Embracing Uncertainty

January 29, 2024

Highlights from Our Workshop at the Learning Planet Festival

Hello beautiful playmates!


We recently hosted an incredible workshop in collaboration with the “Yes, And… Higher Education Network (YAHE).” Themed "Embrace Uncertainty & Tap Into Collective Creativity” Embracing Uncertainty," it brought educators worldwide together for a heartfelt exploration of our unpredictable world. It took place at the  Learning Planet Festival, a 4-day gathering of hundreds of organizations, programs and networks that are part of the growing Globalization at the Grassroots movement.


Held on January 26th, the workshop was a culmination of numerous meetings and meticulous preparations to bring our collective ideas to life. Educators from diverse backgrounds engaged in dialogues through enjoyable activities, expressing emotions with sounds and gestures, while we joyfully philosophized. We formed a shared language that transcended linguistic barriers as well as common categories and labels that often give us the illusion of certainty.


In the enchanting "Yes, And Story" activity, participants co-created moments filled with love and support. The workshop fostered a sense of safety, allowing everyone to express themselves freely, embrace a feeling of wholeness, and realize the spontaneous community that had blossomed during the workshop. Throughout the session, the focus was on co-creating shared thoughts and feelings related to the uncertainty we all experience.  We were able to embrace uncertainty through our collective creative activity.

The workshop successfully explored the powerful mindset generated by "Yes, And" and applied improvisation, providing insights applicable in various developmental learning settings. The depth of reflection at the end affirmed the accomplishment of our objective.


Reflection comments from some participants:

  • "As you know, I'm not the kind of person who finds it easy to play with others, and have a strong sense of ridicule... unless I'm performing! I find some activities with colleagues extremely embarrassing, and I hate to think such images are shared on video, but as I said today, it felt like a safe environment. I particularly liked to consider the collective story, a technique I use regularly in creative writing, from a different perspective (learning to deal with uncertainty)."
  • "It was a fun workshop! The experience is quite unique and gives me a new perspective about so many things."
  • "Although I don't do any formal teaching any more, I like to be informed about what responsible and creative educators are doing to deal with global concerns. I can also learn from workshops techniques I may be able to adapt and use myself!"

GPB Educators Salon

Date: February 8 (2nd Thursday of each month) 


Time: 7-8 am EST / 9-8 AST / 5:30 - 6:30 pm IST / 8-9 pm Malaysia/China / 9-10 pm JST Registration Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYod-6vqTgiE9CPvuzI5T9OIAesAypAGCWm


Yes And Higher Ed Network Monthly Gathering

Date: February 16 (3rd Friday of each month) Time: 7:00 PM EDT / 5:30 AM IST / 8 AM Malaysia/China / 9:00 AM pm JST/12:00 AM GMT                                                              


 Registration Link & Zoom Meeting                                                     
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/94867118879   Meeting ID: 948 6711 8879


We look forward to continuing this transformative journey that creates a vibrant community of educators committed to fostering creativity, support, and growth all over the world!


Warmly,

Hikaru Hie, Co-Leader of GPB Japan and GPB's Educators Salon

By Global Play Brigade July 14, 2026
Keep the Heart Open to Play Possibilities abound for magical connections. Play every day in every way. Play is life. Your delta flow feeds my sisters' feet, fires her soul. Together for global transformation. The hardest times can be boring but also fun. Finding self and others through our play. Live like a kid again. Play fills me with ideas, joy, and wonder. My dreams and passions and visions were already happening. No rules. No clock. No apologies. Just play, play, play. Ready to go be a champion of play. Play is for all of us, both me and you. Together we're so much better than creating play moments alone. Make your heart dance and your soul happy. A moment of play makes your day. Whenever I may, I like to play. Play our way into changing ourselves and the world. Yes, and then magic happens. Eat, drink, and celebrate play. My kingdom for play. My kingdom of play. I took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference. I want to fly on a swing with glee in the breeze. Play is the essence that brings us together. Play is the embodiment of joy. I am because we play. In gratitude and wonder. I forgot I was a child, babbling, and by playing I remember all I can still become. The growing fire sparked and hissed as it warmed the readers around it. Play is connecting to yourself. How joyous to be connected through play to all of you. Play is a cool day. Play unites. Play inspires. I'm learning to bring my internal curiosity to the exterior world. Play sparks that turn ordinary moments into pockets of wonder. Play connects the world across borders. Many drops, rising tide. My heart is full of playful delight. Sun shining on the ocean. To play today, with all of you Play is going back to the source. Play is always fun. I am ready. Hear my bones here jangling and dancing. Playfulness and joy, the connective tissue of our world. Play creates smiles and giggles. Play fills up my heart with tickles and light. Play weaves our different strands together. Play is fun. Enlightenment. Play is full of colours. Play is architecture. Play connects mind and movement to support human development. Keep the heart open to play. (This poem was created from the chat comments of The Art & Science of Play and then creatively edited)
By Danielle Speciale June 9, 2026
Author: Sarah Filman, GPB Director of Programs