Making Class A Fun Learning Experience
Sometimes at the school I work at - we get in a little trouble if our class is laughing. I truly believe that fun and learning are an important teaching tool and it keeps the students interested and focused on the subject
I sing as a hobby. Not that I am any good. I find that doing a couple of do rae meees helps to calm my nerves and sets a light hearted tone before the class starts. I practice this in my car not necessarily for the general public
Hi Gretchen,
A smile or laugh sets a tone in the class and gives the students some relief in their learning sequence. I use both a lot in my classes because I want the students to feel comfortable and supported. A smile opens many doors for both the instructor and students.
Gary
I don't regard laughter and humor as always being entertaining. We can point out a mistake with a hint of humor to lighten the situation, but this does not count as entertaining them. A smile and a laugh will go a long way as opposed to a frown and a shout. Students will appreaciate any effort to lighten an already stressful situation.
Hi Olaiya,
I teach in the same manner as you in relation to keeping the class setting upbeat and light while moving forward with the content. Students like a setting like this because they know their instructor is dedicated to their learning but also that the instructor wants them to be comfortable with the learning environment.
Gary
Adding a little fun in the classroom is a great way to relax everyone and also to remind the students we are not as mean as they think we might be. I think by loosening up a little, without jeopardizing the integrity of the class, also makes them more receptive to any tips, techniques and critiques we give them.
Humor in the classroom is a great tool. Students are more open when positive energy is in the air.
Hi Monty,
It is at this point in the course I start to have some competitions. I create teams that compete for different prizes by solving problems or coming up with unique solutions to situations. The point is that I change the flow of the class as it goes on so the students start to look forward to the change of pace which helps to keep excitement in the course. If I need to I have the class take a bit of a break and we have some snacks and talk about where we are in the course. This social interaction is very helpful in keeping the students engaged as well.
Gary
Gary
The first class starts to be fun as I explore the topics, and introduce the course. As the time passes (fifth class, and beyond) I can see that the "fun" element has been replaced with the "serious" element. How do you bring the fun back?
Hi Bert,
I to use humor a lot in my class as well. Due to the content of my courses it can get very heavy at times. By having a laugh here and there we can relieve some of the pressure and get ready to move on to the next topic. Plus, laughter his good for the body and mind.
Gary
Why would you get in trouble if your class is laughing...that makes no sense at all? If I wasn not allowed to use humor in my classes I would quit teaching.
Hi Charles,
You make a good point about how we manage our students and organize our instructional delivery. We should strive to engage the students in the learning process but as you say we don't have to entertain them. We do need to keep them focused and moving forward to the achievement of their career goals.
Gary
A lively classroom atmosphere is essential to learning. Seeing the instructor enjoying the material and having fun while meeting the goals of the course motivates, hopefully, students to also get pleasure from the class.
At the same time, we as instructors should not feel obligated to entertain students. Do they now arrive in class with that expectation of us?
I completely agree with this approach. Without humor or humility your students don't look at you as a human but more of someone that can do no wrong. When doing this, IF you do make a mistake, it can be detremental to the students. It could completely distroy their image of you. If you start by stating that you are human and you are cabible of mistake, IF it happens, it's much more accepting when humor follows.
get tool to bring the comfort zone to a workable
teaching zone
I absolutely agree. Humor can be a great tool.
