Customer Reviews

The Laughing Classroom: Everyone's Guide to Teaching with Humor and Play (Loomans, Diane)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Both my wife (a special education teacher) and I (a college professor and trainer) have used "The Laughing Classroom" with students and teachers. As a vehicle to build communities, create a positive classroom climate, reduce stress, and add the critical element of humor to the classroom, this book is an excellent tool filled with engaging activities and helpful resources. A great addition to anyone's bag of tricks!

I was disappointed in this book when I received it. I was looking for ways to make my H.S. History class more exciting, but I found that most of the suggestions in the book were geared more for the elementary school levels. The format of the book is set-up more like a comic book than an academic book and is filled with cartoon drawings and funny sayings. Although it was fun to read, I really did not feel that I acquired any useful knowledge from it1

I met one of the authors at a conference a couple of years ago, and was enchanted with her style so I bought the book. It is wonderful! Great ideas and practical games that teach lessons with multiple target educational objectives. I'm a motivational speaker and a theatre teacher. Working with the kinesthetic learner is a challenge. These exercises help make learning fun!

With a Foreword by Steve Allen & a Backword by Professor Oops! this Everyone's Guide to Teaching With Humor and Play offers teachers of formal education a hands-on text book to add humor and heart to their teaching day.

This text book takes humor quite seriously, offering sections on Becoming a Laughing Teacher; Creating a Laughing Classroom; Tons of Techniques; Teaching With Humor That Heals & Using Laughter Forever After. It's an imaginative book with some very sound ideas, lots of comedy all illustrated in Martha Weston's delightful drawings. There are lots of poems, quotes & exercises to keep funny bones limber & give our belly laughs a work out!

So, anyone know a teacher? Want to give your children's teachers something other than apples or boxes of candy? Then consider The Laughing Classroom when next you want to show your teachers your appreciation - they might like it & so might your children!

I'd like to see The Laughing Classroom in every teacher's briefcase so that the classrooms in which our children spend so many days of their lives, could be that much more joyful, relaxed & learning-oriented. Do check out my full review.

The Laughing Classroom is packed with tried and true tips for classroom delight. This book is FULL OF FUN for the classroom or even the board room! A must for the serious educator of all ages

I loved this book! There is so much talk today about discipline and consequences. It was great to hear about warmth and rapport in teaching. If you use these techniquese you'll find students are naturally more cooperative and positive. I like the practical approach---lots of ready to use ideas, and meant to be copied, pages. A wonderful side benefit is that it makes teaching more fun for the teacher too.

This book is the best! It is a MUST for all teachers! It covers ways to really reach your students as well as keep your sanity. I cannot say enough... It is invaluable! Do not hesitate to purchase this incredible book. I cannot believe this is not mandatory to all educators!

This book was very inspiring. It gave many examples of how to bring humor and fun back into the classroom. It also helped me bring my creativity back into the classroom. Sometimes it's just the little things, the little changes in our attitudes that count. I thought that bringing in humor and laughter into my classroom was going to focus the attention away from learning and completing tasks, but it has proven the opposite. My students enjoy school more, and look forward to learning/playing. This book will bring out your best!

If you want to use these ideas for your high school students, think twice. The ideas are good but not so appropriate for secondary school. I got some ideas that I'll modify for my students. It is an entertaining book and you can always get something out of it (but don't expect much if you are a high school teacher).

All teachers should teach like this -- it works so much better than standing around glaring when things go wrong!
After I read it, I wondered why I had bought it -- I already do so much of what it mentions -- but then one day I realized that the book had worked its magic in an unexpected way; it changed my attitude. I may use humor and laughter when I teach, but what about when something goes wrong? That's the moment to use humor. I needed to lighten up my ATTITUDE; being "fun" for the kids to learn with is different than being fun when things go wrong. I turned some bad moments into teachable moments, and all because I stopped taking MYSELF so seriously. Their attitude change (and a difficult class!) reflected the success. It turned into a great day.

I highly recommend this book -- especially if you are an authoritarian-type teacher. BUY IT!