How can I use humor effectively in my teaching?
- Humor can be an excellent way to capture the attention of students. One way in which humor is often used effectively is within anecdotal illustrations. If you have funny stories which you believe illustrate the point at hand, then by all means tell them. Of course, these stories shouldn't be your point, but they can be an effective way of recapturing the attention of your students, and of bringing the topic closer to home. Another valuable use of humor in teaching, is to laugh at yourself. All teachers make mistakes. Those that can see the humor in what they've done can both put the students at ease and maintain their own composure and confidence.
Address questions or comments about TEP or this site to:
Georgeanne Cooper, Program Director, 64 PLC
Phone: 541-346-2177 Fax: 541-346-2184
Teaching Effectiveness Program, Teaching and Learning Center, University of Oregon.
Last Modified:
01/26/10