Nine times out of ten the one who laughs in school is not the real
culprit. A person scarcely ever regards himself as “funny” or
ridiculous. A pupil laughs at another’s error, blunder or joke.
If the sense of humor is enkindled, laughter is the only natural
outcome; the control of one’s impulse to laugh must of course be taught,
yet for school-room purposes it is far more important to be master of
the conditions that provoke laughter.
The treatment recommended for Charles will help to make a man of him,
and other pupils will respect the teacher all the more if he prizes a
talent which wins the applause of all the school.
A teacher who is unable to laugh or to share in that which is positively
humorous is an unlovely person.
“’Twas the saying of an ancient sage that humor was the only test of
gravity, and gravity of humor. For a subject that would not bear
raillery was suspicious; and a jest which would not bear a serious
examination was certainly false wit.”
—_Shaftsbury._
The best teachers occasionally have a whole room of pupils roaring in
peal after peal of laughter. They lose nothing by the experience; rather
they gain immensely, for laughing together makes hearts warm up towards
each other.
The weak teacher dares not risk himself to laugh when the class or room
is seized by a fit of fun. For the pupils it is highly interesting to
watch the struggles of the teacher to avoid doing that which they know
he likely wants to do. In refusing to participate in their mood he
repels them. He puts himself out of their group; he takes a position as
a critic and as an alien.
If one leads pupils to make proper use of their talents, he fulfills his
truest function as an educator. Developing, restraining from excesses,
guiding in the profitable use of the natural endowments of the
child—these are the necessary duties of every high-minded instructor.
We must learn that the impartation of school facts is but one means of
equipping a child for taking his place as a prepared member of society.
Whatever natural gifts a child has must be dealt with in school life.
Those that are dormant must be drawn out; those that are already
functioning must be directed.
When a boy or girl fully realizes that the teacher’s primary thought is
helpfulness, many difficulties will disappear.