Creative Teaching Ideas
Coyote the Trickster:
Understanding Trickster Dynamics in a Modern Context

By Chris Laliberte

In all of recorded memory, Trickster has been a constant presence in cultures around the world. Raven, Coyote, Jackal, Hare - Trickster exists in many different forms, but has always been recognized as a profound, yet often dangerous teacher. Wilderness Awareness School knows coyote as trickster energy is at the heart of many of the transformational experiences we have with our students. This is why we call the way we teach, Coyote Mentoring.

Most effective or transformative learning experiences occur in states of engagement and excitement. The "techniques" that good Coyote mentors apply with students are mainly efforts at helping them get engaged and/or excited. Questioning is superb in stirring curiosity to develop engagement. Didactic teaching is great for demonstrating or telling about something that students are excited to learn or do themselves. However, Trickster techniques are needed when the student is NOT engaged or excited because: a) they have negative pre-conceptions about the topic; b) they think they know it already; or c) they have avoidance patterns or "blocks" (often from old experiences) associated with the topic or activity.

Often, these mental and emotional states cause them to actively resist engaging or feeling excited. Instructor enthusiasm and curiosity, questioning or "cool" facts and demonstrations are met with derisive sneers and sulky, defensive body posture. Luckily, excitement and curiosity have a direct relationship to physical posture and internal chemistry, and the one affects the other. if the mental/emotional door is closed, Trickster works with the physical. Gather a bunch of lackluster students, pretend like you are going to lecture them about something and then grin and say "Bet you can't catch me," and take off running. Unless they are really far-gone teenagers, they will chase you. Even after just a five-minute chase, they are in a totally different space. Adrenaline has kicked in, they ahve had to maneuver through the woods pursuing you, and now they can't stop chattering about the chase, and their whole bodies are in a physical state that more or less mimics excited engagement. Now they are ready for some infectious curiosity and a good mystery to explore. (What is making that chirp? Let's find it!)

If your response to this technique is something along the lines of, "But that is dangerous - running through the woods, you could fall and land on something sharp, or poke your eye out on a branch," then Trickster has something to teach you, too. Coyote as Trickster knows that a sense of comfort and safety dulls the learning process. When you are in your "comfort zone," you are not learning anything new. You are doing what you already know how to do, or hearing what you already believe to be true. You can use your old patterns in the situation and there is little, if any, impetus for growth or learning.

Trickster loves tackling this dynamic! The most common way Trickster avoids the Comfort Trap is to put students in "scary" situations. In the modern context, it is considered unacceptable to manufacture truly dangerous or unsafe situations for students. Luckily, we do not have to because what is important is the perception of danger. For example, a walk through the woods at a local park with uninterested kids who want to talk about the TV show they watched last night or listen to their Walkman generally is not a very effective educational experience. So make it scary! They have to walk alone, spaced 5 minutes apart, and if they do not carefully watch for the arrows on the ground, they could get lost! Now they are paying attention. Scary stories work well, too. Let them know that a cougar was recently spotted in this area, and that the only way to know if one is around is to hear when the birds alarm at it. They will notice and learn a lot about the woods on that same walk. Scared of death at the jaws of the cougar, they are suddenly very engaged in paying attention to the woods around them, and very excited with adrenaline. (used only with students you know well!)

The most difficult dynamic that Trickster deals with is the student whose "cup is full." They think they know everything and are no longer seeing what is really there, but what they think is there - what they already know. Trickster does not operate with patient, persistent coaxing and repeated efforts to gently help them see in a new, more expansive way. Trickster empties the cup by cracking or breaking it and lets the student put it back together so it holds water again.

One of the most common manifestations of the "full cup" dynamic is that students begin to think that they have "figured you out" as a person and instructor. You have become "background noise" for them. Think about really surprising them by appearing one day in a completely different character. Maybe you dress in a suit and tie or pretend to be your twin brother or sister. Now the kids are paying attention!

That Coyote Mentoring is an Art of the highest order will become obvious to you as you try and work Trickster into your mentoring. Remember, it is not about tricking, or making fun of someone. It is about getting them engaged and excited. If they already are, don't bother with Trickster. Feed them some good questions, introduce them to some mysteries, and support them as they explore. That is all folks need, and they will learn. They were born for it.



Back from Coyote the Trickster to more Creative Teaching ideas