School Groups
What it looks like:
Discover the surprising educational benefits of learning to juggle, a simple skill with profound applications in learning and life.
While juggling may seem unimportant, the process of learning it offers a transformative and energizing metaphor for learning itself. The most valuable lesson is breaking down complex tasks into achievable goals: “learning to learn.” Students can choose to apply the lessons of juggling to any subject or activity.
Workshop Details:
- Who: The Juggling Metaphor workshop is designed for small groups of up to 30+ people (typically one class at a time, such as a gym class). I can also offer an introductory assembly, using up to ten student volunteers to demonstrate the learning process and promote the in-class session.
- What: This is an experiential session focused on the steps of juggling three balls. The core of the workshop focuses on continuous one-ball tosses with incremental challenges (e.g., purposeful drops, blind tosses, varying heights) to reinforce practicing at one's current level and making small, marginal gains.
- We spend the majority of the time on single-ball tosses (approximately 45 minutes).
- We then quickly add two balls to observe the difference.
- We conclude with three balls, focusing on rhythm, timing, and space to create a continuous flow, demonstrating how small changes can lead to seemingly complex "tricks" and open up endless creative possibilities.
This experience provides students with a lifelong memory and a tangible model they can reflect on to enhance their ability to "learn how to learn."
Where:
This activity can be done anywhere your group can stand together, preferably in a circle, an arm’s length apart.
Why:
This experience provides students with a lifelong memory and a tangible model they can reflect on to enhance their ability to "learn how to learn." Please consider using this juggling metaphor to augment and reinforce your students' learning.
When:
You decide!
Who:
Inclusive: ideally suited for youth (14+), everyone participates in their own way.
How Long:
A very tight 1-hour, an easy 1 ½ - hour or a comfortable planned 2-hour.
Core thoughts:
Parsing: analyzing
Scaffolding: Learning to Learn
The key benefit of progressing with juggling is breaking down any new task into small, achievable goals: scaffolding. Juggling continues to reinforce “learning to learn,” by practicing making small improvements, which leads to: progressive scaffolding, development, and achievement.
Yours truly, Sir Drop-A-Lot, Aladar Reusz