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A Perspective on Humor in the Classroom Thomas Willadsen, Guest Writer
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Wisconsin Music Teachers, thank you for your tenacity as you try to teach during this century’s pandemic! I was asked to write something for Wisconsin School Musician about humor and how one can use humor in teaching. I was flattered to be offered this assignment and happy to oblige. As I hear stories of teachers switching from in-person to remote teaching overnight, I am very thankful for what you do and I marvel at your commitment to your students. Thank you for persevering in a strange, difficult and stressful time.
The invitation to share some thoughts with music educators struck me as a little incon- gruous. I have been a consumer, but never a producer, of music education. I played in school bands in middle school, high school and college. I even took part in my
community’s summer band program, but I am hardly a musician. I am a trombone player. I could fill your pages with stories from the back of the band room and front of the parade of acts of public mayhem and silliness, all abetted by the relative anonymity of a band uniform, but you’re professionals, you know from trombones. Instead I hope to share some guidance for humor, its use and misuse.
Humor is a funny thing. Nearly everyone has a sense of humor and everyone enjoys a good laugh. For my whole career in par- ish ministry I have used humor to bring congregations together. There is no better “social lubricant” than laughter. Research- ers have proven that groups who laugh together are more productive and derive more joy from their work than groups that
“While I doubt laughing at your boggity Zoom connection will get it to work properly, it’s a good way to acknowledge that you and your students are struggling together.”
do not start out laughing together. In the classroom, teachers who use humor are more effective, and remembered more fondly, than those who do not use humor to build rapport.
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A well-timed comment can defuse a tense situation. At my first church the sound system and I did not get along. No matter how many times we did sound checks and made adjustments to the soundboard and the microphone no one ever knew what would happen when we went live. One Sunday I turned the power on and there was other worldly feedback as we had never experienced before. I waited for it to die down and said, “Welcome to the 35th anniversary of Woodstock.” Those under 70 in worship that day laughed out loud, and the sound system behaved after that.
While I doubt laughing at your bog- gity Zoom connection will get it to work properly, it’s a good way to acknowledge that you and your students are struggling together. Every time I see a notice that my internet connection is unstable, I express relief that the computer isn’t monitoring my personal stability. I also act like I won the lottery when the keypad tells me my Visa card has been approved. Seri- ously, keep the bar low and be ready to celebrate small successes; it’s easy to do this playfully.
48 January 2021
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