Students are coached to employ 10 important learning strategies: TRY, TRY AGAIN, TRY A NEW WAY, GO SLOW, STEP-BY-STEP, STOP AND VISUALIZE, WATCH, WAIT, READ, AND LISTEN. These are tools that can be used throughout a student's life in any curriculum. By the end of the residency, all students will know these strategies and have had experiences using them in action.

Learning is successful when students are:
1) motivated to learn, 2) know the goal, 3) know how to measure progress, and 4) know when the goal is acheived. Circus arts fulfill all 4 criteria. Students know the trick they are attempting, know when they need more work, and know when they have achieved their goal. They gain a solid sense of accomplishment. What’s more, they are totally motivated because it’s fun!

Other advantages of circus arts:

• Unlike competitive sports, the circus process is inherently cooperative.
• Can be done anywhere; don’t have to assemble a team or have a playing field;
• Inclusive; something for everyone, of any skill level;
• No limit to how much can be acheived; there’s always another level to reach; yet levels are incremental allowing for sustainable progress without long periods of non-success;
• Satisfies a paradox: the student’s simultaneous need for individual expression and the need to fit in with a group;
• Students engage problem-solving skills and develop patience and concentration.
• As students progress, they are eager to teach other students, thus further enhancing their self-image and esteem.
• Circus arts help awaken qualities of problem solving and will power that will be called upon in adulthood.