Teaching Class Clowns

And what they can teach usWilliam Watson Purkey

Understanding and Appreciating Class Clowns

“School is a rat race, even when you win your still a rat”

Class clowns are not timid Do not believe everything they are toldDo not do everything they are toldSee themselves as vocal leadersWhen directly challenged quick to assert

themselves in the most creative and ingenious ways

“I have never let school interfere with my education” Mark Twain

A critical ingredient in working successfully with class clowns is getting to know them.

Personal attention and long term relationshipLikely to be a beneficial presence in the classroom

when they believe they are understood and appreciated.

Successful teachers of Class Clowns get results through relationships

The Benefits of having Class ClownsWhile the currency of clowns is laughter;

cheerfulness is their commodity.Humor is a wonderful teaching strategy: It can

teach concepts and stimulate intellectual development.

Banish boredom, fight monotony, spread sunshineTeach us to laugh at ourselves.Laughter is a wonderful safety valve.

“The teacher’s ability to monitor and control the classroom social environment is a hallmark of good

teaching” Purkey

4 Signature Tendencies of Class Clowns Investing Class clowns are willing to jump in, take

risks, and try new things; willing to take bold risks to live life fully.Asserting Desire to have as much control as possible

over their surroundings – affirmation to claim their own integrity.

Relating Basic liking of people and concern for their welfare – establish connections and relationships with fellow human beings.

Coping One way or another class clowns find ways to successfully cope with life’s challenges.

These four signature tendencies offer important clues on how to work successfully with Class Clowns

Quality of INVESTING• Class Clowns exhibit a willingness to invest

themselves fully in what life has to offer.• Channel the Class Clowns special tendency

to invest in worth while school endeavors. • Class Clowns want to have an important

role in making things happen.• Great discoveries are often the result of

recognizing what others have not seen.• Class Clowns are stimulated creatively they

become engaged in the learning process.

Application of Capitalizing on INVESTING

Form student triads – place a Class Clown with two serious-minded classmates to work on a research project.

Show case the Class Clowns abilities: student announcer, video exchange with other schools in other parts of the world.

Form special interest groups.Two minute commercial on an academic concept.Delegate responsibilities to Class Clowns,

Quality of ASSERTING• Asserting is defined as the ability to

establish and fight for one’s dignity and self-respect.

• Class Clowns are aware that they have some control over what happens to them.

• Class Clowns asserts themselves by challenging authority and maintaining a voice in what is taking place.

• Quick to step in and maintain their rights.• They speak up for their own ideas and do

not hesitate to stand up to authority.

Application of capitalizing on ASSERTING • Practicing wait time is an excellent teaching

strategy for maintaining classroom behavior.• Directive must be positive and with a choice – the

goals of directive is maximum compliance with minimum effort; politeness is crucial.

• Use contracts – involve Class Clown in decisions• Allow stand-up comic route for a good week.• Start the day with “5 happy minutes”• Keep a sense of humor to challenged authority:

Palm trees survive hurricanes because they bend without breaking.

QUALITY OF RELATING

I do not teach, I relate. -- Michel de MontaigneLife is never so busy that there is no time left for laughter. -- William Watson Purkey

The clown’s upside-down, breezy attitude toward life forms ties between and among individuals.The clown’s funny approach to life gives voice to the meaning and purpose of being human. Human relationships are essential in living a good life. It is hard to imagine anything worse than being totally disconnected from other human beings. Forming connections with other human beings allows us to become part of a larger whole.To a student starving for relationships, one teacher can make a profound difference.

Application of capitalizing on relating

The ways in which class clowns relate to teachers seems to correlate with how much they believe

that others like and respect them.Teachers should take every chance to reach out

and form relationships. An essential part of connecting to laugh at

yourself.Enjoy life and remember that your students want

to enjoy life as well.

QUALITY OF COPING

Class clowns are often able to turn painful things upside down. A weakness becomes a strength. Coping is the ability to learn from experience, to take advantage of situations, and to deal successfully with life’s demands.

Application of capitalizing on coping

Keep the volcano from erupting.If you are bored as a teacher, it’s probably because

you are a boring teacher.Successful teachers of class clowns consider good classroom behavior as a logical result of their ability

to involve students actively in their education. Keep them busy!

A good response to difficult moments is to get the laughter going.

SummaryI doubt if there is among us a more

useful citizen than the one who holds the secret of banishing gloom, of

making tears give way to laughter, of supplanting desolation with despair

with hope and courage, for hope and courage always go with a light heart.

Franklin D. Roosevelt