Abstract:

Social humor not only generates positive emotions enabling teachers to cognitively consider incongruities, but also raises perceptions of their instructional effectiveness. The findings of a preceding study (n=354) supported a positive relationship between high humor perceptions and effective instruction, when controlling for age, gender, and experience. Five behavioral traits that contribute to effective teaching emerged from a comparative analysis of he correlation: social connectedness, emotional intelligence, resilience, self-monitoring, and divergent thinking. This paper first examines how multiple dimensions of humor orientation impact teachers’ sense of efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. The narrative then describes instructional strategies that employ the five emergent behaviors traits to instruction and, finally, advocates for in service teacher training wholly dedicated to developing awareness of these behaviors to positively influence best practices.

Keywords:

Teacher self-efficacy, instructional efficacy, student engagement, classroom management, sense of humor, stress, well-being, professional development.