Motivation(s)

Let me tell you a little story about motivation: it's better coming from someone other than you. You can be as personally charismatic as you imagine you are (and you might in fact be) but that is no benefit against the infrequent other: the visiting instructor.

Simply the mythic status that this new person brings into the classroom is enough to create intrigue and interest in the minds of even the most interested of students. This is especially helpful when explaining concepts which are difficult to grasp, and (with acting exercises) ridiculous on the surface.

How can you convince someone to willingly submit to public humiliation in any of its various forms? Especially with a group of young people who are themselves naturally funny and friends with one another?

Watching someone other than a peer (and respected and mysterious) willingly concede to an exercise imbues that exercise with the seriousness required for the student to obtain the full benefit of the exercise. This strategy also increases the students preparation for the exercise as they are now serious about doing the exercise fully and completely.

More on this later.