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In Pursuit of Mirth

by Sharon Linde
March/April 2013
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Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/in-pursuit-of-mirth/5021061/

Some of my favorite memories of elementary school are of the class funny-guy, Marty. He was an equal-opportunity goofball and consistently infused our day with unexpected breaks of laughter, which would have us all hooting. As an educator, I realize why those little moments were so ­welcome to us; current research shows humor to be an effective way of engaging students in active learning. Laughing and smiling with students increases their level of comfort and willingness to open up in the classroom. Brain scans show high levels of activity in multiple areas of the brain and lower levels of tension when humor is applied in conversation and instruction. Adults know humor ­maximizes learning and strengthens memory function.

All I knew as a kid was that I loved it. But no matter how awesome those funny moments were there was something we all wanted even more. Every so often a colleague would show up at our door mid-lesson, beckon our teacher to the hall, and the two of them would whisper furiously before erupting into uninhibited laughter. We’d look at each other, at first wondering “Who are these women?” But eventually, something in their laughter, in the lightness of the mood, in ...

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