Humor “I am thankful for laughter except when milk comes out of my nose.” - Woody Allen Humor puts your brain in a more positive state. Research shows that jokes, riddles, celebrations, and other forms of positive interaction not only create a positive learning environment but may also facilitate the learning itself.

Pleasure What we learn with pleasure, we never forget. Improvisational comedy enables students to think on their feet, puts a bit of fun and laughter into a lesson and encourages students to take risks in front of their peers.

Because laughter increases the endorphin level in the body and lowers the heart rate and the stress hormone, cortisol, students in a laughing classroom are more likely to be more creative and collaborative. Laughter

Humor & Games One way to get students laughing is to play games. Students not only learn more when playing a game but their participation in class and their motivation for learning increases. Playing games when learning also helps students remember content taught.

Humor v. Sarcasm Don’t confuse the use of humor in the classroom with sarcasm, which has the exact opposite effect on the brain. Remarks directed at students that demean or tease, hinder or incapacitate higher-level thinking.

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