Alternative Teaching - Spoken Word

I absolutely love different ways of learning. It may be, perhaps, one of my favourite things. I enjoy sitting down and watching the benefits of certain ways of learning, I love teaching a subject in multiple different ways, I just feel that all students (including adult students) learn in different ways, and if there is some way that helps every learner in your classroom, why not take it?

I myself tend to turn to ted talks on a regular basis. I love taking a break from life, sitting down, and listening to an amazing individual tell me something new...or maybe something I already knew. Ted talks are familiar and comfortable, and they make so much sense! I believe that an individual grasps a concept when it's taught in a form they love. If a learner loves dance, they will often understand the breakdown of a concept when comparing it to dance much greater than if it is just given to them. I myself often struggle with concepts, and have learned that there are so many ways to gain an understanding of something, that I prefer to teach things to myself in this way. I write notes in a way that work for me with examples that I can relate to and understand. Now, this is getting slightly off topic, but when I talk about alternative teaching, I really want to focus on spoken word here. I know there are so many ways of alternative teaching, but while scrolling through ted talks one day, I found my niche. Spoken word. If you have never heard spoken word before, I strongly recommend you look it up. It speaks to my soul like a cup of coffee at 5 am. I stumbled upon the amazing and talented Sarah Kay. I find her absolutely brilliant. I have listened to almost all of her pieces many, many times since I found her.

Why do I think this is an amazing way of alternative teaching? She embodies spoken word and knows how to make words flow together in such a way, that it makes me want to try it. She discusses the process of writing poetry and her process. Not just Sarah Kay, but spoken word in general, requires a few things. First, it requires a written aspect. A creatively written piece, a skill students are constantly building. Second, it requires oral presentation. Another skill students are constantly building. And finally, and what I feel to be the most important, it involves passion. When a student is passionate, they put 110% into their work, they feel a sense of ownership and responsibility to it. The work they are handing in is not half-hearted or done just because it's 'homework'. It's done because they wanted to finish the work to show a little of themselves. The pre-thinking period requires a silent journal of ones self and ones likes and dislikes.

I just love the incorporation of passion with learning. The more passionate you are, the more you will unknowingly learn. I love when learning is fun and easy!

And really, I just love spoken word, so why not teach what I love?