A Mission To Use Play To Make Serious Progress
MNprov uses improvisational theater with a range of students who are neurodivergent or have social/emotional learning needs, and their teachers. We serve students from elementary grades to adulthood.
Safe. Supported. Proven.
By offering safe, supportive and creative educational play, we help students reduce social anxiety and leave fears of social interaction behind. These and other outcomes, such as increased writing fluency, increased social skills and improved brain connectivity, have been documented by numerous studies.
MNprov provided an invaluable resource and tools in planning for the upcoming school year. The use of improv is a fantastic catalyst in teaching social skills and problem solving.
—Ben (Special Ed Teacher)
A Creative Discipline with
Scientific Backbone
Scientific studies also have shown improv’s success at:
Improving brain connectivity and efficacy
Improving divergent thinking
Reducing anxiety
Offering stress relief
Increasing inclusion
Multiple studies have also shown that improv has strengthened creativity and mental well-being.
During MNprov workshops participants practice the most important rule of improv, “Yes, And. . .” which allows students to genuinely listen to each other, accept ideas offered by their partner, and then add their own ideas to co-create a scene.
Lasting Impact Beyond the Classroom and Into Life
The goal is not to make neurodivergent students into neurotypical students, but to give them skills for success in school, work and life.
Through improv, founders Kelly Kautz and Michael Bruckmueller have seen students build relationships, increase confidence, and improve their communication and collaboration skills.
Students learn to listen to each other, accept new ideas, become flexible, consider different perspectives, understand and use non-verbal communication, have reciprocal conversation, participate in social interaction, be comfortable taking reasonable risks and making mistakes, tolerate uncertainty and increase resilience.
Educators and Employers Agree
Educators agree. They find improv to be a catalyst in teaching social skills and problem solving. Applied improv addresses all five CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social & Emotional Learning) competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social-Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making.
Employers, too, have been encouraging schools to develop students’ capabilities with a growth mindset, resilience, flexibility, collaboration, communication, creativity and problem solving—all potential outcomes of improv.
MNprov Mission
Use inclusive applied improvisation strategies to strengthen the social, emotional and communications skills of a neurodiverse group of learners by providing interactive, authentic, and playful educational experiences in a safe, supportive and creative environment.
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