If They're Laughing, They Just Might be Listening: Ideas for Using Humor Effectively in the Classroom - Even If You're Not Funny Yourself

A classroom filled with laughter is a classroom with positive energy. It is a classroom where students feel free to use their creativity to the fullest, time is spent building up, rather than tearing down, and students feel free to try, to fail, and to grow, without fear.

Based on the idea that “If they're laughing, they're probably learning, too," the book has dozens of tips like these:

• turning weaknesses into strength;
• being someone else;
• having fun with your tests;
• teasing—and being willing to be teased back;
• encouraging creativity by assigning an outrageous task; and
• beat a subject to death, to the point of absurdity.

This book includes many examples of classroom activities that encourage laughter and learning, as well as just-for-fun materials for teachers.

Grades 5-Adult

Elaine Lundberg, M.A., is an ex-special ed teacher turned humor therapist who is often invited to keynote at national education conferences, presenting on "Laugh for the Health of It" and "Using Positive Humor in the Classroom."

Cheryl Miller Thurston is the president, founder and editor of Cottonwood Press, Inc., which she started in 1986 with a $2000 loan from a friend. Before that she was an English teacher for 13 years, grades seven through university level.