Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Clowning can improve teaching | Wonkhe

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

OK, I don't think that being a clown itself can improve teaching (certainly not being the clown pictured for this article) but there is an element of truth to Gustavo Espinoza Ramos's observation, though it has nothing to do really with being funny or telling stories. Here's how I would draw out the lesson, following Mike Bullard's school of comedy:

  1. Find something you have in common with your audience
  2. Bring them around to your point of view
  3. Make them laugh at themselves

Now in teaching, obviously, the point isn't to make people laugh at themselves, but through the same process they can learn about themselves, and this maybe just maybe might make them want to do something about it.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Nov 21, 2024 1:59 p.m.

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