student happiness
you should tell students how greatthey will do and how high you have set your expectations of them.
Richard,
Just telling the students how great they will be may not be enough. If an instructor does not really believe it, the instructor will not act that way.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Students wont be happy if the instructor is not happy! Start the day with a joke even if it is lame!
John,
There are studies that show that students retain more when learning is linked to a strong emotion. Laughter has a positive impact and can simulate a strong positive emotion.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I believe in fun in the classroom.I find that a lively classroom works the best .Students stay engaged better in that type of environment....
Allen,
There is a lot of research that supports this assertion.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Laughter is great. We do activities in the summer to promote retention. We find student tend to drop during this time of the year due to their children being out on summer break, the weather is nice and they dont feel like coming, etc. We do water balloon toss, hula-hoop contest, etc. This promotes a fun sense of conpetiion and lots of laughter. Student get a small break from class for these activities and when they return to class they are in a better mood and ready to re-engage in class
Molly,
There are some interesting studies that have found laughter creates chemical changes in the body that promote learning. Appropriate humor is a valuable teaching tool.
Jeffrey Schillinger
