After reading the articles Fun and the Immune System and Lighten Up please reflect on your thoughts and feelings. (They were emailed to you as an attachment)
The following questions were created to be thought provoking:
( you do not have to answer them all but they may aid you in your responses/reflections)
1) What were some of the AHA's that you encountered? (if any)
2) How can you utilize this information in your own personal life?
3) How can this information make you a more effective teacher/counselor/parent?
**Click on comments to read and leave your personal ideas**
11 comments:
I think these articles were great and I am glad to read about the research being done pertaining to laughter and humor. When reading the article regarding laughter and the immune system I distinctly recalled a time when I felt a cold coming on but didn't let that stop me from going out with friends. Crazy enough, the next day I felt better. The article made sense to me. The reduction in heart disease when using laughter was astounding. It was interesting to me that the watching of a 30 minute funny video appeared to have a positive effect on heart attack patients. I believe this carries over to having a positive attitude when it comes to life in general. I do feel it is important to laugh. In the classroom I promote a positive attitude and enjoy incorporating humor. Learning should be fun.
I thought the articles were excellent!I was pleasantly surprised to read such intersting research about laughter. I do have to say, when I was in highschool, my nickname from my friends was "GB", short for giggle box...so let's just say laughing and giggling are actions I do often! I am glad to know that I am doing something healthy for my body when I do laugh...it's so easy to laugh, so it's great to hear that it is really working towards a healthier me. When I was reading the article on Fun and the Immune System, I actually laughed thinking of my husband and what he would think after reading it--I think he would LOVE the article b/c he would actually have some concrete evidence of why hanging out with the "boys" is so healthy! :)...and a "must" for his immune system! I think it's great that there is research going on about laughter and the benefits to our health b/c far to often we look at all the things that we should be doing to keep our bodies healthy, and many times, it's a daunting task. But adding laughter to your life seems so doable! Several years ago my dad had some heart issues..had some major blockage..anyway, after reading these articles, it just makes me realize even more why my dad has pulled through and has been going strong ever since then(of course with the help of diet & excercise too)..he is such a funny guy and tries to find humor and the good in everything! Often times, you can find him in what he calls a "laughing jag", something that sets him off and he just gets going and laughs and laughs, and whoever is around him just starts up too, b/c as I am sure you all know, laughing is so contagious! All in all, loved the articles! Very interesting!
Two very interesting articles, with the way I eat in the summer time, it is good to know that laughter may help me from having a heart attack. I am laughing all the time so hopefully that will help. In the fun and humor section, I was glad to hear that you need to have some fun and laughter time.
At home I am a big proponent of having some fun. In the summer we always try to get outside and have some fun with them once a day. But I think it is also important to have some fun without them. My wife always has a scrapbooking night out with the girls, I have a weekly golf league, and we try to get out once every other week with us, friends and no kids. Believe it or not 3 kids 7 and under can be stressful. :)
The classroom has to be fun. I try to spend a little extra time finding out more about my students and then bring their outside activities into the classroom and then have some fun with it. I also like to talk about current events, if you can't find humor in politics and celebrity lifestyles, you wil have a hard time finding humor.
The articles reinforce what I have always suspected.
We live in a competitive society. Not only do we compete all the time, but we seem to enjoy gloating about our victories. We have come to feel value as people only in our victories. Because of this, we seem to enjoy life less and less all the time. We are so busy trying to win so that we can feel fulfilled that many of us have forgotten how to laugh.
In teaching, we are seen as being information founts. We are supposed to, some people think, just spew information and curriculum.
I think this is one of the least important things we do. Whether we want to or not, we are teaching values and, most importantly, teaching students what they are good at and what they are not. So, that competition I mentioned earlier is valuable for our pupils, but it is not life and death, as the society promotes.
To counteract this trend, humor certainly should play a major role in education. We all know students will have plenty of time to be serious later if they choose to, or maybe we can teach to be "seriously humorous." In most everything, there should be humor, I believe.
Now, what does this have to do with the articles, you ask? Not much, but reading about the stress we encounter and how laughter and humor can aid in its relief brought these thoughts to mind.
I agree with what all of you have said this far...these articles were great to read. It was very refreshing and enlightening to know that I might be doing something right, and without even knowing it. I guess this really explains why I hang out with the people I do. Laughter was one of the main things that drew me to my husband and we continue to laugh everyday...that's probably why we are still so happy. It's also a relief to know that there is still hope for "cranky people who rarely laugh and for those without a sense of humor: They can learn." It helps to explain why I might not like someone the first time we meet (maybe they are in an uncomfortable situation or something), but can have the best time with them at a later date.
These articles also explain why some people I know are more likely to complain of acks and pains compared to others ("Laughter may go a long way to reducing pain, too.") To these people, or anyone else who is trying to recover from an injury, all I can say is that I strongly recommend watching as many funny videos as possible to help get better quicker. Another suggestion might be to get a group of people together and play some games. My friends and I love playing card games and board games. Not only are we having fun while we are hanging out with one another, but also having a lot of laughs during. It's not only a great way to keep in touch with your friends, but now I also know it's a great way for us to stay healthy.
My own family doctor could have written these articles! No matter what ailment caused me to go see him, after he listened to the list of physical complaints, he invariably asked, "So, what are you doing for fun?" While he treated my body he was also treating my spirit. He always had anecdotes or sayings related to humor or having fun to share with me. He took time to talk to me as a person, not a lump of symptoms. And no matter how sick I really was, even before I began any prescribed treatment, I felt better because he had found a way to make me laugh and feel less stressed!
I have been making an effort as I age, gracefully, I hope, to look for humor in situations that I might not have found funny previously. When my oldest daughter told me she had added another speeding ticket to her ever-growing collection, instead of stressing, I asked her how long it would be before she had enough to paper the bathroom. She laughed, I laughed, and then we could sit down and discuss the situation more seriously, which was what was needed. Laughter created a comfort level to begin to solve the problem.
I try to use humor in the classroom as a management tool. Rather than just telling a student to be quiet when I am talking, I have stopped and asked politely, "Am I disturbing you with my talking?" Students usually get a little flustered, but then realize that I am joking. The usual response is a simple, "No," and I can go on. When students are absent, I have a system set up so that they can independently find out what they missed and get anything they need to make it up. Since it's easier for them to ask me, that's what they prefer to do. However, when one approaches me and asks, "What did I miss yesterday?" I just say, "Me, and I missed you too!" They laugh and take care of business on their own. (Of course, if they have real questions I do answer them.)
Well, this is really funny - NOT! I wrote a longo contribution to this string and it didn't show up! UGH! So, here I am in re-creation mode:
In the article "Fun ... Immune System", one of my thoughts is about his comment in the first paragraph: "I'm assuming the results would be similar for women." I think this would depend on the women chosen for the study. Stay-at-home moms may get caught up in soap operas ... no, I'm just kidding! They probably are busy with laundry, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, running errands, etc., and may not have much time to actually play with their children. Working and single moms really have a tough time fitting this into their busy schedules.
The author also stated: "we feel guilty or irresponsible if we have too much [fun]." If we're not having fun, I would think the fun we do get to have would not cause feelings of guilt or irresponsibility. Wow! What would it be like to have too much fun?
In "Lighten Up", I was reminded of a snippet on the movie, "The Secret", when a woman diagnosed with breast cancer watched humorous videos. Along with this and the Law of Attraction, she ended up being cancer-free.
An "AHA" moment actually came to me while reading "Lighten Up". I realized I should start renting funny movies because I choose those that are serious and thought-provoking. Most "funny" movies don't do anything for me, so I tried to think of some that had in the past. Young Frankenstein is one. In the classroom I get caught up in accomplishing certain things within a 50-minute period and keeping all the classes on the same schedule, so I can get pretty serious - especially when I'm trying to concentrate. So, I came to the realization that the actors are accomplishing their work, concentrating on their lines, AND having FUN and CREATING HUMOR! Any recommendations for really funny, not stupid-funny movies??
Maybe we should all begin class with a Joke of the Day. They would have to be hilarious. Then, students would be on time so they wouldn't miss it! If it pertains to the day's lesson, it certainly might help them remember something. We need to make sure our humor isn't seen as sarcasm. If we keep "How can I make this fun?" in mind and infuse lessons with it, we might actually have: improved attendance, students who speak highly of us, and students who are pleasantly anxious to come to our class to see what we have in store for them.
Here's a joke for today:
Four high school boys afflicted with spring fever skipped morning classes. After lunch they reported to the teacher that they had a flat tire.
Much to their relief she smiled and said: "Well, you missed a test today so take seats apart from one another and take out a piece of paper."
Still smiling, she waited for them to sit down. Then she said:
"First Question: Which tire was flat?"
Regarding the Fun & the Immune System, I loved the closer”It’s a good idea to plan something fun every second day or so.” It might be fun to say to my students on a Friday…So for homework this weekend you need to plan something fun and then report on it on Monday. I will do the same.” It might be a good icebreaker in the beginning of the year as you are trying to establish a sense of community in your class. In my adult social situations it also might be a great conversation starter. Next week I will participate in a luncheon and a sports event where I won’t know many of the people. Instead of saying “What do you do for a living?” I could say ”Tell me something fun that you did so far this summer…If they couldn’t name something that could be revealing also. I also think this is a non-threatening question that may get people talking more freely and by doing so; there will probably be some laughter which is a good thing. The other article brought home how important laughter is. There is a lot of laughter in our house something that I am very proud of. The article also made me think about gifted actors/actresses that have made me laugh. I think a good comedian is even more talented than someone who gives a stirring dramatic performance. One of my favorites is Robin Williams…what a talent. Personally, I read the “comics” section last in the daily newspaper after all of the world concerns. It leaves me with a better feeling to embrace the rest of the day. It was reconfirming to know that I am doing something good for myself and I didn’t even realize it.
I agree with the author that most adults don't have enough fun. Why feel guilty for having fun? I believe that having kids is a great excuse to have fun. A great excuse to act in an immature and irresponsible manner. And why get so upset over so many little things? Just laugh people! Some people are caught up in the negatives, and it's hard to get them out of it. A great idea I thought of was having my students bring in a silly picture of themselves and friends and/or family and tape it to the top of their desk to get a quick grin on their face at times in class!
These two articles were thought provoking. It was refreshing to read that "having fun" has positive health benefits. I can certainly relate to Granirer's comment that guilt is usually connected with having fun. I wonder why so many people in society have been conditioned to feel that way. I know that I do. also, I was intrigued with the notion that people can learn to use humor in awkward or stressful situations.
In my own life, I will try to schedule more fun into my hectic life. I admit that I also need to work on laughing, instead of getting upset, in uncomfortable sitautions. However, after reading about the benefits, I feel more motivate to try harder. Afterall, there is a history of heart disease in my family, so it would be foolish to dismiss this research.
As a teacher, I need to make a real effort to include time for fun. I often use humor during lessons, but I have been toying with the idea of a "joke of the day" concept where students bring in jokes to begin each day. Since students learn by our example, it is important for me to model "fun." Helping students to see the importance of humor everyday is a new challenge. However, by using humor as a reaction to stress, the students might decrease behavior problems with each other and it could be a benefit to our classroom climate.
Great articles - We all know that we feel better if we take time to have fun and enjoy life. These articles confirm that and explain why. In education, we are always making decisions on how to react to situations (kids are unpredictable) and choosing to react with humor is far better than getting upset. The atmosphere we create in the classroom impacts the efforts/attitudes that students bring to the classroom. This is also true for the school as a whole. We need to take time, as a staff, to get to know each other better and have fun together. If we do, getting through the stressful times will be easier.
I'm reminded of a joke I read earlier. A student is talking to his teacher and asks if it's fair that he gets in trouble for something he hasn't done. The teacher agrees that it would not be fair to get into trouble for something he didn't do. The student responds: "Good, because I haven't done the math assignment!" The next time a student doesn't complete his homework, I'll think about this joke and share a laugh. (Of course, I'll still expect the homework to be finished - but why get upset over it.)
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