IMPROVISATION FOR TEAMS:

Building Connection and agility with inholland AEROnautical engineers

In early 2025, Art is Home was invited to design and deliver a custom team-building workshop for the teaching staff of the Aeronautical Engineering study programme at Inholland Delft.

Our mission: to strengthen connection, communication, and adaptability within the team – using the creative power of improvisation.

Why improvisation for teachers?

In high-pressure educational environments like aeronautical engineering, collaboration among staff is vital. Teachers are constantly adapting to changing needs: balancing research, teaching, mentoring, and administration.

Improvisation offers a playful but powerful toolkit to practice:

• Trusting and building on each other’s ideas
• Staying flexible in uncertain situations
• Communicating openly and efficiently
• Strengthening empathy and group cohesion

What we offered:

• A two-hour, highly interactive workshop focused on team play
• Practical exercises drawn from theater improvisation and collaborative art
• Reflection moments linking activities to daily teamwork and challenges in education
• A safe, fun environment where experimentation, laughter, and learning went hand in hand

RESULTS:

The session helped teachers reconnect with each other outside of their usual academic roles.

Participants reported feeling “more energized as a team,” “more open to each other’s ideas,” and “reminded of the importance of play and creativity, even in serious environments.”

Staff members highlighted how improvisational mindsets – such as active listening, flexibility, and “yes, and” thinking – could be directly applied to their work with students and colleagues.