Laugh, Teacher, Laugh!

Laughter exercises the heart, improves circulation, and gets rid of excess air in the lungs.

Education is too important to take seriously. When people take anything too seriously, they put on blinders which cause them to miss the important aspects of what is going on around them. They develop "tunnel vision", which limits and distorts their perception of reality. Education is too important to be limited by those who have chosen to wear blinders and to develop tunnel vision.

Here are some ways to bring laughter into the classroom:

1. Share humurous events from your own experience.

2. Learn to appreciate class clowns. They are your greatest ally when it comes to laughter and can brighten even the grayest of days.

3. Obtain humurous books from your library and read them to your class.

4. Talk about funny shows or movies you have enjoyed.

5. Have your students find humurous stories and pictures in newspapers and magazines.

6. Have students write and act out a funny class story or play.

7. Laugh at your own mistakes instead od making an excuse or covering up.

8. Wear a funny hat, clown's nose, two different kinds of shoes, or colored socks to school, anything to break the routine.

9. Finally, commit yourself to developing a humurous outlook on life. Take yourself, life and school less seriously. Laugh at the stressors of the days. Your laughter will help eliminate the dreaded tunnel vision and may even help you say, "School is too important to take seriously."