Thursday, June 9, 2016

Nothing Wrong with a Little Humour :)

When looking for a TED talk last week, I came across this video and thought it was both hilarious and true, especially since we are coming close to the end of the course.  IF you have time, feel free to watch this, it WILL make you smile.



And since we are still in class, why not an educational tie in about the effects of Humor in the Classroom.  Enjoy!  :)

3 comments:

  1. Hi John,

    Thanks for sharing this informative and comical TED talk. Such a great way to explain procrastination and how we each may have "the ability" to procrastinate. There were several great lines in here. The article which you included has a section on strategies for using humour in the classroom which I thought the video demonstrated well including laughing at one's self. Humour in the classroom is important in building trust with students but also in creating a space where students enjoy being, feel welcomed and are encouraged to learn and make mistakes.

    Thanks,
    Chris

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  2. Thanks John for sharing such a humorous TedTalk on procrastination. As a major procrastinator myself I related to almost everything he said. I want to talk about the article you posted. I believe that humor is very important in the classroom. If a student enjoys going to a class, they are probably going to pay more attention, do a little more work and just simply do better in the class. As a teacher adding a little humor into your lessons shows your students that you are human too and it allows them to relate to you better. I for one like to tell silly and sometimes humorous PG stories of my life. I believe this helps because, for the most part, the kids like them, they see me as a person and it helps to build relationships. If a student feels like they have a connection with the teacher they tend to try harder and do better. I like to laugh at myself and make jokes about myself when I make mistakes. It shows the students that it is okay not to be perfect as long as you are trying. The line section of the article that stuck with me goes like this “In the present environment of high stakes testing, budgetary challenges, increased demands on educators and competition for student’s attention, everyone in the school benefits when humor is part of the pedagogy. Humor builds a learning relationship through the joyful confluence of head and heart." He points to a growing literature on how humor reduces stress and tension in the classroom, improves retention of information, and promotes creative understanding.
    "But most of all, it brings a sense of pleasure and appreciation and creates a common, positive emotional experience that the students share with each other and the teacher."
    I completely agree that elementary school and high school NEED to have some humor. Students should enjoy their time in high school and not dread going every day.

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  3. Well this brings me back to mu university days.....lots of procrastinating going on then. Now I try to get it under wraps but often I fail miserably. This was a very funny video and I loved it. The brain of a non procrastinator vs the brain of a procrastinator made me laugh. Thanks for the video and the chuckles. Another great TED talk (they are all new to me so I love finding these witty ones).

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