The Little Book of Laughter: Using Humour as a Tool to Engage and Motivate All Learners - Hardcover

Keeling, Dave

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1781350086 ISBN 13: 9781781350089

Publisher: Independent Thinking, 2014

Synopsis

This book includes a brief history of laughter, gives you the rules of Funny and explains why having a laugh should be in your job description. Included are exercises to encourage laughter and techniques that will create an environment that is linked to encouraging andimproving learning as well as a whole load of comical comments, quotes and, of course, gags.

About this title

About the Authors

Dave Keeling has been a professional actor for 20 years and a 'stand-up' educationalist for 18 years working the length and breadth of the country with teachers, pupils and parents.

Since establishing Independent Thinking 25 years ago, Ian Gilbert has made a name for himself across the world as a highly original writer, editor, speaker, practitioner and thinker and is someone who the IB World magazine has referred to as one of the world's leading educational visionaries.The author of several books, and the editor of many more, Ian is known by thousands of teachers and young people across the world for his award-winning Thunks books. Thunks grew out of Ian's work with Philosophy for Children (P4C), and are beguiling yet deceptively powerful little philosophical questions that he has created to make children's - as well as their teachers' - brains hurt.Ian's growing collection of bestselling books has a more serious side too, without ever losing sight of his trademark wit and straight-talking style. The Little Book of Bereavement for Schools, born from personal family experience, is finding a home in schools across the world, and The Working Class - a massive collaborative effort he instigated and edited - is making a genuine difference to the lives of young people from some of the poorest backgrounds.A unique writer and editor, there is no other voice like Ian Gilbert's in education today.

From the Back Cover

THE LITTLE BOOK OF LAUGHTER - demonstrates why having a laugh should be in your job description and shows you the benefits that humour can bring to the learning environment.
Benefits such as creating openness, bravery, teamwork, imagination and creativity and, most of all, improving relationships between students and teachers.
Includes:
) A brief history of laughter
) Techniques linked to encouraging and improving learning
) Exercises to encourage laughter
) and The Rules of Funny
) as well as a whole load of comical comments, quotes and, of course, gags.
"Dave Keeling takes the old saying 'Make 'em laugh, make 'em think' and transforms it into a clear, informative and enjoyable guide that shows teachers of all age ranges how to use humour in education. The Little Book of Laughter combines analysis of different forms of comedy with a handy DIY guide, as well as providing a series of 'seriously funny' jokes that will make both teachers and pupils laugh aloud."
Professor Marion Wynne-Davies, School of English and Languages,
University of Surrey
"As the pressure on and accountability of schools and teachers continues to increase, this book represents a much needed reality check on what schools, childhood and growing up are all about."
Dean Goddard, Deputy Head Teacher, St Martin's School, Brentwood, Essex
6' 2" and ginger, Dave Keeling is an author and professional actor and has been a 'stand-up' (or kinaesthetic and passionate) educationalist for over 10 years, working with teachers, pupils and parents the length and breadth of the country.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Foreword by Ian Gilbert
The only thing I remember about the course is how forgettable it was. It was run by BT (I think), in London (I’m fairly sure), and I had been sent on it while I was working for a local authority in the Midlands (positive about that bit). It was dry, boring and unremittingly factual, and everyone seemed quite happy with accepting that this would be as good as it got. My only clear memory of the day was the point at which the sweating presenter told a joke. It was a
lame joke, lamely told, but what happened next took me by surprise. Everyone fell about laughing. It was as if he had just come off stage at the Edinburgh Festival clutching a Comedy Award. Now that amused me.

What I learned that day was that people like to laugh. It wasn’t the joke that provoked the laughter on that course. That joke couldn’t have provoked a response even if it came with its own defibrillator. What made those delegates laugh was their desire to laugh, something that can be triggered by the weakest of stimuli in the right conditions. I became determined at that point to use humour in my training in education as much as I possibly could, and to follow Walt Disney’s famous mantra that he would rather entertain people in the hope they are educated than educate people in the hope they are entertained. After all, education is too important to be taken seriously.

What I noticed over the subsequent years is the power of humour when it comes to putting across important messages. (And, by the way, when I say ‘humour’ I don’t mean telling jokes. I’m lousy at telling jokes and, anyway, getting a laugh using someone else’s creativity is like getting a date wearing a Brad Pitt mask. Telling jokes isn’t humour, it’s just making people laugh.) By saying things that are genuinely funny you can make people laugh in a genuine way and, while their faces are all folded up, it is amazing what you can shove into their brains. ‘Make ’em laugh, make ’em think’ as the mantra goes.

As you will discover when you read this little book, laughter produces many physical and psychological benefits. For example, I once read that 100 laughs are the equivalent of a ten-minute row, that laughter improves your immune system, reduces stress levels and is beneficial for people with respiratory tract infections. I even read that breast-feeding mothers who laugh release a chemical into their milk that helps to immunise their child against eczema. I have also read of the benefits to learning induced by laughter – that it
actually improved recall in students who were played a funny video part way through their learning. Which, of course, is where it gets really interesting for teachers.

When I was doing my PGCE, I remember reading various reports about what children look for in a good teacher and two attributes always shone through – consistency and a sense of humour. The only thing I remember from my maths
lessons at high school were my teacher’s jokes. They were the only bit of the lesson I ever understood.(Thus reinforcing the point that some of the most intelligent people I have ever met are some of the worst teachers I have ever had.) It is only now, looking back with a combination of hindsight and a better understanding of neurochemistry, that I can understand what is going on when a teacher uses humour, what it is that makes it so memorable and the power of what I like to call ‘teacher’s little helper’, namely the neurotransmitter dopamine (but more of this later in the book).

Another thing that makes young people – and not so young people – laugh is Dave Keeling. I have worked with Dave for many years and seen firsthand the way he can win over even the most recalcitrant and reluctant young learner – and not
so young learner – before they have even taken their seats. Apart from the card games and the magic tricks he uses, he is also a very funny, a naturally funny, man. What he shows in this little book of comic wisdom, however, is that being
naturally funny is something we can all learn. That there are a whole host of tips and techniques employed by naturally funny men and women that transfer particularly well to the classroom to make the whole learning experience more
enjoyable, more effective and more memorable for all involved. What’s more, these ideas are designed to not only bring out your humorous side but also that of the young people in your classroom. After all, in my experience, they
are often way funnier than you could ever be. If you don’t believe me, simply try any of the exercises in this book. You’ll be impressed, I guarantee.
Talking of funny, did you hear the one about the Minster of Education who actually knew something about education? No? Me neither. Boom boom!
Ian Gilbert, Nina’s Table, Craig Cefn Parc

Edition details

• Publisher: Independent Thinking
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1781350086
• ISBN 13: 9781781350089
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160
• Editor: Gilbert Ian