Blog Post #8
Lisa Lee, in her TED talk “Getting at the Heart of Teaching”, touches on the value of humor in teaching. Share your most humorous classroom story. Or, describe at least one way you do, or could, bring more humor into your classroom.
Blog Post #1
Just Talk To Me ~ The author states, “We cannot allow average to become our standard. Our kids deserve more than the status quo; they deserve our very best.” Where does average currently exist in your school? Where does average currently exist in your teaching practice? How can you raise the bar? How can you work with others to raise the standard at your school?
Humor is such an essential part of my teaching, and my middle school classroom provides no shortage of moments that keep me laughing—truly, I am cracking up almost every day. One of my favorite classroom memories happened when I was teaching 6th grade. I had a student who was incredibly quiet and relaxed, the type who rarely said a word during class. One day during a math Blooket game, the room was completely silent as everyone focused intensely on staying in first place. Suddenly, this normally calm student stood straight up and screamed because someone had stolen his “gold,” knocking him off the leaderboard. The entire class burst into laughter—not at him, but at the sheer surprise and the fact that this sweet, soft-spoken student had found something he cared about so much that it pulled that reaction out of him. Moments like these remind me how humor builds community, breaks down walls, and helps us genuinely enjoy learning together.
ReplyDeleteIn my classroom we have added some educational "bits" through the years. From Taylor Tip Tuesday's (life tips from Taylor Swift through lyrics), Loser of the Week (Friday's we pick the historical noun that was the worst we studied during the week) to Wordsmith Wednesday (we bring back an old word that has faded away). We get to talk about some historical context of the word, when it was used and then try to use it naturally for the next week. The students (some have) have gotten a kick out of these quick segments that show a human side of education and these remind all of us that its okay to laugh in school! I will continue to add bits as I continue to teach. Students love to laugh.
ReplyDeleteTeaching 7th and 8th grade, humor was definitely a major bright spot to my job. That age group can be so funny. One humorous classroom memory that comes to mind was when I had the 8th grade class memorize, recite, and then annotate a short poem. One of the 8th grade boys went over the top with reciting his poem, acting it out and being overly dramatic. We all just laughed and laughed. I loved that he went all out and had fun with it.
ReplyDeleteIn language arts, there's lots of room for creativity. When I would make my tests or practice assignments, I loved to throw references to pop culture, funny slang terms, or ridiculous sentences involving the teachers in there. It kept things light-hearted and fun. Getting to know students and being able to joke around with them is one of the things I miss most about teaching.
Humor in the classroom is vital to fostering trust, reducing anxiety and helps in stress management. The endorphins released help create an environment for learning. Over the years the trend from overly formal teaching to on that creates connection in the classroom environment. One way to do this is by starting the day with a joke of the day or having a designated time for a few minutes each week for students to share something funny. Another way is to "laugh at yourself". We all make mistakes, and it shows students that we can be human and funny when we make mistakes. Adding some humor to the day makes the learning environment enjoyable for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are around kids there usually is something funny happening. One of my favorite stories is when I was teaching elementary music and we were doing a song about Halloween costumes. I had a student tell me they were going to be a "raper". Try not to react was my reaction. So I asked him, "Can you describe what your costume looks like?" He goes on to describe a black cape and hood and a big curvy knife on the end of a pole. Relief! He was going to be the grim "reaper". Still one of my best stories and it happened 25+ years ago!
ReplyDeleteMy most humorous story happened during my Industrial Revolution unit. I have students recreate the assembly line and I'm the boss during the activity. I'm yelling at them to work fast, and take crap as they are working hard. The students get into it and yelling at each other to do a better job, and putting the pressure on each other. It is absolute chaos, but it is so much fun. We play the Rocky theme song and go crazy with the activity. I had a group who were so outspoken, it just took the activity to another level. I do this every year and have the best time with it.
ReplyDeleteHumor happens often in my classroom, and I think it's my students who make me laugh mostly! Any time a student presents something in the classroom, we are always left smiling and laughing. One of my favorites is when we read a play aloud and they are given parts. It always cracks me up to hear their tone and accent as they take on the character they have been assigned. I also try to joke with my students and use sarcasm when it's appropriate. I am sure to laugh at and learn from my mistakes right in front of them, hoping they learn that mistakes are inevitable. Brain breaks are another great time for us to sing, dance, and just be silly together.
ReplyDeleteI bring humor into my classroom by using books with fun, silly characters who handle challenging situations in a lighthearted way. I also bring humor through dressing up as characters from the stories or themes we are exploring, which makes learning playful and memorable for my students.
ReplyDeleteHumor can be brought into the classroom and can be used with most all students. I think there is a difference in the type of humor used and to make sure it is not condescending. I believe that knowing each student and acknowledging students with a smile before discussing items is helpful. I usually try to bring in humor when discussing issues with students, such as working with a student with all F's in her current classes. I joking brought up that it was difficult to find a time to test and then asked if she had knowledge of this and a plan. She responded with a laugh and then we were able to talk about her plan and the door was opened for me to ask if she wanted/needed any advice on how to attack this issue.
ReplyDeleteTeaching middle school, there are always options for humor in the classroom....sometimes not appropriate. I also feel being a male makes it better (maybe worse in content) because teenage boys can walk that line. A recent time that was humorous was when we were doing the Oregon Trail and a group of my boys drew a card "and you had a baby along the way." First, the conversation started with how four guys had a baby and then turned into the whole "how are babies made?" They weren't saying anything inappropriate, but it made a lot of people laugh and I do think that you have to let students have a little fun, while keeping it appropriate, to keep them engaged in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteTeaching middle school and freshmen mostly has made me realize how important it is to incorporate humor into your classroom. I will occasionally tell "dad" jokes that I have heard. I also try to share funny stories that have happened to me throughout my life or just recently. Its important that we be able to laugh at ourselves with our students. I also try to use funny stories that incorporate our students and class. It really helps to lighten the mood and be more relatable to our students.
ReplyDeleteI was teaching a driver’s education class and a student told me he was practicing driving when a car pulled up along side of him and flipped him off. He didn’t know what to do so I told him that the person in the other car was telling him he was #1. The kids started laughing and told me that that is not what that means. I told the class that I have told I am #1 in the same situation and on occasion I have been told I am #11. The kids started laughing and I told the kids when that happens to just let it go and concentrate on driving and not what other people are doing.
ReplyDeleteLaughter and humor are absolutely necessary everyday when you teach middle schoolers. Laughter at key moments provides a key component for the positive energy of any classroom. And quite frankly, sometimes it keeps me remaining calm. I honestly can't think of any particular moment but the things my students say are just hilarious. I often use the phrase, "You can't make this stuff up!" The latest comical relief is repeating all their "made up words" and asking them what they all mean. I love listening to them try to explain the definitions. I also find it entertaining when I use movie or tv show lines which I find hilarious but the students don't get because they are too young. I always have that one student that will start laughing because they have seen the movie or watches the tv show 'Friends".
ReplyDeleteLaughter is so important and we laugh often in our classroom. It is also important to not take yourself so seriously. I love to laugh at myself! There are so many funny stories I could share about students. However, I will share one about myself instead. We were learning about strong and gentle forces in our science curriculum. I pulled the rubberband to launch the ping pong ball in our "pinball machine." It flew out of the cardboard box, ricochted off of the smart board and hit me right between the eyes. The kids looked at me with huge eyes. I erupted in laughter which gave them permission and then they were rolling with laughter! It was hilarious. They definetily remember the difference between strong and gentle forces.
ReplyDeleteIn Lisa Lee’s TED Talk Getting at the Heart of Teaching, humor is highlighted as an important way to build connection and reduce stress in learning. In a school counseling role, I see humor as a helpful tool, but one that has to be used thoughtfully. We need to be careful to read students and their emotions. Humor can be a great way to make a stressful environment feel more at ease, but only when it fits the moment and the student’s mindset. Small moments with a little humor can actually shift the tone of an entire conversation. Sometimes it feels like we are more easily able to move forward because the pressure comes down when a little humor is injected and sometimes we are able to relax and think a little more clearly. Going forward, I could intentionally bring more humor into everyday interactions by using light, appropriate moments to reduce stress and build connection. That might look like starting a busy day with a small, relatable comment about how fast the school week is going, or using gentle humor when students feel stuck to help reset the moment. The goal is never to minimize what students are going through, but to create enough ease that they feel safe, supported, and ready to engage.
ReplyDeleteShare your most humorous classroom story. Or, describe at least one way you do, or could, bring more humor into your classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis just happened just recently. The students are not allowed to get on their computers until they are instructed to do so. How they know it's that time is when I, "On your mark, get set, GO"! Suddenly they all whip around and go at it. For some reason - just recently - , I started using the single word "GO"! when a student had their hand raised to ask a question. The moment I called on a student and said, "GO"! the entire class whipped around and started at it on their computers. When I corrected what was happened the entire class busted out laughing.
Lisa Lee, in her TED talk “Getting at the Heart of Teaching”, touches on the value of humor in teaching. Share your most humorous classroom story. Or, describe at least one way you do, or could, bring more humor into your classroom.
ReplyDeleteHumor in the classroom is necessary as it make the classroom a more positive environment. One way that I bring humor into my classroom is by sharing a jokes or even being sarcastic. For example, sometime I say something like, "150 years ago when I was in middle school". They really get a kick out of hearing things like this and then attempt to guess my age. I also from time to time use the new words that kids say that have different meaning than what they used to. For example, I'll say something like, "My outfit is on fire today". Things like this add humor and help me build connections with my students. I have also embedded funny, short videos in my lessons to make the content less intimidating or easier to remember. Humor during lessons really makes the classroom more welcoming, enjoyable, and supportive.
Humor also helps students feel comfortable participating because it helps create a safe space. When students are having fun during the lesson, the are more likely to engage, ask questions, and remember content. Humor really is a helpful tool in the classroom.
Other ways I could add humor to my classroom include starting days with a "joke of the day" or short funny video clips that connect to days lesson. Going forward, I plan to continue using humor to build relationships with my students and create a learning space where students feel safe and are encouraged to engage.
Humor is very important to me in my personal life. I love nothing better than a good belly laugh, a great joke, a humorous mishap, or an embarrassing misstep. In my classroom, there was always lots of humor. Students were always welcome to tell me an appropriate joke and I always laughed. I was always good with an appropriate prank even if I had to "fake" surprise. There were many dance days or sing alongs in my classroom. I am a sarcastic person and used that to bring humor in at a level appropriate to the level of students I was teaching. To sum up humor in my classroom, I never took myself too seriously!
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