Running head: SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

Hector Solis-Ortiz
Syllabus and Reflective Analysis
Loyola University Chicago
February 10, 2015

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

Part I. Course Syllabus

PACE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF THEATRICAL STUDIES
THEATER 201: Improv for Actors
Stanislavsky Building #204
Friday 12:00 PM-3:00 PM

Instructor Information:
Hector Solis-Ortiz, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Theatrical Studies
408.712.7687 (cell)
hsolisortiz@pace.edu

Office Hours:
Office hours are scheduled by appointment. My availability is listed below:
Tuesdays 1pm-6pm
Wednesdays 12pm-3pm
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide a foundational grounding in improvisational acting. Specific
attention will be paid to the history of improv and how to connect emotionally with a scene using
humor. Given that this class is only for theater majors, students should have background
knowledge of stage performance before attending this class and should have already taken

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

Theater 101. This class will help with developing improv scenes by having a chance to play in
the classroom using a variety of short-form and long-form improvisational activities.
Learning Objective:
Students will gain a deeper understanding for the role of improv through the various learning
activities and course assignments.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be exposed to the history of improvisation.
2. Students will be exposed to various improv exercises, which will aid in creating scenes.
3. Students will recognize how to adapt to different actors styles based off how they approach
the work.
4. Students will be able to provide critical feedback to peers about their performances.
5. Students will be able to appreciate & critically review improv performances on stage.
6. Students will perform a Harold performance.
7. Students will reflect on their experience in the course and express how they can continue
developing their improv skills.
Reading Materials:
The required text for this course is available for purchase at the Pace Bookstore or online. Please
purchase your book as soon as possible since reading assignments will begin the second week of
class.
Required Text
Halpern, C., Close, D., & Johnson, K. (2001). Truth in comedy: The manual of improvisation.
Colorado Springs, CO: Meriwether Pub.

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Course Assignments:
Assignments are due at the time specified in the course syllabus. Since most of this class is
performance based you are expected to attend every single class session. The only late
assignments that will be taken are the improv reviews. Each assignment will be docked one full
letter grade each day that its not turned in. If you have an extreme circumstance feel free to
outreach to the instructor and if need be we can accommodate based off individual
circumstances. Below is a full list of all the assignments and activities that you will be expected
to complete.
1. Improv Jams (10 points): Improv Jams are also known as participation. At the end of
certain class sessions each student will be expected to participate in an improv short form
game alongside other classmates. Some of these games include: four square scene work,
onion peel, freeze tag, etc. These games will be elaborated in each class section and you
will learn the functions of each activity throughout the end of this course. The purpose of
these improv jams is to gauge the level of how well you work with others and how
engaged you are in the work. You will be evaluated on your level of engagement
throughout the activity. There will be 10 improv jams throughout the semester, but will
be completely random as to which day they are to be played. If you actively participate
you will receive the point for the week and each point will add up to a total of 10 points.
2. Improv Review (30 points): You will need to see either three departmental improv
shows or professional improv shows in the city and write about your observations of the
production itself. These theater reviews need to be at least 5 pages in length. You will
need to support your statements by citing examples from the text. In your review you
should be critical as to how well the players on stage did yes, and to their ensemble

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

players and be critical of the character development of the scenes. The purpose of this
assignment is to see how you form opinions in improv work and to gauge your
understanding of the mechanics of art form. These improv theater reviews will be worth
10 points each for a total of 30 points by the end of the term.
3. Armando Mini Ensemble Performance (20 points): The class will be split into three
mini ensembles that consist of 4 students. There will be three in class performances of
the Armando long form improv model. Each performance will be a 30-minute in class
performance. As an improviser its important to learn while still being critical of your
peers/ensemble and you will have a chance to assess your peers and review their
performances. After the performance you will evaluate your peers based on the
worksheet that I provide in class. Each student will have one other student as to who they
are assigned to. The peer review will be a total of 5 points possible and you will also have
self evaluate yourself for 5 possible points. The instructor will administer the rest of the
10 points possible.
4. Harold Performance (30 points): The Harold is the oldest form of long form and is an
exciting form of storytelling. At the end of the term you will perform a long form Harold
show with the entire class. This performance will be the culmination of your entire
training throughout the course and will be an hour-long performance. You will perform in
front of a live audience of your family, friends and theater faculty. You will be evaluated
on your overall stage presence and how you work with your peers by three theater faculty
members.
5. Reflective Monologue (10 points): In order to have a moment to reflect each student
will develop a 5 minute improvisational monologue in which you tell the class how this

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

class impacted you or what youve learned from this experience and how you can take
the craft of improvisation into your work as an actor or as a person and continue to grow
in this discipline.
Grade Breakdown:
Your grade will be based on your performance in classroom participation, improv reviews and

on your performance. To do well in the class, you will need to read beforehand to be prepared to
talk about the course topic of the week and participate in discussions and improv games. Your
grade will be weighted as follows depending on how many points you receive for each
assignment.
Total Points Earned

Final Grade

100-94

93-90

A-

89-87

B+

86-84

83-80

B-

79-77

C+

76-74

73-70

C-

69-60

59-0

F
Attendance:

Attendance is mandatory in order to do well. Every class we will be participating in performance

exercises with other classmates. If you miss a day you will have missed the opportunities to build

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

up points and there is no way to make up those points for the day. In this course your peers will
hold you accountable since there will be various group projects and since improv involves
having a strong ensemble in order to be successful you need to come to every class.
Academic Dishonesty:
Cheating and plagiarism (copying an answer or an idea from someone else's essay or a book or
using the text or ideas and arguments of another person without attribution) are the most serious
offenses in academic life. If they occur, you will lose credit for the work in question, and your
grade will certainly suffer. In addition, Pace procedures for handling cases of scholastic
dishonesty will be initiated. We will discuss what plagiarism is so that you can avoid making
mistakes in attribution and citation without intending to do so. Essays that have been plagiarized,
whether in whole or in part, will receive an F.
Disability Accommodations:
If you are a student with a disability, this experience can be especially challenging. Resources
are available to students with disabilities through the Office of Disability Services to enable them
to have equal access to Pace University's educational programs and facilities.
Federal law, including the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, both as
amended, as well as state and local laws prohibit institutions of higher education from
discriminating against students with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines an
individual with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment, which
substantially limits one or more major life activities of the individual, has a record of such an
impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment.
Students with, among others, hearing, visual, or mobility impairments, or psychological
conditions may be eligible for a reasonable accommodation. More specific examples of

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

impairments include such things as specific learning disabilities, attention deficit and
hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injuries, bipolar disorder, vision and hearing loss, cerebral
palsy, paraplegia, and certain chronic health conditions.
Major life activities include, but are limited to, activities such as seeing, hearing, learning,
reading, concentrating, communicating, standing, walking, eating, sleeping, speaking, caring for
oneself, thinking, and the operation of a major bodily function.
Each student diagnosed with a particular disability will have a different level of functioning even
within the same disability category. Further, compensation skills will also vary from one student
to another and in the same student over time. Therefore, accommodations are determined on a
case-by-case basis according to a student's documented needs, guidelines suggested by federal
and state law, and criteria developed by the University.
Identifying and implementing a reasonable accommodation for a student with a disability is an
interactive process that includes shared responsibility between the University and the student.
Accommodations include, for example, academic adjustments or modifications, auxiliary aids
and services, and adjustments to make the campus, residential housing and transportation
accessible. Academic adjustments include such things as extended time to complete
examinations, a distraction-reduced testing environment, permission to record classes, and
course substitutions. Examples of auxiliary aids and services are note-taking services, readers
and/or scribes for examinations, sign language interpreters, and caption services.
The University is required to provide a reasonable accommodation; it is not required to provide
the specific accommodation requested by the student. In providing accommodations, the
University is not required to lower or effect substantial modifications to essential requirements or
to make modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program or

SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

activity. Thus, for example, although the University may be required to provide extended time
within which to complete a test, it is not required to change the substantive content of the test.
Personal attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study,
wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other devices or services of a personal nature are the responsibility
of the student, not the University. Finally, the University is not required to make adjustments or
provide auxiliary aids or services that would result in an undue burden on the University (Pace
University, n.d.)
Campus Support Services:
Walk-in tutoring is available free of charge for this course in the Tutoring Center in the Center
for Academic Excellence, located at 41 Park Row, 2nd Floor. Other services include Study Skills
Workshops, which include note-taking strategies, time management techniques, and methods for
reducing math anxiety.
How to get the most out of a tutoring session:
1. Start right away. Students who begin tutoring from the beginning of the semester typically
do better than those who wait.
2. Come prepared. Please bring your class notes and textbook. Look over the readings and try
the problems. If you can, bring a list of specific questions. The more you prepare, the more
you will get out of the session.
3. If you miss a class, please get notes from a classmate before your session. Tutoring is not a
substitute for attending class. (Pace University, n.d.)

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SYLLABUS AND REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS

Course Calendar:
DATE
Jan. 9

TOPIC
Getting Started

READINGS

Jan. 16

Improv Crash
Course

Jan. 23
Jan. 30

Dont be Funny:
Just Do
Trust on Stage

Feb. 6

Yes, and?

Ch.1-What is
Improv,
Anyway?
Ch.2- But
Seriously, Folks
Ch. 3-Support
and Trust
Ch. 4-Agreement

Feb. 13

Learn to Play
The Game
Character Play

Feb. 20
Feb. 27
Mar. 6

From Dream to
Reality
Working in
Unison

Mar. 13

Know Yourself,
Know Others

Mar. 20

Intro to the
Harold
Performance

Mar. 27

Harold
Workshop #1
Harold
Workshop #2
Harold
Workshop #3
Harold
Workshop #4
LAST CLASS

Apr. 3
Apr. 10
Apr. 17
Apr. 24

NOTES
Course
Introduction
Create Mini
Ensembles.

DUE

Intro to the
Armando

Improv Theater
Performance
Review
Ch.5-Initiations
Peer Review
and Game Moves Discussion
Ch.6 Moment
to Moment to
Moment
Ch.7-Building a
Scene
Ch. 8-One,
Mind, Many
Bodies
Ch.9Environmentally
Aware
Ch.10Responsibilities
of a Harold
Player
Ch.11-How to
Do a Harold
Ch.12-Harold As
a Team Sport

Ensemble #1Armando

Improv Review
#1 Due
Ensemble #2Armando

Improv Review
#2 Due
Ensemble #3Armando

Improv Review
#3 Due
Reflective
Monologues Due
Final Harold
Performance

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11

Part II. Articulation/Description

The syllabus is the backbone to the entire course that an educator puts forth towards its
students. As I went about in creating my syllabus for my Improv for Actors course there were a
few things to consider in order to create significant learning experiences. Nilson (2010),
mentions that when constructing a syllabus more often than not students come out with asking
more questions than originally intended, and that a well constructed syllabus should be detailed
and can run from anywhere from 5 to 10 pages. My hope is to create a comprehensive syllabus
in that it addresses all key points of the course and serves as a road map for the students that I
would be teaching.
The syllabus is broken down into 11 sections that include: course description, learning
objective, learning outcomes, reading materials, course assignments, grade breakdown,
attendance, academic dishonesty, disability accommodations, campus support services, and
course calendar. The reason that it is split up into these sections is to reflect Nilsons (2010),
items that should be listed in the syllabus to build a comprehensive plan as to how to go about in
providing the necessary information for students.
The course description delves deeper into the content of what the course is designed to
accomplish and whom it is meant for. This class in particular serves as a progression in the
acting coursework for students that are solely studying theater and is meant to build on their
theater background. At this point students should have already taken Theater 101 where they
learned the basic theory of acting anywhere from characterization to stage direction. This class
will pay particular attention to the art of improv and how to incorporate humor into scene work.
Students will be required to work with other classmates to put on performances together based
off the particular short and long form types of improvisational games that will be taught in class

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every week. The overall learning objective of the course is for students to gain a deeper
understanding of the role that improv takes in developing meaningful scenes through
performance and critical review assignments.
Fink (2013) states, teachers can create...conditions in which flow activities are likely to
occur if students can begin to experience flow in their learning, it will lead to the realization of a
need for more challenges and more learning (p. 172). In accordance with Finks (2013)
interactive nature of significant learning model, I derived 7 learning outcomes that would focus
on providing significant learning experiences in the classroom. These outcomes were as follows:
students will be exposed to the history of improvisation; students will be exposed to various
improv exercises, which will aid in creating scenes; students will recognize how to adapt to
different actors styles based off how they approach their work; students will be able to provide
critical feedback to peers about their performances; students will be able to appreciate and
critically review improv performances on stage; students will perform a Harold performance;
and students will reflect on their experience within the course and express how they can continue
developing the craft of improv. The hope is that these learning outcomes would guide the work
and activities that students would partake in during the semester.
In order to make sure that these learning outcomes were in line with Finks (2013)
significant learning model there were 5 major assignments that students would need to complete.
The first assignments are the Improv Jams which are worth 10 points. These improv jams
would tie in with the first learning outcome of establishing foundational knowledge. Students
will be required to read, Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation by Charna Halpern this
will inform the history behind improvisation as well as help students gain the knowledge to
manifest scenes through the various exercises that are outlined the book. These jams are also

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meant to monitor participation in the classroom. Since the art of improv requires working as an
ensemble it is important to be present at all class sessions. Students would also be fulfilling the
second learning outcome in the syllabus that of being exposed to various improv exercises that
will aid in creating scene work which ties in with the application goals to a significant learning
experience. Students would be able to think creatively and create scenes based off the mechanics
of the activity while working with others.
The second assignment are the improv reviews that account for 30 points of the overall
grade in which students are required to attend an improv show that is sponsored by the theater
department or they may choose to attend a public one in the city. The intent behind this
assignment is to gauge how well students understand the properties of improv as an art form.
The hope is that students will be able critically review a performance and speak to the way in
which improv is demonstrated based off the theoretical framework from the required text as well
as forming personal opinions. This would go hand in hand with the third learning outcome,
where students will recognize how to adapt to different actors styles based off how they
approach the work and also ties in with the integration goal of the significant learning
experience. Fink (2013) states, teachers help students learn how to make informal and
thoughtful decisions...that are consistent with their own values (p. 183). This integration goal
comes in the form of encouraging students to trust their own artistic opinion and be candid as to
how they felt watching a live performance and how they could adapt their improv styles based
off seeing different shows while still being critical based off their training throughout the
semester.
The third assignment is an Armando mini ensemble performance that will be a total of
20 points of the overall grade. Students will be divided into three mini ensembles that consist of

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14

4 actors. An Armando is a long form improv activity that resembles a storytelling-style

monologue, based on an audience suggestion. After the monologue, the students play
improvised scenes inspired by the monologue. The Armando will be a 30-minute in class
performance. This assignment will focus on the fourth learning outcome where students will be
able to provide critical feedback to peers about their performances and would also tie in with the
human dimension goal of the model. Students will learn how to understanding their classmates
process and how to interact with others while working on their self-awareness in scene work.
The hope is that students in this in class performance have a chance to rate their fellow ensemble
members in order to get better at the craft as well as empower students to grow artistically being
in a safe space with their peers. In addition, students will also be filling out a self-assessment in
order for the instructor to see where the student feels they are in their artistic development.
Since all of improv has to do with audience interaction this will be especially beneficial in order
to get better as they move on to their final performances later in the semester.
The fourth assignment will be a part of the the 6th learning outcome in which students
will perform a Harold that will consist of working with the entire class which is a total of 30
points. A Harold is a long form improv game that consists of a number of sub-formats and
consists of 3 components: scenes, games, and monologues. The students will begin with an
audience suggestion and based of this the actors in the scene will be inspired and start a new
scene. There will be 3 rounds of scenes that are based on the themes found from the first scene.
Since these themes originate from the audience suggestion they will hopefully see the links
between scenes. The hope is that this assignment will tie in with the students caring goal. Fink
(2013) states, the teacher first does something to connect students with their own feelings about
the topic and then has students take an action that was informed by the first step (p. 179). The

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15

hope is that by the time of this performance students would have already learned that improv
comes from raw emotion and scenes should always have a sense of sincerity and truthfulness.
Once students realize that learn how to harness those emotions when doing longer scenes. This
Harold performance will be a 60 minute showcase in front of a real audience and housed in the
Pace playhouse. The instructor and two other theater faculty members would then evaluate the
acting students.
The fifth and final assignment is a reflective monologue, which is a total of 10 points.
This assignment is intended to fulfill the seventh learning outcome of being reflective and
showcasing how to be a self-directed learner. Students will have to develop a 5-minute
improvisational monologue in which they share with their peers what they have learned in the
classroom and how they can take the craft of improvisation into their work and continue to grow
artistically. Fink (2013) mentioned that you want to gauge their interest in the subject by
focusing on parts that they enjoyed and then building on that idea by encouraging them to find
ways in which they can continue to develop. Hopefully with this assignment students will have a
chance to express those concerns and find a way to continue to learn more about improv as they
progress in their theatrical degrees. Finally, all of these assignments went in line with the
learning outcomes, but also complemented Finks (2013) model.
The course calendar is important to highlight to showcase that the class will take place
over the course of 16 class sessions. Each session has its own designated topic area that will be
covered, but will be based off the readings from the book and will elaborate more on what was
read for that given week. It also notes when all of the assignments are due for the class. The rest
of the syllabus is very much just a breakdown of how the point distribution will work out, late

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16

assignments policy, attendance policy, academic dishonesty clause, disability accommodations,

and campus support services.
Part III. Reflection
Creating a syllabus has been one of the most challenging things that I have done in this
program. It was a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that go into
creating a meaningful learning experience for the students that you are serving as an educator.
The most challenging part of this exercise was trying to find ways in which to connect Finks
(2013) interactive nature of significant learning model into the learning outcomes. The main
reason for this is, is that my class was not a traditional introductory course and was also an arts
based curriculum. Since most of the assignments were meant to be performance based I also had
a difficult time trying to incorporate activities in which students that might be introverted rather
than extroverted would have an opportunity to engage fully in the classroom. This is why the
class that I developed was purposely for students that were majoring in theater and would have
an existing background in performance. Knowing the background of my student demographic it
made it easier to structure the course. I believe once I understood Finks concepts a bit more it
was a little easier to find ways to incorporate the 6 significant learning experiences model. The
easiest part of the assembling the syllabus was finding ways in which the assignments intersected
through various learning outcomes and how fluid that process was throughout. For example,
there are two large performance based assignments in which students have to work together to
create scenes, but students have a chance to build on their knowledge from previous assignments.
Nilson (2010) states, the syllabus has evolved from a short sterile list of required readings,
topics assignments...to an elaborate, detailed blueprint...the document has even added several
opportunities for instructors to place personal trademarks (p.41). Throughout this exercise it

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was a liberating experience in that I had total autonomy on what to do and how to structure my
course, but at the same time that was nerve-racking in that you as an educator want to make sure
that you are putting your best foot forward into the work. I have learned that a syllabus sets the
tone as to how things will run and students will hold you accountable to what you say you will
do and that is a big responsibility. Overall, this was an enlightening experience in that I
personally gained a deeper understanding on how to create not just a course, but create
experiences that transcend over time. My hope would be that students who did take my course
would be able to use the skills of improv in their work as they move forward in their theater
degree and find ways in which to make this craft relevant in their work as artists moving forward
in the future.

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References
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to
designing college courses (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Nilson, L. B. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Syllabus Statement | Center for Academic Excellence | Pace University. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.pace.edu/center-academic-excellence/tutoring-center/new-york-city-campus2/syllabus-statement