- Look at the major benefits to laughter and play in your classroom from page 33:
- maintain a high attention level
- relieve physical and mental stress
- build rapport
- increase retention
- enhance self-esteem
- promote divergent thinking
- bring new insights
- allow for pleasurable learning
- increase feeling of hope
Wow! Huge benefits!
Take "The Laughing Classroom Quiz on pages 34-35.
Please post thoughts and AHAS from the reading in The Laughing Classroom so far.
Ideas:
- (Remember these are just guidelines and all of the following do not have to be answered)
- Any questions from the page 24 Play Sheet.
- Paula Parrot and the Carrot--What makes you feel alive and what does this story have to do with education (pg. 29-31)
- Discuss your Gratitude and Humor Journal entries and how they have influenced your lives.
- Your scores on the Laughing Classroom Quiz (Reflections...)
5 comments:
The benefits of laughter that were identified in the text would make almost any teacher ask his/herself, "Why am I not doing more of this in my classroom?" When thinking back to my favorite teachers, it made me realize that they brought humor and laughter into my classroom. My fifth grade teacher, Mr. Schultz, for example, had our class play floor hockey for one of our physical education units. Our class had so much fun in the gym slapping our sticks and trying it get that darn puck into the net! We played hard, but the laughter that resounded in that gym is a sound I will never forget. Mr. Schultz also had a way of making each of his students feel special in their own way. He would joke constantly, but never in a demeaning way. I recently saw Mr. Schultz and told him I enjoyed that year of fifth grade more than he would ever know. He is still teaching (almost 27 years now), and I asked him if he still was having his classes play floor hockey in gym. He laughed when I asked him this and said he would never think not to! He said it was his favorite unit to do with his students. I think he had more fun than we did now that I reflect on this recent comment from him! :)
When taking the "Laughing Classroom Quiz," I was surprised that I answered "yes" to the majority of them. I did this quiz with my husband so I could be as fair as possible on myself. He said, "Lisa, you still have students knocking on our door, and you haven't taught in a couple of years. Yes, your former students come back to see you...even when you're not in the school. They come to our house!" This is true, as I have some students who are now in college (I taught 6th grade for 4 years) and they still know where I live and stop by to chat. That means more to me than any paycheck could ever amount to...it definitely means I made an impact in their lives, which is why I went into the teaching profession....to make a difference in the lives of children.
It was fun for me to reflect on the questions from the page 24 "Play Sheet." I have such great memories of Mrs. Stack (3rd grade), Mr. Rosenau (5th grade), and Mr. Burrows (8th grade). All three of these teachers had on major thing in common - they were fun!!! They all had different styles of humor, but all three made me feel safe, relaxed and wanting to learn more. They made the pages of textbooks jump to life with stories, learning games, and lots of jokes! Mrs. Stack loved to read Ramona books to us and would find them so funny that she would often have tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. I own all of the books in the series and still crack them open when I'm feeling down. Mr. Rosenau had a dry and quick sense of humor. He would start each day with a few cheesy jokes. I always looked forward to them and later in the year shared some of my own, as he would encourage us to participate. Mrs. Burrows was quiet, but hilarious. He would sing songs, wear flowers in his hair, and teach while standing on top of his desk - whatever it took! I was recently discussing these teachers with my Mom and she pointed out that the years I was in their classes were the years I received the highest marks on my report cards.
It is amazing how something as simple as a teacher choosing to have a positive and fun attitude can make such a difference in student performance. I will continue to model my own teaching style after my three funny teachers. I'm thinking about dusting off a few of my knock knock jokes for tomorrow mornings calendar time :)
The benefits to laughter and play are incredible. It makes me wonder why every teacher isn't using laughter and play in the classroom. These benefits are all things that we want for our students. I also try to use a lot of laughter and play at home as well. It is so important.
I thought the statement, "When learners develop the ability to take themselves lightly, learning becomes a joyous experience, not a dreaded one." is important. I know people who take themselves too seriously and don't really enjoy life or have any fun. It would be sad not to have joyous experiences at school or at work because one couldn't laugh at themselves. Recently we had a family skate night through school. I ended up tripping and falling flat on my face right in front of a number of parents. I got up and did a bow instead of being so upset because I had fallen, I used some humor.
Two of my favorite teachers did a lot of fun things in the class. My English teacher my junior year in high school always had some zany comment to start the day. I don't think a day went by in his class that we didn't laugh. His elective classes were always very popular. Another favorite teacher of mine was my third grade teacher. We did lots of playing and laughing in her class. She would wear different hats to teach in and talk in different voices. All of us loved her and loved third grade because of her.
The quiz was I felt very beneficial simply because it shows you that what you are doing is the right thing. So as the page stated the proof is in the pudding. My Gratitude Journal really was good for me. It made me stop and think about all the things that I really have to be thankful for. I felt so good after proofreading it that I had to read it again and again. Also the ideas that the book generated were excellent. I have tried quite a few already and am having success with them. Some of the ones that I have already used are: Crazy Questions, Playful Review, Crayon Craze and my riddle of the day.
The quiz was I felt very beneficial simply because it shows you that what you are doing is the right thing. So as the page stated the proof is in the pudding. My Gratitude Journal really was good for me. It made me stop and think about all the things that I really have to be thankful for. I felt so good after proofreading it that I had to read it again and again. Also the ideas that the book generated were excellent. I have tried quite a few already and am having success with them. Some of the ones that I have already used are: Crazy Questions, Playful Review, Crayon Craze and my riddle of the day.
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