Humor in the classroom

HUMOR IN THE CLASSROOM:FROM HA! HA! TO AHA!

Humor is…

Sense of Humor

…use of humor…

Humor in the classroom offers benefits….

Psychological Benefits…

Improves mental and physical health

Psychological Benefits…

Alleviates pain, tension, fear, anxiety, and depression

Improves mental and physical health

Psychological Benefits…

Alleviates pain, tension, fear, anxiety, and depression

Improves mental and physical health

Helps cope with stress

Psychological Benefits…

Alleviates pain, tension, fear, anxiety, and depression

Improves mental and physical health

Helps cope with stress

Reverses negatively conditioned feelings

Psychological Benefits…

Alleviates pain, tension, fear, anxiety, and depression

Improves mental and physical health

Helps cope with stress

Reverses negatively conditioned feelings

Enhances students’ well-being

Psychological Benefits…

Alleviates pain, tension, fear, anxiety, and depression

Improves mental and physical health

Helps cope with stress

Reverses negatively conditioned feelings

Enhances students’ well-being

Elevates self-image and self-esteem

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Breaks the ice

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Breaks the ice

Reduces fear and tension

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Breaks the ice

Reduces fear and tension

Reveals the humanness of instructors

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Breaks the ice

Reduces fear and tension

Reveals the humanness of instructors

Breeches the gap between instructors and students

Social Benefits…

Improves student morale

Encourages a sense of trust

Establishes professional relationships with students

Breaks the ice

Reduces fear and tension

Reveals the humanness of instructors

Breeches the gap between instructors and students

Creates a relaxed atmosphere for learning and a positive learning climate

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Elevates confidence

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Inspires creativity

Elevates confidence

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Inspires creativity

Elevates confidence

Facilitates comprehension of course materials

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Inspires creativity

Elevates confidence

Facilitates comprehension of course materials

Assists in problem-solving

Educational Benefits…

Captures student interest

Enhances boring or dreaded subjects

Increases student attention and motivation

Inspires creativity

Elevates confidence

Facilitates comprehension of course materials

Assists in problem-solving

Encourages risk taking

Some humor can be…

..offensive and unfitting…

Drawbacks on learning…

Drawbacks on learning…

Degrading remarks

Drawbacks on learning…

Degrading remarks

Offensive humor

Drawbacks on learning…

Degrading remarks

Offensive humor

Excessive humor

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Degrading remarks…

Gender – Ethnicity – Nationality – Religion – Creed – Political Affiliation – Sexual Orientation – Student Stereotypes – College Life Stereotypes – Intelligence – Physical Appearance – Embarrassing Stories – Poking Fun at Mistakes and Ignorant Behaviors

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Offensive humor…

Sexual – Morbid – Vulgar – Sarcasm – Metaphor – Cynical Thinking

Excessive humor…

OR

How to…

Step 1:

Smile and be lighthearted

Step 2:

Be spontaneous/natural

Step 3:

Foster an informal climate

Step 4:

Begin class with a…

Step 5:

Use stories and experiences…

Step 6:

Relate things to life…

Step 7:

Plan lectures in short segments…

Step 8:

Encourage a give-and-take climate

Step 9:

Ask students to supply stories…

Step 10:

Tell a joke or two…

Start small

Gradually get mor

e difficult

GOAL –

using humor in the

classroom

OR

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Appropriate Humor…

Humor related to course materialFunny props to illustrate a conceptJokes related to course contentHumorous story related to course contentActs out course materialStudent role-playCreative and funny languageJokes or stories

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

Inappropriate Humor…

Vulgar language or nonverbal behaviorsReferencing drinking or getting drunkTalking about drugs or illegal activitiesPicking on students about their intelligenceComments about students’ life or interestsSingling out students for how they lookTeases student about gender, religion, etc.Uses jokes to target homosexuality

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College Teaching, 55(1), 37-39.Lei, S. A., Cohen, J. L., & Russler, K. M. (2010). Humor on learning in the college

classroom: Evaluating benefits and drawbacks from instructors’ perspectives. Journal on Instructional Psychology, 37(4), 326-331.

Tarak, S. E., McMorris, R. F., & Lin, W. C. (2004). Is humor an appreciated teaching tool? Perceptions of professors’ teaching styles and use of humor. College Teaching, 51(1), 14-20.

Weaver, R. L., & Cotrell, H. W. (2001). Ten specific techniques for developing humor in classroom. Education, 108(2), 167-179.