Education
2002 Gems of Educational Wit & Humor by Susan and Steven Mamchak
Here’s a sparkling collection of humorous anecdotes, jokes, and stories relating to today’s schools. All ready for instant use, these gems of humor are presented in encyclopedic fashion under more than 830 topics from A to Z. Use them to enliven and enrich your speeches, lessons, memos, and letters to parents, students, faculty, and the community. Since each entry has been gathered by and for educators, this will be an invaluable resource for all teachers and administrators. In fact, you’ll find at least 2002 reasons to buy this book.
A Bad Case of the Giggles: Kids’ Favorite Funny Poems selected by Bruce Lansky
This new anthology includes a funderful collection of poems that have tickled kids of all ages (including the young and the young-at-heart). Judging from the success of Bruce’s previous anthology which we carried in HUMOResources, we know you’ll love this one. This attractive book is enhanced by 100 humorous illustrations by Hallmark Cards Creative Director, Steve Carpenter. You’ll have a good case of the giggles if you buy this book.
The Bottomless Bag Again!? by Karl Rohnke
This new book offers over 300 playfully pedagogic, off-the-wall, hands-on, curricular activities– more than you could possibly present during a semester or series of training workshops. Karl has distilled 25 years of Outward Bound and Project Adventure experiences onto these pages. If you want user-friendly ice breakers, sit-down-no-sweat activities, trust-building exercises, cooperative games, challenging initiatives, and exciting adventure stunts that you can use with educational, recreational or corporate groups– you got ’em! Includes over 200 photos and illustrations.
Bringing Up Parents: The Teenager’s Handbook by Alex Packer
Give teenagers the power to create a healthier, happier home environment. With straight talk, specific suggestions, lots of ideas and laughs, Dr. Packer tells teens how they can raise parents who act like adults. Along the way, there will be more fun and fewer fights for everybody. This book helps teens learn how to build a “trust fund,” commit “acts of goodness,” actively listen, and even learn to apologize. A special Problem Appendix covers common battlegrounds including mealtimes, bathroom habits, chores, money, dating, driving, grooming, and sex. Not for teenagers only; parents can learn a lot from this book.
Candid Classroom by Gil Dannenberg
With over 33 years of teaching experience throughout America, Gil Dannenberg has just about seen and heard it all! Now he is sharing it with you– a priceless collection of unintentionally funny excuses written by parents, innocent gaffes by students, forgivable faux pas committed by teachers, and dozens of humorous anecdotes sure to bring a smile your way. If you’ve ever been a teacher, parent or a kid, you’ll love Candid Classroom. It gets “straight A’s” for amusement!
Cartooning For Kids Who Draw And For Kids Who Don’t Draw by Val Cheatham
This unique book does for cartoons what story starters do for creative writing. It offers examples and stimulators that show how much fun it can be to create your own cartoons. It’s as easy as writing your name… and it’s never too late to learn! ,
Comedy Improvisation: Exercises And Techniques For Young Actors by Delton Horn
One of the most exciting forms of comedy is improvisational comedy, and here is a unique resource for students of all ages– for both amateurs and professionals– to learn the structures, techniques, and exercises of this art form. You’ll learn everything from how to develop a character to how to form your own “improv troupe” and put on a show! If you want to “live on the fault line of comedy”, then this book is your “earthquake insurance!”
Doing Children’s Museums: A Guide To 265 Hands‑On Museums by Joanne Cleaver
Experience the wonder, delight, pure joy, and excitement of fine children’s museums across America through this one‑of‑a‑kind guidebook. Included are participatory museums, discovery rooms, and innovative exhibit spaces that unlock the joyful world of learning through doing. Now expanded and revised with the latest listings, this is a treasure chest of educational riches for children, parents, friends, and grandparents!
Don’t Teach! Let Me Learn! About Tear Jerkers, Humor, Cartoons, And Comics And The Newspaper by Nina Crosby and Elizabeth Marten
This is chock-full of experiences to help students become more skillful in the interpretation of materials and in the stimulation of creative thinking. The four sections of the book are color coded and may be used in total or in part to supplement the regular school curriculum.
Educator’s Lifetime Library of Stories, Quotes, Anecdotes, Wit and Humor by Susan and Steven Mamchak
Here is an extraordinary treasury of wit and wisdom you can use to enliven speeches, perk-up classrooms, add comic relief to tense situations, delightfully drive home a point, and generate laughter. Featuring 1000+ humor items (arranged A-Z by topic), this timeless classic also contains a special section on “What Do You Do If… A Troubleshooter’s Handy Guide to Every Speaking Occasion.” This book will be a welcome and practical addition to any speaker’s or educator’s library… it will not gather dust.
Educator’s Treasury of Stories for All Occasions: 501 Effective & Entertaining Anecdotes for Speeches & Letters by Susan Mamchak and Steven Mamchak
An endlessly useful resource with 50 icebreakers and speech openers; 50 stories for introducing people; 50 commentaries on the classroom; 50 anecdotes about administrators; 50 stories about parents and teachers; 50 anecdotes about family living; 50 stories for after‑dinner speeches; 50 ways to introduce or discuss troublesome topics; 50 anecdotes about the educational process; and 51 powerful, inspiring conclusions. That’s at least 501 reasons to buy this book.
Encyclopedia of School Humor: Icebreakers, Classics, Stories, Puns & Roasts for All Occasions by Susan Mamchak and Steven Mamchak
This handy reference book includes humor about virtually every aspect of school life today, from real‑life bloopers to classroom classics. You’ll enjoy tales about the lighter side of schools like “Stories That Make a Difference,” “It’s The Principal of the Thing,” and “Where Do the Teachers Sleep?” Each selection includes a special note on the topic, the intended audience, and how to use the humor most effectively. An extensively cross‑referenced Topic Finder helps you locate material to fit the occasion.
Energizers and Icebreakers and More Energizers and Icebreakers by Elizabeth Foster-Harrison
If you are a teacher, counselor, group leader—these books are for you! For learning to occur, the body must be alert, the mind acutely focused and the spirit motivated to pursue the task at hand. This two-volume set contains 64 icebreakers, 79 energizers, and many other practical tips (e.g., group management guidelines, creative strategies for dividing into groups). These highly-adaptable activities can be used with all ages and stages… and can help to keep you energized, too!
Explorabook: A Kid’s Science Museum in a Book by John Cassidy
Full of over 50 fun and funny experiments and activities, here’s a one-inch thick interactive museum that children will love! Including demonstrations of magnetism, bending and bouncing of light waves, optical illusions, ouchless physics, and much more, this hands-on museum-in-a-book is the #1 national children’s best-seller! The kids will have so much fun they won’t even know that they’re learning.
Get Out of My Life‑‑ But First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall? A Parent’s Guide to the New Teenager by Anthony Wolf
The title says it all! Teenagers today really are different‑‑ and parents are frustrated and confused. Dr. Wolf describes the “new teenager” and offers concrete suggestions on how to deal with a wide range of issues, from chores to defiance, sex to suicide. He explains why teenagers do what they do so we can respond with love, compassion, and effective guidance. Numerous dialogues capture the way parents and teens really interact. “This book has Spock’s common sense, the insight of Freud, and the wit of Bombeck.”‑‑ Dr. Dorothy Zeiser.
Guiding Young Authors To Write Humor by Nina Crosby and Elizabeth Marten
Here’s a practical booklet that invites students to develop composition skills creatively– and with a smile on their faces. This handbook provides lessons along with 15 different “Young Authors Idea Sheets” that can be reproduced for a class. These lessons and worksheets help students to practice writing fractured fairy tales, riddles, jokes, puns, satires and parodies, etc. Let’s get back to basics by moving forward to fun-damentals.
Hot Tips for Teachers: 30+ Steps to Student Engagement by Rob Abernathy and Mark Reardon
In this day of standards-based curricula and heightened teacher accountability, improving student engagement is a great way to produce measurable improvements in student achievement. This book shows you how to reclaim your students’ attention and, in the process, help them learn and stay on task. The 30+ tips are practical, not always obvious, and very well field-tested. The easy-to-use format allows you to browse through the tips to find those you need… or to move through the book as a program. The self-reflective process for “Making It Mine” ensures that the tips are not read and forgotten, but incorporated into your skill set. Eric Jensen (author, SuperTeaching): “Great stuff! A feast for anyone interested in reaching more learners. Full of enthusiasm, wisdom, and practical jewels. Highly recommended!”
How To Be Really Funny by Mark Stolzenberg
This is a wonderful guide for future funny men and women. Parents and teachers will find this a great gift for young people who say, “When I grow up, I want to be a famous comedian and make millions of dollars that I can give to my parents and to the teacher who inspired me.” Even if that’s not enough motivation to buy this book, adults might even learn a thing or two by sneaking a peak at loads of photographs of famous comedians and their practical tips on how to amuse an audience.
Humor as an Instructional Defibrillator: Evidence-Based Techniques in Teaching and Assessment by Ronald Berk
“Not as much fun as Quidditch, but should be required reading for faculty at the Hogwarts School.” (Harry Potter) This book could be required reading for any teacher who wants to pick up powerful, evidence-based humor techniques for in-class delivery, course handout materials, web sites, distance learning, and even course exams (to minimize test anxiety and maximize retention). We love Ron’s sense of humor that pervades the practical ideas throughout the book— he truly practices what he teaches! You will learn terrific techniques that are applicable to any instructional level (even… and especially… the most “serious” of subjects). You’ll come away with tremendous tips for using humor to connect with your students… and for helping them to connect with the subject matter. This book showcases humor as a legitimate teaching tool that can be systematically planned in K-12, university, and adult education classes.
Humor in the Classroom: A Handbook for Teachers (and Other Entertainers!) by Deborah Hill
This excellent how-to handbook will help teachers use humor to create a positive learning environment, animate a stagnant class, make even the most rigorous learning enjoyable, maximize the retention of subject matter, reduce test anxiety, and help students develop their own sense of humor as a vital life skill. It addresses the development of humor in young people (infants through college), cautions what not to do with humor, and deals with “class clowns and other joys of teaching.” The book also focuses on the teacher as entertainer and offers dozens of practical classroom humor strategies. Includes an extensive list of references. We highly recommend this book!
Humor: Lessons in Laughter for Learning and Living by Berenice Bleedorn and Sara McKelvey
You’ll enjoy this one as much as your students. It’s a lot of fun and has practical applications. The authors show how humor can help create a more relaxed learning climate and how you can use humor as a clue for detecting students’ hidden creative talents.
Jump Starters: Quick Classroom Activities That Develop Self-Esteem, Creativity, and Cooperation by Linda Nason McElherne
“Handy, quick, thought provoking… a great book filled with sequential, easy-to-handle topics and lesson plans that don’t take up a lot of time.” (2000 Teachers’ Choice Award) Jump start your students’ brains with 260 activities in 52 themes grouped within five topics: knowing myself, getting to know others, succeeding in school, life skills, just for fun. Chock-full of affirming quotations, discussion questions, resources (books, software, organizations, Web sites), and 56 pages of reproducible handout masters, this book is a great way to hot-wire your classroom and help make learning fun. Although initially designed for elementary-middle school students, with your creative touch, these activities can easily be adapted for learners of all ages and stages. When you want to start the day off right, cure the midday blahs or end by leaving ‘em laughing (and learning), reach for Jump Starters and jump right in!
Kids Pick The Funniest Poems compiled by Bruce Lansky
A panel of 250 elementary school children helped choose these 75 funniest poems from the world’s best– Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, Judith Viorst, etc. The result– as one kid said: “I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair.” Enhanced by 75 illustrations by Hallmark Cards Creative Director, Steve Carpenter.
Kids Shenanigans: Great Things To Do That Mom And Dad Will Just Barely Approve Of by the editors of Klutz Press
Here’s an activity book for kids that differs in only one way from all other kids’ activity books– this book contains the stuff that kids actually WANT to do! In fact, thirty different fun activities that are just this side of the parent‑approval line. Stuff like how to make a whoopie cushion, how to hang a spoon from your nose, how to fold a great paper airplane-‑ vital stuff!
Kids Who Laugh: How to Develop Your Child’s Sense of Humor by Louis Franzini
In this groundbreaking book, you will discover the many benefits of humor as well as the fact that humor is a learned behavior— a skill that parents can teach their kids through a wide assortment of exercises and games. Each activity is fun, easy, and designed to appeal to children of a specific age, ranging from newborns to teens. Special chapters focus on the characteristics of children’s humor, how to encourage your child to create humor, potential abuses of humor by children (and how to avoid them), humor for use by special needs children, and tips for teachers to promote healthy humor in the classroom. Give your child the gift of laughter as a lifetime tool for success.
Laugh and Learn: 95 Ways to Use Humor for More Effective Teaching and Training by Doni Tamblyn
First, this is a really fun book to read! Second, it’s no joke: injecting humor in the classroom can get you serious results! This enlightening book shows how even the most funny-phobic teachers and trainers can use humor, creativity, entertainment, and emotion to increase alertness, participation, and learning. Incorporating the latest research on brain-compatible learning, and featuring tons of fun exercises and thought-provoking games, this practical guide shows you how to develop your own Humor Quotient and how to introduce humor into your presentations (even with technical topics). Drawing on the author’s experience in comedy, corporate training, and Traffic Violator School (talk about a tough crowd!), this book is chock-full of terrific tips, techniques, anecdotes, and workshop exercises showing that laughing and learning go hand-in-hand.
The Laughing Classroom: Everyone’s Guide to Teaching with Humor and Play by Diane Loomans and Karen Kolberg
This is the best book we’ve ever seen on creating a classroom filled with laughter and learning. You’ll find tons of techniques tested with tens of thousands of teachers and students. Discover how to become a laughing teacher, the high fives of humor, teaching with humor that heals, fifty excuses for not laughing, and nifty ways to learn by laughing. This “can inspire you to become a master teacher.” (from the Foreword by Steve Allen)
The Laughing Classroom: Everyone’s Guide to Teaching with Humor and Play by Diane Loomans and Karen Kolberg (2003 edition)
We welcome back to our catalog the new edition of the most popular humor-in-education book we have ever carried! This book helps move teachers from a “limiting” teaching style to a “laughing” style that inspires creativity and helps students learn faster and better. This volume is packed with hundreds of hands-on techniques tested by tens of thousands of teachers and students. Discover ways to apply humor and play to all aspects of teaching, the high fives of humor, fifty excuses for not laughing, and nifty ways to learn by laughing. Included are self-help tests, heartwarming vignettes, informative charts and a Foreword by Steve Allen, who said “This book can inspire you to become a master teacher.”
Laughing Lessons: 149 2/3 Ways to Make Teaching and Learning Fun by Ron Burgess
The first way would be to read this book— it is the best book we’ve seen in years on creating a classroom filled with laughter and learning. Burgess (an elementary teacher and professional clown) provides a ton of tips and involving activities to help students laugh and learn their way through the curriculum. Including many reproducible pages, this book is full of classroom-tested techniques on ways to blend humor with discipline; not-so-serious science; math mirth; phizz ed; tips on telling jokes and sharing funny stories; ways to use props, cartoons, games, music, and magic; and much more. Every teacher (even the humor-impaired) can springboard off this book to capture students’ attention, free-up classroom tension, and increase retention!
Laughing Together: Giggles And Grins From Around The Globe compiled by Barbara Walker
Here’s a joyous collection of jokes, riddles, cartoons, and rhymes drawn from all six continents and nearly one hundred countries. This is warm‑hearted humor that celebrates the diversity of our world and melts down our differences into one big colorful pot of creativity. Including sections on “Family Funnies,” “School Snickers,” “Animal Antics,” and “Fun with Friends.” The book focuses on universal themes that emphasize one concept: If we can learn to laugh together, we can learn to live together. Share the “world” of humor with the children in your life!
Laughter and Learning: Humor in the Classroom by William Kelly
A booklet jam-packed with ideas to enrich your classroom. This fun collection of activities, icebreakers, word play, riddles, cartoons, shaggy dog stories and clever signs (“Gone Chopin Be Bach in a minuet.”) Is designed for use at all levels. Bill also injects ways of using humor in specific subject areas. This publication will keep you (and your students) smiling, laughing and learning.
License to Laugh: Humor in the Classroom by Richard Shade
Here’s your chance to learn about the laughter-learning connection, the mirth response, as well as humor appreciation and production. Whether you teach pre-school, college or some grade in between, you’ll discover over 100 classroom-tested activities that work to: make teaching and learning more fun, develop self-esteem, motivate students, teach academic content by integrating humor into the subject, improve classroom management, reduce test anxiety, and more! Includes insights on the do’s and don’ts of using humor in the classroom and the top 10 ways to develop your sense of humor.
Magic and the Educated Rabbit by Joel Goodman and Irv Furman
This delightful book for teachers, parents, helping professionals and public speakers contains 45 easy-to-do and powerful-in-effect magic tricks along with 360 practical ways to use them as teaching tools. Includes creative ways to apply magic in teaching the 3 R’s and important life skills (communication, problem-solving, self-concept), and in creating positive learning environments (positive discipline, attention-getters, following directions). Fun illustrations and quotes, jokes and riddles accompany the text and make this a very inviting, practical, and magical book.
Mathematics And Humor by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Adam left Washington at 2 PM travelling at 60 mph. Alyssa left Cleveland 2 hours later travelling…. Are you already reliving those not-so-thrilling math anxiety days of yesteryear? Never fear– this fun collection of mathematical jokes, riddles, cartoons, and drawings will lighten and enlighten you in teaching or learning math. This booklet is an excellent example of how we can find and integrate humor into any subject matter. It’s a great intersection of math and mirth.
Mentors, Masters and Mrs. MacGregor: Stories of Teachers Making a Difference by Jane Bluestein
At a time when we are searching for positive role models, here are entertaining, inspiring, and moving stories about teachers, mentors, and other special people who have made a difference in the lives of others. These stories are collected from all ages, professions, and backgrounds– including folks like Dave Barry, Bernie Siegel, Leo Buscaglia, Desmond Tutu, Zig Ziglar, Shari Lewis, etc. Jack Canfield (co-author of #1 national best-seller, Chicken Soup for the Soul): “This is one of the most delightful books I have ever read. It reminded me why I had become a teacher– to deeply and profoundly touch the lives of children.” This book will touch everyone who reads it.
Preventing Death By Lecture: Terrific Tips For Turning Listeners Into Learners by Sharon Bowman
The title alone is worth the price of admission to this book! As she’ll do in our 2003 conference (see pages 15 and 19), Sharon adds new life to both teaching and learning. She shares twenty great guidelines, many “bonus tips,” and lots of learner-centered activities that infuse energy, interest, and joy in learning. If you want to make your lectures, presentations, speeches, and classes interactive and unforgettable, this book is for you! You’ll love the variety of 30-second to five-minute icebreakers you can use in the beginning, middle, and end of presentations.
Professors Are From Mars, Students Are From Snickers: How to Write and Deliver Humor in the Classroom and in Professional Presentations by Ronald Berk
You can judge this book by its title… it’s a fun read… and one that is filled with very practical tips and specific examples. Teachers and students do seem to come from different planets (or candy bars). Barriers naturally exist that impede their communication, such as age, income, and cholesterol level. Humor can break down these barriers so that teachers, trainers, and speakers can connect with their students and other audiences. Beyond the fun title
Teachers: A Survival Guide for the Grownup in the Classroom by Art Peterson
Put down your grade book, pick up this uproarious handbook, and prepare to laugh your head off. You’ll love the Official Teacher Aptitude Test, 18 Reasons to Be a Teacher, 5 Rules for Surviving the First Day, 11 Ways to Teach Punctuation, 10 Easy Steps to Becoming the World’s Greatest Teacher (“Consistently enforce firm rules… that are flexible”). A great way to save the sanity of your favorite teacher!
Test Your Wits by Sheila Anne Barry
So, are you a nit-wit, half-wit, or whole wit? Here’s a fun way to test your wits! This book gives you over 100 word games, trivia quizzes, picture puzzles, personality tests, and brainteasers that you can use by yourself or with your friends, family, co-workers or students.
TNT Teaching: Over 200 Dynamite Ideas to Make Your Classroom Come Alive by Randy Moberg
When you don’t have time to invent or research new teaching techniques, reach for TNT and watch your students’ interest and motivation soar. Open this book anywhere for fresh, new ways to present the curriculum. Classroom teacher Moberg shares over 200 inventive teaching techniques that are ideal for grades K-8 and adaptable to other ages. He even leads you through a course on cartooning so you can illustrate your own handouts. TNT includes dozens of reproducible handout and transparency masters. Get this book– and get a bang out of teaching.
A Treasury Of Science Jokes by Morris Goran
How’s your science of humor? This collection of jokes, puns, and stories is proof that science can be a fun discipline (how’s that for an oxymoron?). Professor Goran has assembled a fine collection of humor in 24 different sciences from A to Z (Agriculture to Zoology). This shows that humor is a life science and that science is full of it– humor, that is.
Wellness Activities for Youth, Volume I by /Sandy Queen
How can you interest children, teenagers (and adults) in a wellness lifestyle? Sandy listened to kids and found out what really works: a whole person approach to wellness, a “no put-down” rule, and most of all, an emphasis on FUN. She has compiled 40 awe-inspiring, attention-getting, retention-building activities designed for easy use. Each exercise is described completely with goals, group size, time frame, materials needed, step-by-step process instructions, and variations. Includes reproducible worksheets for your educational/training activities.