The Magic of Collective Laughter
You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.
--Robin Williams
Let’s face it, we all lose focus on days when unexpected professional or personal issues pop up. Whether in your workplace or in my case, heading to class, this is the remedy I employ to adjust a mood.
The power of humor: Icebreakers to start every class
I begin each session with a segment called “What’s New in the Law News?” In the spirit of “less is truly more,” all you need is a headline to spark a collective imagination. I print out the first page of articles and display the headlines on the doc cam with accompanying crazy photos:
Man being fired brings emotional support clown to meeting
Teen taking train selfie kicked in head by conductor
Woman fakes her own death to get out of bad online date
Man stabbed at haunted house by friend who thought knife was a prop
Rattlesnake, uranium, whiskey found at traffic stop
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Cop pulls over driver for speeding with 8,000-pound potato
After I go through my items, I try to spur discussion by asking everyone:
“What did you find new in the law news?”
I usually get a mix of funny, twisted, and serious items, providing entertaining dialogue and a segue to our lesson.
Many teachers likely have an icebreaker or novel technique to start class. If you do, take notice of whether it gets you laughing and excited to dive into whatever you are teaching. If not, look for ways to tweak it. Lean on the magic of collective laughter to help get through a challenging day.
Students elevate my mood and inspire my growth as a person. Your co-workers can do the same for you. If you find someone at school or work having a difficult day, please remember: Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. --Mark Twain
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