Utilizing Humor in the Classroom Presented by: Patrick Clancy Kelly Keim Joe Mihalick Libby Molloy Mary Williamson

Why try to be funny in the classroom!? To increase student attention and involvement Increase learning retention Creates a comfortable social environment Gets discussions started faster and encourages participation in discussions

Facts about Humor! 80% of TV shows are comedies. Many commercials rely on humor. Most newspapers have comics and political cartoons (Cornett, 2001, p. 8). English is filled with references to laughter, e.g., “I nearly died laughing!” We are ten times more likely to laugh than to express any other emotion (Medgyes, 2002, p. 3).

What does the research say? “A small joke may go a long way” oCreates an open environment oStrengthens teacher’s credibility and image oReduces students’ fears/anxiety Difficulties: oKnow your audience oJokes have to be short oJokes have to be aimed at yourself oBeing a talented comedian

Using Nonverbal Humor!

“Teachers’ report of how they used humor with students perceived use of such humor” oHumor reduces stress and students pay more attention when it is used o Humor creates a healthy learning environment oHumor motivates oHumor helps reinforce knowledge and provokes thinking oHelps explain complicated material, encourages class participation, and helps students remember Difficulties: oYou need to understand your students’ cultures oDoes not necessarily help control student behavior and it does not necessarily help develop student self-image oHumor might exacerbate a difficult situation (litigious society)

“Humor Increases Student Participation in Online Courses” Makes learning more enjoyable Students feel more comfortable in class Acts like a social lubricant It suggests that you want the students to say “I can’t believe my instructor wrote/said that.”

“Using humor in the college classroom to enhance teaching effectiveness in Dread Courses” Humor could be presented at any time during the year or in various phases of the instructional process Teachers who use humor in “Dread Courses” (Statistics, Research and Design, etc) break stereotypes that the class/content is boring. Using humor helps teachers build a sense of community, promote creativity, and reduce conflict.

Teaching and Learning with Humor: Experiment and Replication Using humor in the classroom increased test scores When you relate the humor to the content, the content becomes more clear and easier to understand There are NO differences between the genders, both genders benefit from humor. Difficulties Teachers are NOT trained in using humor Teachers have to become actors in the classroom and again they are not taught to do this. Sarcasm has negative effects on students.

Victor Borge’s Phonetic Punctuation 60&feature=related%C2%A0That

DO’s and DON’TS of Classroom Humor!

Think - “Pair” - Share Talk to your group about ways that you.... use humor in your classroom OR would implement some of these ideas in your own classroom HAVE 2 EXAMPLES READY TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS!!!