Most teachers and most students love to work in a happy classroom with a positive environment. A happy classroom doesn’t just happen, it happens because teachers make it happen.
It is no accident that our most popular post in the past few years has been 8 Simple Ways to Create a Joyful Classroom. The pandemic ushered in a lot of stress and worry, which put those issues front and center for teachers, students and parents. Now, we are all desperate for happy, fun and lightness in our days.
Why do you need a happy classroom?
A happy classroom is a worthy goal for many reasons. When students are happier, they work harder, learn more and retain information longer. Students in a happy classroom are more motivated and demonstrate fewer behavior issues.
A happy classroom is beneficial for teachers as well. Happiness research tells us that finding joy in our lives reduces our stress. It can also lower our blood pressure and even lower our chance of sickness and disease. Your level of positivity can even influence how long you live!
In his book The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor tells us, “Creating positive brains makes us more motivated, efficient, resilient, creative and productive, which drives production upward.”
Recently, in one of our workshops, we asked teachers to share ideas for ways to increase joy and happiness in the classroom. Here are some of their ideas:
Encourage more smiling
Smile more (mirror neuron science shows that smiling is contagious
Compliment students (and staff)
Tell a joke
Point out your mistakes and don’t be afraid to be human
Point out the positive things in student projects
Greet students before class
Share fun call and response lines
Teachers need to get students’ attention multiple times a day. Why not try some of these?
Teacher/ Student response:
Mac and cheese/ Everybody freeze
Sweet Caroline (sing it for more fun)/ bum, bum, bum
Peanut butter/ Jelly!
Let’s rock/and roll!
Here ye, hear ye…/All hail the Queen!
I can make your hands clap (sing) / clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap
Use music to add joy
Play fun music during clean up time
Let students help you create a class playlist
Spend a few minutes with a dance party brain break
Play soft music during work times
Play music during transition times
During history or social studies, play music from an era or from a place
Infuse more laughter into your class
Start class with a meme of the day
Use funny bell ringers
Tell jokes while students wait in line
Share funny videos
Do silly brain break activities
Occasionally join kids at recess
Read aloud funny books
Here some funny books suggested by teachers:
The Legend of Rock, Paper Scissors
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Patrick McManus Books (older students)
We would love to know YOUR suggestions for how to create a happy classroom.
Our best,
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