Laugh to Learn: The Role of Humor in Special Education
After teaching for 42 years, I decided to write my memoir. I had taken notes for years, and the stories started pouring out when I retired. When I was writing, I realized this was more than a memoir, it was the life lessons I learned from my special kids, so at the end of my book, I tell the 10 life lessons I learned from these children. I am sure I learned many more lessons, and there were times when I thought, “Who is the teacher, and who is the student?” You could argue that I was both a student and a teacher, for these kids taught me many things. One was the gift of humor. I write the lesson in my book: “Having a sense of humor when teaching is vital. Sometimes humor can diffuse even highly tense situations. It helps increase student attention span and helps them retain learning.”
We created a student-run lunch program once a month where we made lunches for the staff. We would use the money at the end of the year to do something special. For two years we had a zoo come to my classroom. This is a picture of me and the macaw, a talking bird who would also kiss you. A girl in my class was terrified of the bird, so I held it to show her it was ok. Secretly, I was horrified at the thought of this bird kissing me. It went ok and we all laughed. That moment diffused her fears and brought a sense of camaraderie in my classroom with our laughter. The second year the bird returned to my class, we all laughed before it happened, because we remembered.
When students’ attention might be drifting, a light-hearted or funny comment can re-engage them with the task. Humor can strengthen teacher-student relationships, build rapport, and create a sense of community in the classroom. Fostering a positive and inclusive environment can reduce students’ stress and anxiety and make them comfortable. This helps build relationships, which is essential for active learning and collaboration.
Using humor that is thoughtful and inclusive can be a tool that creates a positive and supportive learning environment. Humor can be used to help students feel more comfortable and less anxious. This is helpful for those who struggle with communication, social interactions, or behavioral challenges. I had a nonverbal girl in my class and sometimes it was my mission to make her laugh. She had such a rich belly laugh that made everyone laugh. I would try silly physical comedy making goofy faces, or pretending to reach something while standing on the table. It made everyone’s day when we got that laugh from her.
Humor can be a powerful tool for building confidence and bringing out each child’s unique personality. We all like to laugh and feel better after a good laugh. Humor is a great tool for special education!
