"Gladly We Learn and Teach." - Illinois State University Motto
Part of the philosophy at Clown Camp® is that everyone there is both a student and a teacher. Everyone, no matter how new, has something of value to share with others. Everyone, no matter how experienced, can learn more. The margins of many of my notes from classes I taught there have notations of an idea that was suggested by one of the participants.
My position as World Clown Association Historian specifically requires that I continue my education. I could write articles for the organization's magazine based on the knowledge that I already have, but I do additional research for each article that I write.
Sometimes you need to be creative with where you are a student. The Boy Scouts of America are known for the quality of their training materials. My local council runs an annual day-long University of Scouting. I have taught classes there, but I am required to attend classes to stay "trained" for my current positions in the council. The University of Scouting was held this month. I took a class titled Serving Scouts with Special Needs. Much of what I learned can be used in my performances. Some times during my career I have encountered individual people with special needs in my general performances or done shows for groups of people with special needs.. Here is an example of how I can apply what I learned in the class. People on the autism spectrum may have difficulty in loud environments so it is best to use more peaceful music and turn down the volume when entertaining people in this category. Another thing I learned is that people with special needs may become anxious if they don't know what to expect. That means you can use them as a volunteer in a performance if they have seen you interact with another volunteer so they understand the role of a volunteer. Also, instead of just asking them to help you, ask them to do something specific. For example, ask, "Would you come up on stage and select a card for me?
Be cautious of information that you find on the internet. Since the information is not screened prior to posting there is no guarantee that what you read or see will be correct. When I wrote my Creativity for Entertainers trilogy I decided to test the accuracy of what I could find on the internet. I searched for information on the origin of the yo-yo. I found many web sites claiming that the yo-yo was invented as a weapon for hunting. I found just as many web sites explaining why it is impossible to use a yo-yo as a weapon.
I try to be as accurate as possible with what I write, but sometimes additional research reveals that I made a mistake. In an article that I wrote about 25 years ago I referred to Ogden Nash when I meant Thomas Nast. That article is posted on a web site owned by somebody else. About once a year somebody contacts me to point out the error. However, since it is not my web site I can't make the change myself and I have not been able to get the owner of the web site to correct it. That is one of the reasons why I no longer permit others to post my articles on their web sites.
Part of continuing your education is being aware that you do not know everything. I just completed an article for Clowning Around about clowns who have appeared on postage stamps. (It will bein the Janurary issue of the magazine.) I discovered that I don't know anything about some of the clowns depicted on stamps. I invited readers to share any information they had about those clowns.
Part of being a teacher is realizing that you don't have to wait to learn everything. If you don't know enough yet to teach an entire class, you can still share a single idea during a convention Jam session. You can share ideas with somebody while eating together. You can write a brief article sharing a single idea for a variety arts magazine. Your fresh perspective is valuable.
How can you continue to be a student? What opportunities are available for you to learn? How can you be a teacher? Where can you share some of your ideas?
