The #2PencilChat is a weekly conversation about educational technology. As we enter a more student-centered age, let's talk about using all the tools in our toolboxes to be innovative and dynamic teachers.
A1 For me, culture tops everything, and a class that laughs together is one that bonds together! Also: We remember the laughs, so when laughter is built into a lesson, the lesson is memorable! #2PencilChat
A1: It makes it real...it lightens the mood...it makes it a place where the students and the teacher want to be...and isn't that the goal in the end? #2pencilchat
A1: It just totally changes in the environment of your classroom. Students feel more connected and are more engaged. I love love love love to laugh with my kids. Plus you do not feel stressed out if you bring laughter into your classroom. #2PencilChat
A1a Laughter is one thing that we all have in common It does not matter what gender, race, religion, orientation, or socio-economic status The great equalizer is laughter #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A1a Itโs a new and exciting age in the classroom laughter deptartment. In my day laughing in class, particularly from the seats in back, was a sure fire way to get detention cleaning erasers..
It can be easy to go down that road, still! There's so much pressure with testing and following curriculum, it can be hard to remember to take the time to make it fun. #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A1b In todayโs enlightened laughter age it means students are contributing, having fun. I understand it can mean a teacher made an oopsie, owned up to it and together Ss & Ts are learning towards a solution.
A2 I'm a sci guy & there are opportunities all through inquiry There are some wild & wacky #phenomenon to study & some hilarious connections & videos to use to introduce & analyze #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A2a Pattern making? Seeing where two (or more) seemingly disparate learnings fit together.. that #aha! moment when stuff begins to make sense, Godโs in his Heaven and allโs right with the world..
A2: The possibilities are endless. At the beginning of school year I read sideways stories from Wayside to Ss and we tryto find the similarities between the Ss in my class and the characters in the book. It's quite humorous when I turn into a character from a book #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A2b I understand that gross things, like asking Ss where farts come from or critiquing the finer points of a mullet (thank you for that @jcorippo) can bring out the creative side of a student like nothing else..
A3 You definitely need to have a sense of humor about yourself, sometimes the butt of the joke is you, and how you handle that is a model to your kids. #2PencilChat
A3 One thing I tell my Ss is #LifeHappes & life includes laughter You can't close life & its humorous ways off in your classroom Embrace the joy in life & laugh when possible My Ss like throwing darts at me & I think that speaks to our relationship #2PencilChat
A3: My Ss know that deep down (maybe not so deep?) I am a goofball. It's being able to just roll with things when they happen. The other day one of my Ss and I started having a contest walking down the hallway on who could get more people to say hi to each of us #2pencilchat
A3 I have a good sense of humour. The other during animating our Stik Bot stories a Student says this is Donald Trump hair (accessory) I was rolling laughing ๐ #2PencilChat
A3: I laugh my heart out almost every single day about certain situations that happen in the classroom. My student see this and they know it's okay for them to be spontaneous and and burst out laughing if situation leads to it. #2PencilChat#neveradullmoment
#2pencilchat A3b I understand kids are adept at spotting a fake, and thatโs not funny. Be real. Serving in the US Navy I learned responsibility goes with authority. Want Ts to be open to fun? Trust & share.
A4: There is a fine line between everyone having a good time and someone getting their feelings hurt....it's good to be able to laugh at yourself, but it's also a learning process to know when enough is enough #2pencilchat
A4 Laughter has to fit into the setting of class Certain topics are never funny & its important to establish ground rules when making norms in fall Simply saying lets move in a positive direction lets Ss know to regroup #2PencilChat
A4 I had a friend who used to say, "Were you playing like two kittens, or like a cat with a mouse?" If it's cat and mouse, it's not funny. #2PencilChat
A4: When we are discussing a serious situation that is impacting students'learning or feelings, we all sit in a circle and talk about things that bother us and seriously think of the solutions that can be implemented to overcome those feelings. #2PencilChat
#2PencilChat This was an epic moment when I turned into a character from a book titled Top Secret and told my students that I was going through the process of human photosynthesis.
A3 My Ss know that having fun is part of my class. My ELLs need the laughter in our class to help relax from their daily stress of having to function in a language that they are trying to master. #2PencilChat
A5 My team does a great job of just finding the small things to crack each other up Laughter has gotten us through many a rough day this year #2PencilChat
A5 Working with a team that laughs together can make all the difference. Having someone with the same sense of humor to talk to can make a bad day so much better! #2PencilChat
A5: We have a group text....and most of us have SnapChat.....sometimes in all the ridiculousness, I'm pretty confident we're not so different from the kids lol #2pencilchat
Yeah, sarcasm in school is usually a sign of disrespect (even if it seems earned...). I think most classrooms have respect as one of their class rules/norms. #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A5b Rituals help with sanity. Back in the military (I served in mostly peacetime) the steel drum band on a Saturday afternoon on the beach helped. Anyone remember Artesians? Watch โem..
A5: I like to play fun pranks on my colleagues to bring some joy to our workplace. It has been successful for the most part except one time I was called into the principal's office @Russ_Schwartz and got in some trouble. ๐ #2PencilChat
#2pencilchat A5x I have fond memories of the Old Man (Captain) stopping the ship, dropping the sea anchor & setting a shark watch.. swimming in 19,000 feet of water relieves stress/tension like nobodyโs business..
A5: #2PencilChat Laugh and take a moment to put your problems into perspective. That's hard to do sometimes, but that's what the car ride home is for. ;)
Probably too obscure a reference. When I was on active duty Olympia brewing company marketing favored artesians, invisible mythical creatures โ probably not appropriate for school #2pencilchat
A6: My son has a great collection of funny YouTube videos and online jokes that he likes to share with me. We both laugh like there's no tomorrow ๐ #2PencilChat
A6: My husband is my rock....the yin to my yang....he helps me find humor in every situation, and will just be obnoxious to get me to laugh if there is no humor in the situation lol #2pencilchat
