Humor in the Classroom
Juvenile Justice Education Institute and Southern Conference on Corrections
Tampa. Florida
August 03, 2009
Teachers teach and students learn. At least that’s the way “its supposed to work”. As a
young student, I hated school for many childish reasons. As an adult learner working
towards my degree I hated school. I really didn’t take time to analyze my feelings. I just
didn’t like school until I took Professor George P. Carney’s Applied Physics of
Mechanics class. Professor Carney was a MASTER TEACHER. His HUMOR made
physics enjoyable. I’ve been a teacher and trainer for almost 30 years and I still
remember the lessons Professor Carney taught…not physics so much but how to teach.
Lecture Goal: Participants will gain theory and practical applications/methods of
injecting humor in their lectures/discussions with students.
Objectives:
1). Participants will relate “successful” use of humor in the classroom.
2). Participants will relate “unsuccessful” use of humor in the classroom.
3). When given “case study” participants will develop strategies for use on humor.
Humor in the Classroom (School)
I wise man (smarter than me anyhow) if your people get you figured out you lose
effectiveness.
If you want a man (woman) to remember something you have to make it painful, profane,
or funny. It’s not a good idea for continued employment as a teacher to cause your
students pain or expose them to profane, erotic, or undue duress. That leaves Humor as
the ready resource to relieve the classroom boredom.
It is harder to apply humor than it is to simply teach. With teaching you have curriculum,
goals, mandates, guidelines, and on and on. In others words the “rules” are fairly well
defined. Determining what’s funny is like catching smoke.
Some RULES for humor in the classroom
Never ever personal. The only person you can poke fun with impunity is yourself.
The three me, myself, and I are always safe targets.
Know your audience. Age, gender, experience influence appropriate humor.
Be real. False, shallow, or out of character attempts at humor will either fail
and/or result in less than desired results.
Simple, short, direct attempts usually more successful. If you have to explain it,
don’t use it.
Props are cool. However, use sparingly. Use to assist, not the point of focus.
Being positive and much more productive than negative.
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Use real life events as examples.
Create “unique” fictional environments.
If something works use it over and over …until its dead and buried. Remember
the mileage Laugh- In got from “Sock it to Me”.
Role play, again control events. Someone has to referee.
Improving student learning is the main reason for use of humor in the classroom.
However, many secondary benefits may be attained.
Promotes positive environment.
Breaks down communication barriers.
Establishes common ground with the student.
Helps reduce stress
Helps content retention.
Increased motivation.
Increased student attentiveness.
It’s fun…..
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Some Ways to Introduce Humor
Jokes. Unlimited. Requires appropriate selection, timing, and skill. Well worth
the effort.
Icebreakers. Hit the web for ideas. Recommend quick and simple.
Audio clips (including music). Short better than long. Selection key. Must relate
to audience and content.
Questionnaires. may include graphics, cartoons, jokes, or simply discuss topics
in an unexpected manner.
Videos. Short better than long. Selection key. Must relate to audience and content.
Cartoons. Tons available. A word of caution, most cartoons are copyrighted
materials.
The “Unexpected”…. Almost anything out of the routine. The result may not
be funny, but almost always provides some benefit.
Spontaneous wit. Very valuable. But require effort, practice, and willingness to
“bomb” from time to time.
Planned wit. Actually more difficult than spontaneous activities.
Active learning (action, plays, and role play). An thing occurs when people act
in other “roles”…..they (and/or those watching) thing the whole episode is funny.
Active learning (role play) requires pre-activity planning.
o Establish role parameters.
o Outline of play (partial dialog only).
o Rules/ limits of role play.
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Advice for Improvement
To thy self be true. Never attempt any attempt at humor that you are
not comfortable with.
Safe inoffensive comments are self-deprecating.
Be prepared for failure, but view as gained knowledge of what does
not work.
“Borrow” ideas and materials.
Rehearse. In fact or in your mind.
Be prepared for give and take with the students.
Revise, modify, adapt as conditions dictate.
Keep a humor journal. Include not only the activity, but the
conditions/environment. How well it worked (or didn’t). notes for
future use. Improvement ideas.
View common everyday events as a source for humor.
Use anecdotes as examples.
Be very observant of your audience. The more you know about them
you can more easily select/inject humor into the routine.
Remember the goal is to be funny, not “trying” to be funny. Thus,
expect to be funny and you will be more successful.
Giving up is the only way you can ensure failure. With effort and
practice you will get better.
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Some Don’t Do’s
It’s ok to tease, but caution should always be taken to avoid personal insult.
The old adage of never argue about politics and religion is only a beginning for
classroom humor initiated by a teacher. Add sex, bathroom activities, animal
behavior, and a host of other topics may be inappropriate.
No personal humor.
Be predictable. Humor is rarely boring.
Place humor over content…
Lose control of the class.
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