Wk1 Blog 4: Free Choice

LOL in class

Along with key points, I really appreciated the humor I found in the Bejamin Zader video. His presentation was masterfully done and I quickly recalled a recent two-day regional teachers conference. On the first day the first speaker was very direct and matter of fact during the presentation, after about 15 minutes a wave of restlessness and distraction filled the auditorium. Later in the day, I talked with a few of the other teachers and very few could recall the theme or key points of the presentation. The second day another speaker took the stage and engaged the audience through humorous stories. The time went quickly and at the end the crowd responded with loud applause and a feeling of excitement. Talking the second day with nearly the same group of teachers, I found that most were able to recall the key points and were still laughing at the stories and gestures. Humor in the classroom is an effective tool. It increases attention and retention, creates positive emotions, is effective when teaching difficult subject matter, and contributes to a healthy learning environment (Skinner & Fowler, 2010). In my own experience, laughing with my students creates a connection that I can build on to present more difficult news or material. Not to mention, reducing the pressure by simply laughing at my own mistakes.

Reference

Skinner, M., & Fowler, R. (2010). All joking aside: Five reasons to use humor in the classroom. Education Digest, 76(2), 19-21.