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Humor Improves Instruction


Welcome teachers and other blog surfers,

This blog was created as a graduate school assignment for a course titled Humor and Adult Education. I know you are wondering, why you didn't have a requirement like that in grad school. Don't begrudge me, I didn't design the curriculum at NIU.


It is my goal to educate you (hopefully you are all adults) while discussing humor research (trust me it's not an oxymoron) in a humorous way. Now say that ten times faster! Hopefully, you will pick up a strategy or two that helps students learn more effectively, while making teaching more entertaining.

So sit back, strap on your seatbelt, hold onto your hat. I plan on taking you for a ride.

Sincerely,

A Funny Teacher (or at least one who tries to be.)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Humorous Educator's Final Exam

So, you have been following these blogs for the last few months, it is time to see how much you have learned. No worries, we are not going to collect any scores or turn anything in to your supervisor. However, if you do well, you may want to print off a copy and drop it in your principal or department head's mailbox. You could wrap it up in a large box with holiday paper and a note that reads, "you are so lucky to have me on staff because I am one funny and effective educator!" Caution: This type of self-promoting humor may not be considered funny to all people, so exercise caution when sharing documentation. 


So, you think you are a humor expert, or not but you have just following this blog for fun and now wonder what is in store for this entry. I am here to administer your Humor Final!


1.) What are the three main humor theories?
a.) Superiority
b.) Incongruity
c.) Narcissistic
d.) Relief
e.) a,b,d
f.) all of the answers.


2.) What does the word humor actually mean in Latin?
a.) Wet
b.) Like a dog's nose.
c.) Moist
d.) Swampy
e.) b,c,d, but never A.


3.) Spontaneous Humor is best used when...
a.) going to the bathroom.
b.) teaching a new method.
c.) arguing with your spouse.
d.) here, there, everywhere.
e.) nowhere???



4.) Which of the following guidelines was not presented by Goodman (1983) in how to be purposefully humorous?
a.) Eye of the be(hoho)holder
b.) Discover the elf in yourself
c.) Get With it
d.) Follow  the rules of the 5Ps- Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice.
e.) Be cooky, not spooky
      

5.) Lefcourt (2000) discusses 5 aspects of a presentation, which can make it humorous.  Which aspect does the following story represent? " I hung the sign around my neck and put the back pack on. I wore these two pieces the entire night. It took a lot of GUTS for me to wear the backpack and the sign. It was not common for teachers to take risk to wearing something silly in front of the parents risking their professional persona.”
a.) Bisociation
b.) Incongruity
c.) Risk-taking
d.) Tension relief
c.) Absurdity in assessment

6.) Students always get a kick out of teachers slamming themselves, making fun of their own struggles and their own insecurities. This type of humor can be used by teachers to…
a.) create a sense of community.
b.) bring down their status to relate to students.
c.) get fired from their job.
d.) defend the statement that teachers go slowly insane in the classroom.

7.) Affliative humor can be used in the classroom to…
a.) distract students from tormenting the teacher.
b.) teach students how to behave correctly in a classroom.
c.) build community amongst the members of the classroom.
d.) Affiliative humor is not a real humor style. I made it up.

8.) True or False. Ronald A Berk wrote a book about humor, which can really help educators to make their classes more entertaining. The book is titled, “Professors are From Mars and Students are From Snickers. 

9.) In his book, Ronald A Berk (that professor from Mars) reminds teachers that:
It has been estimated (not sure by who) that people remember:
10% of what they hear
30% of what they see
60% of what they hear and see
80% of what they hear, see and do
________% of what they hear, see, do, smell, feel, taste, inhale, inject, and purchase on credit. What number belongs on the line above?

10.) Provine (2000) shared the high-fives of creating humorous classrooms. Which of the statements below is not one of his five?
a.) Interpersonal eye contact
b.) Casual, caring, safe environment
c.) Laugh-ready attitude
d.) Remove Social inhibitions
e.) Use humorous material
f.) All 5 are stated above and I am just trying to trick you.

So, how do you think you did on that quiz? It wasn't too challenging, right? No worries, I am sure that you did great. (If you didn't, you may want to start back at entry #1 and reread everything. Not only will you find it more informative, but you will also get another great round of laughs out!).

Okay... Here is the moment that you have been waiting for... the answers to the quiz. Remember no cheating, plus if you did, you would be cheating yourself, after all this is NOT a real quiz and will NOT be collected for a grade.

1.e
2.c
3.d
4.e
5.c
6.b
7.c
8. True
9. 100
10. f

So. Now you have the answers. You know all the answers to life's mysteries. You're welcome for that. Humor can help you in the classroom, workplace and in life. I can't think  of a more fun life strategy like a "laugh strategy!" So, when life hands you lemons, or the students drive you bonkers, when that one coworker just doesn't seem to blend in with the team or the parents of your students intimidate you. Turn to humor. When you have to gain the attention of a generation of ADHD students, or keep the attention of a generation of media driven adults who are more concerned with typing on their iphones or blackberries, turn to humor. When you have a difficult concept to teach, or a boring assessment to administer, remember humor is your friend. Not only is humor fun, but this blog has proven that it is research based! So, don't be a fool, find time for humor in your school. (Ok, so that was a little corny, but whatever...)




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