You can't learn if you can't laugh

I started a new class today. I teach people that want to go overseas and teach ESL. I always tell my students that there are three things that are important for a successful class. First is Variety, second is team building, and third is laughter. You need to vary the things you teach in class, and the style you teach. If you use games to teach one day, the next day you need to have more conversation, then the next day you need to give lecture. If you always do the same thing then students get bored. I tell them about the time I taught in Korea and every Friday was game day. Students enjoyed it and I had fun teaching. Then one month I decided to have a Game MONTH. I had a variety of games we played every day for a month. Word games and other language games. Everyone got bored, they begged me to teach a lesson. Team building is essential for ESL classes. The students need to understand that they can take a risk without the rest of the students criticizing them or laughing at them. I talk about how the class needs to be a cocoon and feel safe to the whole class. I teach them how to do icebreakers and how important it is for the class to learn each others' names. Building a team is very important. Students must respect each other, at least during the class time. If a student feels that they are safe taking a risk they will attempt to speak English. Then the important thing is to keep the class relaxed and try to reduce the stress. If a student stresses they close their mind a little. Think about cramming right before a test and how short term what you learn stays with you. I believe if you get the students to laugh they remember things longer. They open their minds and allow more information to enter their minds. How is the best way to learn numbers, memorize the numbers, or play "go fish" and play with the numbers.

Well, the cats are dancing on the keyboard so I need to wrap this up!