We are reaching that time of the school year when things become routine and monotonous. Many of us are counting down the days to spring break. Some of us are experiencing winter weather of cloudy days, snow storms, and cold temperatures. It is a time when we have to create our own sunshine! This leads me to discuss the power of bringing laughter into your day. Laughing is beneficial in any classroom. Not only does it help to create a positive and enjoyable learning environment, but it also has many benefits for both teachers and students.
It’s important for teachers to model a positive attitude and sense of humor. When teachers are able to laugh at themselves, it promotes a safe environment for students to learn. In the article “Class Clowns: Most Students Appreciate Teachers with Sense of Humor,” by Ben Renner, many students report that teachers with a sense of humor can lower stress, improve relationships, and even help them remember what was learned during a lesson.
One of the easiest ways to bring laughter into the day is through the use of humor. This can be done by telling jokes or funny stories, sharing amusing videos or memes, or even just making silly faces. Humor can be used to break the ice, relieve tension, and make learning more enjoyable.
Here are a few examples of ways you can infuse laughter into the day:
- Start the day with a joke or a funny story.
- Share humorous videos. Play excerpts from Funniest Kid Comedians on Got Talent.
- Utilize memes related to the topics you are teaching.
- Have a “joke of the day” contest where students can share their own jokes or funny stories.
- Use laughter yoga exercises to start or end the class to refresh the brain and release tension.
- Add a “Humor of the Day” section to the class bulletin board where students can post funny jokes, cartoons, or memes.
- Use role-playing exercises where students act out humorous situations related to the topic being taught.
Incorporating laughter into the day can be a simple and effective way to create a positive and enjoyable learning environment for both teachers and students. By using humor, encouraging playful activities, modeling a positive attitude, and introducing laughter yoga, teachers can help to make learning more fun and less stressful.