Chairwork - Where Did the Chair Go?

One of my favourite "set-pieces" in teaching is giving my rant about Chairwork.

No, it's not what you think. It's not about how teachers are using the chair teach; it is about using the chair to teach. The chair is the star…

I put an empty chair in front of the group, then ask them to say what is there.

"A chair" they all answer.

Then I say:

"No. There is no chair there."

Which of course puzzles everyone (What is Chancer going on about now?!).

I say:

"There is SOMETHING there, but it is not a chair. And I will prove it to you."

To do this exercise best, imagine a chair that is easily disassembled.

I hold the armrests - separated from the chair - up in front of everyone and ask the group:

"Is this a chair?"

"No." they answer, "We don't see you holding a chair."

Then I take one of the legs of the chair, hold that up:

"Is THIS a chair?"

Again, everyone shakes their head. No, that's not a chair either. And so on and so forth - until every individual part of the chair has been examined and placed to the other side.

Eventually, there is nothing left in the space the chair once occupied.

No-one saw a chair being moved across, yet the chair is now gone.

Where did the chair go?

It didn't go anywhere because it was never there to begin with.

We BELIEVE there is a chair there, but it simply isn't true. It's fiction.

And yet we believe in this fiction of the chair passionately, determinedly, intensely. Our whole life is built upon inventions like this. There is no chair. There never was a chair. There never will be a chair.

Any Physicist knows this.

In reality, you can't materially find a chair, no matter how hard you look.

Because the existence of a chair is a fairytale; it's fiction.

Convenient maybe, but still a lie. We live a life of lies.

What are the implications of this for teaching Alexander's discovery?

All pain, discomfort and inefficiency are built upon some lie. Can you figure it out? Can you pinpoint the specific lie(s) that sit at the centre of your student's dilemma?

Do you know how to unravel the fiction that causes their pain?

These are the ways I reboot Alexander's discovery - to challenge you cognitively; to ask you to explore the lies that drive your behaviour.

You can discover alternative and exciting ways to engage your Self and your students in ThinkingBody Module Two, my online program - a study program that will engage you all year.

I am closing down my offer this week.

Jump in and buy it now - you get access for years to come. You can revisit it again and again; use it to evolve your teaching. Make it another of your refresher courses, but this one available whenever you need it.

ThinkingBody Module Two.

Offer ends this week. 20% off advertised price.

Use this Coupon Code: 20OFFTILLNOV30

https://bodychance.mykajabi.com/offers/zW83SsoL

Get my blog delivered by email every day by signing up here:

https://bodychance.leadpages.co/ats-daily-optin/