ABSTRACT
Humor lessens tension, lightens the mood of the classroom, and lets students see your humanity (see Be Human). Laughter is good for the soul, as long as the humor is appropriate. It should never disrespect or ridicule people, especially students. Even if your friends don’t laugh at your jokes, take a walk on the funny side with your students. They are a new audience. Establish a joke of the day, place a cartoon on a projection system at the start of class, or give students a chance to share their favorite jokes. Do set joke standards before your first comedian takes the stage.
