improv?)

Hello, 

A significant component to and Acting class I teach is improvisation. We do warmup activities, short scene work, and eventually some long-form improv. As I am working on an SLO right now (I want to focus on helping students make "big choices" and eventually develop scenes) I have struggled with making improv skills "measureable." 

I am wondering how or if you score students on improv skills. Does anyone have a good rubric they'd be willing to share? 

Thank you!

------------------------------
Colleen Lentz
Speech and Drama Teacher/Director
WI
------------------------------