I just came from a school where I teach 5-year-olds improv comedy. Well, that’s the stated goal. Truly, with all my K-12 outreach and corporate training, creating amazing artists is never the real mission. My mission is to teach community and leadership, inspiring folks to listen and focus, to better communicate, to work together, and to make the world a better place.

I learned very quickly that 5-year-olds are not ready for what I usually do in a class. They are not ready for what worked with 6-year-olds last year at a Brooklyn school. So, in my infinite wisdom—or, should I say, throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what will stick—I brought my ukulele to class and started singing and dancing.

It seemed the better part of a 30-40 minute session had been me and the hosting teachers clapping our hands a lot and saying, “ONE, TWO, THREE, EYES ON ME,” and other focusing mantras for young student groups. At the end of each session, I gave almost all of them a chance to play the uke.

After the first week, I read a bunch of books (aka listened to audiobooks while driving to gigs from DC to Boston) regarding working with 3-5-year-olds. The biggest takeaway for me was, these kids are not ready to truly understand “WAIT YOUR TURN,” no matter how much we yell. The authors repeatedly said, you can’t have one toy and expect younger kids to take turns or share.

However, I’m one teacher and I have one uke. I have others, but I fear they would become accidental or purposeful weapons if I brought in three to five at once. These kids are not vicious, but they often hurt themselves and others accidentally while trying to connect or be funny. Even just having them calm down while I sing at times becomes problematic, and we have to stop and reset.

THESE KIDS ARE CURIOUS!

I quickly realized these kids are incredibly curious. They want to learn about the world. For some, just touching and playing the uke was a joyful experience. I put the uke in the hands of one kid at a time, simply instructing them how to hold it, maybe strum it a couple of times, and then giving them a moment to get applause: “GIVE IT UP FOR _______!”

This gave the kids a moment of agency. Suddenly, EVERY kid and adult in class was focused on them in a very positive, genuine manner.

We would hold their attention for a few minutes. Then the pushing would start up: “I WANT A TURN.” We paused, had a moment, and then started again. In ten minutes, everyone had a moment, unless they were unable to control themselves long enough and missed out.

For a few weeks, I tried to steer back toward improv, storytelling, etc., but they really loved that uke.

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

I get the sense anyone walking by these rooms would look in and question what their school budgets were supporting. I know I would, as an outside observer. But…

Today….

There is a particular kid who has been “problematic.” He has not had a lot of time working with me one-on-one. One might call him a cryer; he pouts when he doesn’t get his way.

Today, I told him he could go first. He picked up the uke and started playing. THEN he started singing a song. HE WAS IMPROVISING!!!!

No one is getting a recording contract out of this, but I was almost in tears and laughing joyfully. It was such a spark…

Then he asked if he could pass the uke to the next kid. One better: I made him the open mic M.C. He wanted to be on stage. I’m not going to kill that; I’m going to foster that, nurture it, etc.

NOW… The next kid gets up, and she starts rocking out and singing a 12-bar blues ABCs I sang two weeks prior. On the uke, she’s just playing A minor 7 (four open strings with the left hand), but she’s singing the basic melody of my improvised tune. I screamed, “THEY WERE LISTENING AFTER ALL!!!!”

I NOW HAVE STUDENT LEADERS

Give a kid a chance to fail, and they will surprise you every time! These kids, and a few others that are often all but written off as problems, were simply bored. Today, they had a chance to shine. Today, they had agency, just for a moment.

I argue that no academics matter if the kid doesn’t want to learn. If the student is hurting—physically or mentally—they are not ready for reading, writing, and arithmetic.

So many who write off THE ARTS don’t get what an arts teacher’s job truly is. We create better students. We inspire passion for curiosity and learning.

I challenge arts teachers to throw away technique. We are not here to create the next Mozart. We are here to prepare a generation to be passionate about life.

And the best way to do that is LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Don’t yell. Don’t scream. Make music. Make art. Dance. Do theater. Use your talents.

I told the kids today that when I was their age, or even a little younger, I taught myself piano. I came home from seeing Star Wars in the theater in May 1977 and started trying to play the song when I got home. Mom put me in lessons a few days later. YOU ( the kids) can figure it out if you just play and be curious.

Give kids access to play, and they will figure it out. We just need to steer, but never micromanage. Every so often, we give a few notes, a little nudge, a few tricks, a few of our wisdoms…

Do everything you can to give a child space and foster curiosity and creativity, and watch them surpass every expectation. Give kids access to play, and they will figure it out. We just need to steer, but never micromanage. Every so often, we give a few notes, a little nudge, a few tricks, a few of our wisdoms…

PS Next time you have the urge to yell GROW UP to a kid…. try acting like a kid yourself and watch the world become a better place.