2.1.3: Here and Now

During the weeks of research for this handbook, it has become obvious that, beyond all the tools and methodologies a teacher can utilise, one of the most important skills a teacher can have is the ability to ensure that students are present in the HERE and NOW. Circus is already very attractive to young people, and learners in general, but it cannot maintain engagement by itself. A teacher should ensure that students are well-disposed, motivated, and focused on the present moment - and not on the last text message they received, or on a difficult situation waiting for them at home.

We are used to saying that when you enter a circus class you enter a magic space: another dimension, a suspended bubble, where we can allow ourselves to be different. In this space we give participants the opportunity to take off any labels that other contexts, such as school or family, have imposed on them over time. For this reason it’s so important to make them feel present and connected with the moment that they’re living, the space where they’re running and playing, and the group that they are sharing their experience with. Ground them in the HERE and NOW.

Rituals are great tool to use to do this. For instance, beginning and ending the session with a circle can represent a ritualistic way to mark the entry and exit from this protected space. Games, music, and exercises can also serve a similar purpose, to make the participants feel welcome and comfortable with the activities, people and space. It takes enthusiasm and motivation to keep students aware and ‘in the moment’, but you also need to set a structure and discipline in which the students can feel protected and safe.

If rituals are the skeleton of a lesson, the teacher must also be aware of the need for a longterm plan. The long-term plan deals with progression: giving students tools little by little, so that they can steadily build their skills, competence and capacity. This gives lessons an overall sense of coherence.

Finally, safety: teachers must ensure not only the physical safety, but also the emotional safety of every participant in the class. Focus, concentration, caring for themselves and for others, and being present in the moment, are all preconditions for the physical and emotional safety of students. It is therefore imperative that a Learner-Centered teacher ensures that students are present in the HERE and NOW.