The redoubtable teaching secret ::: [Abdessalami On

Fun normally stems from the very extraordinary things that happen in day to day life situations. The classroom represents a micro-life situation where funny things happen regularly and can be spotted easily. This is the reason which makes the teacher the fittest to detect the very particularity of funny sides of life better than anybody else. He works within funny situations most of the time because his immediate environment – the classroom- is full of bizarre happenings and weird scenes. The teacher can see what most people can’t.

To see things as they actually are, one has to feel them. The teacher uses his feelings -not his eyes- to see, consequently he sees well. He can even see surreptitious things and emotions in people actions and reactions due to his particular experience he accumulated from his long hours contact with his students. He can see irritation, sadness, boredom and many other abstract things. With this half-gifted faculty, the teacher effectively smells when things go bad. The alert senses of detecting anomalies in the classroom are highly developed in a teacher. These almost supernatural senses make the teacher a “master” and make him more human.

This is true because the gifted teacher plans his lesson well but rarely sticks to them. He is always sensible to any change in his surrounding atmosphere and detects the least abnormality that may hinder the normal flow of his connection with the others. He is used to tense or awkward situations in the classroom, but he has a good device to overcome such apprehensive incongruity. It is fun. The teacher is aware that funny situations can bring about fun and pleasure. Fun is a good motivator that’s why most teachers are comics and enjoy making their students enjoy the lessons joyfully. The teacher's secret then is his ability to use the very fun that emerges from within the interaction with the others. In order for the teacher to motivate his students and to chase away anxiety from his own land of operation notably the classroom the teacher exploits fun and renders it a pedagogical tool. Check how much do you use in your classroom?

I once read a funny article about why one should not argue with little children because they show an exceptionally witty reaction to adult remarks. Teachers are hard to argue with as well. Teachers and pupils share the very innate trait of natural fun. Therefore, the most suitable way for both of them to share this enthusiasm for fun is to rely on games where fun initiates and stimulates learning.