***<div class="pull-left"><img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/10/16/21/30/halloween-1746354_960_720.jpg" /><center><sub>Using humor in the classroom will create more intimate atmosphere between teacher and student. Credit: Pixabay.</sub></center></div>***

Hi, the educators!

Can we use humor in the classroom? I assume jokes in the classroom is a natural thing. I am happy to see the children laugh. So I can make more relaxed relationship with them. With fun in the classroom, relationships seem to be more intimate between teacher and student. Children are not reluctant to ask us about the subject matter that they are difficult to understand.

Imagine if you are a scary teacher. Children are very reluctant to you. They will become passive students. They will be afraid to ask questions or answer the questions given to them. They are afraid of being wrong, meaning they are afraid if their answer is wrong. Teachers will embarrass them in front of the class, or the teacher will punish them for not being able to answer the questions.

Then, the children will distance themselves from their teacher. Children become passive obedient. The classroom becomes stiff. Instead of wanting to create a fun learning atmosphere, the teacher brings them to boring learning.

As a teacher, there are many strategies that we use to motivate students. Every teacher wants to increase student interest and participation, right? One strategy to best accomplish this is by using humor in the classroom. There are numerous positive effects of using humor in your classroom each day, both for your students and for yourself. Some include: an increase in enthusiasm and confidence; joy and happiness; optimism; willingness to take risks; and stress reduction.<sup>[[1]](http://minds-in-bloom.com/5-ways-use-humor-classroom/)</sup>

***<div class="pull-left"><img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/09/20/22/14/halloween-2770084_960_720.jpg" /><center><sub>Make your class fun with humor! Credit: Pixabay.</sub></center></div>***

The students are very enthusiastic and confident in receiving lessons from teachers who use humor. This has become one of interest in learning to raise the enthusiasm of the students. This is important. Students will more easily absorb the subject matter. Children will be happy, optimistic in learning, not scared during the learning process, and reduce the mental burden on children (reduce the risk of stress).

There are several strategies you can use:
- Telling short humor during the learning process
- Put some humor in the test
- Ask one of the students to tell funny things
- Ask funny questions
- Watch funny short videos (five minutes duration)

Humor in the classroom is a great and effective tool for educators. However, if educators are wrong in choosing humor it will make students feel humiliated, even learning tends to be not directed and far from the goal. Knowledge of the mechanisms of humor creation and the types of humor is absolutely necessary for teachers. So the teacher does not get caught in an adverse situation. Moreover there is humor that degrades and harms the students. Humor is not funny responded to the students as something 'waste of time' just so the subject matter is not complete. The humor that makes the student an object, racist humor, sex humor seems to be less worthy of use.<sup>[[2]](https://belajar0101.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/hati-hati-menggunakan-humor-di-depan-kelas/)</sup>

Using humor in the classroom should also have a moral boundary. Do not use excessive humor in the classroom. Always remind students of the importance of respect. My point is that when teachers and students already have intimacy, students must know how to limit this intimacy. The teacher is a friend of the students, but also the second parent for the students. Students should also respect teachers as well as their respect for their parents. []

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##### References
<sub>[1] http://minds-in-bloom.com/5-ways-use-humor-classroom/</sub>
<sub>[2] https://belajar0101.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/hati-hati-menggunakan-humor-di-depan-kelas/</sub>

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