How to Play the Taxi Cab Improv Game

How to Play the Taxi Cab Improv Game The Taxi Cab improv game can be played with three to six performers. Its a fun icebreaker game for parties or you can use it as a classroom activity for theater, drama, or improv classes. It is suitable for all ages and can be played by children or sharp-witted members of improv groups. No matter what the level, it is fun to watch and fun to perform. How To Play the Taxi Cab Game Select one performer as the taxi cab driver and two or more performers as passengers.Set up one chair for the taxi-cab driver and several chairs for the passenger seats.One performer plays the role of the cab driver. He/she starts the scene by pantomiming driving. Feel free to develop a funny, quirky cab driver character. After a few moments of driving, the performer spots a customer.The passenger hops into the back of the cab. Now, heres where the game begins. The second performer playing the role of the passenger should have a distinct personality. This should be assigned before the start of the game and known to the other performers.The gimmick is that the cab driver adopts the personality traits of his customer. When a new performer (a new passenger) enters the scene, the cab driver and the other passengers emulate the new personality/behavior. The passengers explain to the driver where they are going and what they plan to do.After the passengers have interacted with one another, the cab driver will start to drop off his/her customers. When a passenger is dropped off and exits the scene, everyone switches personality again, until  eventually, the cab driver character is alone again and back to the original personality. A director or teacher may want to use a timer to cue when the next passenger will enter or exit the cab to keep the game flowing. This can be varied. If the performers are on a roll, the director can let it continue longer. If they arent doing well with a  character, the director can cue the next passenger swap to keep the game lively. Passenger Personalities The personalities can be prepared in advance by the director or teacher or they can be taken as audience suggestions before the beginning of the game. A secretive British agent.A snobby opera singer.A hyper 4-year-old.A friendly, overly talkative old woman. For advanced improv groups, each performer may come up with their own passenger personality and not reveal it until they enter the cab. This presents more of a challenge for the others to emulate it. Another wrinkle is to take audience suggestions during the game. For the best flow, it can be good to assign audience members to call out a passenger personality rather than have several people competing with suggestions. Dramatic Skills Used in the Taxi Cab Improv Game This activity develops a performers emulation ability. How well can the actor mimic the style of another performer? How quickly can an actor change his or her character? What ranges of emotions can the actors express? Teachers and directors should encourage their cast to try as many new personalities and emotions as possible. Have fun with the game and dont forget to give the cabbie a decent tip.

7 Reasons to Celebrate Your Favorite Teacher

7 Reasons to Celebrate Your Favorite Teacher The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) instituted World Teacher Day on October 5. However, many countries observe Teacher Day celebrations independently. In America, students celebrate  Teacher Appreciation Week  in the first full week of May. In that week, Teacher Appreciation Day is celebrated on Tuesday. How You Can Celebrate Teacher Day On Teachers Day, students express their gratitude and  appreciation  to their teachers. Many educational institutes commemorate Teacher Day with elaborate entertainment activities that include short plays,  dance,  and music. Parent volunteers and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members often host a small celebration party for the teachers. As a student, you can put up banners, and posters with  a thank you note  scribbled on them. Express your appreciation through  thank you cards. 7 Reasons to Appreciate Teachers A Teachers Influence Lasts Forever: In the words of William Butler Yeats, Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire. We must credit our teachers who ignite the fire of learning in the mind that is yearning for knowledge. Someone once said, Teachers dont impact for a year, but for a lifetime. A teacher can make a lasting impression on your mind. This influence persists beyond school, college, and university, and becomes the beacon of light, guiding us through the journey of life. Good teachers play the role of a parent, providing encouragement, inspiration, and invaluable guidance.Teaching Is Not Easy: Not everyone can be a teacher. Sure, you can pursue teaching programs to gain the necessary certification to be a teacher. But a good teacher has to have certain qualities to be an icon of inspiration. Great teachers are those who can extract the nectar of goodness from young aspirants. They can fish out the hidden qualities of every student. With words of inspir ation, persistent training, and rigid discipline, they steer the students in the right direction. Great teachers teach the student to believe that nothing is impossible. Teachers Impact Many Generations:  Everyone has a favorite teacher. You may love this special teacher for her charisma, enthusiasm, or knowledge. Often, your best memories of childhood revolve around a great teacher, who inspired and changed your life. Their words  or actions linger in your memory decades after you leave school. Subconsciously, you emulate them as you pass on your knowledge to the next generation. Thus, a great teachers influence can last for many generations.Teaching Self-Reliance: By setting the right example, a teacher can impress the importance of self-reliance, instead of expecting help from others. This can teach students to build on their strengths and be responsible for their successes and failures. Students can learn to push their limits.Teachers Teach You to Seek Knowledge:  You may have come across some teachers who instilled value education in you. This kind of education can mold a human being for life. Teachers bear an enormous responsibility of pa ssing on their wisdom and knowledge. Italian astronomer and mathematician Galileo expressed, You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself. Good teachers help in enabling this discovery. They open new avenues  and encourage students to explore and achieve their true potential. The Best Teachers:  Recollect the good qualities of your favorite teachers. You may notice some common qualities. They motivated you to work harder, and take bigger initiatives. They are passionate about their subject and enjoyed teaching. Good teachers understand the importance of nurturing the love and thirst for knowledge. Some nuggets of their valuable advice remain with you forever. Their insight broadens your horizons and enables you to expand your knowledge.Teachers as Entertainers: Good teaching involves good delivery. African-American scholar and teacher John Henrik Clarke rightly said, A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audiences attention; then he can teach his lesson. It is not enough to simply know your subject. To initiate learning, teachers have to make the classroom experience enriching. Appreciate Your Teacher's Efforts With Gratitude Use this opportunity to get to know your teachers better. Share your thoughts and ideas and learn what inspires them. Make beautiful Teacher Day cards with  Happy Teacher Day quotes to express your admiration. One beautiful Teachers Day quote by Albert Einstein goes, It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. Every Day Is Teacher Day Why wait for  Teacher Day to come around? You dont need a special occasion to express your affection towards your teacher. Make each day of your teachers life special with thoughtful words and deeds. A first-grade teacher is pleased as punch whenever she gets a hand-made card from one of her students. Overlooking the spelling mistakes and scrawny handwriting, she says that it is the thought that counts. Your Success Is Your Teacher's Success A teacher considers herself successful when her students achieve success in their respective careers. For her, the only reward is your advancement. On Teachers Day, pay a visit to your alma mater, and meet the teachers who molded you. You will be surprised to find that they remember you, even though many years have rolled by. Your visit might bring tears of joy to their eyes. Express your appreciation by writing a personalized message. It is the best gift you could ever give your teachers.