Using Humor to Maximize Learning

Mary Kay Morrison

doi:10.5771/9781610484626

Summary

What is humor exactly? How do you use it to maximize learning? If it is so important, why is it rarely mentioned in teacher preparation without some clues for finding and using it? The purpose of this book is to affirm, sustain, and encourage educators in the practice of humor not only as a personal tool to optimize a healthy lifestyle, but to maximize the benefits of humor in education. These benefits include current research-based data on the use of humor to nurture creativity, to increase the capacity for memory retention, to support an optimal learning environment and to build safe communities that reflect the relational trust necessary for collaborative learning. An environment of fun is an indicator of a culture of trust. Each chapter of this book includes a study group format and powerful practice ideas for leaders. These tools can facilitate creative data analysis for educational leaders interested in understanding the relatively new field of positive psychology and how it can contribute to a joyful learning environment that promotes collaborative relationships.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2010
ISBN-Print: 978-1-57886-731-8
ISBN-Online: 978-1-61048-462-6
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 200
Product type: Book Titles

1. CONTENTS No access
2. ILLUSTRATIONS No access
3. PREFACE No access
4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS No access
Chapter 1. HUMOR—THE TONIC FOR TIRED EDUCATORS No access Pages 1 - 22
Chapter 2. DEVELOPING YOUR HUMOR BEING No access Pages 23 - 42
Chapter 3. EXAMINING BRAIN RESEARCH AND HUMOR No access Pages 43 - 70
Chapter 4. HURTFUL HUMOR IS NO LAUGHING MATTER No access Pages 71 - 92
Chapter 5. THE HUMOR WORKOUT No access Pages 93 - 116
Chapter 6. HUMOR EXTRAVAGANZA No access Pages 117 - 142
Chapter 7. SURVIVAL HUMOR FOR STRESSED LEADERS No access Pages 143 - 156
Appendix 1. HUMOR TERMINOLOGY No access Pages 157 - 162
Appendix 2. COMEDIAN LIST No access Pages 163 - 164
Appendix 3. PLAYFUL SUGGESTIONS No access Pages 165 - 166
Appendix 4. SENSE OF HUMOR REFLECTIONS No access Pages 167 - 168
Appendix 5. HUMOR STYLES INVENTORY No access Pages 169 - 170
Appendix 6. SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF HUMOR No access Pages 171 - 172
Appendix 7. HUMOR BELIEF INVENTORY No access Pages 173 - 174
Appendix 8. HUMOR TERMINOLOGY LIST No access Pages 175 - 176
Appendix 9. FAMILIAR SONG LIST No access Pages 177 - 178
Appendix 10. TOY LIST No access Pages 179 - 180
Appendix 11. SILLY WORD LIST No access Pages 181 - 182
Appendix 12. BUMPER STICKER BOMBARDMENT No access Pages 183 - 186
Appendix 13. TAKE IT AND MAKE IT—FUNNY No access Pages 187 - 188
REFERENCES No access Pages 189 - 198
ABOUT THE AUTHOR No access Pages 199 - 200