Joke of the Day

Have you ever tried to implement a Joke of the Day in your classroom?  This year, in my 25th year of teaching, I have put it in for the first time.  To be honest, I have a different group of kids every day in my position, so it is actually a Joke of the Week for me, but I love it!  I think it is a tradition I will keep for as long as I teach.  If I move to a position where I teach the same students every day, I may only do it once a week, but I will for sure keep one in my plans regularly!

Why?  You may be wondering why...  Well, here are a few reasons that I love having it in my routine.

1.  My students LOVE it.  At least a few every day walk into my room asking, "What is today's joke of the day?"  This reason alone is reason enough.  I know that having my students excited about any part of their day with me will help them be engaged and ready to learn.

2.  I get to hear them laugh.  It might seem to be the same reason as number 1, but it it makes me happy to hear them chuckle.  A happy teacher is a better teacher.  I know that for sure.

3.  It makes them think.  Even the most simple cartoon like the one above provokes conversations among their peers.  "I don't get it"... then someone else begins to explain.  Explaining something as simple as a joke is such a great mental exercise for my students.

4.  It creates a "classroom culture".  I love having them refer to a former joke.  Its like old friends getting together and telling a funny story about the "good ole days".  My 3rd graders will weekly refer to their pencil as a "wireless keyboard" in reference to this "Joke of the Day" from more than a month ago.

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5.  It gives them a routine.  When they see the "Joke of the Day" on the screen it is a mental reminder that we will be starting class soon.  I can leave it on the screen while they talk about it, laugh, gather pencils and journals that they know they will need.  It is a much more pleasant routine than me starting right off with a slide that I expect them to write or do work on.  I don't have to verbalize those reminders, "get your pencils and expandables" over and over again as I once did. 

6.  Google makes it easy!  While watching Netflix (usually Grey's Anatomy), I can search joke for kids, or joke for kids technology (our past unit) or whatever kind of joke I want.  There are so many at my fingertips within seconds!  I usually gather 5 or more at a setting and save them to keep and plug in at a minutes notice.  You can easily do inspirational quotes ( I do this as well), riddle of the day (I have done these before and they were very popular), a quick word puzzle, an analogy, any quick thing you want!

Maybe you want to implement it slowly and just have a Joke of the Day on one day of the week.  Watch and see how your students react when they start to expect a joke up on the board every Thursday (or whatever day you choose).  Maybe you make up a schedule, joke on Monday, inspiration on Wednesday, riddle on Friday... whatever works for you.  Don't make it too hard on yourself, though.  Teaching is hard enough.

I do hope you like adding a little laughter to your classroom.  It might make your days a little more enjoyable.