Teaching is part science, part art, and—on most days—a solid dose of stand-up comedy.
We’ve all been there. You ask a question. Blank stares. You rephrase it. Still nothing. Then you toss out, “Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!” Suddenly, the tension lifts. A few groans, a few chuckles—but now they’re listening.
Why Humor Works
Humor isn’t just for laughs. It’s a powerful tool that:
*Builds trust and relationships
*Reduces anxiety (especially around tests!)
*Encourages participation
*Makes learning stick
Studies show that students remember information better when it’s delivered with a smile—or a pun.
Classic Classroom Comedy
Here are a few of my tried-and-true favorites:
“What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?”
A stick.
“Why was the math book sad?”
Because it had too many problems.
“Why don’t skeletons fight each other?”
They don’t have the guts.
And of course, the infamous:
“I planted some birdseed last month. Still no birds.”
(You’d be surprised how long it takes them to get that one.)
The Student Side of Funny
Kids are hilarious—intentionally or not.
One of my students once said, “I wish school had a snooze button like my alarm clock.”
Honestly? Same here.
Another time:
Student: “I forgot my homework at home. Can I bring it tomorrow?”
Me: “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I’d be rich enough to retire. Yesterday.”
Humor helps students feel seen, safe, and part of the learning process. When they laugh with you, they’re more likely to trust you. And when they trust you, they’re more likely to try.
Teachers: Wise and Witty
While we may deliver bad jokes with wild abandon, don’t mistake our humor for a lack of depth. Teachers are walking treasure troves of wisdom—about life, learning, and the human condition.
We’ve seen students at their best, their worst, and their most honest. We know when “I don’t know” really means “I’m scared to be wrong.” That’s why one day, I asked Zack a question, and he gave me the usual out:
“I don’t know.”
I smiled and replied, “Okay—but if you did know, what would the answer be?”
He paused… and gave the correct answer.
Turns out, the brain works better when fear isn’t in charge.
Wise Words to Live By
Let’s end with a gem:
“I asked the teacher if she could teach me to procrastinate… she said she’d do it later.”
Final Bell
So go ahead—crack a joke, tell a pun, laugh at the chaos. In the end, humor isn’t a distraction from learning. It is learning. It’s connection. It’s courage. It’s what helps students take risks, try again, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll remember your corniest jokes twenty years from now.
