Theater Games for the Classroom Project
Or Sameaj Montessori in Mexico City teacher/student training program
In 2019 I was invited by film director and founder of Or Sameaj Montessori, Jack Zagha Kababbie to conduct a series of Spolin Improv workshops for teachers at Mexico City’s Or Sameaj, an educational institution of the Jewish community of Mexico whose mission is to form human beings.
The school integrates the study of Torah with Montessori philosophy and positive psychology to provide a quality and personalized education, encouraging in each student a way to understand and integrate the world around him and be proactive to generate the common good.
This program allowed me to play with not only the teachers, but the students as well as their parents and the staff of the school. This led to a full integration where the games and exercises could be shared by the entire school. The results were profoundly satisfying. The teachers learned how to introduce the games into the curriculum, the students got the benefit of playing with their teachers and myself.
Teacher Workshops
This video is a digest of some of the games and lectures over that two week period.
Student Workshop
Custodial Staff Workshop
An added workshop was given to the custodial staff of the school with very surprising results. Usually an invisible group within a school or business, janitors & cafeteria workers are often overlooked as fellow players on a team. Like waiters, butlers and other support staff, NOT being seen is considered an asset.
The staff was reluctant to participate. One man tried to back out by saying he had a headache and was too tired. Nonetheless, I persuaded him to try it. Afterwards, he was fully rejuvenated and said he felt wonderful. His headache was gone and he felt ‘strong’.
In the days that followed, the staff interacted much more openly and cheerfully with both the teachers and students. They waved to each other and smiled more. As it used in the spacewalk exercise, the sidecoach of “See you fellow player and allow your fellow player to see you” was clearly evident and visible.
The morale was lifted even more by letting the custodians play if needed with the students and teachers. When an even number was needed for a team or exercise, a lunch lady or janitor willingly stepped up.
Award winning Mexican film director Jack Zagha Kababie known for One for the Road and Warehoused (available on Netflix) embarked five years ago on a very ambitious project no less difficult than making movies and maybe more important: Creating a new type of school: A school whose mission is to form happy, well-rounded human beings. It is called Or Sameaj.
“Most schools focus on delivering knowledge to their students.” Says Kababie, one of the directors of the school. “Knowledge that nowadays is a click away in Wikipedia or on Google. Or Sameaj is different because it focuses on the personal growth and wellbeing of each student.
“Spolin Games is a perfect fit for a school like Or Sameaj.” Says Schwartz. “These games produce communication skills which include, awareness, listening, creativity, cooperation, play, intuition and empathy.”
