#  Exercising gentle humor strategically 

 



##  Exercising gentle humor strategically 

An unenergetic, monotone delivery of instruction can easily stifle a student’s intellectual curiosity. The simple addition of humor, however, might keep students more engaged. It has even been shown to increase student learning. By cleverly sprinkling witticisms, amusing anecdotes, and self-deprecating quips throughout his lectures, Bob Kegan keeps the tone light in what can oftentimes be serious, tense subject matter. The result is a welcoming environment in which students feel comfortable and close to their professor.

*Profiled:* [*Robert Kegan*](https://prod-instructionalmoves.drupalsites.harvard.edu/robert-kegan)*, William and Miriam Meehan Research Professor in Adult Learning and Professional Development, teaches "Adult Development" to ~200 students at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.*



 

 

 

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 Classroom Considerations Relevant Research Related Resources 

## Classroom Considerations

 

 

- Temper heaviness with levity. Especially in classes based around tense concepts, mix in well-timed, appropriate humor to lighten the mood.
- If you find students reluctant to jump into a discussion, a gentle wisecrack might encourage participation and reduce tension
- A relevant joke (e.g., a little-known fact or a short story) can redirect wandering attention spans while making course content more memorable



 



 

 

 

## Relevant Research

 

 

- Lomax and Moosavi outline how humor can be used to teach statistics, arguing that its use can help minimize anxiety and develop conceptual understanding ([2002](http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15328031US0102_04))
- The use of humor in higher education was associated with higher final exam scores in a statistics and psychology course. One possible explanation for higher exam scores is that humor may give students a new perspective that can facilitate learning ([Ziv, 1998](http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220973.1988.10806492)).
- Humor is linked to content retention among undergraduate students ([Garner, 2006](http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/CTCH.54.1.177-180?src=recsys))



 



 

 

 

## Related Resources

 

 

- In ["The Use of Humor As a Teaching Tool in the College Classroom,"](http://www.jstor.org/stable/43765313?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents) Ronald Deiter describes common myths, practical tips, and specific examples about using humor in the college classroom
- A post in *[Faculty Focus](https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/energize-classroom-humor/)* provides tips for infusing humor into your classroom



 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Kegan, Robert ](/instructors/robert-kegan)
- [ Building Community ](/modules/building-community)
- [ How can I lay the foundation for a strong classroom culture? ](/modules/how-can-i-lay-foundation-strong-classroom-culture)
- [ Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) ](/school/harvard-graduate-school-education-hgse)