U S I N G H U M O R

T O M A X I M I Z E
L E A R N I N G

The Links between

Positive Emotions and Education

Mary Kay Morrison

Rowman & Littlefield Education

Lanham, Maryland • Toronto • Plymouth, UK
2008
Published in the United States of America
by Rowman & Littlefield Education
A Division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group,
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Copyright © 2008 by Mary Kay Morrison

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morrison, Mary Kay, 1946–
Using humor to maximize learning : the links between positive emotions and
education / Mary Kay Morrison.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN-13: 978-1-57886-731-8 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57886-732-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-57886-731-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-57886-732-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Educational psychology. 2. Humor in education. 3. School environment.
I. Title.
LB1051.U725 2008
370.15—dc22 2007042959

⬁ ™ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of

American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper
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Manufactured in the United States of America.
In loving memory of my father, Bill Wiltz, whose laughter affected the
lives of all he touched, especially his sweet cookie: my mother, Ruth
Wiltz.

To my loving husband, Don Morrison, who has inspired, encouraged,

supported, and loved me. To our children, their spouses, and our
precious grandchildren, who enrich our lives with their love: William,
Jennifer, Ben, Tyler, Emma, Andy, Julie, Andrew, Mimi, Rachael, Jason,
Katie, Peter, Val, Samuel, Christine, Jennifer, and Beth.
 CONTENTS

Illustrations vii
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapters
1 Humor—The Tonic for Tired Educators 1
2 Developing Your Humor Being: A Nut Is Born 23
3 Examining Brain Research and Humor: Mouse Droppings 43
4 Hurtful Humor Is No Laughing Matter 71
5 The Humor Workout: Pumping Up with Practice 93
6 Humor Extravaganza: It’s a Circus Out There! 117
7 Survival Humor for Stressed Leaders 143
Appendixes
1 Humor Terminology 157
2 Comedian List 163

v
vi CONTENTS

3 Playful Suggestions 165

4 Sense of Humor Reflections 167
5 Humor Styles Inventory 169
6 Several Categories of Humor 171
7 Humor Belief Inventory 173
8 Humor Terminology List 175
9 Familiar Song List 177
10 Toy List 179
11 Silly Word List 181
12 Bumper Sticker Bombardment 183
13 Take It and Make It—Funny 187

References 189
About the Author 199
 ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures

Figure 1-1 Mirthium 8

Figure 1-2 Benefits of humor 10
Figure 1-3 Maslow hierarchy of needs scale 12
Figure 2-1 “No Play” 27
Figure 2-2 Stages of humor development 30
Figure 3-1 Humor enhances learning 44
Figure 3-2 Hook, line, and sinker 50
Figure 3-3 Mouse cages 56
Figure 3-4 Student fears 60
Figure 3-5 School window pain 63
Figure 4-1 Fear factors 74
Figure 4-2 Intent vs. impact 86

vii
viii I L L U S T R AT I O N S

Figure 5-1 Nature and nurture elements of humor 97

Figure 5-2 Humor workout cycle 111
Figure 6-1 Three-ring circus 120
Figure 6-2 State changer ideas 136
Figure 7-1 Fun: indicator of a culture of trust 144
Figure 7-2 Framework for learning: humor indicators 145

Tables

Table 1-1 Humergy Characteristics 13

Table 3-1 Cultural Indicators in the Classroom 64
Table 7-2 Worksheet for Analysis of Culture 154
 PREFACE

Several years ago I attended the Humor Project’s 17th Annual Interna-
tional Conference. Joel Goodman, founder of the project, presented a
“Humor in Action: Making a Difference” award to Michael Christensen,
the man who founded “Clowns on Rounds.” Working in children’s hos-
pital wards, these clowns promote healing through humor and laughter.
Preceding this presentation was a film clip of these big-hearted clowns
interacting with children in an intensive care unit. During the celebra-
tion, the comment was made that where there are children, there should
be laughter. It hit me that I couldn’t remember the last time I was in a
school and heard much laughter. This was my “aha” moment.
A decade of observations, interviews, and facilitation of workshops co-
inciding with a passionate interest in brain research have intensified my
quest for the connection between humor and learning. This search has
allowed me to network with numerous professionals in the medical
field. While educators involved in humor research can occasionally be
found at the university level, compelling data is emerging in numerous
studies from the medical field linking humor, health, and cognitive con-
nections. The opportunity I have had to network and learn from profes-
sionals at American Association of Therapeutic Humor conferences, the
Humor Conference, and the National Wellness Conference, as well as

ix
x PREFACE

numerous education conferences, has broadened the scope of this in-

vestigation.
People usually choose education as a career because they want to
make a difference in the lives of kids. Many find this increasingly diffi-
cult. Humor is an overlooked natural resource that can play a crucial
role in creating a healthy learning environment, but there is very little
written about using humor to meet the escalating challenges that con-
front educators.
Neuroscience is in the primitive stages of development. The explod-
ing rate of research makes it difficult for even the most committed
teacher to stay abreast of this growing knowledge base. Even so, an
abundance of research supports the benefits of an enriched learning en-
vironment.
Traditionally we do not attend to the brain’s biological needs that
shape how we learn. Learning is nurtured by trusted relationships,
strengthened by change, and challenged by the chaos of life. Yet the
brains of the children entrusted to us in our schools are required to
function in a system that is linear, data-driven, and results-oriented.
Thinking is not a valued skill. Standardized tests are given to compare
and rank the learning of students. Parents are provided with report
cards and letter grades. Except for A students, grades are meant to point
out deficits as the way to motivate students to “improve.”
This book began during a conversation I had with a colleague about
the increasing stress we observed in education. I joked that instead of
school improvement, we needed humor improvement. As the profes-
sional development consultant for leadership in an Illinois regional of-
fice of education, I’ve had immeasurable opportunities to talk with ed-
ucators. Their frustrations with legislation, bureaucratic paperwork,
unfunded mandates, and accountability have created intense anxiety.
My initial Humor Improvement Workshops were designed to focus on
stress management strategies. In reality, the initial workshops stressed
me! I lay awake at night wondering if anyone would even attend an all-
day session on humor—after all, these administrators and teachers had
many more important things to do. How could they find the time to at-
tend with all of the other crucial issues on their plate? If they did come,
would they laugh at me, label me “cutesy,” and challenge the impor-
tance of the topic?
PREFACE xi

Educators have continued to come to my workshops, and increasingly

they request more information about humor. My knowledge has in-
creased along with my confidence. I have learned from their questions,
their experiences, and their fears. I have also learned why I was so
afraid. Humor is difficult: It is difficult to define and difficult to prac-
tice. It is especially difficult to integrate into most school cultures.
The feedback I have received from the workshops has allowed me to
reflect on these questions:

s How can we use humor to improve the morale in our school?

s What are some practical suggestions on how to incorporate humor
in the classroom?
s Is it safe to use humor with my students only when no one else is
around? How can the culture change to support humor?
s What is humor, really: nature or nurture?
s What is the connection for individuals between humor and learn-
ing?
s Can purposeful humor impact learning systems? If so, how?
s What can be done about negative people who inhibit humor?

Cognitive research continues to clarify my thinking. My focus on humor

has broadened from an isolated concept to mission possible. We can use
humor to create a joyful environment for learning, where humor is not
only valued but also an integral component of student learning.
I addressed my own fears by facing the frequent negative reactions to
ice-breakers, playful activities, and games. I encountered responses like:
“well that may be OK for the elementary grades, but this is certainly not
appropriate at our higher levels of instruction.” Warnings about being
too energetic, cutesy, and having too much fun have continued through-
out my journey.
My fears have given me insight into all who value humor but are also
afraid. The positive responses of educators have ignited my passion for
infusing fun into a system that is drowning in the poisons of fear, stress,
blame, and punitive measures. I am on a quest to fill the humor void in
schools with laughter and fun. This can be accomplished by encourag-
ing further research on the relationship of humor and learning, by be-
ing aware of the benefits of humor for all learners (both teachers and
xii PREFACE

students), and by writing a book about what I have learned from a

decade of facilitating workshops on humor. We are stuck in a system that
ignores what we have gleaned from cognitive science. Our emotions are
at the very core of the human experience of learning. The purpose of
this book is to explore the links between humor, an optimal learning en-
vironment, and the emerging cognitive research on humor development
and practice. My purpose is to encourage educators to reach a joy-flow
synergy level (see chapter 2) with energy, passion, enthusiasm, and hu-
mor as an integral part of their teaching experience. The goal of this
book is to ignite the passion of the cultural architects of education to
persist in crafting a safe, joyful learning environment filled with
humergy, the energy of humor.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A huge thank-you to my large, extended Wiltz and Duncan families

who have encouraged me. If they all buy a copy it will be a best seller.
A special thanks to my incredible friend Sue Jones Smith, who in-
sisted this book needed to be written, and to Jan Bowman and Kay
Poyner Brown who constantly encouraged my creativity. Marcy
Mitchell, the administrative assistant at the Regional Office of Educa-
tion and Dr. Richard Fairgrieves, superintendent of schools for the
Boone/Winnebago Regional Office of Education were incredibly sup-
portive. The KIDS (Kishwaukee Intermediate Delivery System) staff
were my constant support system during my initial attempts at initiating
humor workshops. Evelina Cichy, dean at Kishwaukee College was an
incredible mentor and boss and I appreciate my creative colleagues at
Kishwaukee College.
Thanks to Dr. Ron Berk for the use of Mirthium and who encouraged
my efforts; and to Maylan Dunn, assistant professor of early childhood
education at the Northern Illinois University Department of Teaching
and Learning. Thanks also to Bob Sylwester, who encouraged my fledg-
ling efforts from the very beginning. I appreciate Bob Nozik, editor for
the Association for Applied and Humor Therapy, who reviewed the re-
search, and administrators Gina Swinney, Chris Harris, Mary Ann Kahl,

xiii
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

and Jill Gildea, who were willing to read my first drafts and make sug-
gestions. The following folks may not realize how much they influenced
my thinking but I am grateful to them: Pat Wolfe, Leslie Yerkes, Kathy
Nunley, and Allen Klein. My uncle, Jerry Duncan, contributed to the
concept in chapter 1 of the old-time medicine-man show.
My deep appreciation also goes to my first unofficial editor, Jeanne
Wyatt, who tirelessly read and reread these passages and gave her pa-
tient suggestions. My profound gratitude goes to Bev Letcher for proof-
reading and for being a wonderfully honest colleague. Thanks to
Thomas F. Koerner, editorial director at Rowman & Littlefield Educa-
tion for his support and to Paul Cacciato at Rowman & Littlefield for his
assistance in editing and his patience with a novice writer.
A final note of thanks to all who attended my workshops, endured the
games, put up with the jokes, songs, and icebreakers and provided me
with the feedback necessary for this book to be written. This includes
Principal Pedro Laura and teachers at Dean Elementary School in
Woodstock, who were willing to experiment with humor, as well as Prin-
cipal Becky Girard and the teachers at Maple School in Loves Park.
Thanks to Krista Searls, high school English teacher at Durand High
School, who shared her research with me and gave me feedback. To all
the wonderful folks in the regional offices in Illinois who participated in
the power of humor at conferences and workshops—thank you!
Thanks to those who had faith in the power of humor and hired me
to be a part of their staff development. Your trust led to this book.
 s
Chapter 1
HUMOR—THE TONIC
FOR TIRED EDUCATORS

“Never take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive.”

Have you been exhausted, worried, or just plain weary lately? Has the
current focus on accountability, data, and unfunded mandates made
you irritable? This is your lucky day! Step right up for a sure-fire rem-
edy guaranteed to bring vitality and energy to your teaching. Be pre-
pared to be amazed by the advantages of the humor tonic. But be
warned: humor is more than the snake-oil skill of telling jokes. Also be
warned that the research contained here focuses on many preliminary
findings and could be biased toward the positive benefits of humor.
My focus in this book has been to search for the advantages to educa-
tors who want to increase humor in their lives. I admit it. I am preju-
diced toward the idea that humor is just the tonic needed by educa-
tors. So the reviewed studies are presented through my rosy and
optimistic lens.
If you want to add a little fun to your teaching, this book is for you!
Humor is the real thing. It cures No Child Left Behind blues. It
knocks the socks off any bored student. It tickles, splits guts, and gen-
erates bellyaches while curing whatever ails you. It might even be

1
2 CHAPTER 1

funny. Just take a peek at what a healthy dose of humor might do for
you! Just a spoonful:

1. Contributes to Mind/Body Balance

“Worrying is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but it
doesn’t get you anywhere.”

A sense of humor can create a remarkable feeling of control. Learn-

ing to use humor as a lens for life challenges can increase your confi-
dence in your own internal ability to adapt. The optimistic energy that
comes from humor will enable you to embrace difficulties with re-
silience. Some people purposefully use laughter to ease pain and pro-
mote physical healing. There is some experimental research indicating
that laughter and humor might actually cure illness and provide effec-
tive therapies for numerous disorders. Some claim that laughter relieves
pain, reduces stress, and improves the immune system response (Har-
vey, 1998). Although these studies are preliminary and no firm conclu-
sions can be made yet, many of the findings are encouraging about the
benefits and applications of positive humor.
Got stress? The purposeful use of humor can help you feel more op-
timistic about your life, knowing that you can choose how to respond to
stress. Humor elevates mood and has been known to be a deterrent to
depression. Stress reduction is considered one of the most important
benefits of humor. A little humor will go a long way in helping educators
balance the current focus on accountability, testing, standards, and un-
funded mandates.

2. Maximizes Brain Power

“If you haven’t got a sense of humor, you haven’t any sense at all.”
—Mary McDonald

Humor has the ability to capture the attention of the brain. “Emotion
drives attention and attention drives learning” (Sylwester, 1995). Our
brain cannot learn if it is not attending. The surprise elements of humor
alert the attentional center of the brain and increase the likelihood of
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 3

memory storage and long term retrieval. Humor has the potential to
hook easily bored and inattentive students. It can help the stressed or
shy student to relax. As brain food, humor can’t be beat.
Word play, puns, stories, jokes, and riddles all involve the creative use
of language. Maximizing our capacity to use language through the skill-
ful use of humor will increase the number and speed of the neural con-
nections in the brain. Humor is often used as an indicator for the iden-
tification of gifted students.
Just how effective can humor be? The marketing industry gives us an
indication. I must confess that I usually watch the Super Bowl just to see
the commercials. The money spent for air-time is mind-boggling. Ad-
vertisers have less than two minutes to get your attention and put their
product into your long-term memory and they spend zillions of dollars
to capture the attention of this large viewing audience. Not only do peo-
ple watch these commercials, but the next day, animated discussion
about favorite Super Bowl commercials takes place around office wa-
tercoolers. There is a good reason for humor in advertising. An analysis
of the retention rate for commercials found that the highest rate of re-
call was when humor was used (Stewart & Furse, 1986).

3. Enhances Creativity
“Civilization had too many rules for me, so I did my best to rewrite them.”
—Bill Cosby

Creativity is the ability of the brain to bring together diverse ideas

that will generate the thinking necessary for complex problem solving.
Humor and creativity are great companions, each a perfect complement
for the other in nourishing thinking. Risk-taking is the nucleus of cre-
ativity and of humor; the freedom to express wild ideas activates spirited
conversation and sparks the imagination. The creative process flourishes
when accompanied by a sense of humor.
Humor increases the potential for divergent thinking and the ability
to solve complex problems. By linking previously unconnected areas of
the brain, humor forges new associations involving existing concepts.
Voila: creativity flourishes.
4 CHAPTER 1

4. Facilitates Communication
“The person who can bring the spirit of laughter into a room is indeed
blessed.”
—Bennett Cerf

Using humor to build and maintain relationships is an invaluable skill.

Emotional intelligence (EI), the ability to perceive, assess, and influ-
ence one’s own and other people’s emotions is essential for knowing
when and how to use humor effectively (Goleman, 1998). The ability to
use humor as a part of interpersonal dialogue requires confidence in
one’s own humor strengths, a fun-loving playful spirit, and the willing-
ness to risk the extraordinary.
Humor generates trust among colleagues and can facilitate a reduc-
tion in tension, fear, and anger. Leaders who have the ability to assist
others in seeing the “humor” in difficult situations can nurture commu-
nication and ease tense situations. Exaggeration, puns, and self-depre-
cating humor are tools of the trade. Humorists are able to use refram-
ing (example: the ridiculous or exaggeration) as a device to facilitate a
shift in context. This shift encourages both individuals and groups to
think creatively through shared humor. Laughter can quickly dispel ten-
sion and increase the capacity for dialogue.
The use of humor as a tool in communication is rarely taught. It is a
skill requiring multifaceted levels of knowledge and ability. Purposeful
humor integration provides a distinct advantage in conversation.

5. Supports the Change Process

“Nothing new should be done for the very first time.”

There are volumes written about change. Organizational change is a

hot topic for school leaders. Whether we encounter everyday small dis-
ruptions or a major crisis situation, the way we respond to change varies
greatly among individuals and organizations.
Humor can be an indicator of how we are responding to change. It is
similar to taking the temperature of an individual or an organization. Our
belief systems, our evolved coping skills, our physical being, our tempera-
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 5

ment, our experiences, our culture, and our gender all combine within our
individual neurological system and are all involved in generating our indi-
vidual response to change. The humor response of any group is a reflection
of organizational thinking and can reflect the ability of that culture to adapt.
Our brains crave familiar patterns. We recognize what school bells
mean. We understand report cards and grading systems. We are used to
a certain structure, procedure, and routine in education. However edu-
cation has faced increasing pressure from a variety of stakeholders and
the demands for accountability have challenged the very core of our sys-
tem. Change happens frequently, but teachers have an amazing ability
to find humor when faced with adversity. Here are some humorous re-
sponses from teachers to difficult situations:

s All teachers must now stay in their rooms until 4:15 p.m. Teachers
caught leaving early will be trained in CRAB (criteria referenced
abstract bologna).
s In order to combat obesity, the amount of food in the school lunch
will decrease. A price increase of $2 is necessary to implement this
change.
s Research shows that students need more sleep, so homeroom teach-
ers are asked to monitor the amount of sleep their students get. Sev-
eral teachers have volunteered to sleep during their class period.

Most of us experience unexpected change, suffering, and loss in our lives.

When we are able to find the humor in a situation, we can begin to heal
and move ahead. Painful experiences, if met with hope and optimism,
can produce remarkable growth opportunities. In fact, humor frequently
emerges from the downside of our lives. Laughter and tears are closely
related, which is why many comedians began their careers by laughing
through the tragedy in their lives. This ability for humorous optimism in
the face of difficulty is truly a miracle tonic. Change is good—you go first.

6. Creates an Optimal Environment for Teaching and Learning

“You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes, because that’s where the
fruit is.”
—Will Rogers
6 CHAPTER 1

Look for laughter, joy, spirit, and enthusiasm in both the school and
in the classroom and you’ll find an environment in which learning
thrives. Humor contributes to that optimal learning environment. It is
brain-compatible both in creating an enriched context for learning and
for assisting individuals in the learning process. This is described in
depth in chapter three. When you find fun, laughter, and teachers with
a sense of humor, learning thrives.
Leadership is correlated with building relationships based on trust.
Trust is considered the basis for creating successful learning communi-
ties, because it facilitates teamwork and is the foundation for cultivating
relationships. A strong bond of trust among members of the school com-
munity is essential for school improvement. In Trust in Schools: A Core
Resource for Improvement, University of Chicago professors Anthony S.
Bryk and Barbara Schneider (2002) reiterate the importance of improv-
ing the quality of instruction, measuring student performance, and re-
shaping education governance. In this groundbreaking study, they cite
trusting relationships among teachers, principals, parents, and students
as a critical component for success. “We have identified a missing in-
gredient in the reform recipes: the nature of social practice among
adults in school communities and how this is mobilized for sustained
school improvement,” the authors assert. Their research compares the
performance of schools with high levels of trust with those where rela-
tionships were not as strong. There was a strong correlation between
schools with a high level of trust and top quartile performance on stan-
dardized tests.
But what does trust look like? It’s simple to observe if you know the
indicators. Look for laughter, fun, and joy. When you walk into a build-
ing and you can actually feel the joy, you’ll recognize the existence of a
high level of trust. Humor thrives in an environment of trust and is a ma-
jor factor that contributes to building trust. When multiple choices are
available to an individual within a relationship or within an organization,
there are increased opportunities for a sense of humor to thrive. Fun is
an indicator of trust (Yerkes, 2001).
“Mirthium” is a review of sixty-plus studies conducted over the past
forty years, and it gives the reader a clear synopsis of exactly what ben-
efits humor will provide, as well as clarifying some of the existing mis-
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 7

perceptions. I am grateful to Ron Berk for his willingness to share his

work.
Figure 1-1 is reprinted with permission of Ronald A. Berk (2004) and
Academic Physician and Scientist. A previous version of “The Prescrip-
tion Mirthium” appeared at www.ronberk.com/JulAug04_feature.pdf.

DOSES OF HUMOR VITAL FOR EDUCATORS

Noting all the benefits of humor, one would assume that humor studies
would be a core component of educator’s preservice curriculum. How-
ever, the study of humor as a fundamental skill is rarely even mentioned
during preservice studies and it’s certainly neglected as a topic for con-
tinuing professional development.
Even so, it’s frequently mentioned as a quality we couldn’t do without.
For instance, would you want to hire someone without a sense of hu-
mor? Of course not. Although humor is mentioned frequently in the lit-
erature as exceedingly important and is even considered an essential
quality in the hiring process, it’s usually neglected as a topic of signifi-
cant study. As a result of this benign neglect, the exploration of humor
in education is a pioneering effort. So, I invite you to take this miracle
tonic of humor seriously.
I must caution you: this is not a joke book. While I did a lot of laugh-
ing while writing this book, and I obviously think parts of it are pretty
funny, the primary intent is not to tell jokes. So, although I hope you will
smile and even chuckle as you read, this is not a book with the foremost
purpose of making you laugh. This is rather a practical look at a topic
that is often ignored in the education world.
The purpose of this book is to affirm, sustain, and encourage educa-
tors in the practice of humor not only as a personal tool to optimize a
healthy lifestyle, but also to maximize the benefits of humor in educa-
tion. These benefits include current research-based data on the use of
humor to nurture creativity, to increase the capacity for memory reten-
tion, to support an optimal learning environment, and to build safe com-
munities that reflect the relational trust necessary for collaborative
learning. (See figure 1-2.)
Figure 1-1. Reprinted with permission of Ronald A. Berk and Academic Physician
and Scientist (September 2006). A previous version of The Prescription Mirthium
appeared in Berk, R. A. (2004).
Figure 1-1. Continued
10 CHAPTER 1

Figure 1-2.

THE ENERGY OF HUMOR/HUMERGY DEFINED

“Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested

and the frog dies of it.”
—E. B. White

At the risk of squashing your interest, clarifying the wriggly aspects of hu-
mor is fundamental to the ability to improve our practice. Laughter and hu-
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 11

mor are related, but not exactly the same (Provine, 2000). Since laughter
has such a strong link to humor, a common misperception is that humor is
the ability to make people laugh by telling jokes. The ability to tell jokes is
a valued skill, but does not begin to explain the complexity of humor.
I’m sure you’ve heard someone try to describe a funny situation and
finally say, “you just had to be there!” Spontaneous group laughter is of-
ten impossible to describe. Our ability to laugh with others at the dis-
crepancies of life certainly contributes to our humor experience. Al-
though jokes and funny stories generate laughter, we frequently laugh
during normal everyday interactions. When we try to explain to some-
one else what was so funny, it’s difficult to put into words. Phrases that
make people laugh are often not very funny when the actual words are
examined (Provine, 2000).
Comedy, mirth, stories, wit, and joking are all part of the external ex-
perience of laughing with other people. However, humor experienced
with others is different than our own unique sense of humor. It is es-
sential to distinguish between the two.
The dictionary definition for humor is as follows: “humor is the qual-
ity that makes something amusing or laughable.”
The word humor by itself, without any sense as in “sense of humor,”
is defined in the dictionary as the quality that makes something amusing
or laughable. Humor by itself then, is that which would be considered
to be funny. When you bring a sense to humor a metamorphosis occurs.
A sense of humor is the capacity of a human being to respond to life
challenges with optimistic enjoyment (Morrison, 2005).
Just because laughter is a universal human trait does not guarantee that
there exists a universal understanding of humor. Cognitive, emotional, be-
havioral, psychophysiological, and social components are all factors of hu-
mor (Martin, 2001). The multifaceted nature of humor can pose numer-
ous challenges for valid research. At the risk of oversimplifying the
complexity of humor, the above-mentioned definitions will be used in this
book. Additional definitions are found in appendix 1: Humor Terminology.
Our individual sense of humor is inseparable from our whole being.
It is intrinsically woven into our emotional and social psyche and reflects
our ethics and belief systems. The ability to adapt to change with enjoy-
ment or at least a positive acceptance defines the essence of having a
sense of humor.
12 CHAPTER 1

JOY-FLOW EXPERIENCES

“Age doesn’t always bring wisdom, sometimes age comes alone.”

Enthusiasm, energy, joy, and hope merge to create the peak experiences
most of us identify with a sense of humor. The relatively new field of
positive psychology strives to understand and promote the human po-
tential that enables individuals and communities to thrive. Humor is one
of the complex cognitive strengths that connect our basic temperament
and our lifetime experiences. The energy of humor, or “humergy,” is an
indicator of reaching the “self-actualization” level on Maslow’s Hierar-
chy of Needs Scale (Maslow, 1968) as shown in figure 1-3.
Maslow generalized that self-actualizing people tend to respond to
life challenges with a spontaneous and creative personality. He defined
profound moments of joyful understanding as peak experiences with

Figure 1-3.
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 13

heightened sensory experiences integrating hope, optimism, and peace.

It’s difficult to find specific terminology that expresses Maslow’s peak ex-
perience. The vitality of humor energy that emerges from a hopeful, joy-
ful spirit of humor needs defining. I call this peak experience of a vigor-
ous, optimistic energy humergy.
Humergy is the energy that emerges from the joy and optimism of
our inner spirit, reflects our unique personality, and nourishes a healthy
mind/body balance. It’s possible to clarify the characteristics that inhibit
humergy and those that promote its development, as shown in table
1-1. Stress, fear, and pessimism hinder the ability of an individual to en-
joy the fullness of a humergy lifestyle. Healthy relationships, optimism,
and an environment of trust nurture the growth of humergy.
This energy is being explored in the newly defined field of positive
psychology, which addresses the study of positive emotions. Richard
Davidson’s research on “approach-related positive emotion” character-
izes certain individuals as having enthusiasm, alertness, energy, and per-
sistence in goal orientation (Davidson, 2000). The purpose of positive
psychology is to understand and promote the human strengths that en-
able individuals and communities to thrive.
The Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology (PEP) Lab at the Uni-
versity of Michigan is conducting one of the most fascinating projects in
studying positive emotions. The research is based on the belief that pos-
itive emotions extend the capacity for attention, cognition, and action.
The goal of the PEP Lab is to focus on how positive emotions enable hu-
man beings to “flourish.” When positive emotions are absent, people
lose their freedom of choice, they stagnate, and are predictable. When
there is ample supply of positive emotionality, people are creative, re-
silient, and unpredictable (Fredrickson 2003).

Table 1-1. Humergy Characteristics: Developmental

Humergy Characteristics of Individuals
Humor Inhibitors Humor Developers
Stressful relationships Healthy relationships
Low self-confidence Self-confidence
Authoritarian environment Trust: risk-taking environment
Anxiety, fear of fun and play Joyfulness, playfulness
Helplessness Hopefulness
Pessimism Optimism
14 CHAPTER 1

r Jest for Fun r

Check out some humor websites by doing a search on positive emotionality
or humor therapy. Share the most interesting information with your col-
leagues. See the bibliography: Fun Web Sites.

Pioneering efforts are being made by counselors and psychologists to in-

corporate humor into therapy treatments for patients. The use of humor
in the medical field was highlighted in the movie Patch Adams, the story
of Hunter Adams, who promoted the use of humor as a medical practice.
His goal was to fulfill his patients’ fantasies, ease their fears, and increase
their endorphin levels. Several organizations promote humor research.

The International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS) is a scholarly and

professional organization dedicated to the advancement of humor re-
search. Many of the Society’s members are university and college profes-
sors in the Arts and Humanities, Biological and Social Sciences, and Ed-
ucation. The Society also includes professionals in the fields of counseling,
management, nursing, journalism, and theater. All of our members are in-
terested in humor’s many facets, including its role in business, entertain-
ment, and health care as well as how humor varies according to culture,
age, gender, purpose, and context. (www.hnu.edu/ishs)

A notable organization that promotes humor is the Association of Applied

and Therapeutic Humor (AATH). This organization is open to all who are
interested in promoting the positive benefits of humor. AATH defines hu-
mor as “any intervention that promotes health and wellness by stimulating
a playful discovery, expression or appreciation of the absurdity or incon-
gruity of life’s situations. This intervention may enhance health or be used
as a complementary treatment of illness to facilitate healing or coping,
whether physical, emotional, cognitive, social, or spiritual” (www.aath.org/).
Another organization that focuses on humor was founded by Joel
Goodman. “The HUMOR Project, Inc. is the first organization in the
world to focus full-time on the positive power of humor. The Humor
Project mission is to make a difference by being a unique, pioneering,
and cutting-edge organization that touches the lives of individuals, or-
ganizations, and nations. They seek to help people get more smileage
out of their lives and jobs by applying the practical, positive power of hu-
mor and creativity” (www.humorproject.com/about/).
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 15

“A humorist facilitates the capacity of others to adapt to everyday

or to global change, with laughter and feelings of hope and optimism.”

—Mary Kay Morrison

A HISTORY OF FUNNY

“The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five sec-
onds and think for ten minutes.”
—William Davis

In addition to Maslow, an odd assortment of characters from history

provide insights into our current understanding of humor. It is claimed
that humor was invented in the 1400s by Duke Knock of the Knock who
was trying to ascertain why doth ye chicken traverse ye thoroughfare.
Others assert that humor was invented by Al Gore to alleviate boredom
with politics. Actually, the word humor is derived from the Latin word
umor which means fluid or moist. The role of early medicine was to
keep the humors in balance.
Hippocrates clarified the Greek idea of four humors, which were re-
lated to temperament and disposition. In the 1600s it was determined
by physicians that four liquids called humors determined a healthy bal-
ance of mind and body. These were blood, black bile, yellow bile, and
phlegm. An imbalance of humors signaled abnormal behavior or men-
tal illness.
During the Renaissance period, “humorous” actually referred to any-
one who was considered demented. In fact, it was not until the 1700s
that humor was considered normal behavior. Puritans actually forbade
the use of most comedy, play, and fun. Some think that this negativity
towards humor persists in several forms today.
Shakespeare contributed to an understanding of the terminology
comedy and tragedy through his literary works. Comedy was not re-
ally “humorous,” but depicted ordinary characters who would tri-
umph, while tragedy involved great characters who made mistakes or
suffered painful experiences often resulting in death. Shakespeare in-
terspersed comedy and tragedy with an emotional impact that has
16 CHAPTER 1

survived over the years and still remains as an important work in most
school curricula.
Charlie Chaplin, known as the tramp philosopher, began his film ca-
reer with the release of a silent picture, The Tramp (1915). He ener-
gized audiences with his tragicomedy portrayal of a little guy against the
world. He focused his work on the premise that people can and should
laugh at life’s tragedies.
Mark Twain, born Samuel Clemens in 1835, is known as one of the
greatest American humorists. Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both examples of
finding humor in everyday life. His literature has long been a familiar
staple on the reading lists for elementary students.

“Suppose you were an idiot and a member of Congress. But I repeat

myself.”
—Mark Twain

Will Rogers, born in 1879, had top billing with a vaudeville act in the
renowned Ziegfield Follies. As a syndicated column writer, he inter-
twined humor, current events, and human idiosyncrasies, and his ability
to poke fun at politicians endeared him to the American public. His ca-
reer included work in the movies and he became a well-known figure.
His quotes are still applicable today.

“There’s no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole govern-
ment working for you.”
“Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.”
“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously
and the politicians as a joke.”
“I don’t make jokes; I just watch the government and report the facts.”

Abraham Lincoln was known for his animated storytelling. His clever
wit was often used to disparage political opponents. His most engaging
quality was the ability to laugh at his own physical imperfections, a trait
that endeared him to the American public.
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 17

“If I were two faced, would I be wearing this one?”

“Common looking people are the best in the world; that is the reason
the Lord made so many of them.”

Norman Cousins is the person credited with the initial research on

the relationship between laughter and wellness. He wrote about his ex-
periences in his best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by
the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration, published in 1979.
His personal story of a life-threatening illness and his belief that laugh-
ing would help him to heal has become legendary. He checked himself
out of a hospital and into a motel to watch funny movies as part of his
therapeutic process. He recovered fully and decided that humor was a
major part of his healing process.
Lucille Ball captured the hearts of the world with her portrayal of an
everyday housewife who turned ordinary events into an extremely funny
sitcom. She had an enormous impact on the transition of the media from
movies to television and was one of the first women to become a na-
tionally known television star.

“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie
about your age.”
“You see much more of your children once they leave home.”

Bob Hope performed in radio, movies, and television and became fa-
mous for his one-liners. He is cited by the Guinness Book of Records as
the most honored entertainer in the world. He performed for the Amer-
ican military troops stationed overseas and won the hearts of the soldiers
during those performances with his ability to help them laugh at their
own difficult situation.

“If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of
heart trouble.”
“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you
don’t need it.”
“I love to go to Washington, if only to be near my money.”
18 CHAPTER 1

Bill Cosby has touched people’s lives by providing humorous insights

into everyday situations of parenting and family life with his television
sitcom. As an author and speaker, he continues to share his wit and in-
sights. Recently he has used his comic visibility to espouse his opinions
about controversial racial issues. These are not laughing matters to
Cosby, who strongly advocates views that are not typically verbalized.
He uses humor to communicate the following:

“A word to the wise ain’t necessary—it’s the stupid ones who need
the advice.”
“Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so when you yell the
name will carry.”
“Let us now set forth one of the fundamental truths about marriage:
the wife is in charge.”

Erma Bombeck was a journalist who wrote a weekly humor column fo-
cusing on life as a parent. Her books became best sellers and often fo-
cused on helping parents laugh at the challenges of having children.
When she became a cancer survivor, she helped many learn to laugh
through this illness. Her courage and ability to laugh during her cancer
battles continue to inspire those suffering from terminal illness.

“Humor is a spontaneous, wonderful bit of an outburst that just

comes. It’s unbridled, it’s unplanned, and it’s full of surprises.”
“If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it.”

Johnny Carson, David Letterman, and Jay Leno have helped many
Americans end their day with laughter. Late night television is a way of
life for many Americans. Often the humor revolves around current po-
litical situations. The format allows us to laugh at the unusual things na-
tional figures say and do. Letterman’s top ten list has become a part of
American culture and is included in this book as a strategy to teach var-
ious aspects of humor.
The list of comedians who have influenced my understanding of hu-
mor is immeasurable. An expanded list of comedians is in appendix 2:
Comedian List and can be used for several of the activities described in
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 19

this book. The reader will have their own favorite comedian, but these
individuals have most influenced my comic insights.

“A humorist is a person who feels bad but who feels good about it.”
—Don Herold

r Jest for Fun r

Pick a humorist who makes you laugh. Search the web for their bibliography
and famous quotes. Post your findings on the staff bulletin board. (See ap-
pendix 2: Comedian List.)

THE TONIC OF HUMOR IS CONTAGIOUS—CATCH IT!

The tonic of humor is available free of charge and the side effects are
laughter and fun. The joy-flow experience of humergy is observed when
enthusiasm, excitement, and energy are bubbling from individuals who
are passionate about their work. This synergy is experienced in an envi-
ronment that is humming with the spirit of joyful learning. Humergy is
reflected in the excitement of students and teachers as they exude a zest
for life and a quest for knowledge.

SUMMARY

There are numerous benefits derived from humor. Humor is an oft-

overlooked skill that has many benefits, including providing stress relief,
maximizing brain capacity for learning, increasing creativity, improving
communication skills, and creating an environment of trust. Humor is
inseparable from our whole being. It is intrinsically woven into our emo-
tional and social psyche reflecting our ethics and belief systems.
The numerous definitions of humor include what makes you laugh or
is amusing. However, a sense of humor is the capacity of a human being
to respond to life challenges with optimistic amusement. There is a syn-
ergy evident in people who have such an optimistic sense of humor.
Humergy is the energy that radiates the joyful optimism of our inner
spirit, reflects our unique personality, and nourishes a healthy
mind/body balance (Morrison 2005).
20 CHAPTER 1

When there is a fusion of enthusiasm, energy, joy, and hope, a peak

experience emerges that most of us identify as a sense of humor. The
relatively new field of positive psychology strives to understand and
promote the human potential that enables individuals and communi-
ties to thrive. Humor is one of the complex cognitive strengths that
emerge connecting our basic temperament and our lifetime experi-
ences.
Many people and organizations have contributed to the field of hu-
mor. Humorists purposefully and deliberately use humor to focus on
truth. Effective leaders understand that the energy of humor is a sign of
a healthy organization built on trust.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Staff meeting activity. Post humor definitions from a variety of
sources on the walls. Participants choose the definition that
most closely aligns with their belief, then physically go and
stand by their choice. The gathered group will discuss why they
chose that quote. They can report their discussion highlights to
the rest of the staff. This is a good activity for an initial discus-
sion on differing humor beliefs. (See appendix 1 for defini-
tions.)
s Expand the humor selection in your staff library. Encourage dis-
cussion and sharing of joyful practice. Be sure to include resources
for both students and staff.
s Encourage flexibility in workplace norms. When you provide the
freedom for individuals to accomplish their work within their own
time frame, you are letting them know you trust them as profes-
sionals. The rigid imposition of rules (such as you must stay in the
building until 4:00 p.m.) decreases the ability for fun and laughter
and increases the likelihood of low morale. Allow access to the
building over the weekend and other times so work can be ac-
complished within the educators’ time frame.
s Provide the opportunity for staff to discuss this book, as outlined
in the first section of the study group format. Invite participation
and encourage attendance with prizes, food, and fun.
H U M O R — T H E TO N I C F O R T I R E D E D U C ATO R S 21

s Invite staff members to share the funniest thing that has happened
to them as a teacher. Compile these into a memo that is sent to the
other schools in the district, inviting them to compile their own
stories. Publish a district book of student/teacher funnies, keeping
names anonymous.

Study Group Focus

Divide faculty into five teams to research the benefits of humor.

1. Have the first staff meeting of the month devoted to one of the
benefits of humor. Each group integrates the benefits of humor at
staff meetings and incorporates humor all month.
2. Publish each of the benefits of humor in the school newsletter.
Highlight examples of individuals exemplifying these benefits with
connections to the benefits for learning.
3. Contact the media to show how the school is using the benefits of
humor to create an optimal environment for student learning.

Study and research the concept that fun is an indication of trust.

1. Conduct a survey with students and staff to find out the beliefs about
humor in your workplace. Compile survey results and discuss.
2. Identify and celebrate the areas of humor strength that currently
exist both on an individual and a collegial basis. List the ways your
staff and students currently have fun. Build on your strengths.
3. Brainstorm ways to increase the fun/trust opportunities that will
optimize student learning. Develop an action plan.

Café Conversations
s Discuss your favorite historical contribution to the field of humor.
How could this information contribute to the improvement of stu-
dent learning?
s Review Maslow’s hierarchy of needs scale (figure 1-2). Is it possi-
ble to continuously sustain the peak experience stage?
22 CHAPTER 1

s How does the field of positive psychology correspond to the field

of education?

“Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing worse will happen to either
of you for the rest of the day.”
 s
Chapter 2
DEVELOPING YOUR HUMOR BEING
A Nut Is Born

“Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

In a nutshell, humor is a fundamental and integral core of our cognitive

emotional growth. The fertile ground of trust and the elements of nur-
turing relationships are required for humor to take root. How can par-
ents and teachers nourish the little nuts that are searching for the
ground in which their humor can flourish?
Each nut has the capacity for humor development and studies of early
humor development reveal universal patterns of growth. Each child is
born with a unique disposition. Although essential questions revolve
around the relationship between the environment and the humor de-
velopmental process, there are significant factors that support optimal
humor maturation.
While it is understood that children are born with an inherent pre-
disposition for temperament, the environment significantly impacts
our nuttiness. Let’s look at both the nature and nurture of humor mat-
uration.

23
24 CHAPTER 2

NATURE OF THE NUT

Are we born with our sense of humor? A glimpse into the research on
temperament provides convincing evidence that some of our humor
characteristics emerge from our biologically based temperament. Our
innate individual differences usually remain somewhat stable through-
out our life and impact the way we respond to our environment.
If you are the parent of more than one child, you will have noticed in-
dividual differences between siblings from birth. There are nine tem-
perament characteristics detailed in The Temperament Perspective
(Kristal, 2005). Each infant has a different degree of each of the identi-
fied characteristics. A few of these are worth noting because they can
impact our humor style and humor growth.
Intensity is the reactive energy of a response, whether happy, sad, or
angry; that is, how expressive a child is. The emotional response varies
greatly among young children. For instance, some children will smile a
little at peek-a-boo games while others laugh loudly.
Adaptability describes how easily a child adjusts to changes and tran-
sitions. A sense of humor is closely related to our flexibility for change.
The ability to laugh in new situations is apparent even with very young
children. Some are at ease right away while others may hide behind a
parent when in a new situation.
Mood is the basic quality of disposition. It may be more positive (a
happy or cheerful child) or more negative (a cranky or serious child).
Some researchers think that mood is a parallel characteristic or that it
overlays our basic temperament.
Approach/withdrawal is the child’s initial response to novelty: new
places, people, situations, or things (Kristal, 2005). It takes a certain de-
gree of risk-taking to experiment with humor. Class clowns for instance
are pretty comfortable with new places and situations. They approach
situations with enthusiasm, zest, and unbridled risk-taking.
Our moment to moment experiences contribute to our current feel-
ings and are based on the presence or absence of certain chemicals in
the brain. As feelings fluctuate, our emotions are somewhat restricted to
the range and scope of our innate temperamental structure.
What influences our individual humor style? While our temperament
forms the basis for the energy of our humor style, we can increase our hu-
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 25

mor capacity with intentional efforts. Understanding our own tempera-

ment contributes to our ability to maximize the development of our own
unique humor style and humor strength. Details on humor strength and
style are included in chapter 5 of this book. However, I encourage you to
think about how your basic temperament has shaped your “nuttiness.”

r Jest for Fun r

Observe your colleagues and try to identify their temperament. What type
of humor is exhibited by those who are bold risk takers versus those who
may tend to be more reserved?

NURTURING THE NUT

Experiential play is a critical component for learning. Play encourages

the discovery skills that generate neural connections while promoting
creativity, critical thinking, risk taking, and social bonding. Free play in
the classroom is child directed rather then adult directed. Choice, risk
taking, and exploration are the foundation for humor development and
are a basis for learning through play.
The experience of play is critical for a child’s initial understanding of
the world and a necessary foundation for reading skills. As Ricki Links-
man of the National Diagnostics Reading Institute suggests, the pre-
school years are the time for children to develop all learning modalities
through a variety of experiences including visual, auditory, tactile, and
kinesthetic modalities. Providing play centers with choices for young
children will enable them to engage in activities that will develop the
prereading skills needed for every child to become a successful reader
(Linksman, 2007).
There is a dedicated “play” circuitry in the brain equivalent to the cir-
cuits of fear and love (Panksepp, 2003). In studies of juvenile rats, it was
found that play strengthens the social connections between the young
rodents by producing signals, which Panksepp believes are similar to hu-
man laughter. Playing contributes to how young mammals build a mem-
ory base in the brain. In mammals, vocalization sounds emerge from
tickling and roughhousing activity. In humans this vocalization is called
26 CHAPTER 2

laughter. Laughter is a human response to a social connection (Provine,

2000). Our emotional systems are designed to share feelings expressed
verbally or through facial expressions and body language. Play strength-
ens these social connections.
Physical strength, mental agility, and social skills improve with play.
Children laugh often during early childhood. There are references to
the number of times that adults laugh as opposed to the frequency of
childhood laughter, but claims that children laugh more frequently then
adults have not been substantiated (Martin, 2007).
Two studies show supporting evidence for the link between human
play and learning. In a fascinating look at the role of play and its effects
on primate learning, Lee Alan Dugatkin (2002) suggests that research is
pointing to play in childhood as a means of learning to handle unex-
pected events in adulthood. It is possible to better prepare an individual
for everything from disappointment to physical error, from submission
to dominance, from reading social cues to knowing social limits. In hu-
mans, measures of rough and tumble play in childhood correlate with
scores on social problem-solving tests. In addition, “the neural circuitry
of play suggests a potential link between play and learning.” Although
this theory has been explored and supported many times before, it has
been through the study of the frontal lobe.
Now, there may be indications that play increases the versatility of
choices, either in decisions, emotional reaction, or physical movement.
It may mean creating a repertoire of sensorimotor experiences that can
be used as measuring sticks for effective response choice in the future.
By renaming play as exploratory time, Steven Wolk (2001) empha-
sizes the importance of self-discovery, and of having the student in con-
trol of his or her own learning. Wolk asserts that during exploratory time
children build the cognitive skills needed to accelerate learning.

r Jest for Fun r

Colleagues can list on an index card their favorite way to play. A name or a code
is written at the bottom of the card. Shuffle the cards and each person draws
one. Cards can be read out loud with guessing as to who wrote the card. Or folks
can find a partner and have time to share twice; once as the player and the sec-
ond time as the play teacher. Actual play is encouraged. (See figure 2-1.)
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 27

Figure 2-1. We might as well put this on

the entrance to our schools!

“I want to live forever. So far, so good.”

PLAY AND PREJUDICE

The belief that play has no place in the serious business of education has
been woven into the fabric of our system. The very word “play” is re-
pulsive to some people in education, who think of it as the antithesis of
learning. We compel young children to “do worksheets” rather than al-
low cognitive growth through the natural exploration that play provides.
Ask a young child their favorite subject and “recess” becomes the in-
creasingly frequent answer as children progress through school. Learn-
ing is perceived as “work.” Recess is often the only time that children
have free choice. Play is a critical component for humor development,
yet the opportunities for play in our educational systems are near ex-
tinction for both children and adults.
Play is often considered to be suitable only for very young children.
When using the word “play,” I have actually had it trigger an intense neg-
ative reaction. There are those who express a disdain for the use of any
28 CHAPTER 2

activities perceived as “okay” for elementary and early childhood educa-

tors, but certainly not appropriate in the “higher” cognitive processes
necessary after fifth or sixth grade. “Conventional” wisdom dictates a
general belief that students need to buckle down, work harder, play less,
and quit clowning around as they grow. As children advance through
school, auditory methodology increases, so that by high school many
classes are in a lecture format with few games and activities. Therefore
high school and middle school teachers have immense obstacles to over-
come in providing opportunities for play. These obstacles need to be ad-
dressed by increasing the awareness that humor facilitates learning, play
encourages memory retention, and laughter relieves the stress that in-
hibits cognitive processing. Research on these factors will be explored in
depth in chapter 3.
Previous education practice was often founded on the belief that
learning is exhibited by sitting quietly, listening, note taking, and rig-
orous testing. However, many teachers are adapting their curriculums
to reflect current cognitive research on learning. It is a true measure
of commitment for an educator to leave the safe structures of the
past, confront any fear they may have, and be willing to adapt their
practice as cognitive research changes our thinking about teaching
and learning.

SO PLAY AROUND!

The motivation to play and laugh is innate to the human species

(McGhee, 2002a). Young children play and laugh even without efforts to
nurture these behaviors. Widespread differences in the development of
humor skills can be seen as children grow older. Increased opportunities
for humor development will foster key intellectual, social, and emotional
life skills.
Integrating play into classroom practice is a purposeful, challenging,
and splendid responsibility. It also brings great satisfaction. Don’t be
afraid of being silly or looking ridiculous. Have courage. Live on the
wild side with the purposeful inclusion of humor and fun in your per-
sonal and professional life.
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 29

Actually there are numerous companies who have been experiment-

ing with the concept of play as a means to empowering employees and
tapping into their creativity. Think tanks, meditation rooms, team build-
ing activities, and actual opportunities to use toys have found their way
into boardrooms and businesses. Companies have found increased pro-
ductivity with increased opportunities for fun (Yerkes, 2001). See ap-
pendix 3: Playful Suggestions.

r Jest for Fun r

Have a toy bag that you bring with you everywhere. Find ways to grow your
own “child within” by using these toys frequently. Share toys in your class-
room with the students. Have a discussion about playfulness. Use a toy as
a story starter. (See appendix 10: Toy List.)

As a child develops, the chemical composition of the brain combines

with positive environmental factors to cultivate a sense of trust. A feel-
ing of control over one’s environment (with choice) gives hope to indi-
viduals in their inherent determination to reach developmental goals.
Trust and hope provide a basic foundation for developing a sense of hu-
mor and there is a pattern of humor development that can be recog-
nized, nurtured, and cultivated. The idea of humor developmental
stages has been developed by researchers D. H. Fuhr, Paul McGhee, E.
A. Schwartz, and Avner Ziv. As with any maturational sequence, charac-
teristics of these stages are flexible and there will be variances as to
when the growth of the emerging nut occurs. (See figure 2-2.)

GROWING UP FUNNY:
AGES AND STAGES OF HUMOR DEVELOPMENT

These stages of emotional progression are observed most often through

play and are the essential foundation for the development of a sense of
humor. Hope, trust, positive emotionality, and optimism are integral to
the maturation process. I have identified each of these stages by a preva-
lent game or activity of the stage.
30 CHAPTER 2

Figure 2-2.

Peek-a-Boo (Birth to Two Years)

Parents work very hard to elicit that first smile from their newborn.
My daughter Rachael and her husband, Jason, recently had their first
daughter, Katie. From the moment she was born they have cooed,
smiled, and talked to her. When she smiles, they respond with great en-
thusiasm. They were ecstatic about capturing her first outburst of laugh-
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 31

ter on video in her response to Jason acting silly with a toy elephant.
Katie’s humor journey has begun.
Babies carefully observe their caregivers and intently respond to
smiles with mirroring smiles and mimicking laughter. The process of
reading the faces of others initiates social development and provides a
basis for bonding between caregivers and the child. Around five or six
months, babies recognize parents/caregivers and will frown or cry when
strangers approach.
The game of peek-a-boo assures the child that what disappears will
reappear. This game helps children understand that their caregiver will
return. The initial fear of loss is replaced with surprised relief which
eventually results in laughter. This laughter is appreciated by adults and
the game is frequently repeated. My granddaughter Mimi at age ten
months found great delight in pulling the diaper off of her mother’s face
in a reverse game of peek-a-boo.
Adults engage infants in numerous games that provide the basic skills
for the “reading” of emotions. Silly noises, hiding objects, repetition of
nonsense sounds, and roughhousing all elicit laughter while forming the
trusted relationships necessary for humor development. These fun
games also contribute to the foundation of a strong attachment between
parent and child.
Around the age of one year, incongruent behavior on the part of a
caregiver (such as pretending to eat the child’s cracker) will evoke laugh-
ter (Ziv, 1984). Repetition of silly behaviors will amuse children of this
age, while rhythm and rhyme engage their sensory abilities.
When my twin grandsons were twenty-two months old, one of their fa-
vorite songs was “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.” While singing with them
in the car, I changed the word star to their names (Benjamin and Tyler)
and then a variety of other names. They kept saying, “No Grandma, star!”.
I finally sang it the right way and Ben said “No Grandma—Tyler!” fol-
lowed by laughter. He obviously was able to understand and replicate the
surprise change pattern or “joke.”
Chasing games and physical contact play are important aspects of this
stage. At eighteen months, my granddaughters Mimi and Christine were
laughing and coming back for more when this grandma would say: “I’m
going to get you!” followed by a chase around the dining room table.
32 CHAPTER 2

The peek-a-boo stage builds the relational foundation of trust and

hope necessary for emotional intelligence and for building infant at-
tachment to a primary caregiver. It also supports the ability of the tod-
dler to understand disruption in normal patterns of human behavior so
they can transition to the knock-knock phase.

r Jest for Fun r

Have students/teachers bring in their baby pictures. Have a contest to
identify who is who. Write about physical and emotional characteristics in
infancy.

Knock-Knock (Two Years to School Age)

At age two-and-a-half Samuel declared that his grandma was sure silly
when she sang and exaggerated the movements to several songs. Of
course, Samuel is right, as I love watching the response of my grand-
children to my dorky behavior. Pretend behaviors, exaggeration of real-
ity, and imagination emerge in this stage of humor development. Within
Piaget’s preoperational stage emerges the capacity for children to ap-
preciate fantasy creatures and to employ their own imagination to cre-
ate silly stories and drawings. Dramatic play begins with children imi-
tating adult behavior. They use their imagination to pretend, often
laughing at their own ingenuity.
After we made cookies, my twenty-three-month-old grandson, Andrew,
was helping me to wipe up the crumbs on the floor. He wiped the top of
my feet and looked up at me with a smile. When I acknowledged his silly
humor by laughing, he laughed heartily, obviously happy that I “got his
joke.” He repeated this silly pattern several times, always looking to be sure
I appreciated his humor. Bathroom humor emerges at this stage and re-
flects the concerns that children have with their own bodily functions.
Taboo words and laughter about body parts are common in early child-
hood. Jokes about elimination and sexual ideas are often accompanied with
giggles. Numerous creative books have been written on these topics.
“Know why Miss Tomato turned red? Because she saw Mr. Green
Pea!” It is intriguing to note the use of humor in children’s literature.
Word play and repetition are important in the knock-knock stage of hu-
mor development. Three- to five-year-olds begin to find humor in things
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 33

that appear incongruent, such as an elephant washing a car. Dr. Seuss has
become a timeless example of the combination of rhythm, rhyme, ridicu-
lous characters, and imaginative storylines that appeal to children of all
ages. Media exposure has made Big Bird and Cookie Monster, as well as
Barney and Elmo common household names. Many movies today have a
parallel humor track appealing to the different cognition levels of both
children and adults. Finding Nemo, Shrek, and Antz delight audiences of
all ages.
Emerging social relationships start to mirror group laughter and hu-
mor. Group glee is a wave of laughter that emerges from a group of play-
ing children. One reason I loved teaching kindergarten children is that
they found humor in most situations and easily shared the laughter.
Children take pleasure in trying to fool adults with “knock-knock jokes”
and silly riddles. Parents who take the time to nurture this stage are en-
couraging the capacity for the future divergent thinking required for in-
novative problem solving and creativity. Encouraging the use of non-
sense words, word plays, and rhyme supports the acquisition of the
foundational tools necessary for humor skills.
Knock-knock jokes are actually a fairly advanced skill since there are
five steps in the process:

1. The originator says: “Knock-knock.”

2. The recipient says: “Who’s there?”
3. The originator responds, usually with a first name.
4. The recipient asks for clarification by saying the name plus “Who?”
5. The punch line is a deliberate addition to the word set-up in the
third response. This is usually in the format of a last name and linked
to the first name so that the first name has a different meaning.

r Jest for Fun r

Have a “knock-knock joke” day. Everyone brings their favorite one and shares
with the class.
Knock-knock.
Who’s there?
Dewey.
Dewey who?
Dewey like knock-knock jokes?
34 CHAPTER 2

This format is a good basis for children beginning to understand that

words can have two meanings. Unfortunately for parents and teachers
of children at this stage, these jokes can get pretty tedious.

Riddle-De-Dee (Early Primary Years)

Parents and educators have a significant role in modeling humor and
providing strategies to build relationships. “Children with the ability to
use humor skills in social interactions were found to be chosen for social
activities more often than children with less developed skills” (McGhee,
2002a).
The comprehension of verbal irony seems to emerge between five
and six years of age. Jokes, riddles, and clowns begin to be appreciated
by children. Practicing jokes and repeating riddles are valuable com-
ponents in this stage of humor development. Teachers can generate
excitement for reading through joke and riddle books, especially for
those students who might not be too enthusiastic about other kinds of
literature. Since children are drawn to these books, many educators
use them to promote vocabulary development, encourage creativity,
and improve reading skills. Comic books, funny stories, and cartoons
embedded in the curriculum contribute to the fun of learning. A great
resource for children on how to create riddles is Stumble Bees and
Pelephones (McGhee 2002a). McGhee says that humor is really a form
of intellectual play. Playing with ideas forms the foundation of creative
thinking.

“My dog can lick anyone.

r Jest for Fun r

Use the web as a resource for riddles that correlate to your lesson plan-
ning. Incorporate into testing, activities, and homework. Give extra credit to
students who create riddles that reflect the lesson plan.

Pun-Fun (Later Primary Years, Grades 4–8)

Children at this stage are moving toward increased understanding of
the subtle differences in language and their more fully developed lan-
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 35

guage skills accelerate their humor appreciation. Word play, language

variations, and the magic of the English language become a magnet that
will captivate children during grades 4–8. This is the period where the
students will be able to detect and enjoy a language twist at the end of
a story. They will also be able to understand a subtle variance in word
selection and therefore “get the joke.” Puns and satire are beginning to
be understood by students and there are initial attempts to invent their
own pun-fun.
The ability to discern the variances in language is essential for humor
development. Ziv, in his book Personality and a Sense of Humor (1984),
wrote that in order to enjoy humor, a person must understand the nu-
ances of the language. Understanding the nature of humor development
can be invaluable for both teachers of special education and for teach-
ers of talented students. Special education teachers find that using jokes
and riddles can assist in the language and reading skill development of
their students. And since a sense of humor is an indicator of language
comprehension, it is often one of the characteristics for identifying lin-
guistically talented students.
The pun-fun stage also requires the capacity to perceive differences
between feelings of joy, surprise, silliness, happiness, and sarcasm, all
necessary elements for humor development. The emotional growth of
the child is an important factor in appreciating and learning to use hu-
mor at this stage. This can have negative as well as positive results. Since
slapstick humor and laughing at the mistakes of others are commonly
experienced within the social structure of these grades, teachers need to
be prepared to share positive humor techniques with their students. It’s
important for students to have positive role models for humor practice.
The middle years initiate the emergence of puberty with jokes about
sex and aggressive behavior. Adolescents experience anxiety about the
changes they are experiencing physically and this sexual humor can pro-
vide relief from the stress of puberty. As with the bathroom humor of
earlier ages, physical changes evoke challenges for preteens, who resort
to laughing with others as a coping device. Note: some folks never out-
grow the bathroom/sexual humor stages.
Puns emerge from the clever massaging of the English language, usu-
ally evoking groans from listeners. These groans act as fertilizer for the
pun-nuts, as it definitely encourages them to expand their punning.
36 CHAPTER 2

Groups of punsters can be dangerous. They build on each other and de-
light in how far they can string out a punny. Many students love using puns
related to the lesson. Ask them to think of puns on the topic of the day. A
lesson on the importance of calcium and the consumption of milk can lead
to puns on the good mood that milk provides and how it is udderly deli-
cious. Whether it is creating puns, practicing the rhymes of Dr. Seuss, or
doing a comparative analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedies and comedies,
there is a tremendous opportunity to nurture humor at this stage.
A word about class clowns—the entertainers trying to get the entire
class to laugh. There is no doubt about the havoc that class clowns can
bring to a classroom. Even though the ability to create group laughter is
a valued life skill, we usually negate and even punish initial attempts of
these risk-taking youngsters in schools. These children can shine if en-
couraged to use their humor to strengthen social bonds. Numerous co-
medians admit to starting their careers in school as class clowns. Fortu-
nately they had teachers who provided the solid ground necessary for
these nuts to succeed in the world of comedy. Chapter 6 provides addi-
tional resources for growing these nuts and nurturing their creativity.

“A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you are in deep water.”

r Jest for Fun r

Sponsor “A Pun Day Fun Day.” Use your lesson for the day as the theme. In-
corporate puns into the assessments.

Joy-Flow (Maturation of Humor Style, High School to Adult)

We have mentioned the ultimate or peak experience as identified by
Maslow and described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as a flow or a spiri-
tual experience (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). Humergy is extraordinary op-
timism and a passionate energy for life combined with a gentle under-
standing of others. It describes the energy that radiates the optimistic
joy of our inner spirit, reflects our unique personality, and nourishes a
healthy mind/body balance. Joy-flow is the degree to which we have ac-
complished optimal growth and self-discovery. This peak experience ex-
emplifies the capacity to view challenges with optimistic amusement. A
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 37

heightened state of positive emotionality defines the fun-finder’s peak

experience. For many, joy-flow is a spiritual journey.
Becoming aware of our sense of humor provides an opportunity to ex-
pand our humor energy through humor practice. This experience of
flow and energy will create a natural euphoric high. I invite you to take
this opportunity to review the humor strength reflections found in ap-
pendix 4: Sense of Humor Reflections to reflect on what types of humor
produce a joy-flow in you.
Once there is an understanding of the emotional self, it transcends to
an understanding of others. Humergy encourages listening and honoring
feelings, both of self and of others. It is an understanding that anger often
mirrors feelings of fear. The experience of humergy in groups encourages
trusted relationships providing mutual support for facing life challenges.
Joy-flow also is evident within groups. Visualize a classroom of laugh-
ing students filled with excitement, where each school day offers op-
portunities for brain-compatible learning facilitated by passionately op-
timistic teachers. Picture a school office with a laughing staff energized
by the prospect of providing a fun-filled parent program that evening
and excited about the challenges of the upcoming referendum.
Humergy is the energy that radiates the humorous optimism of our
inner spirit. It is the positive emotionality that creates a healthy
mind/body balance. It is observed in students, teachers, and administra-
tors who are passionate about learning, ecstatic about attending a school
that supports positive emotionality, and where fun is an integral part of
the learning experience. This joy-flow state and the possible connections
to learning provide significant opportunities for further study.

r Jest for Fun r

Try swinging. Go to your nearest park and get on a swing. It is a lot of fun
and great exercise. Casually tell your colleagues that you are a “real” swinger!

UNIVERSAL HUMOR ELEMENTS

Woven through these developmental stages are several elements that

have a profound impact on the development of humor beings. These cut
38 CHAPTER 2

across the temperament and developmental aspects of humor and are

the emotional components of trust, hope, optimism, and loving rela-
tionships. In our efforts to learn about humor we will review in depth
the emerging research about the significant impact emotions have on
learning in chapter 3. However there is a need to mention a few of the
emotional indicators that are lifelong partners of humor development
and practice.
Trust. Fun and laughter are indicators of a high level of trust within a
healthy organization.
Hope. Humor is the sign of optimism within individuals and organi-
zations. Humor expresses the hope that we can survive tragedy, diffi-
culty, and change and not only survive but thrive.
Optimism. Depression and pessimism are often linked. The energy of
humor is a reflection of an optimistic spirit.
Love. When looking for a mate, the number one characteristic men-
tioned as necessary is a sense of humor. Humor is the universal bond for
building relationships and reflects our love for others.
Finding and nourishing the nut within you is a lifelong adventure.
The energy that comes from humor supports our ability to be optimistic,
to have trust and hope, and to experience loving relationships.

“Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.”

SUMMARY

This chapter examines the impact of temperament on our development

and the power of play in brain growth. We are born with a temperament
that impacts our humor development and our environment nurtures the
growth of our sense of humor. There are five defined stages of humor
development:

1. Peek-a-boo, ages zero to two

2. Knock-knock, ages two to school age
3. Riddle-de-dee, early primary years
4. Pun-fun, later primary years
5. Joy-flow, maturation of humor style, high school to adult
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 39

Each stage has opportunities for enhancing learning and it is impor-

tant for educators to have an awareness of the developmental charac-
teristics of each stage. Each infant’s brain contains a unique blueprint
for humor maturation. Recognition of universal patterns of humor de-
velopment provides the foundation for cultivating individual growth
through specific jokes and humorous techniques for that particular
phase.
Play is an integral part of brain growth and of humor development.
Play provides powerful practice opportunities for cognitive develop-
ment. However, in this age of accountability, schools reduce free play as
structured test-driven activities consume more and more time. Playful-
ness is deemed acceptable only in controlled situations and with certain
rituals that permit the expression of silliness, fun, and wild laughter. Play
necessitates a level of risk taking rarely tolerated as acceptable behavior
in most groups. Yet many organizations are recognizing the importance
of play in generating creativity, productivity, and employee well-being.
A sign of a healthy school environment is one that is filled with fun and
laughter. Humor is an indicator of a high level of trust within a culture.
Humor is reflected in the universal positive elements of trust, hope, op-
timism, and love.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Use humor as an intentional, attentional tool.
s Generate discussion of these definitions among the staff. Divide
staff into several or all of these groups. Have them design activi-
ties based on their topic:
s Practicing Play: The Original Discovery Method of Learning
s The Art of Fun: The Real Definition of Engaged Learning
s Mindful Mischief: Minimize Misbehaviors with Mirth
s Class Clowns: Honoring and Developing Student Humor
s Funny Papers: Writing with Humor and Cartooning
s Emotion Detector: A Skill Used to Understand the Emotions
of Self and Others
s Start staff meetings honoring the person who has created the
most laughter in the building that week. Have a traveling “Oscar”
trophy.
40 CHAPTER 2

s Have a “lettuce entertains you” salad luncheon for institute day.

Take pictures of staff with a “make over” as clowns. Let different
groups create games, activities, and opportunities for fun.
s Sponsor a “Letterman top ten list” for some of the problems or sit-
uations in the school or district (for example: “The top ten reasons
why school board meetings are fun to attend” or “The top ten rea-
sons for being the first person to be in the building in the morning”).
s Start a jokers club. Invite all interested to join in sharing jokes, sto-
ries, and cartoons. Meet weekly, beginning with a half hour time
slot. This could be over the lunch hour, before, or after school.
Use a deck of cards to begin the session. The person who draws
the “joker” first gets to begin the session.

Study Group Focus

s Observe the humor development of the students in your class-
room.
s Brainstorm with your colleagues some ways to optimize student
learning.
s Create a plan to increase the humor resources in the library based
on current student development needs.
s Research current levels of play and free choice in your school en-
vironment.
s Do a climate survey of students and staff before implementation
of a focused effort to increase play time for students and staff. Af-
ter a year of implementation do a follow-up survey. Note any
change in climate, test scores, parent satisfaction, etc.
s Study the current status of play time for students and staff includ-
ing recess, lunch, staff breaks, retreats, etc. Share your findings
with students and staff.
s Analyze the play data and brainstorm ways to increase the amount
of free play and choice for students and staff.

Café Conversations
s Discuss the play research found in this chapter. Expand the dis-
cussion to include the views of early childhood educators and high
D E V E L O P I N G YO U R H U M O R B E I N G 41

school colleagues. Is there a difference in the way play is consid-

ered as a part of the curriculum?
s What is creative thinking? After coming to shared agreement, ex-
plore the various ways that educators encourage students’ creativ-
ity.
s What are the benefits and challenges of class clowns? List ways
that teachers can take advantage of the gifts of class clowns.

“Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.”
 s
Chapter 3
EXAMINING BRAIN
RESEARCH AND HUMOR
Mouse Droppings

“It has recently been discovered that research causes cancer in rats.”

Pioneering research continues to unravel ways in which humor and

learning are linked. Two kinds of mice are providing us with increasingly
detailed information about the role of the emotions in the learning
process. These mouse droppings provide powerful incentives for us to
take a fresh look at humor as a significant factor in the learning process.
Laboratory mice. Those little critters and their researchers persist in
providing us data about the links between the emotions, learning, and
humor.
Computer mouse. Another type of mouse manipulation is found in
the use of computerized imaging. The ability to observe brain activity
has accelerated our understanding of cognitive research. Cognitive neu-
roscience continues to address how brain biology addresses the emo-
tions and learning.
MRI technology provides us with some mesmerizing data on what hu-
mor looks like in the brain. Machines are able to measure variations in
chemical composition, blood flow, and electromagnetic fields. This tech-
nology has dramatically advanced the ability of brain scientists to provide
clinical applications. The research on humor shows that the chemical
reactions that occur while we laugh are complex, which affirms that what

43
44 CHAPTER 3

we know about humor and cognition is primitive at best. The quest for
knowledge linking the positive emotions and learning can be compared to
a mouse in a maze looking for the cheesy humor. It will be a long journey!
Brain research has provided the foundation for my thinking about hu-
mor. Numerous books are listed in the bibliography, but Becoming a Wiz
at Brain-Based Teaching (Sprenger 2002) and Brain Matters, Translating
Research into Classroom Practice (Wolfe, 2001) are excellent resources
for teachers wanting to incorporate brain research into their practice.
Blueprint for Student Success (Jones, 2003) and A Biological Brain in a
Cultural Classroom (Sylwester, 2003) are also exceptional resources.
Funny, isn’t it? Humor has not even been on the radar screen of most
educational researchers. Following the trail of mouse droppings has been
a pioneering adventure. However, there are several pellets that make the
case for using positive humor to maximize learning (see figure 3-1). This

Figure 3-1.
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 45

chapter will examine the research on the role of emotions in fear, stress,
and depression. I will then look at how humor can:

s Capture and retain student attention

s Expand student comprehension
s Increase the opportunity for memory retention
s Build relationships with students and colleagues
s Create a nurturing environment for learning
s Support classroom management
s Help people cope
s Enhance the joyful craft of teaching and learning

THE EMOTIONS AND HUMOR

An overview of the research confirms that humor is a complex process in-

volving our emotional being. The research on emotions provides the es-
sential foundation necessary for humor studies. Emotion is an uncon-
scious arousal system that helps to alert us to potential dangers as well as
opportunities. The emotions identify the dynamics of challenge and acti-
vate the problem-solving systems to respond. Almost everything we do
begins with the complex processing system of emotion (Sylwester, 2005).
Learning must go through our emotional filter and our memories are
composed of experiences that are linked to emotions. Thus, emotional
memory is a critical component for the learning process. These emo-
tions are either positively or negatively linked. As educators, what do we
want our students to feel? What do we want to feel?

r Jest for Fun r

Before reading this next section, think about three of your most powerful
memories of school. Why do you remember them? What emotions were tied
to these memories?

We know from our friend the imaging mouse that much of the activity of
humor occurs in the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobes are the
problem-solving, decision-making, action-initiating, paired lobes in the
front part of the cerebral cortex (Sylwester, 2005). The frontal lobes rec-
ognize incongruities or discrepancies between the predicted developments
46 CHAPTER 3

and what actually occurs. All of our senses are designed to go on high alert
when observing unusual patterns in our field of vision because our stress-
driven reflective response system is designed to detect anything that might
harm us. If what occurs is what is expected, we don’t really take notice. If
what occurs is unexpected and negative (danger), and we lack the re-
sources to respond effectively, a pessimistic state emerges—becoming
fearful, pessimistic, angry, etc. Conversely, if what occurs is unexpected
and positive (opportunity) and we have the resources to respond effec-
tively, we move into a state of joy—becoming happy, optimistic, etc. Our
memory is strongly linked to positive or negative emotions.
The emotions are a critical force in the learning process. According to
Antonio R. Damasio, “emotion is a very adaptive form of physiological
response, and it regulates our lives.” He states that emotion is part of the
reasoning and decision-making process and is critical to learning and
memory. Our very survival system depends upon the emotions as part of
our regulatory system (Damasio, 1999). Sylwester (1995) states that
“emotions drive attention, attention drives learning.” Candice Pert
(1997), a pioneer in cellular research, hypothesizes that emotions exist
in every cell of the body. She actually started investigating neuropep-
tides when she read Norman Cousin’s work Anatomy of an Illness
(1979). Her research explores the brain chemicals of mood and behav-
ior and how they communicate with the immune system and she was in-
terested in his theory that endorphins are the key to the healing power
of laughter. Her theory is that our emotions exist in every cell in our
body and not just in our brains; thus, when we have a strong emotion,
we feel it in our entire body. Although there is some controversy about
this theory, there is no doubt that our emotions play a vital role in at-
tention, memory, and learning.
If we were a mouse in the corner of a school building, what emotions
would we observe among teachers and students? Joy or fear? Since fear
can and does immediately activate the reflective response system of our
brain, it has long been used to manipulate teacher behavior and student
learning. This controlling tactic is evident in our school systems. The
fear of teacher evaluations, of parent confrontations, of bad grades, the
fear of being sent to the principal’s office, and the fear of not getting into
college are widespread fear-based factors. Educators and students must
frequently navigate the emotional land mine of fear-based emotions in
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 47

our schools. We need to take a close look at the emotion of fear in order
to better understand humor.
Fear is our most powerful emotion. It has the primary purpose of pro-
tecting us from harm. We are programmed to pay attention to our fears
because this emotion alerts us if our safety is threatened. Fear has been
the focus of considerable cognitive research. Imaging technology makes
it relatively easy to locate fear in the amygdala and hippocampus regions
of the brain. Fear signals danger. Fear immediately alerts us to pay at-
tention.
While this fear is critical to our survival, it is tempting to use this emo-
tional reaction to control the actions of others. Let’s look at some of the
research on stress in order to appreciate the subsequent research on hu-
mor and fun.

STRESS AND LEARNING

Excess fear causes stress. There is mounting scientific evidence that sug-
gests that excess stress has an adverse impact on learning. Yet, according
to many teachers, we are exposing our children to stress at escalating
rates. There has been increased high-stakes testing in our schools and
many districts have implemented paper and pencil testing for students as
young as four and five years old. There has been an increasing pressure
to focus on what is tested (reading and math) at the expense of the arts,
physical education, and play. Grades are considered extremely important
and actually drive most students’ learning instead of the desire to learn.
A look at some of the research heightens our awareness of the possi-
ble dangers that excess stress creates for our students. Although there
are no firm conclusions, here are some of the recent theories on the re-
lationship between stress, depression, memory, and learning.
An impoverished and stressful childhood may diminish learning by
having a negative impact on the medial temporal memory of a child.
Prenatal stress and the stress that comes from living in poverty have
been found to have a negative impact on neurological development and
subsequent ability to learn (Farah, 2005).
Excess fear might lead to actual memory loss. Robert Sapolsky con-
ducted a fascinating study examining the brains of World War II veterans
48 CHAPTER 3

who had survived intense trauma during the war. He found that the hip-
pocampus of these men was usually smaller than nonveterans in the same
age category. He noted an actual loss of part of the hippocampus in these
veterans as well as a resulting memory loss (Sapolsky, 1999). Current
studies corroborate this relationship between excess stress, damage to
the hippocampus, and subsequent memory loss, but no firm conclusions
can be made yet.
Overuse or misuse of the reflexive response system can escalate sim-
ple anger and assertiveness into reflexive physical aggression. Some stu-
dents constantly live in an insecure fearful environment, producing a
learned helplessness response (Sylwester, 2005). Often students just
give up when they feel they have no control over their environment. “A
reflexive stress response occurs unconsciously, and so reduces our abil-
ity to create factual memories” (Sylwester, 2005).

“Before giving anyone a piece of your mind, be sure you have enough to
spare.”

DEPRESSION

Students who are prone to depression may secrete more cortisol during a
stressful time. There may also be decreased prefrontal cortex activity,
causing moody and negative behavior. Depressed students have trouble
concentrating. Symptoms of depression also include deteriorating school-
work, truancy, verbal outbursts, and social rejection (Sylwester, 2005).
Depression should not be overlooked when it comes to its impact on
teaching and learning. “It is not possible to explain either the disease or
its treatment based solely on levels of neurotransmitters,” says neurobi-
ologist Ronald Duman (1999).

There is evidence that indicates that recurrent depression is in fact a neu-

rodegenerative disorder, disrupting the structure and function of brain
cells—destroying nerve cell connections, even killing certain brain cells,
and precipitating cognitive decline. At the very least, depression sets up
neural roadblocks to the processing of information and keeps us from
adaptively responding to whatever challenges life throws our way. (Estroff
Marano, 1999)
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 49

HIGH-STAKES TESTING

There have not been enough studies to clearly address this issue; how-
ever, some of the research indicates a correlation between stress and
high-stakes testing. Researchers at Arizona State University conducted
a fairly large study on standardized testing and reported that high-stakes
testing can induce physiologically damaging stress. Teachers inter-
viewed reported increased levels of stress as a result of the testing
process, including extreme frustration and exhaustion. An in-depth ex-
amination of elementary schools in Arizona found that external (i.e.,
state- and district-mandated) high-stakes testing often resulted in nega-
tive effects in the classroom (Wright 2002).

MAXIMIZING LEARNING WITH HUMOR

Our brain is wired to notice unusual movement and abnormal activity.

This information is filtered by the reflexive response system of the brain
and alerts us to possible danger. This same system also feels relief if the
danger is nonexistent. This feeling of relief is often what triggers humor.
So humor is a tool that can be used by the reflexive response center of
the brain that monitors our environment for fear. When the brain dis-
covers there is no danger, the surprise brings relief that often generates
laughter and humor. Humor thus can provide the tools needed to cope
with fear and stress.
As promised, we will look at how humor enhances learning. I have
grouped the first three humor learning elements within the metaphor of
using humor as a hook, line, and sinker for memory and learning. These are
described as tools that can fill the “educator’s tackle box” (see figure 3-2):

The Hook: Capture and Retain Student Attention

The Line: Expand Student Comprehension
The Sinker: Increase the Opportunity for Memory Retention

How do you activate the hook, line, and sinker tools in your tackle
box? Hook ’em with humor. Cast in the line of practice and repetition,
and sink it in the long-term memory with feedback and reflection.
50 CHAPTER 3

Figure 3-2. Your tackle box: hook, line, and sinker

The process described in this metaphor involves a purposeful and de-

termined use of humor for the purpose of memory retention. Humor
has the power to capture attention (hook), manipulate this information
in the working memory (line), and become a part of our automatic re-
sponse system (sinker).

The Hook
The brain is hardwired to familiar patterns. The way we drive or the
way we approach solving a math problem becomes routine. Over time
our repetitious daily activity follows established habits of behavior. As
previously mentioned, fear protects us from danger. In order to do this,
the brain is alerted to a pattern disruption or any surprise element. As a
protective device when we see something out of the ordinary—we no-
tice. This surprise component is what provides the opportunity for
teachers to effectively use humor because humor usually contains an el-
ement of surprise.
Surprise defies the brain’s predictions and expectations. When some-
one acts out of the ordinary, when something unusual happens, our
brain pays attention. It is often recommended in implementing differ-
entiation strategies that teachers change state every ten to fifteen min-
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 51

utes to “wake up” the attentional center of the brain. This change of
state assists the students who may no longer be paying attention. A hu-
mor hook is perfect bait for the educator’s tackle box.

The Line
The hook is followed with a line, a direct connection that links past
experiences with the new information. The emotional memory is strong.
Humor can be used to activate the brain by linking the emotional con-
text of humor, thus finding the information that we want to remember.
We can provide this humor context through repetition and practice.
These are the critical components in creating strong lines or neural
pathways to the long-term memory. Neurons that fire together, wire to-
gether. Practice and repetition condition our brains and form pathways
that will become “hardwired.” These neural connections streamline the
learning process. Learning is quicker, more automatic, and more effi-
cient when pathways in the brain are frequently traveled.
The more humor that is interjected into student practice (instead of
boring rote stuff), the more likely it is students will want to repeat the
information and strengthen the neural pathway. A strong line is depen-
dent on frequent usage. If it’s fun, it will be practiced.

The Sinker
Several authors of the brain-based literature detail strategies for us-
ing feedback and reflection as tools for sinking the information into
long-term memory and ensuring recall (Jones, 2003). Humor can be
used by the teacher to assist in the feedback loop of assessment. Again,
the more humor links (emotional memory) provided for the brain, the
better chance there will be for recalling information. Reflection is the
remaining chance to use humor and can be a powerful tool for subse-
quent memory recall. Other powerful sinker techniques are summary,
assessment, and authentic assessment, (performing a real life task).
So humor has the power to capture attention (hook). If you manipulate
this information through practice and repetition in the working memory
(line), it becomes a part of our automatic response system (sinker) with
feedback and reflection. The frequency of humor implemented at any of
52 CHAPTER 3

these points improves the probability that the emotional memory will be
found and the student will remember the information.
Many teachers informally use humor as an integral part of teaching
students for memory retention and recall. However, what I am suggest-
ing here is a purposeful use of humor applied to what we already know
from cognitive research. There are numerous examples of hook, line,
and sinker techniques included in chapter 6.
An example of using humor hook, line, and sinker can be found in the
popular Schoolhouse Rock cartoons, a commercial advertising venture by
David McCall. He noticed that his son was having trouble with remem-
bering the multiplication tables; however, he had no trouble remember-
ing the lyrics to many rock songs. So McCall decided to try the music and
rhyme his son already enjoyed as a way to teach these facts. The first song
created was “Three Is a Magic Number,” by Bob Dorough. It became so
popular that subsequent episodes were added for other content areas, in-
cluding grammar and science. This series is an example of hooking kids
with cartoons and providing the line with practice and repetition. Teach-
ers can sink the information through feedback by asking students what
they remember from the video. Students can repeat and even sing the in-
formation as a way to reflect on their learning. My granddaughter Emma
spent our last car trip singing the ABC song. I would venture a guess that
most of us “sing” that song when asked to recite the alphabet.
Some resources that integrate humor and learning are available, but
further exploration is needed on ways that humor resources can maxi-
mize student learning.

“A mouse does not rely on just one hole.”—Plautus

HUMOR BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS

WITH FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

Developing positive relationships with students and colleagues is one of

the greatest benefits of humor. Laughter is a visible sign of humor in ac-
tion and reflects the social side of humor.
Why do we laugh? When do we laugh? What connection does laugh-
ter have to humor? Robert Provine, in his book Laughter, a Scientific In-
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 53

vestigation (2000), makes it clear that it is difficult to research humor

because of the variety of definitions and vague terminology. However,
laughter is observable and he says, “because laughter is unplanned and
uncensored, it is a powerful probe into social relationships.”
While laughter is generally thought to be an expression of humor or
comedy, it is definitely observed most often during social interactions
with others and does not necessarily result from jokes or funny stories.
Provine uses the term sidewalk science, which he says is a low-tech ap-
proach to brain and behavior research based on everyday experience.
His observations of human laugher and an analysis of subsequent
recorded conversations are the basis for his interpretation that laughter
can be considered a distinct vocalization that usually occurs during pos-
itive social interactions (Provine, 2000).
Philosopher John Morreall speculates that human laughter may have
its biological origins as a shared expression of relief at the ending of dan-
ger. The relaxation we feel after laughing may help inhibit the fight-or-
flight response, making laughter a behavioral sign of trust in one’s com-
panions.

Laughter is a part of human behavior regulated by the brain. It helps hu-

mans clarify their intentions in social interaction and provides an emo-
tional context to our conversations. Laughter is used as a signal for being
part of a group—it signals acceptance and positive interactions. Laughter
is sometimes contagious and the laughter of one person can provoke
laughter from others. This may account for the popularity of laugh tracks
in situation comedy television shows. Imaging studies reveal that the lim-
bic system is involved in laughter. The limbic system is a primitive part of
the brain that is involved in emotions and helps us with basic functions
necessary for survival. Two structures in the limbic system are involved in
producing laughter: the amygdala and the hippocampus. (Morreall, 1997)

The Rotman Research Institute at the University of Toronto released the

first study to show that the frontal lobe plays a prominent role in our abil-
ity to appreciate humor. The study, led by Prathiba Shammi, measured
responses to jokes and cartoons. Half of the group had injury to the pre-
frontal lobes caused by stroke, tumor, or surgical removal. The responses
of this group were compared to a control group similar in age, gender,
and education. The study found that damage to the right anterior frontal
54 CHAPTER 3

lobe was disruptive to the ability to appreciate jokes and cartoons

(Shammi, 1999).
Peter Derks conducted a study of laughter using electrodes attached to
the brain. The electricity observed in the entire cerebral cortex indicated
that most of the brain is actively engaged during laughter. Laughter can
be just a simple physical response to the nonhumorous stimulus of tick-
ling, while positive social interactions usually evoke a smile, laugh, or
chuckle and can be thought of as eliciting the laughter response (1997).
There have been several studies of the benefits of laughter. Some re-
search indicates that laughter increases adrenaline, oxygen flow, and
pulse rate. After laughter, many people report feeling more relaxed and
calm. Laughter can be observed in relationships with another person or
with several others. The relatively new research on mirror neurons sug-
gests that our brain has a basic mirroring response to emotional actions.

When parents conceive a child, their combined genetic information pro-

vides the developing embryo with the necessary bodybuilding direc-
tions—such as gender identity, nose placement, and skin color. After the
child is born, parents and others must provide cultural information about
how to live in our complex social environment. They provide this mentor-
ing through language and our brain’s remarkable recently discovered mir-
ror neuron system.
The renowned neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran suggested at the turn
of the 21st century that the discovery of mirror neurons might provide the
same powerful unifying framework for our understanding of teaching and
learning that the 1953 discovery of DNA did for our understanding of ge-
netics. Recent developments suggest that his prediction might be correct.
He goes on to say, “When we observe someone yawn, it activates our
brain’s yawning system. Adults typically override the tendency and stifle
the yawn—but if we stick out our tongue at an infant who is only a few
hours old, it’s probable that she will immediately reciprocate, even though
she had never before stuck out her tongue (or even had any conscious
awareness of her tongue). Her observation of our behavior will automati-
cally activate the mirror neurons that regulate her tongue movements.
Since she has a zillion movements to learn and therefore no reason to sti-
fle the action, her mirror neurons will activate the motor neurons that
project her tongue. Similarly, smile and she’ll smile. Clap your hands and
she’ll clap her hands. It’s like monkey see, monkey do in childhood.” (Syl-
wester, 2006)
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 55

Research on mirror neurons as related to humor and laughter will be

fascinating to observe. We do know that laughter is contagious. When
someone laughs, even if the situation is not funny, we will often join the
laughter. How do the mirror neurons figure into this? As humor pio-
neers, we can only imagine what future research will reveal.

“All creatures must learn to coexist. That’s why the brown bear and
the field mouse can share their lives in harmony. Of course, they can’t
mate or the mice would explode.”

—Betty White

HUMOR CREATES A NURTURING

ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING

One of my favorite “mouse droppings” involves the impact of different

cage environments on rats. (See figure 3-3.) Could positive experiences
change the actual physical structure of the brain? Rats were put in three
different environments. The first rats were loners raised in dark isola-
tion with only food and water. The second set was raised with other rats
in a small but social group. The third group of rats was treated to a con-
dition called environmental complexity. These fortunate rats lived in
colonies of twelve with toys and frequent stimulation from the scientists.
These lucky rats did indeed have larger brain mass and performed bet-
ter on problem-solving maze tasks. A subsequent study (Volkmar &
Greenough, 1972) found that the brains of rats in the wild had the most
neural connections, which might lead us to ask if our schools are just
cages with toys and friends!
Educators have long known an enriched environment contributes to
better performance in school and a better chance of success in life (Di-
amond & Hopson, 1998). Parents are a child’s first educators and most
children do not come with instructions—at least mine didn’t. Children
come to school with a wide range of backgrounds and previous experi-
ences, which have an enormous impact on student learning.
Since our personalities emerge from our genetics and our emotionally
stored memories (LeDeux, 2002), it seems probable that our humor
identity comes from the experiences of joy, laughter, and fun stored in
56 CHAPTER 3

Figure 3-3.

our memories and from the temperament that we inherited. This is the
nature/nurture theory explored in chapter 2. The more humor experi-
ences an individual has, the better the chance that humor will benefit
the learning process.
A positive emotional relationship with significant adults provides the
emotional groundwork for the neurological development of a child from
birth (Siegel, 1999). When a child enters preschool, the emotional re-
sponse system is fairly well developed. There are children who are un-
able to respond appropriately in a school environment because they do
not have the emotional tools necessary. We notice the sad and angry
kids, we usually notice the kids who are depressed, and we always notice
the kids who act out. We often explore the causes of “dysfunction” and
try to provide appropriate services.
Our schools have a unique opportunity to provide a “wild rat experi-
ence” toward maximizing learning for all of our children. This learning
is active, engaging, and absorbing for students. Unfortunately, many of
our children are in deprived school environments, like the second or
even the first group of rats. A sit-and-get lectured style school environ-
ment may be compared to the cage that offers no toys or little stimula-
tion for the students. (Refer to figure 3-3.)
Kids and adults can learn to route the neural pathways in their
brains toward positive response patterns. Exploring ways for kids to fo-
cus on their positive emotions can be a challenge. Hey, it’s also a chal-
lenge for most of us as adults. It begins with the premise that learning
is fun. Any worthwhile work that actively engages the mind and pro-
vides excitement and challenge can be identified as fun. If children are
having fun, their emotional state will be one of positive anticipation.
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 57

They will be eager to absorb the hook, line, and sinker of humor-filled
learning (see appendix 1).

HUMOR SUPPORTS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

“Won’t I lose class control if I use humor?” This question has been of-
ten been raised by teachers. There is a perception that students who are
laughing and having fun are out of control. Humor guidelines (see im-
pact vs. intent in chapter 4) might be reviewed with older students who
have not previously been encouraged to express their energy and joy.
There is a euphoric high experienced by students when they have suc-
cessfully gotten the class to laugh or when they find humor in learning.
This is humergy in action.
The emotional state of the child cannot be overlooked. If a child
comes to school in an angry mood, most teachers try to dissolve the
anger, knowing angry kids will not be ready to learn. Teachers also have
the opportunity to teach children the internal skill of being able to
change their own fearful/angry pattern of response to one of hope and
optimism, open to the possibility of humor and joy.
Fourth graders enrolled in a program called Urban Improv Work-
shops showed less aggression and were more engaged in class, accord-
ing to an article in the Christian Science Monitor (Teicher, 2005). This
Boston research study conducted by the Trauma Center of the Massa-
chusetts Mental Health Institute compared a control group with the
group that used humor and improv workshops to decrease the aggres-
sive behavior. The participant group showed more cooperation, self-
control, and engagement in class than the control group. This was a lim-
ited study that needs further peer review but provides an initial step in
this type of research.
Have you noticed? There are the experienced teachers who have
the ability to anticipate disruptive behavior before it happens. These
truly gifted teachers often use humor to deter misbehavior while con-
tinuing to let that same student know they are cared for. Kidding is a
successful strategy that has long been used by teachers who especially
love the kids who live on the edge of trouble. Sylwester (2005) defines
this kidding as always showing love and respect for the person, even
58 CHAPTER 3

though the actual words may be interpreted as negative. This class

management technique is a phenomenon that has been primarily un-
noticed. Novice teachers could benefit from observation of teachers
who are gifted “kidders.” This is another opportunity for additional
mouse droppings research.
Fun and laughter must be in the teacher’s tackle box as well. If stu-
dents observe teachers using humor as an automatic response to the
unexpected, they will notice that there is an alternative emotional re-
sponse to life’s difficulties. Teachers can model the desired humor re-
sponse and positive outlook. Fear and anger can be neutralized with
practiced learned humor responses. We can learn to respond to ad-
versity with humor instead of anger. Humor is a procedural skill that
can be learned.
Let’s look at how educators can teach humor as an alternative re-
sponse pattern for kids. Walking is something we take for granted.
When we trip and fall it is a pattern disruption. There are a variety of
behaviors that we might exhibit, including a neutral, anger, or humor re-
action. Here are some typical reactions:

s Ignore the action of falling.

s Say “darn” (or more descriptive expletive).
s Give a common good-natured response such as “See you next fall!”
“Have a nice trip,” “I’m falling for that,” or some such play on words.
s Laugh at this unexpected challenge and one’s own clumsy behavior.

What causes these differences in different people? It would seem that

responses to pattern disruption are associated with the emotional path-
ways present in each individual’s brain, including both genetic and envi-
ronmental factors. The individual reaction to pattern disruption is com-
plex. It seems plausible that the reason a certain pattern disruption is
funny to one person and repulsive to another involves the hardwiring of
humor responses in individual brains. The more hardwired a neural
pathway is in the brain, the more difficult it will be to change the re-
sponse patterns. However, it can be done.
Our ability to respond with positive energy or humergy to unexpected
disruptions in patterns is an invaluable skill for the teacher’s tackle box.
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 59

Humor is a procedural skill. It can be taught. Many teachers are already

doing this effectively by presenting kids with options and choices. Re-
sponding with humor to the difficulties in life is a great choice. Asking a
child how they could have responded with humor instead of with anger
is an effective strategy.
If a child is having fun in school and if they are actively engaged in
learning (as defined below in the segment on creating a nurturing envi-
ronment), the chances for misbehavior decrease. The combination of
skillful teacher intervention and a positive engaging environment sup-
port effective classroom management. Humor is a key element in build-
ing the positive relationships with students that will make classroom
management an invisible element.
Class clowns present a unique opportunity for turning around disrup-
tive behavior. William Purkey’s 2006 book on Teaching Class Clowns is
a great resource for capitalizing on the strengths of the clowns in your
class.
I don’t want to overlook the challenges of the highly disruptive, emo-
tionally needy children who seem to be evident in increasing numbers
in our schools. These children need intensive intervention and it often
falls on the classroom teacher to meet the needs of these children. A
sense of humor will enable the teacher to survive these challenges. The
more humor resources available for teachers of special needs children,
the better equipped that teacher will be to provide the resources these
children need.

“If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole
thing was started with a dream and a mouse. When people laugh at
Mickey Mouse, it’s because he’s so human; and that is the secret of
his popularity.”—Walt Disney

r Jest for Fun r

Brainstorm the fear factors that might inhibit learning in your education
setting. Each week set up a fear factor program modeled on the television
program, with staff sharing strategies for surviving the fear factor. Exam-
ples would be fear of school test results or fear of noncompliance with
highly qualified teacher requirements. (See figure 3-4.)
60 CHAPTER 3

Figure 3-4.

HUMOR HELPS PEOPLE COPE

“This wallpaper is killing me. One of us will have to go.”

—attributed to Oscar Wilde on his deathbed

Talk about facing the most difficult challenge of life—death—with a

sense of humor. As defined in chapter 1, a sense of humor is the capac-
ity of a human being to respond to life challenges with optimism (Mor-
rison 2005). Our goal is to increase optimistic response patterns and
positive emotionality experiences. There is often dark or sick humor in
response to life tragedies. This topic is explored further in chapter 4.
“Humor can provide the healthiest and most powerful method of pro-
viding a perspective on life’s difficult experiences” (Sultanoff, 1994).
Humor is often shared during extreme pattern disruptions or crisis
experiences. After 9/11 there were concerns for the ability of our nation
to find its sense of humor. Our perceived ability to cope was dependent
on our ability to respond to a new trauma. Millions tuned in to the late
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 61

night shows to see how comedians would handle the painful events.
David Letterman took a week off and came back with a tribute to New
York. As comedians tried to balance the grief and the need for the nor-
malcy that humor has to offer, it was a time when humor (or lack of it)
was in the forefront of our lives.

“Can we be funny? Why start now?”

—New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, responding to a question from
Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels during the show’s first
telecast after the terrorist attacks of 9/11

“Tom Ridge announced a new color-coded alarm system. Green means

everything’s okay. Red means we’re in extreme danger. And cham-
pagne-fuchsia means we’re being attacked by Martha Stewart.”
—Conan O’Brien

“This thing is so confusing. Yesterday the alert went from blue to pink;
now half the country thinks we’re pregnant.”
—Jay Leno, on the color-coded terror alert system

Helping kids who are facing painful and life-threatening situations is the
basis of a research grant that began in 2002. University of California,
Los Angeles cancer researchers Margaret Stuber and Lonnie Zeltzer
have launched a five-year study—dubbed Rx Laughter—to investigate
the impact of humor and laughter on the immune systems of dozens of
healthy children and children confronting life-threatening diseases. The
first physician-researchers to look at the impact of comedy on both
healthy and sick children, Stuber and Zeltzer are calling on the talents
of comedy’s legendary heroes to help them out.

“We’re not hypothesizing that humor will be curative or that it is going to

take the place of any other kind of therapy, but we [believe] that humor is
going to have an additional benefit over and above simply removing or re-
ducing stress,” explains Stuber. “What I’m hoping is that we’ll actually be
changing the level of arousal in the autonomic nervous system, so we’ll get
the children to relax at that central level.” (Rayl, 2002)
62 CHAPTER 3

Humor is a strong indicator to us that we can experience life’s diffi-

culties and not only survive them but also thrive. It can allow us to de-
tach from a crisis (large pattern disruption) for a few moments and find
some hope or optimism in the situation that will relieve the stress or
fears that we face (Sultanoff, 1994).

“Today, if you invent a better mousetrap, the government comes along

with a better mouse.”
—Ronald Reagan

Would you believe that age improves our sense of well-being and our
ability to respond to challenges with humor? Aging may actually improve
the positive thinking of the brain. Psychologist Daniel K. Mroczek sur-
veyed 2,727 men and women ages 25–74 to determine how age, gender,
marital status, education, health, and other factors impact well-being. He
found that the aging process itself predicted a more positive mental state.
“The older the person was, the more he or she reported positive emo-
tions like cheerfulness, life satisfaction, and overall happiness within the
past 30 days. And surprisingly, the younger participants reported more
negative emotions, like feeling sad, nervous, hopeless or worthless”
(Mroczek, 2005). Although elderly white males have the highest suicide
rate of any group, Mroczek found that older men in his study, especially
those who were married, reported being the happiest and having the
least amount of negative emotion. Older women also reported more pos-
itive emotions than younger women. How does Mroczek account for this
increase in happiness among people nearing the end of their lives?

From our research, we have seen that older adults regulate their emotions
more effectively than younger or middle-age adults. We can propose that
older individuals seem to be able to know, through their years of experi-
ence, what kinds of external events increase or decrease their positive and
negative emotions. Therefore, they achieve a better “emotional balance”
by selecting people and situations that will minimize negative and maxi-
mize positive emotions. (Mroczek, 2005)

Once humor is established as a hardwired response pattern, a sense

of humor can become a finely honed skill that enables an individual to
consistently respond with optimism and humergy. When we persist at
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 63

increasing the fun in our lives, we become increasingly skilled at devel-

oping our own individual humor craft.

r Jest for Fun r

Spend more time with colleagues that you enjoy. Encourage their efforts for
fun and laughter. Be sure to tell them how much you appreciate their sense
of humor. We often forget to honor those who bring joy into our lives, but
dwell instead on the negative feedback from negative people.

HUMOR ENHANCES THE JOY-FLOW CRAFT OF TEACHING

It is difficult to ascertain the impact that high-stakes testing is having on the

culture of our schools. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know
that stress and burnout among educators is on the rise. Legislation that
mandates increased testing of students rarely takes into account the impact
it will have on the emotional well-being of our teachers and students. (See
figure 3-5.)

Figure 3-5.
64 CHAPTER 3

Table 3-1. Cultural Indicators in the Classroom

Fear-Based Joyflow
No choice for students Opportunities for choice
Silence emphasized Music, conversation, laughter
Criticism Affirmations
Teacher-centered Student-centered
Emphasis on a reward system Invisible discipline
Intensity Reflection time
Little curriculum integration Curriculum integration
Pop quizzes and grades Performance assessment with reflective feedback
Threatening Challenging
Low trust and low fun High trust and lots of fun
Boredom Engagement
Low energy Enthusiasm and excitement
Stressful Challenging
Fearful Joyful

What is the current “emotional temperament” of our school systems?

Questions about the intensity of the accountability movement and the
resulting stress must be addressed. Mandated legislation has over-
whelmed the financial and emotional resources of our educational sys-
tem. Educators value accountability and they want to be sure their stu-
dents are succeeding. However, increasing the amount of high-stakes
testing is not always conducive to increasing student achievement. (See
table 3-1.)

PROMISING RESEARCH

As mentioned in chapter 1, the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology

(PEP) Lab at the University of Michigan wants to understand and share
the significance of positive emotions. This is a study of the relationship
between emotion and the autonomic nervous system activity in people
who flourish. Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psy-
chological Association, uses the term “positive psychology” to identify
what makes people thrive. Traditionally, psychology has focused on
deficit characteristics such as anger, anxiety, and sadness. Seligman,
along with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who originated the concept of flow,
has changed the paradigm to the study of human strengths and sources
of happiness (Seligman, 2000).
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 65

Psychology previously focused on studying what was wrong with peo-

ple. We often center on what students are not able to do—on what they
do not know. What happens when research changes the paradigm of
study to strengthening the positive attributes? A hypothesis called
broadening studies states that “distinct, discrete positive emotions
broaden the scopes of attention, cognition, and action, widening the ar-
ray of percepts, thoughts, and action presently in mind. A corollary nar-
rowing hypothesis states that negative emotions shrink these same ar-
rays” (Seligman, 2000). “The positive emotions actually widen the
opportunities for learning whereas the negative emotions narrow the
options,” say the folks at the PEP lab (www.lsa.umich.edu/psych/pe-
plab/broaden.htm).
The implications of this research are critically important to educators.
It gives credence to the concept of joy-flow and humergy concepts I’ve
identified and it provides the impetus for further research on humor.
The positive emotions are more difficult to study then the negative
ones since they are comparatively fewer in number and relatively undif-
ferentiated. The optimistic emotions of joy, amusement, and humor are
not as easily “read” as anger or fear. As mentioned in the research on
fear, folks attend quickly to the negative emotions because they alert our
attentional system to the worry about immediate survival. The positive
emotions, while important for personal growth and emotional stability,
do not pose this urgent need (Fredrickson, 2003).
A relatively new option for the treatment of a variety of disorders is
the use of humor therapy. This treatment is based on the use of humor
as a deliberate attempt to provide symptom relief and it’s practiced for
both physical and emotional disorders. Some therapists are experiment-
ing with the use of humor as a treatment option for depression and men-
tal illness. Clowns, toys, and humor resource rooms are available in
some hospitals as a focus on the healing benefits of humor. While there
is mounting scientific evidence that humor reduces the natural stresses
of illness and distracts the patient from pain, no conclusions can yet be
made as to the correlation between pain relief and humor.
Play therapy has long been used with children as a vehicle for
working through emotional challenges. Play therapy is defined by the
Association for Play Therapy as “the systematic use of a theoretical
model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play
66 CHAPTER 3

therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent

or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and
development.” A lay definition might be “a form of counseling that
uses play to communicate with and render assistance, especially to
children whose natural language is play” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Play_therapy).
For many folks it is difficult not to be “high on humor.” There is a
passion and fervor among those who believe strongly in the healing of
humor. As an attendee at the Association for Applied and Therapeutic
Humor conference in Chicago in 2003, I witnessed the strong negative
reaction of the audience when Rod Martin presented an overview of
the research that challenged some popular theories. Humor quackery
is difficult to overcome. Hard research on humor is increasing, but
many of the mouse droppings are scattered and inconclusive. There
are a few organizations dedicated to scientific research on humor. One
such organization is The International Society for Humor Studies
which publishes Humor: An International Journal of Humor Research.
Some journals that occasionally cite humor research in their publica-
tions include the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the
Journal of Physiology. For a great overview of the many facets of hu-
mor, do take a look at The Encyclopedia of 20th-Century American
Humor (Nilsen & Nilsen, 2000). And once again, for the lay practi-
tioner who wants a quick, reliable overview of the research, I recom-
mend the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor website at
www.aath.org.
I’m grateful that the interest in humor research is growing. Future
mouse droppings will be revealing to those who might think humor re-
search is just a bunch of crap. Educators can be most effective when
they are aware of the cognitive implications of humor research and feel
confident in applying this knowledge to their practice.

r Jest for Fun r

Share resources on humor and health. The focus of this book is humor
and learning, but there is fascinating research on the healing power of
humor.
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 67

SUMMARY

A staggering amount of data, emerging from biological research and

from imaging technology, provides compelling evidence linking hu-
mor and learning. While it is clear that fear and stress inhibit learn-
ing, the research on humor and joy is more complex. An increasing
number of studies confirm the relationship between positive emo-
tions and learning. Here are some benefits of humor in the learning
process:

s Captures and retains student attention

s Expands student comprehension
s Increases the opportunity for memory retention
s Builds relationships with students and colleagues
s Creates a nurturing environment for learning
s Supports classroom management
s Helps people cope
s Enhances the joy-flow craft of teaching

Emotions drive attention and attention drives learning. The emotion

of fear has traditionally driven our school vehicles. Fear is the most fre-
quent basis for our grading system, our discipline techniques, and the
accountability movement. This fear is harbored in school cultures that
reflect stress and burnout both in the teachers and students. Extreme
stress is not only detrimental to a healthy lifestyle but it also decreases
cognitive development: learning is inhibited in a stressful environment.
Positive emotionality (including humor) can act as a hook, line, and
sinker in memory retention. Humor has the power to capture attention
(hook), manipulate this information with repetition and practice in the
working memory (line), and provide feedback and reflection as part of a
response system (sinker). Humergy can become a component of our au-
tomated response system.
Laughter research is difficult because we all laugh at different things.
We know that laughter is contagious and reflects human connections.
Mirror neuron research may soon give us insights as to why we laugh
with others and why humor is an important part of relationships.
68 CHAPTER 3

Humor contributes to a healthy environment that reduces stress and

increases our coping capacity. It is an indicator of our ability to survive
tragedy and adapt to change. Research on humor is in the pioneering
stage, but as MRI technology continues to advance we will gain further
insights into the complex issues of the relationship between positive
emotionality and learning.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Identify current staff professional development needs to find ways
to keep up-to-date on the fast pace of cognitive and humor re-
search.
s Find a way to share faculty resources and expertise from work-
shops and conferences.
s Encourage creative and humorous insights.
s Link cognitive research and humor practice into an action plan for
staff development. Involve the counselors, social workers, and
psychologists, inviting their insights for practical application.
Check out Layered Curriculum by Kathie Nunley (2001) as a
choice-driven and learning-focused program.
s Facilitate a discussion on the prevalent emotional forces at work
in your system. What negative emotions are narrowing thinking
and limiting opportunities for personal growth and development?
What emotional impact does your accountability system have on
the opportunities for positive emotionality?
s Encourage faculty to come to consensus on one area of humor re-
search. Brainstorm possible ways of increasing the positive emo-
tionality of students and faculty with the purpose of expanding
thinking and increasing flow experiences.
s Stress relief strategies can be shared on the staff bulletin board.
s Pair different colleagues each month (month mates). Focus on
building relationships based on fun and providing support for that
person in their quest for humergy. Choose one playful or fun activ-
ity to do with that person during the month. This can be as simple
as taking a walk in the gym, eating lunch together, or sharing jokes.
s Give each staff member the gift of a tennis ball with their name on
it. A powerful self massage can be experienced when the ball is po-
EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR 69

sitioned between an individual and a wall or preferably the floor.

This is especially relaxing for the upper back and neck muscles
that can become tense during the day.
s If you do not have a staff exercise facility, ask for donations of good
used exercise equipment to be placed in a designated exercise room
(if space allows it) in your building. Encourage members to work
out in the morning before school or after school with each other.

Study Group Focus

Review and discuss the research on positive emotionality at the PEP
lab at the University of Michigan. For details see the website at
www.lsa.umich.edu/psych/peplab/intro.htm.
Pick one of the following research topics for your group to pursue:
Positive emotionality. We all know some students who seem to have
overwhelming life challenges. Spend a week observing and writing your
observations on one of these children. Review your notes and decide on
a plan to increase the positive emotional responses to this child. Initiate
an age-appropriate discussion with this child about positive thinking and
change of emotional state. Serve as a mentor and promote their at-
tempts for change. Use the resources provided in this book and joke
books, and encourage increased laughter, fun, and play. Remember to
honor any tragedy that might occur with your students with the gift of
time and understanding.
Memory hooks. Begin to develop humor hooks for your lessons. Look
for humor everywhere. Increase your strategies for fun with purposeful
attentional humor tools.
State changers. During your next staff evaluation, ask the principal to
keep track of how often you changed the state of energy in your classroom.
Testing strategies. Remember the purpose of assessment is for learn-
ing—not grading. Authentic assessment will encourage students to do
their best on their tests. Have students create their own rubrics and as-
sessments. Try some of these options:

s Include an option for a lifeline or ask a friend. (This can be done

midway through the test for everyone.)
s Include several crazy questions or responses.
70 CHAPTER 3

s Have a party during state or federal testing called “Celebrate

What You Know!” with balloons, nutritious snacks, or test count-
down (ten days before the test—have something special each day).

Café Conversations
s Review the research of the PEP Lab from the University of Michi-
gan. Discuss the implications of this research in relationship to
your district goals.
s Share ways that colleagues use humor as a hook for learning. Ex-
plore the benefits of linking this type of learning with lesson plan-
ning.

“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”
 s
Chapter 4
HURTFUL HUMOR
IS NO LAUGHING MATTER

“No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn’t work anyway.”

Humor often emerges as a response to transitions, change events, pain,

and tragedy. It’s an invaluable coping response to the complex difficul-
ties humans face. Most educators rely on their sense of humor to survive
the challenges and increased demands placed on them.
There are moments in history when nations wonder if the ability to
use humor has been lost to an extraordinary tragedy. During these
times there appears to be a fear of laughter and our ability to use hu-
mor.
This is a time in school history when humor is vanishing and in some
instances has disappeared altogether. Political mandates and increased
demands on educators have been reflected in less fun, laughter, and joy
in our schools. This phenomenon, rooted in our deep fears of inade-
quacy, is reflected in a joyless school system. The term humorphobia is
my attempt to identify the fear of fun, laughter, and humor growing in
our schools.

71
72 CHAPTER 4

HUMORPHOBIA

Humorphobia is the fear of fun, laughter, and humor. Humorphobia ex-

ists as a transparent thread often woven into the fabric of our education
system. Most teachers are passionate about creating a happy classroom,
yet are hampered by unspoken belief systems that permeate our organ-
izations. These fear factors include:

ß Fear of not having time for humor because of accountability ex-

pectations.
ß Fear of being perceived as silly, unproductive, an airhead, and un-
professional.
ß Fear of losing “control” of the class or loss of discipline (e.g., do
not smile until Christmas syndrome).
ß Fear of inadequacy or inability to tell a joke coupled with inexpe-
rience in the use of humor (because humor is not taught or mod-
eled in teacher preparation programs).
ß Fear of punishment or retaliation in an environment that is hostile
or unaccustomed to humor.
ß Fear of being made fun of or being the brunt of jokes.

Humorphobia is often barely perceptible, but has a tremendous impact

on humor practice. The fears that generate humorphobia create sub-
stantial barriers for creating and sustaining humergy.
Many of our fears are well founded, because education has been un-
der attack for several decades. Political and economic forces have de-
manded accountability for tax dollars spent in education; the focus on
assessment and teacher quality is mandated and the implementation of
these laws drains our energy and resources. These demands generate in-
creasingly stressful conditions for educators.

“Most of the time I don’t have much fun. The rest of the time I don’t
have any fun at all.”
—Woody Allen

So we have a culture that reflects our deepest fears by limiting our

capacity to practice teaching and learning with joy. At the American
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 73

Association of School Administrators 2006 conference in San Diego,

this loss of joyful teaching was referred to frequently by several
speakers, but best captured by President David Gee when he said
that one of the necessary goals of the organization was to bring joy
back to education. There was an outburst of vigorous applause from
the audience.
The “funny” thing is that we do not recognize how joyless our profes-
sion has become. References to the importance of having a sense of hu-
mor are liberally sprinkled throughout the literature. It is usually men-
tioned as a factor to look for when hiring, and briefly mentioned as one
of the qualities of effective teachers in the Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development book Qualities of Effective Teachers
(Stronge, 2004). “Effective teachers have a good sense of humor and are
willing to share jokes.” It is without a doubt the one quality most of us
agree is needed in education. Why then is humor research and pur-
poseful practice so limited?

HUMOR PARADOX

This is the humor paradox. We are a society that claims to place a high
value on humor, but the reality is that our fears keep us from initiating
and sustaining humor practice. (See figure 4-1.)
Let’s take a closer look at the fear factors that inhibit humor practice.

Limited Time
Wasting learning time is a firmly established well-founded fear. It is a
struggle to find the time necessary to implement instructional mandates
and educators have deep concerns about their ability to accomplish all
that is expected of them. Administrators, who believe in humor, use it
with caution because of their very real concerns about public accounta-
bility issues. Several administrators have expressed the worry that if they
are seen “goofing around,” the perception will be that they aren’t work-
ing. Teachers worry that if they are joking and laughing with their class,
they are not preparing for tests. The message is strong and clear. We do
not have time for fun.
74 CHAPTER 4

Figure 4-1. Fear factors.

“The time to laugh is when you don’t have time to laugh”

—Argus Poster

Unprofessional/Childish Perceptions
There is a general societal perception that play, laughter, fun, and
games are for young children. Unless teaching at the early elementary
level, professional educators are generally not thought to be playful, en-
thusiastic, energetic, fun-loving individuals. Think of how teachers are of-
ten portrayed in the media, for example in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Teachers and administrators are seen as dour, mean, and controlling. This
is the pervasive image of educators, frequently perpetuated by the media.
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 75

At the beginning of the twentieth century, teachers were revered and

the profession was admired, but this has changed. Education is often
seen as an easy field. After all, educators only work nine months and a
mere six hours a day. A variety of societal pressures have led to the strug-
gle of educators to be seen as professionals. Politicians think it is their
duty to mandate education policy when they perceive educators as in-
capable of making needed change. This societal pressure and stress di-
minishes the prospects for a joy-flow culture.

Losing Control
New teachers have often been told, “Don’t smile until Christmas.”
The implication is that if you are seen as fun-loving, you will not have
classroom control and student misbehavior will be the result. Humor is
often noisy, energetic, and loud. In a culture that values quiet and order,
it may appear that students are out of control. The reality is that disci-
pline is not problematic in engaged learning classrooms where caring
teachers offer students choice in the learning process. When students
perceive learning as fun, student discipline is not an issue.
Humor is often seen in a negative light because of the disruption
caused by a class clown. They are feared because of their ability to dis-
rupt with their antics. An authoritarian approach to these lively young-
sters is just the opposite of what is needed. Clowning is a gift. Encour-
age the clown to use this gift to enrich the class (Purkey, 2006). Give her
opportunities to shine in the clown role. There are additional resources
for clowning schools and “Clowns on Rounds” as part of a healing pro-
gram in hospitals. Most retirement homes would welcome clowns visit-
ing their residents. (Additional ideas are mentioned in chapter 6.)

Inadequacy and Inexperience

Humor is often considered an inherited trait rather then a skill that
can be nurtured and developed. Humor skills as a part of teacher
preparation are virtually nonexistent. In fact, since we have been pro-
grammed to believe that play and fun are immature activities, our
ability to practice humor has been limited. The benefits of humor as
outlined in previous chapters convince us that we need to develop hu-
mor confidence through humor practice. Chapter 5 explores a variety
76 CHAPTER 4

of ways to improve our skills and abilities. The study of humor is com-
plex and deserves recognition as an integral part of teacher prepara-
tion programs.

Being Made Fun Of

One of the greatest fears is the fear of being laughed at. Speech
classes usually begin with the recognition that many people would
rather die than give a speech. No one likes to be the brunt of ridicule
and the prevalence of cruel teasing increases at the middle school level.
The dark humor of sarcasm, mockery, and ridicule are controlling tac-
tics used by bullies to manipulate their victims.
Many educators have been ridiculed for attempts to have fun and use
humor. Teachers often feel they can only use humor behind the closed
door of their classroom, because they feel safe there. This closed door
safety is diminishing as collaborative teaching has been promoted as an
effective way to maximize achievement, but collaboration can be an ef-
fective tool for teachers to support each other in humor practice. Study
groups and café conversations are formats included in this book for this
purpose. “I have fun with my kids after I close the door and I am sure
that no one can hear the laughter,” an elementary teacher at a humor
workshop said.
The challenges of addressing humorphobia cannot be overesti-
mated. When these fears are deep-seated in an individual and firmly
rooted within an organization, a few fun activities will not begin to ad-
dress the complexity of the issues. The benefits of humor (chapter 1)
must be studied in our teacher preparation programs and supported
in our schools’ mentoring programs. Novice teachers desperately
need the benefits that humor can provide for them in their first years
of teaching. Awareness of humorphobia and identification of these
fears are crucial in the ability to create a culture that supports
humergy.

“Everything is funny as long as it is happening to someone else.”

—Will Rogers
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 77

r Jest for Fun r

Cherish the class clowns. You may have a future Robin Williams, Richard
Pryor, or Lucille Ball in your class. Picture your clown as a star.

ADDRESSING HUMORPHOBIA

Observe and record the evidence of humorphobia in your workplace.

Over time, humorphobia can become an integral part of the negativity
of individuals and impact the entire system. Awareness of fears, com-
mitment to change, and focused staff development are preliminary steps
in building the confidence needed to revive the energy of humor. The
level of trust in an organization can be measured by the amount of
humergy that exists there. As mentioned in previous chapters, fun is an
indicator of trust. An environment of trust is critical for optimal learn-
ing to occur. Listening for the language of humorphobia is a helpful step
in becoming more aware of how our fears are verbalized.

ß We need to be professional here. What will the public think if we

are having fun and laughing?
ß You must be from the elementary grades; fun just doesn’t have a
place at the higher levels.
ß We cannot measure humor. It’s “soft data” and not meaningful in
education. We only operate from solid research.
ß We don’t have time for fun and games. Let’s just get this meeting
over with.
ß I don’t do “touchy feely.”
ß I’ve tried humor before and it didn’t work!
ß Don’t smile until Christmas.

Humorphobia gives some powerful insights into the resistance en-

countered by enthusiastic educators trying to nurture a positive climate.
If you’ve heard the above statements, if you’ve ever been called a
“Pollyanna” or a “Mary Poppins” or labeled as “elementary,” you have
encountered humorphobia.

“A closed mouth gathers no foot.”

78 CHAPTER 4

STRATEGIES TO COMBAT HUMORPHOBIA

A commitment to the change process is required to address the deep-

rooted issues of humorphobia. Skillful leaders will:

s Build a passionate belief that humergy facilitates teaching and

learning
s Provide the groundwork to analyze and learn from fear factors
s Offer ongoing staff development opportunities for systemic change

Various ideas to combat humorphobia are:

s Staff institute day. Watch the FISH video—form four focus groups
based on the tenants—play, choose your attitude, be there, and
make their day. Have each group focus on fun ways their group
can improve school climate throughout the school year.
s Teacher study groups that meet on a regular basis to read and plan
activities to address culture issues. Suggested resources are Fun
Works by Leslie Yerkes (2001), Making Humor Work by Terry L.
Paulson (1989), and the book you’re holding right now.
s Study groups or café conversations, which are included at the end
of each chapter.

r Jest for Fun r

Give the gift of humor. For birthdays, holidays, and special occasions give a
joke book, perform a skit, or provide another humorous present. Comic strip
newspaper makes great gift wrap.

“Things are going to get a lot worse before they get worse.”
—Lily Tomlin

HUMORDOOMERS

Humorphobia breeds humordoomers. Humorphobia impacts both the

educator and education systems by undermining teacher confidence,
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 79

stifling creativity, and sabotaging humor practice. Working long and

hard seems to be the societal norm for proving commitment and effec-
tiveness. Time is a precious commodity and the increased demands re-
quire educators to make every minute count.
A humordoomer is a person who consistently uses negative humor to
control and manipulate others. Humorphobia breeds humordoomers,
skilled crafters who use subtle techniques to suppress humor in the
workplace. Humordoomers are usually unhappy individuals stressed by
the dual demands of accountability and limited time constraints; they’re
pessimistic leeches who can suck the humergy right out of you. Grown
in a petri dish of fear and anger, these folks are threatened by joyful en-
ergy and enthusiasm. They often use humor to manipulate others and to
maintain a level of control of their world. Their negative humor reflects
their unhappy immersion in the confining straits of a workaholic world.
Often their techniques are so woven into the fabric of a culture that not
only are they unaware of their own webbing effect, their unsuspecting
prey are oblivious as well.
In an article in School Administrator, Michael R. Weber (2003) ad-
dresses the “draining effect” that negative people have on everybody
and everything. As Weber says, they consume the energy of the entire
staff, negating new ideas and programs. He thinks that any effort to con-
vert these malcontents is extremely difficult because you cannot force
people to change. Note: recognize that we can all exhibit humordoomer
behavior at times, as a result of anger or fear and stress.
An angry educator confronted me about the icebreaker activity used
at a regional curriculum meeting. “Please do not use your cutesy kinder-
garten stuff at our meetings. We just do not have time.” I was genuinely
puzzled. This activity was designed as a pair/share networking task to in-
troduce members to each other. The majority of the group visibly en-
joyed the purposefully planned games and activities; however, even af-
ter carefully defining the goals of the activities, this encounter was the
beginning of my understanding of the impact of humordoomers.
Although we know how important it is to laugh and possess a sense of
humor, humorphobia creeps into the culture. Educators are stressed
and concerned about their abilities to meet the accountability mandates
while budgets continue to be cut. Educators are expected to raise test
scores. When resources are scarce, anxiety increases and the resulting
80 CHAPTER 4

stress boils over into the culture, increasing the rising plague of burned-
out educators. Cognitive research clearly demonstrates the detrimental
impact excess stress has on teaching and learning.
A focus on quality teaching has generated various techniques to try
to “improve” teacher effectiveness. Entire books are written with step-
by-step instructions on evaluation techniques meant to change teacher
behavior.

“The beatings will continue until morale improves!”

Punitive measures originally designed to force improvements in-

crease the toxins in the culture. Teachers feel not only unappreciated,
but also punished by negative evaluations and a disapproving public. Lo-
cal newspaper articles tout the short teacher day and high teacher pay.
School boards under tremendous budget restraints are often forced to
make cuts that result in larger class size and tension frequently emerges
between unions and administration.
Perceived punitive measures intensify feelings of fear and anger,
while anger that is unresolved intensifies the bitterness, rage, and even
violence. Deep-seated anger manifests itself in many ways. Negative hu-
mor may be used to express frustration, hostility, fears, and anger. If one
feels inferior, laughing at others becomes a way to feel superior and can
become a weapon in the hands of stressed unhappy individuals. Control
and power are the goals of those who use humor to evoke feelings of fear
and distress in others. Humor that is sarcastic, cynical, or mocking re-
sults in the recipient feeling helpless and vulnerable.
There are two indicators of unresolved anger that can be identified
and observed in both adult and student behavior. Educators, familiar
with these categories, can view behavior through the humor lens:

ß Bullying
ß Victimization

As we struggle to teach students about the roles of bully and victim, it

behooves us to become aware of similar practices exhibited by adults.
Numerous insights emerge when looking at these characteristics
through the lens of humor.
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 81

CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMORDOOMERS

The Bully
A bullying type of humor can be used to control what happens in re-
lationships. When making fun of others, the bully is usually expressing
internal fears because they are unable or unwilling to recognize their
own emotional needs. Humor becomes a weapon of the bully, when
used with the intentional purpose of wounding another.
Bully behavior is frequently portrayed in the media as an acceptable
method to express frustration, hostility, fears, and anger. The use of
mockery and sarcasm allows the venting of anger. Jokes with the express
purpose of making fun of others abound on television, in movies, and on
the Internet. Our fears of difference in culture have often been ex-
pressed in jokes about Italians, Jews, Mexicans, gays, and religious enti-
ties. While often clever, these jokes perpetuate the bully mindset that it’s
okay to make fun of individuals or groups. There is previous research to
suggest that this type of humor can lead to violent behavior.
“The devaluation of racial ethnic or religious groups, sometimes dis-
guised as humor, is a major contributor to violence and aggression
against these groups. It was found that emotional empathy was nega-
tively correlated only with the humorousness of negative ethnic stereo-
type jokes” (Forsyth, Altermatt, & Forsyth, 1997).

The Victim
The recipient of bullying feels powerless. The fear of being made fun of
can strip away confidence and the ability to make positive changes, and leg-
islative mandates and funding inequities have resulted in loss of power and
hope for many educators. Victims emerge who blame others for difficul-
ties, acquire a learned response of helplessness, feel they have no control
over their lives, and operate out of deep fear and anxiety. They do not ap-
pear to enjoy life and constantly remind others of their own difficulties.
One of my vivid memories is a dreary January day when I thought it
would be fun to brighten our week and suggested having a Hawaiian
luncheon. “Sure must be nice not to have anything to do,” was the reac-
tion of a coworker to the suggestion. It was obvious she had so much
work that she had no time for anything fun, and she didn’t approve of
82 CHAPTER 4

others wasting their time on frivolous matters. This use of sarcasm can
be a powerful negative force within a system.

r Jest for Fun r

The inside doors of the staff restroom stalls are an ideal place for jokes, re-
minders, and stories. One community college called this restroom news
marketing tool “The Flush.”

UNCOVERING THE TRANSPARENT

LANGUAGE OF HUMORDOOMERS

The bully:

ß Do you think you’re in this class to have fun?

ß Wipe that smile off your face!
ß Stop fooling around and get to work.
ß You could do it if you didn’t play around so much.
ß Name calling: You’re so “derogatory statement” (stupid, ugly,
white, fat, etc.).
ß Mockery, exaggeration of a behavior such as walking or speech.
ß Ridicule of clothing (for example, too short slacks “You expecting
a flood?” or a sports coat “You going to a funeral?”)

The victim:

ß Great. I have the class clown.

ß Don’t smile until Christmas.
ß Kids today have no respect.
ß I teach it, it’s up to the kids to learn it.
ß Do you have to be so perky?
ß Quit being a Pollyanna and get real. You can’t make this place any
better.
ß Don’t do so much, you’ll make the rest of us look like couch potatoes.
ß Oh sure, now they want us to use humor with our students. Like
we don’t already have enough to do.
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 83

If challenged, the humordoomer usually responds with, “Can’t you

take a joke?” or “I was just playing with you.” Often a clever ruse is the
blame technique, in which the humordoomer accuses the challenger of
having no sense of humor by saying she can’t take a joke. This is in-
tended to excuse offensive behavior, while putting the recipient on the
defensive.

“If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” —Will Rogers

COPING WITH HUMORDOOMERS

While difficult to deal with, there are some strategies that you can use
to stimulate humordoomer reform. Attempt to identify the cause of
the negative behavior exhibited by humordoomers and follow this
with suggestions for change. This requires a loving attitude and skill-
ful communication. (Note: these negative patterns of behavior are
usually hardwired after years of repetition.) The following are strate-
gies to combat stressed humordoomers (who are fearful and over-
whelmed):

s Kill them with kindness and understanding. Often people need

someone to listen to them and empathize.
s Identify the strengths in this person and tell them how much you
appreciate this quality in them. It really helps if you have several
staff members doing this.
s Ask them what they are going to do to make things better. En-
courage any attempts at improvement.

The following are strategies for pessimistic humordoomers (who are

habitually negative):

s Smile and say “If you tell me something awful, I need you to tell
me three positive things. I just can’t handle negativity today!”
s Do the broken record routine: “So what’s the good news?” Just
keep repeating this with a laugh. If they come up with something
positive, cheer and do cartwheels!
84 CHAPTER 4

And the way to combat angry humordoomers (resentful and frus-

trated with lack of control in their life and unable to express their feel-
ings in positive ways) is to recognize that these folks may actually need
more help then you are able to give. If you have the opportunity, sug-
gest that they seek counseling and/or therapy.
Although I usually think of something clever after my encounters
with negative people, there are some one-liners that you can experi-
ment with.

s I resemble that statement.

s Start today with a smile and get it over with.
s There’s no time like the pleasant.
s If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to
laugh at when you are old.—Ed Howe
s In life, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.—Hedy
Schliefer
s Life is wonderful, without it you’re dead.—Red Skelton
s When does the fun start?
s Don’t take life too seriously; you’ll never get out alive.

If you find one that you like, use the broken record routine. Use the line
every time negative humor is encountered.

DESTRUCTIVE GAMES EDUCATORS PLAY

Clue. This game is played very well by folks who become passive ag-
gressive. They don’t give many clues as to why they are angry, they just
say and do things to let you know they aren’t happy with you. You
haven’t a clue!
Outburst. The purpose of this game is to control what others say and
do. The object of this game is to instill in others a fear of their temper.
They threaten folks with their well-known quickness for an angry tirade
or outburst.
Blame game. This is the game where the person is unable to take re-
sponsibility for any of their own behavior, but blames the parents, the
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 85

students, administrators, their own friends and family, the government,

the media, etc. for their deficiencies.
Troubles. The rules of this game are simple. Think about every possi-
ble thing that can go wrong, exaggerate the possibilities, and live in fear
and worry that big troubles will happen right here in “River City.”
Scrabble. This game is also played by victims. Whatever suggestions
are offered as possible solutions to their litany of difficulties, they say
“Yes, but I cannot do that because . . . ” or “Yes, but I know someone
who tried that and it made it worse . . . ” They scrabble their word op-
tions to always spell the word “no.”
Monopoly. This game is played by victims who think they have it
worse then anyone else. They have a monopoly on difficulties. If you
ever mention that you’re tired and have a lot of papers to grade in the
evening, their response is: “You’re lucky you don’t have my classes, I
have 238 papers to grade tonight, and then I have wrestling practice and
a meeting with a parent. When I go home I need to make a casserole for
the church supper. My mother has to have bunion surgery, my car is out
of gas, and we have to go to Florida for winter break again this year.”
Whatever your own difficulties, this victim lets you know that they have
it much worse.
Taboo. This is played by folks who avoid facing problems and consider
it taboo to discuss their anxieties with you. Most topics are taboo in-
cluding their bullying behavior and their offensive humor techniques of
mockery, sarcasm, or ridicule.
There are actually some individuals who are adept at playing several
of these games at the same time.

r Jest for Fun r

Share the list of destructive games at a staff meeting. Ask staff which
game they would most like to plan or play. Group staff with their game
choice and have them actually come up with rules, game pieces, and the win-
ning strategies. Share the ideas with other staff. Hopefully the laughter
generated can initiate a serious look at existing negative tendencies.

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
—John Wooden
86 CHAPTER 4

Figure 4-2. Even if the in-

tents is not to harm, if the im-
pact is harmful it is inappro-
priate humor.

INTENT VS. IMPACT

When the impact of humor is hurtful, the humor is inappropriate even

if the intent was not to harm. So, the impact of the humor on the recip-
ient is more important then the intent of the relater. (See figure 4-2.)
The impact of humor on a group is less damaging than humor tar-
geted at a person as an individual. There is a difference between Jay
Leno offending those of your gender on national television and having a
significant person in your life tell you the same thing. Read these quips,
first as heard from Jay on national television, and then again as if your
spouse was the speaker.

s I just got a dog for my wife. Best trade I ever made.

s I still miss my ex-husband, but my aim will improve.
s If we can put a man on the moon why not all of them?

The change in focus is significant. There are moron, blond, Polack, and
fat people jokes that are usually not taken seriously; however, an aware-
ness of the impact on the targeted population is an essential humor skill.

“When used as a weapon, humor can wound, corrupt, and humiliate.

Yet, when used as a tool, humor can establish rapport, educate audi-
ences, and empower people.”
—Jessica McCann
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 87

JUST ON THE EDGE: DARK HUMOR

Sarcasm, mockery, and irony can have a purpose, when skillfully used, to
cope with stress, challenge beliefs, and criticize the behavior of others
without offending. This type of edgy humor does capture our attention
and can cause us to reflect and rethink our beliefs. Don and Alleen
Nilsen have written The Encyclopedia of 20th-Century American Humor
(2000), a great resource for humor research. They state that several co-
medians and humorists have achieved popularity by using ethnic humor
and stereotyping—even vulgarity—to win an audience. African-Ameri-
can comedians like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg,
and Chris Rock use comedy to tease listeners about their prejudices. Jay
Leno and Dave Letterman use the daily news and politics as the basis for
their opening monologues with jokes laced with satire and irony.
Don Nilsen identifies political correctness as avoiding any language or
action that could offend one’s political sensibilities. He says that

political correctness stunts the many positive opportunities that humor

has to offer. It is censorship that bans all stereotyping, ethnic jokes, reli-
gious humor and vulgarity. Censorship from the conservative right says we
must not use profanity or joke about body parts, bodily functions, or reli-
gion. Censorship from the liberal left spells out a whole different set of
taboos, making gender issues and ethnicity entirely off limits.

Ethnic humor and stereotyping can vary from playful teasing to a

more hostile humor. The difference between humor intended to seri-
ously wound and purposeful humor used as a skillful tool to facilitate
change can be subtle. When trying to decide if humor is appropriate,
use the following guideline: even if the intent is not to hurt, if the impact
is hurtful, it is not appropriate.

“It infuriates me to be wrong when I know I am right.”

KIDDING AND TEASING

One day my five-year-old grandsons were eating breakfast in the

kitchen. I sang a silly song. At the end, I said: “Ben, you have purple
88 CHAPTER 4

teeth and Tyler, you have green ears!” One of them responded that it was
not nice to tease. Obviously their kindergarten teachers were doing a great
job of making sure that there was no harmful teasing in their classrooms.
We then had a discussion about bad teasing being the kind that hurts a per-
son’s feelings and how it’s different than fun kidding when someone is try-
ing to make you laugh or have a good time with you. It occurred to me that
this was a discussion about impact versus intent on a rudimentary level.
Teasing is often used by teachers to help a child laugh at their own be-
havior (a fundamental skill). It is a highly developed ability in gifted teach-
ers. Remember the impact vs. intent rule. If the child is really able to en-
joy the humor then the teasing is okay. It takes careful observation
techniques to determine if a child is okay with gentle kidding and teasing.

“After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started

roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The
moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.”
—Will Rogers

r Jest for Fun r

Looking for a fundraiser? Have a roast for the famous graduates of your
school system. Make sure they understand they will be the recipients of
this type of humor.

GROUP SURVIVAL HUMOR

Group survival humor emerges from coping with someone who is hostile
toward the group or from unwelcome change. Hostile jokes target those
in power who have caused difficulty for the group. This group survival hu-
mor seems to relieve stress and ease group sense of a loss of control. This
humor often strengthens group bonds and further alienates the authority
figure. Numerous jokes found on the Internet target people in power.

Doctor Jokes
“All of them surgeons, they’re highway robbers. Why do you think they
wear masks when they work on you?”
—Archie Bunker
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 89

“I told my doctor I had suicidal tendencies. He said that from now on

I have to pay in advance.”
—Rodney Dangerfield

Administrator Jokes
“She brings a lot of joy whenever she leaves the room.”
“If you gave him a penny for his thoughts, you’d get change.”
“She doesn’t have ulcers but she is a carrier.”
“He sets low personal standards and constantly fails to achieve them.”

Politician Jokes
“If ignorance is bliss, then Congress must be paradise.”
“It’s 98 percent of politicians that give the rest a bad name.”
“The trouble with political jokes is how often they get elected.”
“Lady Astor once told Winston Churchill, ‘If you were my husband, I
would put poison in your coffee!’ Churchill is said to have immediately
responded, ‘If you were my wife, I would drink it.’”

LAUGHTER AND TEARS

“Comedy is tragedy plus time.” —Carol Burnett

There is a delicate balance between laughter and tears. Can humor be

effective when coping with death, sickness, depression, anxiety, and
other life challenges? Humor usually emerges during a healthy heal-
ing process. Forced laughter or contrived humor is often inappropri-
ate, so great caution must be exercised in using humor during tragic
situations. Having said this, humor is a great healer during times of
disaster and grief.
At Maple Elementary School in Loves Park, Illinois, a 6th grade
teacher, Andrea Sweet, was diagnosed with cancer and underwent
chemotherapy. Her situation was obvious due to her loss of hair and
90 CHAPTER 4

wearing of hats. She encouraged her students to join in her coping

strategies by laughing with her. Her room is often permeated with this
laughter. When Halloween came she read the story “Witches,” listing
ways that people can identify witches. One of the items was loss of hair.
When I first met Andrea, she had just read the book and was laughing
that the students were now sure that she was a witch. The principal of
the building, Becky Girard, stated that for the school picture, all of the
teachers wore hats as a tribute to this teacher who has inspired everyone
in the building with her infectious laughter and sense of humor.
Another teacher in the building was introduced to a new student, a
boy with extreme ADHD. After the interview she burst into laughter
and explained, “I can either laugh or cry. I choose to find the joy and
laughter in this child along with the gifts that he will bring to our class.”
This building exemplifies the culture of humergy that is so needed in
our school systems. Looking for the ways to laugh through the difficult
experiences that we all encounter and sharing those coping mechanisms
with others will build the communities of trust and joy that maximize
learning.

“Life does not cease to be funny when someone dies, anymore then it
ceases to be serious when someone laughs.”
—George Bernard Shaw

SUMMARY

An awareness of humorphobia is necessary to begin to integrate

humergy into school climate. The fear factors that impact humorphobia
are concerns with time, professionalism, lack of classroom control, inex-
perience, and being made fun of. These fears contribute to the chal-
lenges of school leaders trying to integrate humor into a school culture.
Resistance to change is often exhibited as humorphobia. Humor-
doomers are negative folks who sabotage efforts to infuse fun and laugh-
ter into the culture. Positive efforts by visionary leaders can assist most
in the change process, so staff development focused on creating play,
laughter, and fun to optimize learning is an effective tool. However, of-
ten the bully and victim negativity needs to be confronted by identify-
H U RT F U L H U M O R I S N O L A U G H I N G M AT T E R 91

ing specific behaviors and concerns accompanied by suggestions for im-

provement. Change for the most dysfunctional individuals might only be
achieved through counseling.
Humor is an integral component of our whole emotional and intel-
lectual lives, both at the individual and organizational level. Humorpho-
bia and humordoomers create a no fun restrictive learning environment.
These barriers need to be addressed in order to create the positive emo-
tionality and relational trust necessary for optimal learning.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Recognize that effective leadership can jumpstart humordoomer
recovery. The fear of using humor stems from the fact that it is not
a controlled substance. To practice humor, one has to be willing to
let go and enjoy some degree of chaos. Humor requires risk tak-
ing. It involves not just acceptance, but actually searching for the
excitement that change generates. It seeks the unexpected and
reveres uncertainty. As education has become more and more de-
manding, it has not only inhibited humergy, but also has created a
hostile environment for humor practice.
s Generate staff discussion on how the organization can cultivate
the risk taking required to support humor practice. Some effective
strategies might include theme weeks, which can generate cre-
ativity among all of the staff, such as Hawaiian Week or Childhood
Games Week (hula hoops, jacks, tiddlywinks, checkers, or tic-tac-
toe contests), and a Fourth of July in January party.

Study Group Focus

s Humorphobia can be challenging for both teachers and students.
Review strategies for addressing humor fears. Share observations
of what might work in your culture to address student fears.
s Keep a journal for one week of the type of humor observed on tel-
evision. Discuss any insights relative to the information found in
this chapter.
s Share any strong reactions you had to the information in this chap-
ter. Relate past experiences that illustrate something that trig-
gered this reaction.
92 CHAPTER 4

Café Conversations
s One of the greatest fears we have is a dread of being laughed at.
Bullies often manipulate others through this fear by threatening
others with sarcasm and ridicule, and most of us avoid these peo-
ple. A discussion question might be: what observations have been
made about humor used as a vehicle for bullies?
s Attempts at humor during a crisis situation can be experienced by
those immersed in that crisis as insensitive and even hurtful. We
are afraid to use humor in crisis in the belief that it will hurt rather
than help others. This was well documented during 9/11, when
talk show hosts, normally skilled humorists, were painfully un-
comfortable in using humor immediately after this tragedy. How
have you used humor in a crisis?
s Discuss the impact of negative humor. What impact does the hu-
mordoomer have on a culture of a school? What are the options
for changing the behavior of a humordoomer?

“I am not pessimistic, I am optimistically challenged.”

 s
Chapter 5
THE HUMOR WORKOUT
Pumping Up with Practice

”Whenever I feel blue, I just start breathing again.”

Jest do it. Determination and resolution are all you need to start your
humor workout. The actual decision to pump up your humor practice
can be similar in scope to the decision of including more physical fitness
in your life. This is a powerful choice that can improve your sense of hu-
mor and increase your capacity for reaching the joy-flow stage. Do not
let anything deter you from your goal to have more fun. Let the work-
out begin!

1. GATHER BASELINE HUMOR DATA

The first step for your humor workout is an awareness of your current
humor practice, in other words finding out about your own sense of hu-
mor. There are several resources available for you as you begin your
analysis. Some have already been mentioned in previous chapters. Re-
view one or several of these tools to help determine your humor
strengths, humor techniques, and humergy needs. The instruments will
give you some insights into your preferred humor style and your humor

93
94 CHAPTER 5

belief system. They are intended to help you assess the condition of your
current humor health.

Assessment Tools
s Appendix 2: Comedian List
s Appendix 5: Humor Styles Inventory
s Appendix 6: Several Categories of Humor
s Appendix 7: Humor Belief Inventory
s Appendix 8: Humor Terminology List
s Table 1-1: Humergy Characteristics (in chapter 1)

Here are a few additional resources that you might want to explore:

s The University of Michigan Positive Organizational Scholarship

has a Teaching Tool Series “The Reflected Best Self Exercise”
(www.bus.umich.edu/Positive/WhatisPOS) that provides feedback
to people about who they are when they’re at their best. The fo-
cus is to identify unique strengths and talents.
s The Humor Styles Questionnaire assesses four dimensions relat-
ing to individual differences in uses of humor. (Rod A. Martin, De-
partment of Psychology, University of Western Ontario,
[email protected].)

Observe Humor Practice

Efforts to become aware of your own humor practices will give you in-
valuable data. Think about when and how you play, laugh, and have fun.
It may feel awkward at first, but keeping a humor journal is the best way
to record what tickles your funny bone. For a week, just jot down what
you found humorous. After a month of making a conscious effort to in-
crease your fun, reread your entries and try the journal recording again.
Are you laughing more now? What makes you laugh the most often?
Humor practice often involves overcoming your own fears of feeling
silly or inept. As mentioned in previous chapters, humor requires a cer-
tain amount of risk taking. A lot of folks practice what I call safe humor.
They feel safe laughing only in the following situations:
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 95

s With children
s With animals
s With strangers
s With drugs or alcohol
s With sarcasm or hurtful humor

A review of each of these categories can increase your awareness of your

own comfort level with humor practice. Most educators have chosen the
field of education because being with students brings joy to their lives.
Children allow us to experience our own inner child, delighting adults
with their language innocence and honest appraisal of a situation.
Teachers sharing the innocent word twists of one of the students will
cause the staff to be doubled over in hysterical laughter. Children invite
us to experience humor in numerous ways.
The playful antics of pets have been shown to increase the laughter in a
household. Pets provide unconditional acceptance and tremendous com-
fort to their owners. The ability to laugh and find common ground with
others through the activity of animals creates bonds that are strengthened
through stories and conversation. Several recent articles in the popular
press have indicated that animals add to the quality and length of life.
Have you ever been on an airplane with a complete stranger and
laughed about experiences that you might never be able to relate with
family or friends? There is a degree of safety and comfort in talking with
people we know we will never see again. Strangers are great secret
keepers. We can tell them anything and may share the bizarre behaviors
of our friends and family. This is all done within the safe comfort of the
airplane seat or wherever we have those conversations with strangers.
Alcohol or substance abuse is readily accepted by society as an excuse
for silly or uninhibited behavior. As detailed in chapter 2, play is gener-
ally not an acceptable outlet for teenagers and adults. We frequently
seek approval or permission from our peers in order to have fun. Socie-
tal language that revolves around drugs and alcohol reflects the per-
ceived need for a “substance” in order to let go of inhibitions enough to
indulge in silly behavior. We often hear the phrase, “I couldn’t help it, I
was wasted!” or “I can’t wait to get bombed!” There is a subtle language
revolving around alcohol use that includes a purposeful loss of responsi-
bility for one’s actions as a result of excessive imbibing. Alcohol is often
96 CHAPTER 5

seen as a necessary ingredient in order to have fun. The underlying so-

cietal pressure to drink in order to “loosen up and have fun” leads to my
questions about this cultural phenomenon:
Why do our youth and many adults think that a “good time” is associ-
ated with getting drunk or binge drinking? Does the extinction of play
among our youth lead to increased risk of substance usage?
I have not found anything in the literature about the correlation be-
tween alcohol consumption and the extinction of play (as defined in
chapter 2). Binge drinking and partying are viewed by many young
adults as the ultimate kind of fun. Is it probable that we have essentially
extinguished the opportunity during the preteen years for healthy fun
with free-time for play. The relationship between humorphobia and
substance abuse would be an intriguing topic for further research. Is it
possible that risk-taking patterns of youth, including substance abuse,
are a direct result of the early extinguishing of play and fun?
Making fun of others can become a habit at an early age and this form
of safe humor is readily accepted in our culture. Ridiculing others is per-
vasive in the media. Many schools have implemented programs to teach
about bullying behavior, because one of the most frequent and accepted
forms of humor is cruel teasing and harassment. Laughing at other peo-
ple can become habitual and indicates unhealthy patterns of behavior.
As mentioned in chapter 4, this form of humor is really not funny and is
often malicious and controlling. It is usually practiced by humor-
doomers, the insecure individuals mentioned previously.
If you practice safe humor as just described, try expanding your hu-
mor experiences. Although there are benefits to several aspects of safe
humor, you can benefit from a humor workout that is outside of your
comfort zone.

Review Nature and Nurture Elements

Humor involves making the most of what has shaped our humor be-
ing. The following personal elements contribute to the nature and nur-
ture of our sense of humor:

s Physical characteristics
s Gender
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 97

s Culture
s Life experiences: childhood, parenthood, health and aging, work,
and career

Let’s examine each of the nature and nurture elements:

Physical Characteristics Love your body. Your shape or size
lends itself to the ability to create humor highlighting on our physical
abilities. Not too many of us have a Marilyn Monroe or Elvis type of
body. Our physique gives us a unique opportunity for self-deprecating
humor. Several comedians have used this as a starting point for their
monologues, including Jay Leno who takes advantage of his long chin
and Phyllis Diller who demeans her body type, shape, and hair color.

Figure 5-1.
98 CHAPTER 5

The humor categories of slapstick, pantomime, and impersonation can

be physically demanding and require an athletic build. Clown personas
are often developed based on body build and type. My favorite quote il-
lustrating self-deprecating humor:

“I am not offended by all of the dumb blond jokes, because I know I’m
not dumb. I also know I’m not blond”
—Dolly Parton

People with disabilities have the unique chance to use their “handicap”
as an advantage. Kathy Buckley is a popular comedian who uses her
hearing impairment as a part of her comedy routines. When I heard her
at the Humor Project Conference she integrated her school experiences
as a part of her material. In second grade she was put in a school for re-
tarded children because of her speech and hearing loss. It took nearly a
year to diagnose the auditory impairment. After telling this story, her
quip is, “And they called me slow?”
Gender Men and women respond differently to humor. Duh.
Males score higher than females on aggressive and self-defeating humor
when using a Humor Styles Questionnaire (Martin, 1996). Gender dif-
ferences are apparent in some of the emerging research on humor per-
ceptions and usage (Martin, 2007). It has been perceived as more diffi-
cult for women to succeed as comedians and humorists because of
traditional gender roles and expectations.
Most of us frequently receive the male/female bashing jokes that
travel the e-waves and reveal the depth of feelings about gender differ-
ences and relationship issues.

s He said, “What have you been doing with all the grocery money I
gave you?” She said, “Turn sideways and look in the mirror.”
s Get a new car for your spouse. It’ll be a great trade.
s Sometimes I wake up grumpy, other times I let her sleep.
s I still miss my ex-husband, but my aim will improve
s A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. A woman must do what
he can’t.
s Don’t be sexist. Broads hate that.
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 99

Culture Humor can reflect cultural and ethnic differences. Laugh-

ter transcends cultural boundaries when the humor is universal in na-
ture and part of all human experiences. Many jokes have been targeted
toward ethnic groups (Polish jokes) or religious groups (“Have you
heard the one about the minister, the rabbi, and the priest?”). There are
times when stereotypes are used as an advantage to poke fun at tradi-
tional prejudices, because it’s more acceptable for an Asian comedian to
poke fun at Asian culture than for someone of another ethnic back-
ground to do so. Another example is Ole and Lena stories, which are fre-
quently told by Norwegians as well as recounted on the Prairie Home
Companion live radio broadcast, which originates in Minnesota, home
of many of Norwegian descent. This is an example of how a culture
pokes fun at itself.

s Ole and Lena went to the Olympics. While he was sitting on a

bench, a lady turned to Ole and said, “Are you a pole vaulter?” Ole
said, “No, I’m Norvegian . . . and my name isn’t Valter.”
s Ole bought Lena a piano for her birthday. A few weeks later, Lars
inquired how she was doing with it. “Oh,” said Ole, “I persuaded
her to svitch to a clarinet.” “How come?” asked Lars. “Vell,” Ole
answered, “because vith a clarinet she can’t sing.”

Temperament Chapter 2 presents an overview of some of the inher-

ited characteristics that affect humor, including intensity, adaptability, and
approachability. Each trait creates a different quality of humor in individ-
uals. These temperamental traits are reflected in common terminology
used to describe someone as having a “dry” sense of humor or being a
prankster or practical joker. Our temperament is the underlying basis for
our humor style, but it also might create a gulf of separation between peo-
ple who have completely different responses to a joke or story.
Have you ever been laughing hysterically at something and then no-
ticed that no one else is even smiling? Differences in temperament
probably contribute to our widely diverse humor responses and our
clear preference for certain categories of humor (appendix 6). It be-
hooves us to understand our temperament in order to complete the
database analysis of our humor practice.
100 CHAPTER 5

Life Experiences Our life experiences continue to expand our humor

workout. Your database needs to include your core life experiences (such
as parenting, friends, and hobbies), which have enriched your sense of hu-
mor. Your humor style has its foundation in your lifelong experiences.
Childhood. My father, Bill Wiltz, enjoyed laughing with others.
Whether he encountered friends or strangers, he was laughing within a
few minutes and so were the other people. He didn’t really tell jokes,
but just visibly enjoyed life, often repeating many of the same lines over
and over again, always followed by his own hearty laughter. Many of
those lines involved gentle inclusion of my mother, Ruth, who admirably
tolerated his quips. She was the love of his life and he was especially de-
lighted when he made her laugh. The laughter experiences from my
childhood were a powerful force in my own humor development. Many
of the Wiltz clan shared this infectious laugh.
If you experienced a lot of fun, play, and laughter during childhood,
your humor style will be different than if you grew up with humorpho-
bia or an absence of fun and laughter.
The cognitive emotional responses of our childhood become part of
our humor being. If our lifelong experiences include a tendency to
blame others, or to feel victimized, helpless, and angry, it will be a chal-
lenge to move toward humergy. Self-awareness and acceptance of all of
our feelings require intensive work, perhaps even therapy. If we under-
stand our own painful feelings of fear and anger, we are much more
likely to have a healthy humor workout. This self-analysis requires for-
giveness of those who have hurt us as well as a forgiveness of ourselves.
Unhealthy humordoomer behaviors are described in chapter 4. Dark,
negative humor emerges from anger when forgiveness has not occurred.
Incredible strength is needed to understand our own emotional reac-
tions because it requires positive emotionality and a high level of self-
confidence to laugh at our own feelings of fear or inadequacy. Over-
coming our own fears might be the most difficult part of the humor
workout experience. (Some of you might think sit-ups are easier!)
Parenthood. During one of my workshop sessions, a teacher (who was
not a parent) noticed that parent jokes were funnier if you were a par-
ent. This was the story she noticed that parents found hilarious and non-
parents found somewhat funny. (Many did not have an experience to
make this humor connection.)
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 101

Ham Sandwich
As ham sandwiches go, it was perfection; a thick slab of ham, a fresh
bun, crisp lettuce and plenty of expensive, light brown, gourmet mustard.
The corners of my jaw aching in anticipation, I carried it to the picnic
table in our backyard, picked it up with both hands but was stopped by my
wife suddenly at my side. “Hold Johnny (our six-week-old son) while I get
my sandwich,” she said.
I had him balanced between my left elbow and shoulder and was reach-
ing again for the ham sandwich when I noticed a streak of mustard on my
fingers.
I love mustard.
I had no napkin.
I licked it off.
It was not mustard.
No man ever put a baby down faster.
It was the first and only time I have sprinted with my tongue protrud-
ing. With a washcloth in each hand I did the sort of routine shoeshine boys
do, only I did it on my tongue. Later my wife said, “Now you know why
they call that mustard ‘Poupon.’”

Here are a few other examples of parent humor:

We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the
aspirin bottle: “take two aspirin” and “keep away from children!”

This is another great story about parenting from colleague Shirley Hardy:

Nothing can be more embarrassing than getting locked outside in your

birthday suit. Years ago when my daughter was just a toddler she helped
me to do so. We had just come home for the evening after a tedious day.
I started the shower to begin our usual evening ritual of shower then
bed. I undressed myself, then her, and suddenly remembered I forgot
her new box of Pampers in the car. Being that I had a private backyard,
I thought I could dash to the car get the Pampers and commence the
shower.
On the way back into the house I heard slam! My ten-month-old daugh-
ter managed to slam the back door, which instantly locked. I didn’t panic
at first, for surely I had some old laundry sitting in the garage and could
102 CHAPTER 5

then slip something on and dash to my neighbor’s house for help. As luck
would have it, I couldn’t find one stitch of clothing in that garage; I
couldn’t even find a towel or old pair of overalls.
I suddenly started to panic, realizing my ten-month-old was in the
house naked and the shower was running. I then remembered there
was some cloth material in the trunk of my car from an earlier purchase
I had made that day. I figured I could get the material, drape it around
me, and then dash to the neighbor’s house for help. The only problem
was this was before cars were made with a pop lock for the trunk. I tore
out the back seat and begin tearing the lining to get inside the trunk of
the car. I am sure all of this took a few minutes but it seemed like hours.
After retrieving the material, I draped it around me like the Statue of
Liberty and dashed to my neighbor’s house for help. After opening
their door and seeing me in such ridiculous condition they fell down
laughing.
My neighbor came over with a screw driver, jiggled the lock on the door
and it opened instantly. I couldn’t believe it! It was that easy. Then I really
was frightened. After entering the house I couldn’t find my ten-month-old
anywhere. The neighbor asked, “Are you sure you had her with you”? I
said, of course I’m sure, but after all, I couldn’t blame him for asking. Af-
ter all a woman running around naked is a bit suspect. In a few minutes I
found the lost ten-month-old sitting inside the fireplace playing in the
ashes. Thankfully nothing really tragic happened, but I am so thankful
that I left that material in the trunk of that car.

Kids often provide unexpected challenges and laughter.

Health and aging. Anxiety about the aging process and our health
are eased when we can find humor to help us cope with the losses that
we experience. As we age, our apprehensions grow and so do the fre-
quency of jokes about our health and aging. Humor about aging will
not be nearly as funny to someone in their twenties as someone in
their fifties.

s The older you get the better you realize you were.
s I intend to live forever . . . so far so good.
s Old age comes at a bad time.

Some “senior” personal ads seen in Florida newspapers:

THE HUMOR WORKOUT 103

s Foxy lady: Sexy, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty, 80s, slim,

5’4” (used to be 5’6”), searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing
companion. Matching white shoes and belt a plus.
s Long-term commitment: Recent widow who has just buried
fourth husband, and am looking for someone to round out a six-
unit plot. Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.
s Serenity now: I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean,
yoga and meditation. If you are the silent type, let’s get together,
take our hearing aids out, and enjoy quiet times.
s Mint condition: Male, 1932, high mileage, good condition, some
hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves. Isn’t in
running condition, but walks well.

r Jest for Fun r

When watching your favorite TV show, note the gender jokes. Gender differ-
ences provide incredible fodder for sitcom material. Numerous classroom
projects could be developed through gender joke observations.

Along with the humor about health and aging, weight is a huge soci-
etal concern. The popular press constantly bombards us with the dan-
gers of being overweight. A result is that there are numerous jokes about
eating. If weight gain is a worry for you, these may seem funny:

s Eat right, exercise, die anyway.

s If we are what we eat, I’m cheap, fast, and easy.
s Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in the hospital
dying of nothing.

Work and Career. Our career choices greatly influence our connec-
tions to our humor style. Nurses, police officers, and construction crews
all have their own humorous workout styles based on the unique events
that occur in their work. There is a special sense of humor that middle
school teachers possess that seems foreign to many others. Some say
these teachers have been warped after working with hormonal creatures
for several years. Maybe the field just attracts a certain humor type.
104 CHAPTER 5

Anyway, there are certain jokes that middle school teachers find really
funny that may be just slightly humorous to the rest of us. Chances are
that you share a common humor perspective with those in your field. See
if you can determine which employees would appreciate the following:

s An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less un-
til he knows absolutely everything about nothing.
s Technology is dominated by those who manage what they do not
understand.
s A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours
are lost.
s To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.
s The primary function of the design engineer is to make things dif-
ficult for the fabricator and impossible for the serviceman.
s Computers are unreliable, but humans are even more unreliable.
Any system that depends on human reliability is unreliable.
s Under the most rigorously controlled conditions of pressure, tem-
perature, volume, humidity, and other variables, the organism will
do as it darn well pleases.

r Jest for Fun r

Estimate how many times a day you think you laugh out loud. For one day
keep a record. How close was your estimate? Do you laugh more now then
you did as a child?

2. SEARCH FOR HUMOR TRAINERS AND COACHES

It’s important to have the support of others when beginning humor

practice. Determine the people in your life who support your optimism
and positive energy. Spend increasingly more time with them and limit
the time spent with humordoomers. Seek out the funny people in your
life and those with whom you laugh. Try a buddy system. Practice your
humor with those you trust. Ask your friends to help you with increas-
ing the laughter in your life—most are very willing to do so, as their
laughter meter will also escalate.
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 105

3. REVIEW YOUR HUMOR WORKOUT FACILITY

Analyze your current environment to see if it can nurture your humor

development. The University of Michigan has a web site for positive
organization scholarship (www.bus.umich.edu/Positive)—I mention
this again because this is a relatively new discipline in the organiza-
tional sciences and provides invaluable insights into our own humor
practice.
A negative environment can make it difficult, if not impossible, for
you to succeed. Sometimes a new workout facility is the answer. (Yes,
you might consider a job change). A humorphobic environment with as-
sertive humordoomers will severely limit your humor workout.
There are times when it’s not possible to make a job change. Here
are a few suggestions for you. Review all possible adaptations you
might make within your classroom or work, find one or two others in
your building that can support your humergy, and make sure you find
stress management techniques to assist you in your life outside of ed-
ucation.

4. SET YOUR HUMOR WORKOUT GOALS

There are several aspects of physical fitness training that create a nice
analogy for developing a humor workout. These include:

s Strength training
s Flexibility training
s Aerobics
s Stress management
s Cool down

r Jest for Fun r

Post a large sheet in the staff lounge for celebration of achievement of hu-
mor strength training goals. For example, Jody told a joke and actually re-
membered the punch line. Bob laughed two times this month—up 100 per-
cent over last month.
106 CHAPTER 5

Strength Training
Strength training will enhance the strength of your own humor style
and build on your techniques. Here are some practical techniques.
The ability to laugh at oneself when faced with events beyond one’s
control, to admit to blunders with humor, and to find humor in all situ-
ations is a critical life skill. This skill is one that can be developed at any
age; however, since moral and ethical development escalates in the
frontal lobe of the preadolescent brain, this seems to be an ideal time to
build confidence in one’s ability to laugh at mistakes (Sylwester, 2005).
This highly developed cognitive ability is a more advanced skill than
purposeful clowning and the talent of telling jokes. Since humor profi-
ciency is not universally found in middle school curriculum, many of us
would welcome a refresher course.
If you are teaching middle school or have the challenging job of par-
enting a teenager you have the opportunity to nurture this self-depre-
cating humor in young folks. Preteen and teenage years are usually a dif-
ficult period when most teens laugh at jokes that focus on sex, food,
authority figures, and any subject that adults consider off-limits. Humor
skill development and acquiring positive emotionality are important in
the middle school curriculum. I know! I know these curriculums are
maxed out with mandates and “critical” subject matter. Chapter 6 con-
tains numerous ideas for integration of these concepts.
Numerous middle school teachers already use several techniques to
model humor for their students. My daughter Rachael is a focused sev-
enth-grade science teacher, but she delights her students with occa-
sional bursts of song and/or otherwise “goofy” behavior. Allowing stu-
dents to observe your own playfulness will give them the freedom to
grow their own humor being.
The search for absurdity and unusual human behavior (especially in
oneself) can initiate healthy self-deprecating amusement. Exaggeration
and comparison are good ways to begin to laugh at oneself. Even slight
exaggeration can tweak your perception of something and take it from
difficult to funny. Some examples of self-deprecation include:

s Overstatement. This is similar to exaggeration in flexibility training

but with a focus on oneself; for example, “I used to have an open
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 107

mind but my brains kept falling out.” “I keep pressing the control
key but it’s not giving me any!” “To save time, let’s agree that I
know everything.” “How about never, is never good for you?” “The
face is familiar but I can’t quite remember my name.” “I took an
IQ test and the results were negative.”
s Analogy or comparison. “Elvis is dead and I’m not feeling too
good myself.” “S/he who laughs last, thinks slowest.” “Always re-
member that you are unique just like everyone else.”

There is a difference between being able to poke fun at oneself and the
anxious humor that is a result of insecurity. If you feel like a martyr or a
victim during this humor workout, the results will not contribute to the
positive emotionality and humergy of a healthy humor being.
Self-deprecating humor has long been used by politicians who recog-
nize its ability to acknowledge controversial issues and steal the punch
of criticism.

s When Ronald Regan’s advanced age was used against him during
the 1984 campaign, he quipped, “I will not make age an issue in
this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my
opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
s “To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I
say, well done. And to the ‘C’ students, I say you too can be pres-
ident.”—George W. Bush accepting an honorary doctorate from
his alma mater, Yale University.
s “I am Al Gore and I used to be the next president of the United
States.”—Gore in a speech at Bocconi University in Milan after
losing his close race with Bush.

Students might enjoy researching famous folks who were able to poke
fun at themselves. Humor seems to be a popular tool with some politi-
cians campaigning for office.

Flexibility Training
Humor practice requires flexibility and the self-confidence to know
you will meet the hurdles of life with optimistic amusement. Stretching
108 CHAPTER 5

is a large part of flexibility. One strategy for mental stretching is exag-

geration. Stretch the truth. When difficulties occur in your life, take that
challenge and use exaggeration to assist in coping. Laughing at the dif-
ficulties helps to ease the experience.

“It’s been so hot, the trees are whistling for the dogs.”

Bending in new ways and stretching your abilities will increase your hu-
mor power. Start with an awareness of your emotional state after a re-
view of your baseline data. The optimal goal is to increase your positive
energy and strive for the joy-flow stage as described in chapter 2. Our
emotional state fluctuates as we continually react to our environment
and to our own physical challenges. Life is adapting to change as we
strive to find balance and joy in life.

Aerobics
Practice, practice, practice . . .

s Look for humor in everything.

s Collect humor books, emails, stories, jokes.
s Begin with humor that you feel comfortable with and progress to
humor that you have not tried before. Send humor via e-mail. Try
telling jokes, if you have not done so before, starting with one-lin-
ers. Repeat stories that you found funny.
s Practice humergy with difficult people in your life. React to them
with positive energy and work toward forgiveness.
s Play every day.
s Have intentional fun. Plan for it.

According to comedian Steve Allen, we can increase our sense of humor

by exposing ourselves to humorous life experiences. Search for the
everyday humor, because it’s all around us. The humor resources such
as comedy clubs, light-hearted movies, books, cartoons, and comics are
obvious; however, a concerted effort is required to practice the art of ex-
aggeration, to experience silliness, or to choose play. Some people carry
props such as puppets or clown noses to wear while trying to spread the
humor. This is not a comfort zone of mine, but many find this a creative
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 109

outlet for humergy. Collecting cartoons, puns, and jokes is a common

practice. E-mail has contributed to widespread distribution of comic
material. My husband Don delights in receiving and sharing e-jokes. His
chuckling lets me know that I will soon be the beneficiary of another
joke. I hate to admit it, but when editing this book, I asked him not to
send me anymore jokes. I just didn’t have time for humor. I guess I
needed to reread this chapter, because I usually appreciate the e-jokes
sent to me. Sharing humor builds relationships and strengthens trust.
Practice, practice, practice . . .

r Jest for Fun r

Observe humor during the daily newscast. There are numerous examples of
humor usage in difficult situations. Peter Jennings when confronted with
lung cancer treatment said there would be days when he would be cranky
and days when he would be very cranky. Note the exaggeration of his diffi-
cult feelings.

Stress Management
As mentioned in chapter 3, humor has been shown to be a stress re-
liever. The ability to use humor in fear-laden and negative situations re-
flects an exceptional level of emotional intelligence. Humor can be applied
to redirect one’s negative energy into a positive form—a highly developed
cognitive skill. Recognizing internal frustration and learning to react with
humor is beneficial for our health. Our ability to not only survive, but also
to thrive in difficult situations is reflected in our humergy techniques.
Eat blueberries and salmon, try bosu, jump rope, dream sweetly, and
take care of yourself in all of the recommended ways. These will en-
hance your sense of humor. Enjoy each morsel of life and laugh during
the times when life is hard to swallow. Humor makes the medicine go
down in the most amusing way.

Cool Down
Most of us have a preconceived notion of our own sense of humor. For
an individual to expand their ability to humergize, it is important to ex-
pand an awareness of how to move from the inhibitions of humor toward
110 CHAPTER 5

enjoying humor practice. After you have cooled down, head for the
shower. Shower yourself with accolades for completing your humor
workout. Now is the time to revisit your goals and set new ones.

r Jest for Fun r

If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving isn’t for you. Be realistic about your
workout goals. Don’t be afraid to keep trying new things.

5. CHECK YOUR JOY-FLOW STATE

Humor is the vehicle that can help us return to the safety net where
learning is fun. Happiness, fun, play, mirth, comedy, joy, and jokes are all
terms that have been used to define humor. Humergy is a powerful
mind/body connection creating a remarkable feeling of control over one’s
life. Fully developed characteristics are exhibited by the individual who:

s Consistently chooses a positive response pattern in life. The ca-

pacity to do this emerges from a focus on creating an affirmative
environment (even a mental one) in which to operate.
s Welcomes challenge in change, incongruity, and uncertainty. Has
the confidence to think outside of the box and see numerous pos-
sibilities. If a situation does not progress as planned, another op-
tion is found.
s Understands that humor is a coping skill that can be a response to
change (from small annoyances to a major crisis).
s Purposefully uses laughter to ease pain and realizes that laughter
is a sign of healing and health.
s Uses self-deprecating humor as an exaggerated statement of truth
with the knack of laughing at one’s own mistakes or difficulties.
s Empathizes with other people and is able to “read” the emotions
of others. Has the ability to assist others in seeing the humor in
difficult situations and elicit laughter in difficult situations. Emo-
tional intelligence operates at full throttle.
s Listens to others and honors their feelings. Recognizes that anger
in another person usually mirrors fear.
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 111

s Has the ability to use humor in communicating with others.

Highly skilled humergists are able to ease the tension in group
meetings by promoting laughter at the situation or at themselves.
s Plays frequently and encourages others to do so. Understands that
play promotes learning, builds trust, and encourages creativity.
s Finds balance in life. Looks at work as a career and the opportunity
to expand personal talents and abilities in the service of others.

6. SET NEW HUMOR WORKOUT GOALS

You know the routine. Start over again and practice, practice, practice. . . .
(See figure 5-2.)

Figure 5-2. Humor workout cycle.

112 CHAPTER 5

1. After reviewing appendix 4: Sense of Humor Reflections, write

new goals. For example, laugh more often each day, try a new form
of play, tell more funny stories, find a supportive colleague, read a
funny book, start a school humor mentor program, etc.
2. Set a time line. For example, by the end of the month I will have
two coaches in place and will have tried a new form of play each
week.
3. Identify your support system. Who have you relied on in the past?
Continue the search for colleagues who enjoy humor.
4. Celebrate your success. Be sure to enjoy the success of your hu-
mor practice.
5. Set challenging new workout goals. Start over!

Your humor improvement plan will succeed if you initiate a workout time
line when you set your goals. Surround yourself with coaches and trainers
who will support your humor practice. Celebrate your humor accomplish-
ments. The Humor Styles Inventory will assist you in deciding whether to
work your frontal lobes, your laughter lines, your funny bone, or all three.
Although both nature and nurture contribute to a sense of humor,
humergy is a skill that can be learned and practiced. Encourage others to
join you in your quest for optimistic emotionality. Remember that humor
is a powerful antidote for stress and will add to your quality of life. Also re-
member that many playful behaviors have been extinguished from our life
and it will take effort and practice to rejuvenate your humor being.

SUMMARY

Everybody can add fun, laughter, and play into their life. Begin with the
goal of increasing your humergy level, reducing stress, and bringing
your best self to work every day. Your enthusiasm, excitement, and en-
ergy are powerful forces that reflect your renewed sense of humor. This
humor workout provides benefits that maximize creativity and compre-
hension by:

s Increasing the ability to take risks and try new things

s Expanding the ability to generate ideas
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 113

s Capturing our attention

s Increasing memory storage and retrieval

And facilitate communication with individuals and in groups by:

s Enabling observation of our internal emotional state

s Reflecting the inner spirit of self and others
s Increasing the ability to “read” the emotions of others
s Reducing tension, fear and anger
s Nurturing trust
s Increasing group energy and positive group dynamics

Your individual humor workout will enhance your life and bring laugh-
ter, fun, and joy, both to you and to all around you.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

Focus on your own sense of humor:

s Review the developmental stages of humor in the previous chap-

ter of this book. Reflect on your own humor history.
s Take the Humor Styles Inventory found in appendix 5. Practice
the skills that strengthen the humor style you enjoy. Try different
forms of humor at a pace of one a month. Note the reaction of
your colleagues.
s Choose a certain time each day to record or journal the times that
you laughed. Try to increase your humor stats—frequency, quality
of humor recorded.
s Observe the humor of those people in your life that make you
jump with joy and who fill your life with humergy. Seek out those
individuals and create some zest together.
s Make it a goal in your life to make everyone that you come into
contact with laugh or at least smile. Sometimes it is easiest to
practice with people you do not know, such as people in the
checkout line or in the elevator, clerks, wait staff, or toll booth at-
tendants.
114 CHAPTER 5

Play every day. Encourage your colleagues in the art of play.

s Go to the park and swing (you can be a swinger too).

s Get out your hula-hoop and see if you can still make it go up and
down your body—okay, just around the waist!
s Find your old yo-yo. Walk the dog or go around the world.
s Dance and shout to your favorite music.
s Sing loudly in the car, shower, or—if you’re talented—in public.
s Do the Twist, the Mashed Potato, a country line dance.
s Try something new that’s a stretch for you—bungee jumping (pun
intended), board games, sports, and artistic endeavors.
s Get on your neighbor’s pogo stick.
s Build a tree house and spend time there making funny monkey
noises.
s Play with Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys.
s Pitch a tent in your back yard. Invite someone over for tent talk.
s Teach the kids in your neighborhood how to play Kick the Can.
s Experiment with string, kites, magnets, Silly Putty, and bubbles.
s Find old toys at garage sales and reminisce. Share the joys of these
toys with anyone who will play with them too.

Note: if you do not know what some of these “play” items refer to, ask
your fellow “seasoned” teachers.

r Jest for Fun r

Sponsor an “It Takes Balls to Relieve Stress” activity. Give each staff
member a different ball (football, baseball, golf ball, bowling, etc.). This
person pairs with another to brainstorm ways the ball can be used to
relieve stress. Each week a different ball activity can be initiated by
those staff.

Study Group Focus

s Take the Humor Styles Inventory (appendix 5). Use the Cate-
gories of Humor (appendix 6) and Fun Websites (bibliography)
resources. Share your results with the group. Discuss how differ-
THE HUMOR WORKOUT 115

ent humor styles affect communication between colleagues. Small

groups of those with similar styles would be intriguing.
s Use your study group as a support system for increasing the hu-
mor in your lives. Share humor resources. Do your humor work-
out together.
s Choose books on humor (see bibliography) to read as a book club
format. Generate discussions on the book content with different
members serving as facilitators.
s Compile a humor “recipe” book as a fundraising effort. Use the
money to increase your humor library or to send teachers to a hu-
mor conference.
s Form a Laughter Club; information can be received from Steve
Wilson, founder, president, and cheerman of The Bored(tm)
World Laughter Tour, Inc. (www.WorldLaughterTour.com).

Café Conversations
Review current literature on the importance of humor and stress
management. How do we already support the humor practice of teach-
ers in our school environment? Identify the teachers who exhibit exem-
plary humor practice. How can the talents of these educators be maxi-
mized in our school culture? How can we increase support for a
wellness lifestyle that includes humor workouts?

“I was going to buy a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking. Then I won-
dered what the heck kind of good that would do.”
 s
Chapter 6
HUMOR EXTRAVAGANZA
It’s a Circus out There!

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” —Walt Disney

The activities compiled in this chapter have been collected from edu-
cators by the “search and steal” methodology. They have been gathered
from educators at workshops I have conducted, from classroom visits,
and by generally doing the one thing that we do best—taking a creative
idea and adapting it for individual classroom use.
Many readers may find it difficult to actually implement some of the
strategies found in this book. I have been continuously amazed at how
difficult it is to use fun, laughter, and humor in our educational systems.
Is there an unspoken rule that having fun is forbidden in schools? What
is it we are afraid of? The higher the grade level, the more difficult it is
to implement humor practice. Some of the more adventuresome high
school teachers use cartoons and puns. Anything else is dismissed as too
elementary or childish to be considered. Your stories continue to rein-
force my belief that humor and fun are like many of our wild animals—
in danger of becoming extinct in our schools. These are a few actual con-
versations I have encountered.

117
118 CHAPTER 6

A high school teacher reviewed some of these ideas and cautioned

me, “we’re not supposed to have parties, although some teachers se-
cretly do. In our school system the clowning and parties need to be kept
at the elementary levels.”
When a teacher that I know was moving to second grade after teach-
ing kindergarten for several years, the principal came to her and de-
clared: “now you won’t be able to sing anymore.” She got the message
that there was no time for fun and games in second grade. Teaching was
a serious business.
A teacher with a brain-compatible classroom had children actively en-
gaged in a variety of activities. They were, of course, talking and sharing
ideas. The principal came in and implied her room was too noisy when she
said, “there’s not one kid talking next door!” Numerous teachers allege
that all they can accomplish during the school day is preparation and test-
ing for state and federal mandates. Many are saddened by the fact that
there is no time for fun. One teacher tried some creative activities with
her fifth grade students and the students admonished her for having too
much fun. Another teacher said there is bitterness among the teachers at
her school because of all they are already expected to do. Humor would
be adding just one more thing to the already overworked staff.
High school teachers have indicated that some of these ideas are
childish, too difficult to implement, or that they are not just willing to
put forth the effort to try something this risky without a guarantee of
higher test scores. A principal disclosed that he believed in using humor,
but was afraid that the perception from the community would be that
students were “not working.” As mentioned previously, I have been
overwhelmed by the number of teachers who have reported that they
can only have fun after they close the classroom door. Many told me that
they do this frequently, because they worry that others might misinter-
pret the laughter coming from their rooms. They actually try to suppress
the laughter or keep it to a minimum because of these fears.
Whew! Convincing educators that humor is important is not an issue.
Most teachers will readily tell me that they value humor. However, per-
suading educators to actually implement humor practice is a challenge.
It seems that by fourth grade, even some of the students have become
reluctant to have fun in school. A fourth grade teacher confided that she
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 119

was integrating humor and a student told her he was too old for that
kind of stuff. Humorphobia or fear of humor as described in chapter 4
does permeate our educational system.
The fact remains: humor does facilitate learning. However, because of
the prevalence of humorphobia in our schools, it’s imperative that you
clearly understand and articulate your goals when initiating humor. Please
feel free to incorporate these research-based rationales for why humor
can and should be integrated into your classroom. Review the research in
chapter 3 that identified the following advantages for using humor:

s Captures and retains student attention

s Expands student comprehension
s Increases the opportunity for memory retention
s Builds relationships with students and colleagues
s Creates a nurturing environment for learning
s Supports classroom management
s Helps people cope
s Enhances the joyful craft of teaching and learning

Don’t be discouraged if your initial attempt at integrating humor feels

strange or doesn’t go very well. As mentioned throughout this book, our
school cultures generally don’t encourage humor initiation and practice.
In fact, you may fear being reprimanded for having fun. In spite of these
obstacles, your school culture might limit the feasibility of trying some
of these ideas. For instance, if there is a rule against parties, you won’t
be able to try the party ideas this year. However, I strongly encourage
you to try on your humor persona, be a little daring, and have some fun.
Educators often operate in an atmosphere that feels like a three-ring
circus (see figure 6-1). Remember most of these search and steal meth-
ods can be adapted for any classroom. Let your imagination go wild as
you review the activities in all three rings.

Ring One: Grade Level Performance

Ring Two: Subject Level Stunts
Ring Three: Instructional Innovations: The Educator’s Tackle Box
120 CHAPTER 6

Figure 6-1. Three-ring circus.

r Jest for Fun r

At the first in-service of the school year, have participants complete the
following sentence: “Being an educator in this school is like being in a circus
because . . .” These can be posted and referred to whenever challenges oc-
cur during the school year.

RING ONE: GRADE LEVEL PERFORMANCE

Put these tricks in your bag and pull them out when you want to stim-
ulate, excite, and grab attention. Let the magic of humor get your cre-
ative juices flowing. While these are designed for the specific stages of
humor development (as described in chapter 2), most can be adapted
for any age.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 121

Knock-Knock Exploits (Grades Pre-K–3)

s Put a different riddle on the bulletin board each day, with sheets
of paper and a box below. Students can guess the answer and put
the sheet with their name on it in the box. Teachers can acknowl-
edge the correct answers the next day with silly prizes or just a
posted list of those who answered correctly.
s The “funny corner” encourages clowning creativity. Provide a
small desk area with a mirror and clown props. Students can
choose to become a colorful character in history (related to your
content area). Drama and storytelling can be integrated as a way
to make characters come alive.
s Joke and riddle books excite even the bored child. Make sure that
there are numerous opportunities to explore books that encourage
humor.
s Finger puppets generate ways to review material. Help students
focus by using the puppets to point to the reading material with
their puppet finger. (Finger puppets are easily made with a fine
point marker and putting a face on the finger tip.)
s Rhythm and rhyme are more fun with a Dr. Seuss theme. Have a
Cat in the Hat Day or serve green eggs and ham. Use this format
to introduce rhymes. Adapting Dr. Seuss to particular lesson plans
has been a successful strategy implemented by numerous teachers
at all grade levels.

Riddle-De-Dee Festival (Grades 3–5)

s Begin each day with a riddle or funny story chosen by one of the
students. An interesting assignment is to have the students cre-
ate a riddle about their lesson. The class can brainstorm the an-
swer.
s One day a week the principal can invite a student to read a riddle
over the loudspeaker. Students can write their answers and drop
them in the riddle box in each room. The principal posts the
names of the students who got the correct answer. The student
who figures out the most riddles by the end of the month gets to
select or create a riddle for the school newsletter.
122 CHAPTER 6

s Use familiar songs and change the words to include facts that need
to be remembered (see appendix 9: Familiar Song List).

Pun-Fun Spectacular (Grades 6–8)

s Greet students with secret visual signals that give them a clue
about the lesson for the day—any goofy move will do. Refer to the
signal when they leave as a reminder of the key point you want
them to remember. Remember, movement helps plant informa-
tion into the long term memory. A study of the cells could initiate
a “cell” phone conversation. A choking sign could mean that they
must learn one important concept or “choke” on the test. Three
fingers in the air might indicate the three vital things they need to
learn that day.
s Have a backwards day. Everything is backwards. Clothing can be
worn backwards or start the day with whatever rituals you usually
end the day with. Take any list or sequential information the stu-
dents are learning and have them recite it backwards. This works
well with spelling words.
s Encourage puns. Give extra credit for any puns that relate to the
material that you are studying.
s Wrap a present. Set it on your desk. Give clues as to what is inside.
It can be the title of the book you will be reading, the name of your
next science unit, or the summary of the material you have been
working on. Whoever figures out what’s in the box gets to open the
present and read the information to the class.

Joy-Flow Entertainment (High School to adult)

s Check out the previous activities. You may be able to adapt one of
them for your class.
s Have students share the best “hooks” used by their previous
teachers. What humor helped them to remember the information
they needed to learn? How can they use this information to help
them learn in your class?
s Have students create their own bumper sticker, e-mail addresses,
or license plates highlighting an aspect of a lesson.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 123

s Party. Let students plan the food, games, and activities as a culmi-
nation of a lesson or as a reward for working hard. Several times
of the year adapt to a party theme; for example, “Exam day party:
Celebrate what you know!” “First day of spring party,” “Monthly
birthday party,” “Groundhog Day party,” or “Chinese New Year.”
s Create contests, games, or events with the purpose of sinking in-
formation into the long-term memory.
s Hat day (if you’re able to bend dress rules for one day). Students
choose a hat that links to the content they need to remember.
They tell their hat story and link the information to the current
lesson.
s Kite-flying contest. Students create a kite that contains the infor-
mation they need to remember for the lesson. The kites can be
hung around the room to remind them of this information. When
all students have mastered all of the information, they get to fly
the kites. You can tell them to “go fly a kite!”
s Jump rope contest. Students create the jingles for jumping that re-
flect the content of the lessons. Have students try the jingles with
individual jump ropes or with the old method of two kids holding
the ends while others jump. Clean rap or hip-hop rhymes might
be included.
s Club or organization activity. Have a Last Comedian Standing con-
test based on the television program. (Material needs to be preap-
proved by advisor.) Admission to this event would be a bar of soap or
package of toilet paper for the local homeless shelter or cans of food
for the food pantry. (Contact the shelter to see what they need.)
s Find cartoons that highlight the lesson. You might start with one
or two and add to your collection each year. Coordinate with other
staff members to supplement these collections by having each
teacher collect a cartoon for different lessons and sharing.
s Student writing assignment possibilities: Is there a perceived need
to use and abuse drugs as a crutch or excuse for being silly? What
are the connections between fun and learning? How does one dis-
tinguish between appropriate and inappropriate humor? Do stu-
dents have the right to experience fun, silliness, and humor while
in school? Explore the use of toys and adaptation for the curricu-
lum (see appendix 10: Toy List).
124 CHAPTER 6

RING TWO: SUBJECT LEVEL STUNTS

Incredible and amazing feats of humor in each of the content areas will
be fun to try. Get a colleague to collaborate with you and encourage
each other in your quest for expanding the humor in your classrooms.

Art
“Everyone has a photographic memory. Some, like me, just don’t have
any film.”

Creative cartooning. Ask students to draw cartoons that are linked to

their current history studies or to current events.
Fashion clown masks. Have students develop their own unique clown
persona. Clown masks can also be created to depict a famous character
from history or literature. These can be worn when giving a presentation
about their character.

Drama/Speech
“What would Scooby Doo?”

s Sponsor a “Last Comedian Standing” contest.

s Start an improvisational theater group.
s Study and practice timing for jokes and stories.
s Watch episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Adapt your own
classroom version and perform for the PTA, school board, or as a
fund-raiser. Be sure to preview the episodes for appropriate humor.

Health
“Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying
of nothing.”

s Have students research the health benefits of laughter. Explore

the myths and facts about humor and laughter.
s Assign a project on the effects of positive psychology and the im-
plications for learning.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 125

s Analyze the relationship between stress, learning, and humor.

s Study the research on humor and brain imaging. Where is humor
located in the brain?

Foreign Languages
“If you look like your passport, you probably need the trip.”

s Practice telling jokes and stories in different languages.

s Identify how a joke changes in translation.
s Review the humor from various countries. Compare the differ-
ences in cultural humor.

Math
“Ratio of an igloo’s circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi”

s Use rhythm and rhyme to memorize formulas.

s Add humor to story problems by changing some words to silly ex-
amples (for example, pop stars). Use funny stories as the initial ba-
sis for the story problems.
s Have a Mirthful Math Day with students taking turns telling jokes
after each set of problems.
s Watch a variety of comedians (clean humor, of course) and calcu-
late the time between the punch line and the laughter impact.
Discuss the implications that timing has on humor. This can be the
basis for a bar graph. Have students tell one joke to different
groups with different timing lapses. Graph the laughter response.
s Have each student keep track of how often they laugh. Chart the
numbers according to times of day, who they were with, etc. Use
as a graphing assignment.
s Let students answer math problems with the number of their fa-
vorite sports hero. For instance the answer for number 23 would
be Michael Jordon. Have them do problems with Michael Jordon
and current star athlete numbers. Encourage them to create prob-
lems for each other using this method. This is a good hook for
some students who are not too interested in math, but love sports.
126 CHAPTER 6

Music
“I found myself utterly depressed the other day and spent the entire
afternoon listening to Celine Dion records . . . at least that’s what I
thought I was doing. Turns out the cat had just fallen into the dryer
and was trying to get out.”
—Julian Clary

s Review some of the music used in comedy films. Compare with

the music used in romantic scores, horror movies, adventure car-
toons, etc. What are the differences?
s Research instruments used as a part of a circus or comedy per-
formance. How were the instruments integrated into routines?
For example, Blue Man Group, late night talk shows. Note how
drums and cymbals are often used to highlight the end of a
joke.
s Have a kazoo play day.
s Study the different pitches and sounds of laughter.
s Find musical scores that elicit laughter as an integral part of the
piece.

Physical Education and Sports

“Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.”

s Try laughter for an initial stretching exercise. Practice a variety of

laughs, giggles, belly laughs, with laughter eventually shaking
every body part. Discuss why laughter is healthy. Does it really in-
crease the flow of oxygen to every part of the body?
s Review the Three Stooges, I Love Lucy, and Charlie Chaplin. Dis-
cuss the physical requirements of slapstick. Practice a safe slap-
stick comedy move or routine.
s Use laughter as a relaxation technique before competitive events.
It will boggle the competitor’s minds to hear your team laughing
out loud before the performance. Use laughter as your secret
weapon. (Remind students that laughing at someone is inappro-
priate and can be considered bullying behavior.)
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 127

Reading
“Experience is a wonderful thing; it enables you to recognize a mistake
when you make it again.”

s Have each student bring in a joke, pun, or riddle (grade 5–12 teach-
ers may need to review for appropriate material). After a discussion
to analyze the humor, students can read additional material analyz-
ing how word play and language variances can generate humor.
s Read a funny story out loud every day. Ask students if they found
the material funny. Initiate a discussion of humor styles (see ap-
pendix 5). This is a good discussion starter on the nuances of lan-
guage usage, speech, and timing.
s Initiate a directory of funny/humorous books read by the students.
Keep adding to the list. Post this list to share with others and cre-
ate a blog to discuss the books. Have a contest with other classes
to see who can generate the longest list.
s Use cartoon bubbles as story starters. Have students bring car-
toons to class to share. Let them try their skills at using the visual
aid of a cartoon as a writing prompt.
s Research and read about the different styles of comedy: clowning,
pantomime, improv, impressionist, master of ceremonies, magi-
cian, stand-up comic.
s Research the difference in writing style of a comedy or tragedy.
Look at Shakespeare’s tragedy and comedy works. Compare and
contrast.

Science
“Two hydrogen atoms walk into a bar. One says, ‘I’ve lost my electron.’
The other says, ‘Are you sure?’ The first replies, ‘Yes, I’m positive.’”

s Research if the above joke is true or false and why.

s Research humor (the humor glossary in appendix 8 can be a start-
ing point).
s Where is humor located in the brain?
s What happens when we laugh?
128 CHAPTER 6

s Explore the relationship between facial expressions and our emo-

tions. Conduct experiments analyzing emotional reactions. How
do police tell if someone is lying or telling the truth?
s Conduct laughter research. Have the students do a survey on
laughter. Chart the numbers. Collect data on the time of day that
there was the most laughter.
s Assign a research study on play therapy, humor therapy, and/or the
relationship between laughter and stress.
s Study the science of roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and video
games. Do people laugh during these rides? Does fear generate
laughter? What evokes the emotions evident at amusement parks?
s Study the humor of animals.
s Do dogs have a sense of humor?
s What sounds do monkeys make to express amusement? Is it dif-
ferent than humans?

Social Studies
“Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Con-
gress . . . but I repeat myself.”
—Mark Twain

s Initiate a study of the humor during a historical period in time.

Would this humor be considered funny today? Ben Franklin’s
works are a delightful source of material. Include the work of
Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Will Rogers, and Aristotle.
s Initiate a treasure hunt to stimulate interest in geographic locations.
Students choose a location and create clues to assist classmates in lo-
cating various points. These clues can be riddles or cartoons.
s Research the humor of a variety of historical periods. What role
did jesters play? Why do we identify works of Shakespeare as com-
edy or tragedy?
s Examine the cartoons of different periods in American history and
discuss the intended message about the political climate of that era.
s Political cartoons depict social viewpoints. Have students bring
cartoons to class and discuss the message these cartoons portray.
s Creative cartooning is a great way for students to depict the period
of history currently being reviewed.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 129

s Cultural differences are evident in humor usage. Find jokes that are
universal in nature and cut across cultural and ethnic differences.
s Students can write to their favorite cartoonist asking her to share
how she became interested in political cartooning.
s Create a wax museum with students dressing as a famous histori-
cal character. They have a button on their wrist that turns them on
so they can speak about their contribution to history. This is a
great event for parent night.

Writing
“I may be schizophrenic but at least I have each other.”

s Students choose the college they think they would like to attend.
They research the school mascot and write about how it was cho-
sen, how the mascot performs, and how it reflects the school cul-
ture. Discuss why schools have mascots.
s Blow them away. Put a prompt inside a balloon. Each student
blows up their balloon and pops it to find the story prompt. Can
use the silly word list in appendix 11.
s Bring in Chinese fortune cookies. Use these sayings as story
starters. Have students create fortunes for each other.
s Cartoon clues. Use unidentified cartoons as story prompts.
s Non-sense: Provide a list of nonsense words that students can
choose to be included in their writing or poetry assignment. Can
use silly word list in appendix 11.
s Dr. Seuss revisited. Have And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry
Street week. Apply the Seuss format as a creative writing tech-
nique. Dramatize parts of the Seuss book and have students ma-
nipulate the conclusion using a current unit of study.
s Unmasking our creativity. For descriptive writing, each student
can create a clown persona and then dress up as that clown and
provide a short skit revealing the personality behind the “mask.”
s Story exchange. Have each student write the beginning of a story
and exchange with another student to finish the story.
s Hot potato writing. Students begin by sitting in a circle. Each
student writes, addressing the topic chosen from your current
130 CHAPTER 6

curriculum content. When the music starts, each student passes the
paper to the right until the music stops. They then read what is writ-
ten and continue that story. When the music starts the passing begins
again. This can continue for several passes. These stories are funny
when read aloud. Students can then edit the stories in small groups.
s Drawing to music. Student choice of an appropriate music selec-
tion begins with students drawing in time to the music. Music is
played in short segments. When the music stops, each student
folds their paper in two and papers are passed around until the
music stops. This can be repeated, reversing the passing order.
The picture that they receive is their story starter. Using their
imagination, they write about what they visualize on the paper. Pa-
pers can be returned to the original artist for story completion.
s Topic comedy. Create a comedy bulletin board and post humorous
writings created by the students or appropriate humorous stories
they have found. A theme can be used, such as lightbulb jokes,
“Why did the chicken cross the road?” jokes, or true stories. All
material is reviewed by the teacher before posting.
s Color me funny. Discuss the innovative ideas generated by a color,
such as Blue Man Group, the Blues Brothers, and Blue’s Clues.
Red can be used for a Valentine’s Day theme with topics such as
the Red Sea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Red Cross, and the
Red Hat Society. Choose a color and have the class come up with
as many topics around that color as possible. Write about how
color can color creative thinking.
s As part of a lesson combining humor style and writing, pass out
clown noses and/or a variety of hats and give the students a choice
to wear them to see how it impacts their writing. The purpose is
to alter their viewpoint. Discuss how they felt as part of this ex-
periment. There will be different comfort levels with varying in-
sights into humor styles.

r Jest for Fun r

Discuss this quote by Nicholas Cage with your students: “Classes were al-
ways a bore to me. I wanted to learn things on my own, not by presenta-
tions. I was a loudmouth and a clown. It came as a surprise to me, later,
that I could be serious and still get attention.”
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 131

RING THREE: INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATIONS AND THE

EDUCATOR’S TACKLE BOX

As a review of chapter 3, teachers have the opportunity to use humor as

a valued tool in their educator’s tackle box. In order to maximize learn-
ing, educators can use humor to increase understanding and strengthen
the possibility that information will be stored in long-term memory.
These research-based instructional strategies are an invaluable resource
for the educator’s tackle box. Here is a recap of the hook, line, and sinker
strategy for integrating humor in the curriculum.

1. Capture and retain student attention: The hook

2. Expand student comprehension: The Line—practice and repetition
3. Increase the opportunity for memory retention: The sinker—feed-
back and reflection

Hook them with advance organizers:

s Use different humorous themes to help students get excited about

the upcoming unit of study.
s Circus themes are adaptable for almost any topic and provide lots
of possibilities for graphic organizers. (This chapter is an exam-
ple.) There are numerous additional thematic units that creative
teachers enjoy using that employ humor as a hook.
s Employ popular animated movies as the basis for planning. Shrek,
Finding Nemo, Antz, and Mickey Mouse are great possibilities.
s Adapt David Letterman’s top ten list of what will be learned or
why they will like this lesson.

Hook them with visuals, story maps, word walls, jigsaws, pair/share, and
change of state activities:

s Cartoons can be used to depict everything from spelling words to

political concepts. They are great story starters, and can be used
for word walls and jigsaws.
s Pair/share: Student #1 puts on a clown nose and begins talking
nonstop to student #2 for five minutes about everything learned
on a specific topic. Then student #2 puts on the nose and talks
132 CHAPTER 6

nonstop for five minutes without repeating any material. Switch

pairs and repeat activity.
s Identify key information you want students to remember. Print
each topic on different large clown shoes. Laminate the paper
shoes and tape on the floor around your room. Have enough for
each student. Each student starts on a shoe. Play music. When the
music stops the students read the information on their shoe.
When the music begins, they walk from shoe to shoe until the mu-
sic stops. They again read the information. Track one student so
you are sure everyone gets to read every piece of information.
When they are back at their seats, review and see if they remem-
ber which shoe the information was on and how much they re-
membered.
s Remember, brains fall asleep after ten to fifteen minutes of lull.
Plan a change of state to regain attention every so often.
s Encourage the use of humor in completing assignments. Give ex-
tra credit for humor that supports the content and is integrated
into homework.
s Kazoos can be used for memorization. The class can do a type of
choral reading on kazoos—repeating the piece together. (This
takes an especially hardy teacher.)
s As a review technique, use the improvisation format of Whose
Line Is It Anyway? Have students write the review prompt and
two to three students perform the improvisation while the others
guess the key learning component.
s Encourage students to adapt review information to their fa-
vorite music. Student can work in small study groups to accom-
plish this as part of a homework assignment. (Music must be ap-
propriate!)

The line of cooperative learning:

s Have students write test questions on small pieces of paper. Have

each student insert these into balloons and blow up balloons. A
balloon volleyball format can be used, with the team earning the
right to answer the question inside the balloon if they win the set.
When the balloon is popped, the team must answer the question
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 133

inside of their balloon to score a point. This can be an ongoing

game spanning several days and used as a break time activity.
s Give each group a different set of toys (for example, slinkies, yo-
yos, pickup sticks, puppets, legos). These props can be used to cre-
ate an analogy for the material you are studying. For example, “the
balance of powers in the United States Government is like a yo-yo
because . . .” They can also be used to simulate discussion between
two opposing viewpoints using the puppets.

Sinker (feedback):

s Affirm any attempts at appropriate humor from your students, es-

pecially humor that reinforces a lesson. Provide resources and
prizes for successful humor efforts that are linked to learning.
s Have students take the Humor Styles Inventory. Have each stu-
dent fill out a sheet with their name at the top and listing their fa-
vorite comedian and joke. Leave space at the bottom for other stu-
dents/staff to post comments on why they appreciate the humor of
this student. Encourage students to notice the humor of their
classmates.

Sinker (reflection):

s Comedian biography. Students choose their favorite comedian

and write a biography about their lives. This can provide a spring-
board for a discussion of humor styles and how it impacts learning
and communication. How is humor related to communication?
How did this comedian succeed in communicating?
s Students create memory hooks for their current lesson using silly
rhymes or cartoons. Have students share their memory hook with
the class.
s Use a clown happy face handout as a reflection technique after the
lesson. Each of the face parts represents a different aspect of
learning. The eyes depict what the student saw. The mouth is what
they would like to tell others about the lesson. The nose can link
what students found funny about the material. The ears are what
the student heard the teacher tell about the lesson.
134 CHAPTER 6

Sinker (assessment):

s Each student creates a test question using a riddle format. (This

can be a homework assignment.) Each student shares their riddle
with the class before the assessment is given. These riddles can be
incorporated into the actual assessment. (For example, who was
the Queen of Denial/the Nile.)
s Add a funny test question in the middle of the assessment. For ex-
ample, who is your favorite teacher right at this moment? Ac-
knowledge everyone who writes in your name.
s Have a bulletin board titled: This Clown Nose (knows). Students
write questions/reflections on red circle noses that are put in the
middle of the clown faces they created.
s Provide cartoons without captions and have students use a cartoon
format to summarize different ideas from the lesson. Save the best
ones from year to year and use them to introduce lessons or at var-
ious times to reinforce learning.

THE RINGMASTER: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MAGIC

The most important trick in classroom management is having the students

actively engaged in their own learning. Step right up to see the tricks of
humor used to tame the lions and tigers. Watch as the class clowns per-
form amazing feats right before your very eyes. Boredom and discipline
problems disappear as you create the magic of fun in learning. The brain-
compatible classroom usually doesn’t have too many discipline issues. If
students are having fun, the chances for inappropriate behavior decrease.
Here are some tricks to ensure engaged learning is taking place.

Embrace Play for Discovery-based Learning

s Have a variety of toys and games available (see the suggested list
in appendix 10). Apply the rule that anything can be used as long
as it does not distract another student’s learning process.
s Provide an area in your room for play activities. Change the mate-
rials frequently to encourage creativity.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 135

s Constantly look for opportunities to play. Give the students free

play time. This time can be used to write, read, role-play,
dream, and just think! Set up play centers in the room to pro-
mote play.

Offer Choice: Encourage Students to Shape Their Own Learning

s Allow the students to sit, lounge, or stand as they learn. Desks can
cramp the brain and humor. If students must be at their desk,
make the rule that one part of their body must be touching their
desk at all times.
s When consequences are necessary, give choices: you can choose to
write a thoughtful letter of apology or clean the desktop of every
student in the classroom after school.
s Create humor lifelines for times of stress. Phone a friend (can use
cell phones if school guidelines allow it). Write a friend for advice.
Maybe a humor advice column can be created in the school
newsletter with students writing for advice.
s Review brain-based learning research for providing student
choice, including Eric Jensen’s Teaching with the Brain in Mind
(1998) and Kathy Nunley’s Layered Curriculum (2001). (More in-
formation can be found at help4teachers.com.)
s Include extra credit for humor usage in any writing assignment.

Incorporate Movement and the Arts to

Stimulate Cognitive Growth
s Provide a change of state every ten to fifteen minutes (figure 6-2).
The brain goes to sleep after about ten minutes of inertia (and lis-
tening to the sound of a teacher’s voice can induce sleep in less
time!).
s Use humorobics, the practice of laughter to oxygenize the brain.
Several minutes of hearty laughter is great exercise and a lot of
fun. Steve Wilson’s Laughter Clubs provide numerous ideas for
encouraging laughter.
s Integrate art and music whenever possible.
s Encourage activities that get kids moving.
136 CHAPTER 6

Figure 6-2. State changer ideas.

Integrate Discipline to Provide Safety and

Security for Joyful Learning
Mark Goor (1989) views humor as an alternative to authoritarian dis-
cipline. He notes that humor emerges when teachers connect personally
with the students through humor.

s Laughter banishes most anger and fear. Use exaggeration and

gentle teasing to prevent discipline problems. This is an art not
a science. Observe compassionate, seasoned teachers who are
known for their sense of humor and fun. Ask them for their
strategies.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 137

s Honor the class clown and all students in their “funny” efforts. Ask
clowns to find humor during the difficult times. “How can we find
something good about this?” Or “Who can find something funny
about this?”“ Is there anyone who can find some humor in this sit-
uation?”
s Pair the class clown with an overanxious student. (This may not al-
ways work but deserves an attempt to provide a balance for both
of them.)
s Support an all-school class clown contest. (This could be done in
individual classrooms, with the winner qualifying to compete in
the all-school contest.) Give prizes for the most positive upbeat
clowning.
s Use student humor to support the rules and regulations.
s Create spoonerisms (transposing initial letters) for the class rules:
Te on Bime or Tait your Wurn.
s Have students create a song or quote about rules: “Be on time for
class—if you want to pass.” “Go 4 it @ your school library.” “It’s the
real thing—studying!”
s Challenge students to find historical consequences for poor choices
(for example, dunce hat, sitting in the corner, writing phrases one
hundred times). Discuss alternatives that would be effective with
students today (for example, no cell phone for two days).
s Encourage students to read funny stories about famous people
who had difficulty in school and make a list of why and how these
students succeeded.

Encourage Positive Clowning Practice

Class clowns have traditionally been feared as a cause of disruption.
A courageous teacher skillfully uses the strong emotions of the clown as
a benefit for the classroom.

s Take turns telling jokes and funny stories.

s Share spoonerisms.
s Discover the art of exaggeration.
s Practice timing.
s Study the power of repetitions.
138 CHAPTER 6

s Practice pantomime.
s Research clowning as an art and science.

Provide Humor Resources

s Expand your humor library. Be sure there are lots of joke books
and literary books that are specifically designated for fun.
s Kids love to be in charge of observing the humor in your class.
Keeping a class journal of laughter is a good idea and can be re-
viewed often to remind the class of the fun they had.
s Have a humor club. Share online resources. See the bibliography
for a list of websites.
s Increase the fun in your own life. The more fun you are having,
the more you will enjoy teaching, and the more your students will
benefit.

IF IT IS FUN, IT WILL GET DONE!

It is almost impossible for the educator to keep track of all of the activ-
ities going on in a brain-based classroom with the clowns, mice, fish,
tigers, squirrels, elephants, and talented learners performing amazing
acts. The ringmaster literally must have eyes in the back of her head and
be able to balance and coordinate the activities in all three rings. Inter-
ruptions and the unexpected are part of each day. Successful ringmas-
ters are leaders with courage, passion, and the ability to enjoy the wild
side of learning. An educator’s belief system impacts every teaching de-
cision that is made in each of the areas of the framework.
The interdisciplinary nature of humor is an advantage for encourag-
ing creativity. The University of Michigan in 1992 actually designated
spring as the comedy semester. Over six hundred students enrolled in
humor-related courses. Humor lends itself to a schoolwide focus on
learning through fun.
Having fun creates a healthy learning environment. Having fun ener-
gizes both teachers and students. Having fun promotes a sense of humor
and produces positive emotionality. The circus is coming. Humor is your
ticket to enjoy life under the big top where learning is fundamental.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 139

r Jest for Fun r

Have an all-school circus parade, with each class representing a value im-
portant in character education. This could be used during homecoming
week, with a circus theme used to emphasize positive life choices. Examples
might be tiger trainers that exhibit courage and trapeze artists that
demonstrate flexibility. Cirque du Soleil could be used as an additional ex-
ample of a creative circus theme.

SUMMARY

Making the most of the creativity of students will reinforce the ideas
that you want planted in permanent memory. Jokes, icebreakers, and
improvisational comedy are just a few of the techniques that can be in-
tegrated to maximize linking fun with learning. Using humor to support
learning is a purposeful, challenging, and splendid responsibility. Once
there is a comfort level with expanding your use of humor, there will be
an increasing energy for learning and lots of fun in your classroom. Here
are some tricks of the trade that can be included under your big top:

Ring one. Grade level tricks

Ring two. Subject level stunts and multidisciplinary strategies
Ring three. Specific cognitive strategies for using humor to increase
student achievement
Ringmaster. Tricks of behavior management

The ideas in this chapter have been adapted from creative educators
who were eager to share classroom applications and personal examples
of humor in action. These educators use humor to create a joyful envi-
ronment for learning, where humor is not only valued, but an integral
component of student learning. An abundance of resources can be used
to jump-start the engine of humor power and are absolutely free for
teachers who have the courage to take the humor challenge.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Have a schoolwide circus theme. Promote clowning and fun.
Brainstorm ways that your school is like a circus. Encourage the
140 CHAPTER 6

students to become involved in organizing activities around this

theme to match the content of their learning. (Other energizing
themes can be used—Disney, magic, Kermit the frog, blues
group.) Promote the concept that school is fun, learning is fun,
etc. At the middle school and high school levels, encourage stu-
dents to choose the theme.
s Manage behavior by using humor. Make observations of teachers
who effectively use humor to discipline challenging students.
Have these teachers serve as mentors for novice teachers or oth-
ers who would like to improve their classroom management tech-
niques. Have a staff session to brainstorm creative clowning and
find ideas to effectively channel the energy of the class clown. Ini-
tiate laughter practice, in which you observe and record the im-
pact of formal laughter practice on student behavior.
s Write with humor across the curriculum. Plan and study tech-
niques for integrating humor in the writing process on a school-
wide basis. Publish a special humor newsletter featuring student
writing. Pick a school comedian or mascot after schoolwide re-
search into personalities and humor of favorite humorists. Each
class could research a humorist, write a script, and do a comic
presentation featuring the humor style of the comedian. There
could be a school vote on the selection of the humor style with a
celebration of humor at various school events. A great theme for
pep assemblies, parent/teacher conferences, testing week, etc.
Contact the local media to do a feature on what students have
written about their favorite comedian. Invite that comedian to the
school!
s Bumper sticker bombardment. Study the language usage of
bumper stickers to convey a message. Create your own bumper
stickers as indicated by your school programs or goals (see appen-
dix 12).

Remember, the goal in this chapter is to expand your use of humor to

hook student attention and to link humor to the lesson for maximum
comprehension and retention. Humor is also important for creating a
stress-free environment to optimize learning.
H U M O R E X T R AVAG A N Z A 141

Study Group Focus

s Gather data on the current use of humor across the curriculum
and the implications for the wider school community. Discuss
ways to integrate humor on a schoolwide basis. What messages
will be given to parents, school board, and the community about
the integration of humor? What can be done about those who dis-
parage fun and humor in a learning environment?
s Implement a search for the comedians in your school. Begin by
looking for the class clowns. Many comedians began laughing be-
cause of the personal difficulties in their lives. Class clowns are of-
ten laughing through the pain their lives. Discuss how to focus on
the humor strength of the class clowns. Is there a Jim Carrey or
Chris Rock in your school? Is this person treated with respect,
even honored for her humor talents, or is there a mild disgust for
the disruptions caused?

Café Conversations
Discussion questions: How can positive emotionality become embed-
ded in your school culture? If the leadership in the school changes, what
implications will this have for a focus on humergy? How can positive
changes be sustained?

“Life begins as a quest of the child for the man and ends as a journey
by the man to rediscover the child.”
—Laurens van der Post
 s
Chapter 7
SURVIVAL HUMOR
FOR STRESSED LEADERS

“Energizer Bunny arrested and charged with battery.”

There are lots of energized leaders in education, bringing hope and joy
to all they teach and reach. My favorite example comes from an admin-
istrator who attended a humor workshop in central Illinois. He was wor-
ried about his test scores, which were pretty abysmal. It was his job as a
fairly new superintendent to relay this information to his school board.
He dressed up in construction clothes with a tool belt around his waist
and gave his best “Tim the ‘Tool Man’” presentation. He pulled out the
hammer and said “we’re going to nail the next tests.” The pliers were
used to pull out the problems he had identified that were contributing to
the problem. He claimed that they hardly noticed the terrible test scores,
they were laughing so hard. The next school board meeting was to be an-
other difficult subject so his planned PowerPoint presentation was actu-
ally his vacation pictures from Alaska. He had carefully identified the
ones that would make the points that he wanted to make. He said his
problem now is that the board always expects creative and fun meetings.
One of the most difficult tasks for a school leader is to implement posi-
tive change in the culture of a school or district. The school culture is com-
plex and it has been the topic of countless articles and books. How does hu-
mor contribute to the school environment? This chapter will focus on two

143
144 CHAPTER 7

aspects of humor in relationship to the school culture. Trust has been iden-
tified as a crucial ingredient in an optimal school culture so I will explain
the relationship between humor and trust. The other feature in this chap-
ter is a visual framework that depicts how humergy can impact the culture
on three levels. These are the context, process, and content of the learning
process.
Educators usually choose education as a career because they want to
make a difference in the lives of kids. Most want to laugh, have fun, and
create an energized, engaged classroom. They want to work with others
who desire a joy-flow collaborative school environment. The joy-flow ex-
perience identified in chapter 2 is the purposeful practice of optimism
and positive emotionality. It’s evident within cultures that strive for
shared leadership, it’s evident in school cultures continuously striving to
maximize student learning, and it’s evident within schools and cultures
that are hopeful, engaged, and fun.

TRUST IS A MUST!

Trust is frequently mentioned as the most important ingredient in creating

a collaborative culture. How do you know if your district has a high level of
trust? Just look for a high capacity for humergy. Trust is the critical com-
ponent necessary for supporting a collaborative culture of learning. An in-
dicator of a high level of trust is reflected by a high level of fun, laughter,
play, and humor. All stakeholders can work together to create a systemic
culture of humergy and a positive learning environment. It is rare to find a
school where humor is identified as a key ingredient that needs to be nur-
tured and practiced. Yet the energy, enthusiasm, and hope generated by
humergy are a visible sign of trust. This sense of trust is dependent on the
desire of fun-loving educators to collaborate and share their optimism,
hope, and humergy practice for the purpose of maximizing learning. (See
figure 7-1.)

Figure 7-1. Fun: indicator of a culture of trust.

S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 145

Figure 7-2. Framework for learning: humor indicators.

In order to fully explore the role of humergy in a school environment,

let’s look at a visual, a framework that depicts the emotional indicators
that will maximize the joy-flow experience within a culture.

FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING: INDICATORS OF HUMOR

This framework depicts the elements commonly identified as a founda-

tion for the learning process, but arranges them into a visual portrayal of
how humergy impacts the procedure. The context circle represents where
learning occurs, asking the question: do the environment and available re-
sources facilitate optimal learning? This circle encompasses the research
on how positive emotionality influences the environment for learning, in-
cluding the emotional state of both the teacher and the learner. As men-
tioned previously, anger and excess fear or stress can inhibit learning. In
146 CHAPTER 7

order to maximize learning through humergy, this circle represents what

must be addressed first. In other words, addressing the context issues of
a school culture is of utmost importance. Of course, numerous leadership
articles and books provide resources on how to make this happen, but few
address the importance of creating a happy or humergy state for optimal
learning to occur.

“And for further consideration: what if the hokey pokey is what it’s all
about?”

The middle circle depicts the process the individual teacher uses to fa-
cilitate learning. It also depicts the process the school leader employs to
engage the staff in collaborative efforts to address cultural issues. It has
a focus on how we learn, develop, plan, and implement policy. Imaging
technology is providing us with biological information about the cogni-
tive and social development of the student. Humor can be an integral
component of the teaching process. An optimal method for the process
circle will include the collaborative management of time, space, energy,
and resources (Sylwester, 2005). It also is dependent on continual staff
development for teachers so they have the resources and time for con-
tinuing professional development on cognitive neuroscience (including
research on positive emotionality). The importance of movement, the
arts, sleep, nutrition, and learning styles are all considerations for the
teacher who is facilitating learning for each and every one of the unique
brains floating around in his or her classroom. Each learner’s brain is dif-
ferent and requires specific conditions for optimal learning. This type of
research has been addressed and is the subject of numerous books and
articles on differentiation and cognitive learning. Again the role of hu-
mor is sometimes mentioned as a part of the learning process, but it has
not been specifically identified in many publications.

“I press the control key but it’s not giving me any.”

The inner circle is what I think has garnered most of the attention in
recent years. It answers the question: What needs to be learned? Is
there a clear focus on the standards and the content that will be ad-
dressed? I strongly believe that learning standards are absolutely neces-
S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 147

sary and crucial for student learning. However, the current preoccupa-
tion with testing mandates and accountability have pushed the content
issue to the forefront of education to the exclusion of context and
process. Although the content is important, unless the context and
process issues are seen as a preliminary focus, many students will not
reach the content goals identified in the standards.
Learning about the subject matter of humor and positive emotional-
ity is a component of the middle circle. The content resources on hu-
mor, joy, and fun continue to emerge as we learn more about cognitive
research.
The smiley face that overlays all three circles represents the belief
system of the educator. In the classroom, it’s the teacher’s beliefs about
learning that will ultimately provide the direction for those students.
Likewise, the beliefs of the administrator, central office, and school
board will dictate the cultural environment of the district. Changing be-
lief systems is difficult. Humor is the invisible elephant in the center of
the room; everyone knows it’s there, but no one pays any attention to it
unless it disappears or steps on someone. We know when there is a hu-
mor void and we know if we’re the brunt of sarcasm or negative humor.
Belief systems must be addressed in order to release the potential of
positive emotionality within a culture.

“We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.”

CONTEXT

Let’s take a look at humergy as a contextual component of teaching and

learning. As mentioned previously, humor and laughter are integral to
communication and building relationships. There are several examples
from the world of business that highlight the importance of fun and
laughter. Leslie Yerkes in her book Fun Works (2001) highlights com-
panies who have profited from an infusion of fun in the workplace. The
Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle has capitalized on this concept in a
huge way. They have actually packaged their marketing program via
their FISH video, website, and FISH camps for all who are interested.
Their marketing programs are known worldwide for their emphasis on
148 CHAPTER 7

having fun as a means to profit (Yerkes). Productivity improves as fun

and play are integrated into the workplace. Educators can adapt what
has worked in the business community and take a serious look at the
role that fun, play, and humor contribute to an optimal learning envi-
ronment.
If the fish vendors can profit from having fun, why can’t we benefit
from having fun with our students? If we look at fun as anything that
makes learning engaging, exciting, and challenging, it seems that the fo-
cus on rules and regulations are counterproductive. Unnecessary rules
and regulations decrease or eliminate fun.

“Rules cause unintended consequences.” —Joel Barker

“The more rules, the less fun.”

Here is an example:

A teacher was frequently observed leaving the building at 2:45 p.m. This
was right at the end of the last period. It was reported to the school board
and there was concern because the perception of the public might be that
teachers were not working for a long enough time. So the school board
created a rule to be sure all teachers stayed in the building until 4:00 p.m.
They felt this would be an assurance that all teachers earned their money
and were good teachers. What do you think happened? The entire staff
lost any flexibility they once had. It caused teachers to lie (I feel sick)
about a need to leave early to pick up a child, go to the doctor, or attend
a parent-teacher conference for their own child. It caused anger among
the staff and created a more stressful, unhappy culture in the district.
(pers. comm.)

Angry teachers are stressed teachers. Angry teachers are not very effec-
tive in the classroom. Angry teachers are not going to contribute
humergy to the culture of the school. Teachers who are committed pro-
fessionals will find a way to be effective teachers in their own time
frame. They do not need a rule telling them when they need to prepare
for their teaching. They do need a nurturing school district that supports
the challenges that educators face.
S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 149

“I’m not tense, just terribly, terribly alert!”

Another district faced the same issue. They also wanted teachers who
were committed to their profession. This district involved the teachers
in the decision-making process. They asked the teachers to assist in
planning ways to make the environment less stressful. After several
brainstorming sessions it was determined that teachers could alternate
times within the school grounds and could cover for each other. Several
social events were initiated by the teachers. An ice cream social was held
every other week at 4 p.m. Teachers were encouraged to bring their
children to school with them for ice cream. Teachers took turns plan-
ning activities for their own children while freeing up time for the other
teachers to do some prep work. It was a time to relax and celebrate the
good things that happened during the week. At the end of the year,
there was a family potluck. Teachers identified ways they could assist
each other with planning time and helping to meet the child care needs
of their colleagues. No one said that they had to go to the school potluck
and had to have fun, but humor inspires collegiality and a desire to
spend time together. Of course you know which district was filled with
the energy of fun and humor.
Principals who use humor show higher teacher satisfaction scores, ac-
cording to an article in Educational Studies (Hurren, 2006). Hurren says
there is a fear that humor will be an unnecessary distraction; however,
when principals dare to use humor, schools become better places to
teach and learn.
Vita Meyer, who was principal of Bremen High School in Midlothian,
Illinois, enjoys relating one of the ways she used humor to improve the
culture of the school.

When I worked as head swim coach and athletic director, I composed

songs to send the athletes off to state competition. It was always a good
laugh and great motivation for them to reach for the “gold” medal. When
I became a high school principal, the football team had not won a confer-
ence championship in thirty years. At the opening parent athletic meeting
I announced that I had been known as the singing coach and athletic di-
rector at my previous school and would be so proud to become the first
singing principal in Illinois. This could occur if the team was playing for a
150 CHAPTER 7

championship or had qualified for state competition. As luck would have it,
the football team won the conference and made the state playoffs my first
year! I not only sang to the football team, I was asked to sing on the video
produced for the All Area Players by our local newspaper. My humorous
challenge provided the momentum for a culture of fun in our school. I felt
humor was a great motivating force and did a great deal towards the chang-
ing the culture of our school.

When laughter joins the stakeholders, there are fewer humordoomers.

Laughter begets laughter and joy. Leaders can inspire a spirit of
humergy.
I also know of one school that had several teachers who had babies
during a school year. The administrator found the space and resources
to provide in-school infant care for those teachers, many of whom were
nursing mothers. This was just one example of his efforts to provide a
joy-flow environment. Every one of his staff claimed they would never
leave his building. Hope, fun, optimism, and trust were evident in this
school culture.
This dedication to the contextual needs of the staff has been identi-
fied more frequently in education journals and books. There are journal
articles and even conferences based on the emotional components of
hope, trust, love, and spirituality. Stress is also emerging as a topic of
concern.
Addressing the stress levels of educators is becoming more of a pri-
ority for school leaders. There is a growing need to find ways to coun-
teract the increasing demands on both staff and students. This is evident
in the numerous requests that I receive.

s “Can you come and give a humor workshop. I need to get my staff
in a good mood before the beginning of the school year.”
s “We are going to spend the day on school improvement; can you
suggest something to improve the attitudes of the participants?”
s “Our funding has been cut again and morale is pretty low.”
s “We have some serious issues here after our strike; I want our peo-
ple to move on.”
s “Where can I find information on the relationship between disci-
pline and humor for my doctorial dissertation?”
S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 151

s “Can you do something on humor to help improve our learning

environment?”
s “Our stress levels have been increasing. Everyone is just so burnt
out.”

School leaders are striving to improve the culture and climate of their
school. It is possible, in a workshop, to create an awareness of humor
and to escalate the energy of a group on a short-term basis. However, in
order to address multifaceted climate issues, the components of
thoughtful planning, focused staff development, and reflective practice
must be a part of a continuous process for improvement.

PROCESS

Throughout this book, there are various strategies for integrating the
process that would embody the joy-flow concept. A review of chapter 6
provides numerous strategies for adapting the concept of humergy for
individual teaching and learning needs. There is a section at the end of
each chapter titled “Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders.”
The “Jest for Fun” boxes highlight ideas that have been used by other
educators.
The “Study Group Focus” and “Café Conversations” included at the
end of each chapter are designed to assist educators as they collaborate
on improving their knowledge and skills related to humor research.
Humor is the vehicle that can help us return to the safety net where
learning is fun. Happiness, fun, play, mirth, comedy, joy, and jokes are
all terms that have been used to define humor. Positive emotionality is
a powerful mind/body connection that can create a remarkable feeling
of control over one’s life. This element of humergy can make a powerful
difference in the culture of our schools. (Review table 3-1.)

“The really great (wo)man is the man who makes every (wo)man feel
great.”

—G.K. Chesterton
152 CHAPTER 7

Fully developed characteristics are identified in school leaders in some

recognizable ways, listed in the next section.

THE TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN

IDENTIFY A FUN SCHOOL LEADER

10. Has yo-yos, slinkies, and balloons in desk drawers. Consistently

chooses a positive response pattern in life. The capacity to do this
emerges from a focus on creating an affirmative environment
(even a mental one) in which to operate.
9. Paints the boys’ bathrooms in pink and the girls’ in blue. He or
she finds joy in change, incongruity, and uncertainty. Has the
confidence to think outside of the box and see numerous possi-
bilities. If a situation does not progress as planned, finds several
other options.
8. Is found in the custodian closet laughing when school board mem-
bers cut administrator salaries. Purposefully uses laughter to ease
pain. He or she realizes that laughter is a way to relieve stress.
7. Plans frog races for staff meetings. He or she understands that
humor is a coping skill that can be a response to change (from
small annoyances to major crises).
6. Colors hair orange at Halloween and claims it was the original color.
He or she uses self-deprecating humor as an exaggerated statement
of truth, with the knack of laughing at mistakes and difficulties.
5. Puts the staff newsletter on the inside of faculty bathroom doors
and titles the newsletter The Flush. Has the ability to understand
and empathize with other people. Is able to assist others in seeing
the humor in difficult situations and elicit laughter in the situation.
4. Brings a bag of jellybeans into teacher evaluation sessions. Lis-
tens to others and honors their feelings. Has the ability to recog-
nize that anger in another person usually is the mirror of fear. He
or she knows that good-natured teasing is a good way to build col-
legial relationships.
3. He or she tries every fun leadership activity that was ever in-
vented and drives the staff crazy doing so. Has the ability to use
humor in communicating with others. Highly skilled humergists
S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 153

are able to ease the tension in group meetings by promoting laugh-

ter at the situation or at themselves.
2. Has staff meetings in the local pizza place and buys the pizza. He
or she is able to use reframing as a shift in context that allows
groups to look at a situation in a more useful way.
1. Offers a $1 bill to any teacher to whom he or she forgets to say,
“Thank you for teaching here today. What can I do to make your
job better?”

“If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving isn’t for you!”

SUMMARY

Trust is an indicator of a joyful school atmosphere. In order to address

the issues that create a culture of trust, educators need to examine the
context, process, and content of the school environment. The context in-
cludes the issue of “where,” process addresses “how,” and content in-
cludes the “what” of education. Our belief systems permeate all three of
these areas, which are at the heart of teaching and learning. Excess
stress impacts the ability of educators to be effective in the quality of
teaching and learning. It negatively impacts the positive emotionality of
the school environment. An abundance of unnecessary rules and man-
dates contributes to this stress.
Effective leaders promote collaborative learning and a positive emo-
tional culture. They are eager to address the issues that contribute to
negativity and stress. Building trust through the use of fun, laughter, and
humor is embedded in their leadership style.

Powerful Practice—Strategies for School Leaders

s Recruit ideas from the staff for meeting energizers and ideas. Ask
for volunteers to provide one of these at some of the meetings.
s Assist teachers by asking them how you can assist them in balanc-
ing work and family.
s Be on the lookout for stress relief and wellness strategies.
Maybe provide an in-service day devoted to wellness and stress
154 CHAPTER 7

management. Have a yoga class, offer chair massages, and pro-

vide time for teachers to collaborate.
s Have a district wide in-service on contextual issues. Invite a lead-
ership team from across the district to list key indicators of ob-
servable characteristics of a happy school. After providing basic
training, invite teams to visit other schools to spend a half day ob-
serving the school culture. Ask them to be critical friends with
practical suggestions for improving the environment. This re-
quires a concerted effort by a committed leadership team with a
strong belief in the power of creating a positive school culture.

Study Group Focus

s Observe the humergy in your school. Make a list of the observa-
tions. The worksheet for analysis of school culture can also be used
(see table 7-2).
s Research humor articles on the Internet. As I have in previous
chapters, I recommend the Association for Applied and Thera-
peutic Humor as a starting resource (www.aath.org). Share infor-

Table 7-2. Worksheet for Analysis of Culture

Fear and Stress Measure of Organizational
Culture Indicators of Humergy Joy-Flow
Controlled, Choice,
production-focused discovery-focused
Content-based Neuroscience-based
Bored participants Engaged participants
Drudgery Excitement
Low energy levels Humergy (high energy
and humor)
Linear Chaotic
Low trust and fun High trust, lots of fun
Victimization Empowerment
Hopelessness Hopefulness, optimism
Intense stress Balance and focus
Disrespect: Respect:
Few belief systems Honoring all belief systems
Individual efforts Collaboration and teamwork
High-stakes testing Authentic assessment
Sarcasm and putdowns Laughter and play
S U RV I VA L H U M O R F O R S T R E S S E D L E A D E R S 155

mation and discuss how to relay this information to the stakehold-

ers in your community.
s Write your reflections on what you valued in this book. Do a
pair/share and then discuss with the group.

Café Conversations
s Discuss the characteristics of a happy school. What are the key in-
dicators? How can humor be employed to build trusted relation-
ships and a positive school culture?
s Share past experiences in situations that were stressful and how
these challenges were addressed. What techniques were success-
ful? Why? How does stress impact your school environment?
What resources are currently available to educators to alleviate
stress? What resources are needed? Review the “Take It and Make
It—Funny” worksheet in appendix 13.

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.”

—Oscar Wilde
 s
Appendix 1
HUMOR TERMINOLOGY
Coming to terms with humor!

adaptability. Describes how easily a child adjusts to changes and tran-

sitions. A sense of humor is closely related to our flexibility for
change. The ability to laugh in new situations is apparent even with
very young children. Some are at ease right away while others may
hide behind a parent in a new situation.
approach/withdrawal. A child’s initial response to novelty: “new
places, people, situations or things” (Kristal, 2005). It takes a certain
degree of risk-taking to experiment with humor. Class clowns, for in-
stance, are pretty comfortable with new places and situations. They
approach situations with enthusiasm, zest, and unbridled risk taking.
anger. A term for the emotional aspect of aggression, as a basic aspect
of the stress response in animals, in which a perceived aggravating
stimulus “provokes” a counter response, which is likewise aggravating
and threatening of violence.
attachment theory. A theory, or group of theories, about the psycholog-
ical tendency to seek closeness to another person, to feel secure when
that person is present, and to feel anxious when that person is absent.
attention. The brain’s focusing system activated by emotional arousal.
Also the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one thing
while ignoring other things.

157
158 APPENDIX 1

attitude. A key concept in psychology. Attitudes are positive or negative

views of an “attitude object”: i.e., a person, behavior, or event.
behavior. The actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in
relation to the environment. Behavior can be conscious or uncon-
scious, overt or covert, and voluntary or involuntary.
brain. The control center of the central nervous system.
class clowns. Students who stimulate laughter in a classroom setting.
Usually cheerful, positive individuals who relish being the center of fun.
cognitive science. Scientific study either of mind or of intelligence.
context circle. Describes where learning occurs.
content circle. Describes what needs to be learned.
cortisol. Stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands during stress.
depression. A condition characterized by feelings of pessimism and
sadness.
emotion. A neural impulse that moves an organism to action, prompt-
ing automatic reactive behavior that evolved as a survival mechanism.
emotion detector. A skill used to understand the emotions of self and
others.
emotional intelligence. Also called EI or EQ, it describes an ability,
capacity, or skill to perceive and assess.
emotional memory. Memories that are sparked by remembering the
feelings about something that happened. Emotional arousal activates
the attentional center of the brain and is a powerful trigger for learn-
ing and memory.
emotional knowledge. The level of perception and assessment that an
individual has of their emotions at any given moment in time. To
manage the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups.
fear. An unpleasant feeling of perceived risk or danger, whether real or
imagined.
flourish. The focus of positive psychology, including the concept of
flow. A part of the positive emotions that includes peak humor expe-
riences and humergy.
flow. The feeling of complete and energized focus in an activity, with a
high level of enjoyment and fulfillment, as originally described by Mi-
haly Csikszentmihalyi.
frontal lobes. Part of the cerebral cortex of the brain that functions in
initiating actions, solving problems, and making decisions.
HUMOR TERMINOLOGY 159

fun. Anything that makes learning engaging, exciting, and challenging.

games. Usually performed by competing individuals or teams who have
the same clearly defined goal. Although many animals play, only hu-
mans have games. The existence of rules and criteria that decide the
outcome of games implies that games require intelligence of a signif-
icant degree of sophistication.
geliophobia. Fear of laughter.
gelotology. Physiology of laughter research.
group glee. Wave of laughter emerging from a group of young children.
happiness. Emotional or affective state in which we feel good or pleasure.
hippocampus. Structure in the brain involved with the formation and
retrieval of memory.
hope. An emotional belief in a positive outcome related to events and
circumstances within one’s personal life.
humor. The quality that makes something amusing or laughable.
humergy. The energy that emerges from the humor, joy, and optimism
of our inner spirit, reflects our unique personality, and nourishes a
healthy mind/body balance.
humorobics. The physical act of laughing.
humor physiology. Events that occur in the human body in association
with humorous experiences.
humor respiration. Laughing, giggling, or chortling that disrupts
cyclic breathing, increases ventilation, and accelerates residual air ex-
change. This results in enhanced intake of oxygenated fresh air.
humor paradox. Discrepancy in a society that claims to place a high
value on humor, but in reality, fears keep us from initiating and sus-
taining humor practice.
humor practice. The art and craft of purposefully applying humor to
everyday life.
humordoomer. A person who consistently uses negative humor to con-
trol and manipulate others.
humorologist. Person who practices the art and science of healthy humor.
humorology. The art and science of humor.
humorphobia. A fear of fun, laughter, and humor.
hyperacademics. Overly intense focus on academics.
intensity. The reactive energy of a response, whether happy, sad, or an-
gry, or expressive. The emotional response varies greatly among
160 APPENDIX 1

young children. For instance, some children will smile a little at peek-
a-boo games while others laugh loudly.
impact vs. intent. Comparison between the purpose of the humor as
perceived by the conveyor and the feelings evoked by the recipient of
the humor.
joke. A short story or short series of words spoken or communicated
with the intent of being laughed at or found humorous by the listener
or reader.
joy. The emotion of great happiness.
joy-flow. Term used to describe positive emotionality as exhibited by
enthusiasm, energy, joy, and hope. The peak experiences most of us
identify with experiencing one’s sense of humor.
laughter. The biological reaction of humans to moments or occasions
of humor, an outward expression of amusement. Human response to
a social connection (Provine 2000).
learning. The process of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, or val-
ues, through study, experience, or teaching, that causes a change of
behavior that is persistent, measurable, and specified or allows an in-
dividual to formulate a new mental construct or revise a prior mental
construct (conceptual knowledge such as attitudes or values). It is a
process that depends on experience and leads to long-term changes
in behavior potential.
long-term memory. Memory that can last as little as thirty seconds or
as long as decades.
love. Emotion of primary value associated with an intense attraction to
a person, place, or thing.
memory. The ability of the brain to store, retain, and subsequently re-
call information.
mood. The basic quality of disposition. It may be more positive (a happy
or cheerful child) or more negative (a cranky or serious child). Some
researchers think that mood is parallel to or overlays our basic tem-
perament.
optimism. The tendency to believe, expect, or hope that things will
turn out well. The attitude of somebody who feels positive or con-
fident.
peek-a-boo. Term used to describe the first stage of humor develop-
ment in infants.
HUMOR TERMINOLOGY 161

peak experience. Term used to describe an optimal experience of pos-

itive emotionality.
perception. The process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and or-
ganizing sensory information.
pessimism. Describes a belief that things are bad and will become worse.
play. Describes an unrestrained, amusing interaction with people, ani-
mals, or things, often in the context of learning.
positive emotionality. A state of being in which the individual is said
to flourish. The research is based on the belief that positive emotions
extend the capacity of attention, cognition, and action.
process circle. Describes how learning occurs.
pun-fun. Stage of humor development of children in grades 6–8.
psychoneuroimmunology. The study of the interactions between the
brain and the immune system that combines psychology, neuro-
science, and immunology.
riddle-de-dee. Stage of humor development of children in grades 3–5.
roast. An event in which an individual is subject to publicly hearing in-
sults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming trib-
utes. It is seen as a great honor to be roasted, as the individual is sur-
rounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers, who can receive some of the
same treatment as well during the course of the evening. The party and
presentation itself are called a roast. The host of the event is called the
roast master. In short, it is both the opposite and the same as a “toast.”
sarcasm. Sneering, jesting, or mocking a person, situation, or thing. It
is strongly associated with irony, with some definitions classifying it as
a type of verbal irony.
safe humor. Practice of humor in safe situations.
self-deprecating humor. (Or self-effacing humor) The ability to laugh
at ourselves; to make fun of our human foibles and maintain a sense
of perspective. It is also powerful in defusing confrontations.
sense of humor. The capacity of a human being to respond to life chal-
lenges with optimistic enjoyment.
short-term memory. Sometimes referred to as “primary” or “active”
memory—the part of memory that stores a limited amount of infor-
mation for a limited amount of time (roughly fifteen to thirty seconds).
stages of humor development. Sequential process for the develop-
ment of a sense of humor.
162 APPENDIX 1

stress. Roughly the opposite of relaxation. A medical term for a wide

range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological,
which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation
syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature.
stressors. Any factor that causes stress is called a stressor. There are two
kinds of stressors: processive stressors and systemic stressors. Proces-
sive stressors are elements in the environment perceived by the or-
ganism as potential dangers. These do not cause damage directly, but
are processed in the cerebral cortex. The processed information is
then sent via the limbic system in the hypothalamus, where they acti-
vate the supreme centers of the autonomic nervous system. This re-
sults in the fight-or-flight (or sympathetico-adrenal) response. Sys-
temic stressors cause a disturbance in the organism’s homeostasis, as
well as tissue necrosis, hypotension and/or hypoxia. Often both types
of stressors occur simultaneously. They are usually accompanied by
pain and/or intense emotions.
stress management. Techniques intended to equip a person with ef-
fective coping mechanisms for dealing with psychological stress.
survivor humor (group). A specific type of humor response that is an
active defense mechanism to help cope with threats and fears instead
of surrendering to them (definition provided by Sandfa Ritz, nurse re-
searcher).
teasing. The act of playfully disturbing another person, either with
words or with actions. In mild cases, and especially when it is recip-
rocal, it is essentially a form of playing (friendly teasing). However,
teasing can be also used as painful harassment (cruel teasing), if the
teasing is one way. In extreme cases it may escalate to real violence,
and may even result in abuse (in the case of a child, child abuse).
temperament. The general nature of an individual’s personality, such
as introversion or extroversion.
therapy. A treatment that is the attempted remediation of a health
problem, usually following a diagnosis.
trust. Having confidence in and reliance on good qualities, especially
fairness, truth, honor, or ability. The ability to take the responsibility
for taking good care of somebody or something.
working memory. The collection of structures and processes used for
temporarily storing and manipulating information.
 s
Appendix 2
COMEDIAN LIST

Abbott & Costello Loretta LaRouche

Tim Allen Laurel & Hardy
Woody Allen Jay Leno
Jeff Altman David Letterman
Lucille Ball Jerry Lewis
Mel Brooks Steve Martin
Carol Burnett Eddie Murphy
Drew Carey Rosie O’Donnell
George Carlin Paula Poundstone
Jim Carrey Don Rickles
Bill Cosby Joan Rivers
Rodney Dangerfield Adam Sandler
Ellen Degeneres Jerry Seinfeld
W. C. Fields Sinbad
Jeff Foxworthy Smothers Brothers
Bob Hope The Three Stooges
Andy Kaufman Carrot Top
Buster Keaton Dick Van Dyke
Alan King Robin Williams

163
 s
Appendix 3
PLAYFUL SUGGESTIONS

s Have a play corner equipped with toys and games (yes, especially
at the middle school and high school levels). There is a suggested
toy list in appendix 10.
s Have students take turns doing riddles with their classmates. Post
the most difficult riddle on the bulletin board in the hallway. In-
vite a cooperating class to share riddles with your class. This could
evolve into a schoolwide riddle contest.
s Create a “Comedy Central” writing corner where students “play”
with words, stories, and poetry and humor.
s Have a “dress as your favorite comedian” day. Students come
equipped to tell one of the jokes of that comedian.
s Let the students plan activities they think would be fun ways to learn
the upcoming lessons. Encourage creativity and innovative ideas.
s Have toys on your desk. Encourage students who need to have ac-
tivity to use these whenever they would like. The rule would be
that they could not disturb the learning of others. Include stress
balls and Rubik’s Cubes (consult toy list in appendix 10).
s Have a chart in the corner of the room where students can list the
types of play they enjoy. Encourage everyone to try a new way of
playing each week. (See appendix 3 for playful ideas.)
s Use improvisational comedy as a way to study material.

165
 s
Appendix 4
SENSE OF HUMOR REFLECTIONS

Analysis of past emotional experiences:

s What are my strongest emotional memories?

s What do I fear?
s What makes me laugh?

Awareness of current emotional state or feelings:

s What is my current comfort zone in expressing my emotions?

s What self-talk do I engage in during the day?
s How can my ongoing awareness of my feelings assist with creating
an environment for optimal learning?

Ability to let go of what cannot be controlled. Look for the absurdity of

human behavior beginning with yourself. Risk-taking confidence comes
from an assurance of purpose that is constant amid the change and
chaos of humor practice:

s What fears inhibit my learning?

167
168 APPENDIX 4

s Do I blame others (the students, the parents, the teachers, the ad-
ministrators, the school board) for the inability to control many
factors of my teaching and learning environment?
s Do I accept the decisions of others even though I might not
agree? Can I trust others to make the right decisions?

Skill of reading the emotions of others (emotional literacy):

s Do I really listen to what the other person is saying?

s Can I read body language that mirrors the emotions of others?
s Do I notice when I tweak their sense of humor?
s How can I make a conscious effort to elicit humergy in others?

Focus on hope and optimism to maintain the joy of humergy:

s Am I willing to take the time for humor? Do I frequently choose

play and fun?
s What new form of play am I willing to try?
s Am I willing to take the risks necessary to experiment with hu-
mor?
s What does a peak experience feel like for me?
 s
Appendix 5
HUMOR STYLES INVENTORY

Self awareness is a critical component in the journey of discovering your

humor strength. This instrument is designed as an awareness of your
own experience with a sense of humor. If you are serious about humor,
you may want to begin to journal data on what tickles your funny bone.
Jot down what makes you smile and when you laugh out loud. Review
the categories in the humor list and the humor terminology list to assist
you in identifying the type of humor that appeals to you. Colleagues can
generate observations and suggestions for your humor practice.

1. What makes you laugh?

2. Identify your favorite:

Comedians
Movies
Television shows

3. What form of humor do you practice? (Refer to the appendix 6 cat-

egories and appendix 8 terminology lists.)

169
170 APPENDIX 5

4. When are you comfortable using humor?

5. How do you play?

6. What is your first choice when you want to have fun?

7. The ability to laugh at yourself is called “self-deprecating humor.”

(Examples are physical characteristics, the aging process, mistakes
made, etc.) When do you use this kind of humor?

8. Reflect on the type of humor your parents exposed you to. What kind
of humor did you experience when you were growing up?

9. What kind of humor being do you want to become?

 s
Appendix 6
SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF HUMOR

exaggeration. Using an obvious over- or under-statement, including

such things as physical characteristics, data, feelings, experiences, etc.
incongruity. Connecting two generally accepted opposites, the lack of
a rational relation of objects, people, or ideas to each other or to the
environment.
surprise. Exploiting the occurrence of the unexpected—whether fact,
thought, feeling, or event; in its more sophisticated form it becomes
irony.
slapstick. The form of humor that depends for its effect on fast, bois-
terous, and zany physical activity and horseplay, often accompanied
by broad, obvious, rowdy verbal humor.
the absurd. That which obviously lacks reason, which is foolish or
ridiculous in its lack of good sense, includes nonsense, the nonsensi-
cal use of logic and language; the preposterous, arising from the in-
congruity of reality and fantasy; and whimsy, a fanciful or fantastic de-
vice, object, or creation especially in writing, art, or decoration.
human predicaments. Featuring situations in which a character appears
foolish or bested, includes the humor of superiority and degradation,
which is based on self-aggrandizement or the release of hostility
through the discomfiture, failure, or misfortune of others, and comic
predicaments, which is based on an attitude of sympathetic acceptance

171
172 APPENDIX 5

of the human predicament and can be seen in situations in which either

oneself or someone else appears foolish or bested by life for the mo-
ment; in this case, however, no hostile feelings are intended to be
aroused or expressed.
ridicule. Primarily the teasing and mockery of others or oneself, can be
seen expressed, for example, in the mockery of adults, their world,
and its customs and institutions, etc. Negative ridicule finds its source
in feelings of self-aggrandizement or the release of hostility through
the mockery of others. Playful ridicule, on the other hand, is based on
the sympathetic acceptance of human foibles. Satire is primarily a so-
phisticated artistic form of humor arising from both types of ridicule.
defiance. Primarily the release of hostility or aggression through rebel-
lion, includes the violation of conventions, the perpetration of situa-
tions socially unacceptable to adults, the expression of forbidden
ideas, and the violation of adult authority.
verbal humor. The manipulation of language through word play, puns,
jokes, sarcasm, wit, name-calling, and the like; may contain either a
positive or negative emotional content, but differs from the other
forms in being a verbal rather than a situational form of humor.

Adapted from Katharine H. Kappas. 1967. A developmental analysis of children’s responses to hu-
mor. Library Quarterly 37 (Jan.): 68–69.
 s
Appendix 7
HUMOR BELIEF INVENTORY

Please answer by selecting the most appropriate score: 1 = seldom/never

or disagree and 5 = often/all of the time or agree.

Assessment 1 2 3 4 5
1. Humor is a skill that I use with intent
and purpose.
2. I have a good sense of humor.
3. I intentionally use humor to optimize
learning.
4. I intentionally use humor to build a
relationship with students, educators,
and parents.
5. I know and understand my humor style.
6. I believe humor is inherited.
7. If a classroom of students is laughing and
joking, an observer will assume the class
is not learning.

173
174 APPENDIX 7

8. Humor can be an effective tool for

students with serious behavior challenges.
9. Humor relieves stress.
10. Humor promotes healing.
11. Humor increases productivity.
12. Humor requires a culture of trust.
13. The ability to laugh at yourself can be
used to gain the trust of others.
14. The “class clown” is usually perceived
in our work environment as being a
disruption to learning.
15. Humor is the #1 characteristic students
desire in a teacher.
16. Playing and having fun in the classroom
is a waste of precious learning time.
17. Humor is not a measurable characteristic
and therefore has a questionable role
in education.
18. If there is a perception that I am a fun
seeker, I will not be considered
professional.
19. While humor is important, learning
requires a serious work environment
with little time for fun, humor, and play.
20. I am not comfortable initiating fun, play,
and humor in my current work culture.
 s
Appendix 8
HUMOR TERMINOLOGY LIST

amusing expansive merry

antic facetious mischievous
bawdy farcical nitwit
bizarre far-out nonsensical
buffoon flaky observational
bumpkin gleeful off-beat
burlesque gross outrageous
caricature grotesque parody
cartoons hostile perverse
cheerful hysterical playful
child-like impish poor-soul
cynical insulting punny
caring irony quirly
darling jocular raucous
deadpan jolly ribald
derisive jovial risqué
devilish kibitzing sarcasm
droll licentious sarcastic
dry lively sardonic
elfish ludicrous satire

175
176 APPENDIX 8

satirical teasing weird

self-deprecating topical whimsical
sick uninhibited witty
silly unique wry
simple vaudeville x-rated
situation comedy vexatious yummy
slapstick visual zany
smart-aleck wack
superior waggish
 s
Appendix 9
FAMILIAR SONG LIST

theme song to the Mickey Mouse “Dixie”

Show “Polly Wolly Doodle”
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” “Oh My Darling Clementine”
“Oh Where, Oh Where Has My “This Land Is Your Land”
Little Dog Gone?” “I’ve Been Working on the Rail-
“Jack and Jill” road”
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” “Proud Mary”
“Skip to My Lou” “Rock Island Line”
“Pop Goes the Weasel” “Billy Boy”
“Yankee Doodle” “Looby Loo”
“Oh! Susanna” “Twist and Shout”
“Home on the Range” “YMCA”

177
 s
Appendix 10
TOY LIST

I have had great luck finding toys and games at garage sales. Some
games can be made or created by the students. This is just a brief list to
get you started. The possibilities are endless.

balloons* paddle balls Rubik’s cube

bean bags pick-up sticks slide puzzles
bubbles puppets Slinkies
clapping hands* makeup and dress-up squish balls
hula hoops mood rings spinning tops
jacks Mr. Potato Head tic tac toe
kazoos* play money
* suggested for group use

179
 s
Appendix 11
SILLY WORD LIST

Use the following words to stimulate creative writing:

clowning sparky soreemebe

goofy cartoon boogersnotzle
sassafras snickers doopsie
giant comedian bugslug
survivor gibbery jugahuga
Bugs Bunny smolly kittenizen
joking hogstown
fiddle de de singseeso

181
 s
Appendix 12
BUMPER STICKER BOMBARDMENT

We have used bumper stickers to promote children who are already do-
ing well, and to inflate the egos of their parents (who would not put any-
thing else on their car) but will put up the sticker that says:

I have an honor roll student at Prestige High.

We also have a strong negative reaction to this promotional bumper

sticker:

My kid can beat up your honor roll student!

Bumper stickers can be successful, and a relatively cheap way to use hu-
mor as a vehicle (no pun intended) for getting our message to millions
of Americans. What if we spent time at a staff meeting or a board meet-
ing using humor to create bumper stickers for a referendum? It would
do several things.

s The meetings would be more fun.

s The benefits of humergy would be evident.
s It would provide attention-grabbing messages for the public that
would get the message across.

183
184 APPENDIX 12

Here is a brief list of bumper stickers—be sure to collect your own!

There are three kinds of people: Those who can count and those who
can’t.
Five days a week, my body is a temple. The other two, it’s an amuse-
ment park.
A day without sunshine is like night.
Always remember you are unique, just like everyone else.
Coffee, chocolate, men; some things are just better rich.
Don’t treat me any differently than you would the queen.
Earth first! We’ll strip-mine the other planets later.
Ever stop to think and forget to start again?
Get a new car for your spouse. It’ll be a great trade.
God made us sisters; Prozac made us friends.
God must love stupid people . . . he made so many.
Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off now.
I fought the lawn and the lawn won.
I need someone real bad . . . Are you real bad?
I took an IQ test and the results were negative.
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather . . . not
screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving isn’t for you.
If we are what we eat, I’m cheap, fast, and easy.
If you can read this, I can hit my brakes and sue you.
If you drink, don’t park. Accidents cause people.
If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.
It’s lonely at the top, but you eat better.
Keep honking while I reload.
Liberal arts major. Will think for food.
Lottery: a tax on people who are bad at math.
Love may be blind, but marriage is a real eye opener.
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
My mother is a travel agent for guilt trips.
Old age comes at a bad time.
Out of my mind. Back in five minutes!
Sometimes I wake up grumpy, other times I let her sleep.
BUMPER STICKER BOMBARDMENT 185

Veni, vedi, visa: I came, I saw, I did a little shopping.

Warning: dates in calendar are closer than they appear!
We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.
Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.
Your kid may be an honor student, but you’re still an idiot.
You’re just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
 s
Appendix 13
TAKE IT AND MAKE IT—FUNNY

This activity is designed to purposefully take the difficulties in your life

and look at these challenges in a humorous way. Think of a problem or
issue facing you right now and play with ways to turn it into fun. Here
are some ideas to get you started:

s Take two incongruent items and see how you can make them re-
late. Here are some examples:
Complying with No Child Left Behind is like a microwave be-
cause . . .
Our staff is like the Beatles because . . .
Our budget is like blueberries because . . .
s Create a top ten list of why this particular challenge is a good
thing. For example, a group had just had major budget cuts and
there were no more light bulbs to be purchased for the year. They
had a top ten list of why it was great to be in the dark, including:
Can’t see the dust bunnies
Can’t observe any fights or behavior problems
Don’t need sun glasses

187
188 APPENDIX 13

s Do a Survivor show. Make a list of all of the worst things that have
ever happened to staff members. Staff writes these on papers
(anonymously) and a list is compiled. Teams are created to brain-
storm survivor strategies.
s Exaggerate the problem. Be creative.
s Brainstorm how cheese can be used as a strategy to market your
test scores. Have a wine and cheese party, and bring the book Who
Moved My Cheese? (Johnson, 1998). Wear a cheese head (Wis-
consin Packer fans will assist you here). Ideas generate lots of ad-
ditional ideas and fun happens!
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FUN WEBSITES

Alliance for Childhood: www.allianceforchildhood.net/projects/play/play_fact_

sheet.htm
American Medical Association journals: www.ama-assn.org/med_link/peer.htm
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor: www.aath.org/
Association for the Study of Play: www.csuchico.edu/kine/tasp/index.html
Brain Lab: www.newhorizons.org/blab.html
Brain Net: www.brainnet.org/
Comedy Cures: www.comedycures.org/saranne.html
The Dana Foundation, Brain Work, the Neuroscience Newsletter: www.dana
.org
Deb Gaudlin: www.debgauldin.com/
Fun Squad with Charles Lutz: www.funsquadinc.com/
Humor for Teachers: www.learninglaffs.com/
Humor for Your Health: www.humorforyourhealth.com/humor_articles.html
Humor Project: www.humorproject.com/
Humor Quest, Mary Kay’s website: www.questforhumor.com/index.html
Humor X with Karyn Buxman: www.humorx.com/KB_humorx_home.html
Institute for the Emotionally Intelligent: www.teacheq.com/
International Society for Humor Studies: www.hnu.edu/ishs/
Jest for the Health of It: www.jesthealth.com/frame-articles.html
Jollytologist Allen Klein: www.allenklein.com/recommend.htm
REFERENCES 197

Lab for Effective Neuroscience: psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/web/index.html

Laugh Doctor: www.natural-humor-medicine.com/the-laugh-doctor.html
Layered Curriculum, by Kathie Nunley: help4teachers.com
Lenny Dave: www.creativity123.com/
Lighthouse Professional Alliance, by Susan J. Jones: www.susanjjones.com
National Institutes of Health: www.nih.gov
Paper Wad Ideas, by Scott Endres: www.paperwadideas.com/
Wavelength, Communication through Comedy: www.wavelengthinc.com/
Whole Brain Atlas, anatomy of the brain, CATs, MRIs, etc.: www.med.harvard
.edu/AANLIB/
World Laughter Tour: www.worldlaughtertour.com/index.asp

Media
Dr. Fred Goodwin, director of the Center on Neuroscience Medical Progress
in Society, George Washington University, and host of The Infinite Mind on
National Public Radio.
Schoolhouse Rock song “Three Is a Magic Number,” by Bob Dorough.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Kay Morrison keeps looking for humor! She continues to find it
while conducting workshops that link laughter and learning. In addition
to humor, Mary Kay has conducted sessions on brain research, leader-
ship, ADHD, stress management, parent education, group facilitation,
and mentoring. She has been a keynote speaker for numerous college
and school district events and has spoken at the National Staff Devel-
opment conference and the Association for Applied and Therapeutic
Humor conference. She was a team member of the Illinois State Board
of Education mentor training program and participated in planning the
Illinois “train the trainer” project for No Child Left Behind.
Mary Kay is an educator who has taught kindergarten through college
level classes. She has a B.S. in education and an M.S. in adult education
with Illinois State certification in education administration. For ten
years she worked at the Boone/Winnebago Regional Office of Educa-
tion to provide school improvement training for administrators in over
two hundred schools. Her previous work included counseling at Kish-
waukee College with the GED and teen parent program. Mary Kay is
membership chair of the audience development committee for the In-
ternational Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. She serves
on the city of Rockford Early Learning Council.

199
200 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Kay is currently director of Humor Quest, with the goal of pro-
viding workshops on the links between humor and positive emotionality.
The focus of her work for the past decade has been exploring the rela-
tionship between cognitive research, humor, and learning.
She is consistently sustained and encouraged by her husband, Don,
children, their spouses, and nine grandchildren. She enjoys gardening,
yoga, and biking.