A Student’s Perspective on the Flipping the Script Conference

By: AnnaBelle Favre

Last fall, I had the opportunity to present a workshop session at the Faculty Development Center’s annual Flipping the Script Conference. As an elementary education student and the child of a teacher, I have always had ideas on how classrooms can change and adapt to improve learning and engagement. I was a freshman and new to campus, so I didn’t know that my ideas could be shared with faculty and actually make a difference. That is, until I discovered Flipping the Script. 

As a presidential scholar, in my first semester I was required to take a drama and play class with my fellow recipients. I didn’t know what to expect, but I learned so much in that class from professor Jen Felts from the School of Communication, Media, & Theatre Arts, who later became my mentor for the conference. We would play games, learn about play, and discover how each one of us saw the world differently.

When I saw the call for applications for Flipping the Script, I immediately knew I wanted to incorporate what we were learning in Jen’s class. We landed on the topic of “play in the post-secondary classroom.”

At the time, as noted above, I was an elementary education major planning on becoming a teacher for grades K-2. One of the reasons I was drawn to that career was because it could be fun. There is something new and different every day of elementary school that simply does not happen in a college classroom. I wanted to change that.

I was able to work closely with Professor Felts, who provided me with resources and ideas. She helped me to plan out several small activities to use as examples of “play breaks” during my presentation. 

After several meetings with Jen and the FDC staff, I had created a presentation I was happy with. I had invited most of my professors at EMU, my advisors, and two of my professors from the community college I attended previously. I was so honored when I walked into the room and saw so many people I knew and respected.

The presentation was so much fun, and I was lucky to have such willing participants. In just a forty minute-long presentation, we had created a community of joy, fun, and play. The beginning of my presentation discussed the properties of play and how to incorporate small moments of joy in your everyday life. Once everyone had a clear understanding of what play could be, I emphasized the importance of play and learning. It is not just a way to goof off; it can actually improve learning by building connections, creating problem solving skills, and giving your brain a break to refresh. 

A central theme of my presentation was how educators can incorporate play into real classroom settings. I stressed the importance of starting small—introducing simple icebreakers or fun activities in the first weeks of class and gradually building from there. I acknowledged that, especially in higher education, time constraints are a significant concern, but even brief play breaks can significantly enhance students' ability to absorb and process information. A two-minute play break, for example, may take time away from lecture content, but it can ultimately help students engage more deeply with the material being taught in the remainder of the class.

During the Flipping the Script process, I made so many valuable connections that still help me today. I remember the first time I walked into one of my winter semester classes, my professor acted like I was a celebrity because she had come to my presentation. She and I became collaborators, and worked to make the class incorporate play. She went on to apply for and receive a Mini-Grant to Support Student Wellness through the FDC, funding supplies for a class mural activity.

I also remained in contact with many of the people I worked with at the Faculty Development Center, and a few months later, I was offered to host a TaLT Topics program. For this project, I collaborated with Professor Jessica Swan, and together we discussed the inner workings of joy with student-faculty partners. It was during one of these sessions that I got to get to know two graduate students and one professor from the occupational therapy program. 

This connection that I made thanks to the FDC allowed me to discuss what occupational therapy is all about, and I ended up switching my major to pursue it as a career. I have made so many incredible connections through the Faculty Development Center, and it all started with Flipping the Script.

I cannot recommend enough that you both encourage your students to apply for the Flipping the Script conference, as well as attend yourself. It has been such a joy to collaborate and share ideas with faculty as partners rather than only as a student in a classroom setting. We are currently accepting proposals for student presenters due by October 8, so please ask your students to consider applying. I hope to see you at this year’s conference on December 5!