Mary's Question

Mary's Question: Can shock value, in a comedic sense, benefit a classroom?

To me, shock value in a comedic sense can be highly beneficial in a classroom. As I posted previously, the use of humor in the classroom can be very engaging and students often become more involved in the material. This same notion can be applied to comedy that shocks. For example, if students are preparing to sit through a lesson they may find boring, shocking them with comedy when they are not expecting it can change the mood of the classroom and keep the students awake and on their toes.

I once witnessed shock-comedy in a high school classroom when I was taking AP Psychology in my senior year. At first glance, the textbook was thick and boring, and the syllabus was full and demanding. I was expecting to be taking a course that could cure insomnia, and was not prepared for the humorous approach the teacher was going to take. After the first week in this class, I had laughed so hard that I may have even shed a few tears, and I looked forward to going everyday. Each day was new and exciting, and we could never predict just what the teacher would do next.

As I observe students in my pre-practicum, I notice that many students are bored with the mundane tasks they are asked to complete. I think we owe the students the opportunity for enjoyable learning, even if the lessons exceed the conventional. By incorporating shock, surprise, and humor in the classroom, students are allowed the chance to find learning fun - which may boost the success rates of many students. Considering many students are turned off by the idea of learning because of their monotonous experiences in the classroom, teachers may be able to reach out to students before learning becomes unappealing.

My question: Do you think students would find learning enjoyable if their teachers discovered fun ways of engaging them?