Humor in teaching
Do you use humor in teaching? If so please give some examples.
@killmeyer :I love it, I think I will give it a try :)
@scmeaux :I love humor. I never thought of myself as a funny person before I started teaching but everyone seems to think I use humor pretty well in my class; especially in my skills lab for nursing. I've been nursing for 39 years so I have more than enough material to use. The students really respond well to the way I express my many stories. I think it helps them focus even when I am being serous.
@debbi : I love when teachers use humor. I think it makes you more approachable in A sense.
@scmeaux :I give examples of rediculous things that may happen to them in the work world, because they happened to me. Funny stories keep them going and helps them to remember the information that triggered the story.
@scmeaux :I think humor is an important component to teaching. I use it quite often. Making students laugh relaxes them and this may even let them know that a the class will be taught by someone who is somewhat relatable.
@scmeaux : I have a Ph.D. in a Tech. Collage, so the students automatical think I am going to teach over their heads. I try to alleviate this from the begining. I tell the that they can call me Dr. Smith, or Ms. Smith, but "hey you" does not go over too well. I am very quick with a pun or a dead pan joke. Depending on the class, sometime this works, sometimes not so much. Sometime you just have to lighten the mood, don't forget though, you are still on a knife's edge. I have found that once a student has had me for one class, they get it and are more relaxed. I have been put on the spot for concepts so many times, quick think on you feet, often comparing the synthesis of a protien from DNA to reading a line in a book, then a paragraph, then a chapter, and by the end you know what protein you have been coded for, because you read the story (mRNA, tRNA, etc.) Another thing, the students think think I am crazy, when the light bulb finally goes off in their head (I can't believe they can not get excited about science) and the GET IT, I physically get excited, for them, I literally jump up and down and give them a high 5. This is the greatest part of teaching and sometime the only way to not get discouraged. Sorry I got a bit off topic.
@scmeaux :I am always tellings jokes or humorous stories that may relate to what I am teaching. The material I teach can sometimes be a little boring so I try to entertain as much as possible to try to make students want to come to class instead of just having to come to class.
@scmeaux :Humor is essential to my teaching! There are so many real life examples that are just plain funny! It makes the students laugh and relaxes everyone. I tell them about some of the dumb things I have done as well as some of the out-right blunders. They laugh and then relize that I am human and make mistakes. It also shows that even though I may have made a terrible embarrassing mistake, I lived through it!
@scmeaux : I use humor in all of my classes because this helps to relate more effectively to my students. On occasion, the course content might be a bit dry, and to lighten the mood, I will interject some humor.
Thanks,
Rhonda
@debbi :I always use humor in the classroom. I love to share stories about past experiences and things others have done in their early career days. It makes students realize that I am human and have had my share of embarassing episodes in my life. I also tell them about situations that they will encounter in their career dealing with the public. By sharing stories with students it keeps them intrigued, helps them to self examination of their thoughts and how sometimes changes their perspective of how the world of work.
@jbillingsleyaiufledu : yes, humor must be appropriate to the classroom and have boundaries as to not offend anyone.
@scmeaux : Yes humor can be a good way to help get a class to settle in and make introductions easier.
@scmeaux :Of course if I didnt my students would be board out of their minds and I would go mad!
@scmeaux : I teach medical classes, so I have several stories from previous experience that can sometimes be funny to the students. They enjoy hearing these stories for several reasons. It shows them the light at the end of the tunnel, it makes things seem more real, and it can sometimes relax them enough so that they actually learn more from that particular lecture.
Good points. Just need to make sure it doesn't get out of control.
Humor certainly "lightens the mood" and I think is good to let the students know that you're relaxed. I think if they see I'm relaxed, that'll help them to relax as well. However, what some people see as "humor", others get insulted by. So there's always that fine line to walk.
@scmeaux : Humor is a good way to get the students to relax a little, it will reset the brain to "rebbot" and the students usually remeber the topic better.
Humor is key sometimes as is relating a real life story when teaching. Keeps them awake and interested.
Coming from a nursing background, sometimes it's either laugh or cry, and laughter is always better. Bringing personal anecdotes from clinical experiences to class lectures and making them humorous when possible shows students they too can survive the pitfalls and the rewards of healthcare.
