Ann Larson EricsonBy far the biggest resistance to change involves the use of sarcasm. When we begin to talk about the use of sarcasm in the classroom, the tone of our conversation often becomes argumentative and defensive. Kind, well-meaning teachers tell me, “But my students think it’s funny when I’m sarcastic,” or “Adolescents appreciate sarcasm. They use it all the time.” “They always know I’m just kidding.” “That’s how I build relationship with my students. It’s funny.”
Yet I wonder if our students really get it, or are they just laughing along with everyone else? Are we modeling a “gotcha culture” or one that is playful but also safe? Are our words helping our students build their identity, or are they creating confusion and self-doubt? Adolescents today are inundated with sarcastic comments, whether it’s peer-to-peer bantering or the rapid-fire one-liners they hear in sitcoms and movies. The root of the word sarcasm literally means “to tear flesh.” How can we educators help our students enjoy humor and laughter without resorting to tearing flesh?A number of years ago, I had an experience that really opened my mind to my personal use of sarcasm. One of my students did something careless in the science lab, and I good-naturedly helped him clean up and made some offhand sarcastic remark. He laughed and I walked away. Days later, I was asked to meet with this student and an administrator. I walked into the meeting and learned that this student had gone home devastated and told his father that his science teacher hated him. We went on to have a meaningful restorative conversation. I explained the meaning of my words and the spirit in which they were intended, but I knew our relationship was damaged. What this experience taught me is that we can never truly know how our students may hear and internalize the sarcastic comments we direct at them. It was a painful lesson for me but one that stops me in my tracks whenever I think about sarcasm.
I also know that humor between teachers and students lightens the day and helps to build relationships. I love to laugh with my students, and I love hearing them laugh in our classrooms. Adolescents are often so serious, given to brooding and self-doubt and need the relief of laughter and playful exchanges. I understand why we defend the need for humor, but what other forms of humor may be safer to share with our students—is it a corny joke, a personal humorous misadventure, or a silly game or song? How can we model alternatives to the sarcastic jousting and put-downs our students use that can end up in hurtful exchanges?
What are other ways to use humor in your classroom? What are some of the games we use in CPR that generate laughter and playfulness? Let’s get a conversation going about alternative uses of humor with adolescents.
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About Ann Larson Ericson For more than nine years, I've been using the Developmental Designs approach in my school. I am currently the 7–12 Instructional Coach at Community of Peace Academy, a public charter school on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota. Before starting my new position, I taught high school chemistry and physical science at Community of Peace Academy. Since 2011 I've spent my summers as a Developmental Designs facilitator of professional development. Previously, I've taught science at urban and suburban schools, served as a director of gifted and talented education in a rural Wisconsin school district, and taught English in Shanghai, China. I hold a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College and a Master of Arts from St. Catherine University. Contact me at Origins@OriginsOnline.org
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