Friday, November 20, 2009
And Now for Something Funny--A Virus Walks into a Bar
As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, I thought it might be fun to look at humor in the classroom. How well does humor help students learn? To illustrate the potential for humor and learning, check out the video above: A virus walks into a bar and other science jokes. My question to you is this: what strategies have you run across that use humor in the classroom to help students learn? Some teachers like Prof. Jim Brown use funny photos to illustrate a point he's making in class. Others are just naturals when it comes to using humor. Do you think you'll be good at using humor? Or is it a special talent that some people have and others don't?
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I really liked this video, it was funny. I feel like humor is a gift and one I wish I had more of cause I know I not that funny. I have always been the one to laugh at the jokes instead. Some people are just born with the gift to tell the jokes.
ReplyDeleteWell I didn't get the little Star Wars joke, but in any case, humor is definitely something a teacher needs to have to create that classroom community. Students need to feel a personal connection with teachers for both to flourish (both student AND teacher). The most important part of this relationship and trust between teacher and student is still the respect boundary and finding a balance between role model/teacher and "jokester"/friend. All could be lost when this balance is lost, for little can be accomplished with strictly teacher lectures and no connection. Just my opinion. But in any case, this was a pretty funny video! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWow, this video is great! I agree with Kaitlan, it definitely is a gift. I think it is a wondeful thing to use in that classroom. It is a way of explaining things in a more fun, entertaining and interesting way.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about half the things the teacher was talking about, but after the jokes I would understand it a little better, and it definitely was entertaining. It made me want to pay attention and I was learning a lot as well. I loved the way he told jokes, and it was kind of like a stand up routine. It is also good because they weren't anything that anyone could really take offense to. One thing we have to remember as teachers is that we never know how a student is going to react to some jokes, especially when you are joking with them as opposed to how this teacher did it.
It is definitely a great way to keep the students attention. I love to joke around and have fun so I definitely will be incorporating that into my classroom. I will just see how my classroom reacts to it. I do feel that not everyone can do it, but its great for those who can!