Regardless of the country, culture, or the age of the students, every teacher has funny school stories that come directly from the classroom. What makes them so hilarious is that they often have a kind of logic behind them and are always delivered with a straight face.
Children, and that even includes college students, usually don’t have enough information to contextualize what they have learned. With these funny stories, you can know exactly where those holes in their information are and will have a better time filling them out.
Also, it is very easy to fall into the trap of ‘’haha, kids are dumb’’, but that is the furthest from the truth. Kids are open to free thinking and aren’t afraid to put their ideas out there.
Thinking in Abstractions
As we grow up, we start presuming everything we do. Because we have past experiences with almost everything, it is easy to think that every time it will be the same.
Also, there is some social conditioning involved where saying the wrong thing that brought us to shame in the past, so we avoid it. That type of social conditioning was very important in the past were rigid structures were what was keeping the village together.
But now when free thinking is much useful than before, we should allow kids to let their abstract thinking run wherever it wants. Even if they don’t figure out something smart, they will always stumble upon something funny and exciting.
Finally, bringing these tales to your classroom and explaining why they are funny will make a good learning experience for your class.
#1 Friends in history
To start, I’ll give one not as a teacher, but a personal one from a former student we know. Take note that social relations weren’t as liberal back then as they are today, making this comment by the history teacher even funnier.
Oral Examination:
History Teacher: ‘’So, are you ready for your exam?’’
Student: ‘’Yes Sir.’’
The teacher was obviously inclined to help, who was desperately failing, with a simple question.
HT: ‘’Mr. Thomas, what was the name of George Washington’s wife?’’
The student was looking around the class in desperation: ‘’Umm…’’
Somebody, under their voice: ‘’Martha Washington!’’
The student (with bad hearing and brimming confidence): ‘’I know Sir! Alexander Hamilton!’’
The history teacher, barely keeping his composure: ‘’Mr. Thomas, you need to understand the question, I was asking who Washington married! Let’s change the question.’’
Jake got a D in the end, barely.
#2 The Night Landing
This one comes from John Cullen in British Colombia, a teacher and a comedian with a very funny Twitter account with a lot of such stories.
We all know about the Moon landing, but his student had greater goals. During 11th grade science class, they were discussing their future.
Boy1: ‘’When I grow up, I will be an astronaut!’’
Boy2 (quizzed): ‘’I doubt that with your science grades you will get accepted by NASA.’’
Boy1: ‘’I want to be an astronaut so I can be the first person to land on the Sun!’’
Boy2: ‘’You can’t land on the Sun. The surface is too hot.’’
Boy1: ‘’I know, that is why I will do a night landing!’’
Technically speaking, the boy wasn’t wrong and with sufficient technology, you would be able to land on the Sun ”at night”, in about 5 billion years when it runs out of hydrogen. The boy is just thinking ahead.
#3 Troll Time Off
This one comes from the seven-year-old daughter of Stephany Aulenback, a very smart child of a very talented author.
Her assignment was to offer advice to Billy Goat Gruff, what could he do differently.
– ”Maybe you should’ve found another bridge nearby and not go past the troll?”
– ‘’Also, you could’ve found another place with grass on your side of the river and not cross the bridge at all.’’
– ‘’Finally, you can wait until the Troll goes away to pass!’’
Little Miss Aulenback obviously understands labor laws and knows that even the Troll under the bridge must have some time off and can’t be working around the clock.
#4 Fun to Accessorize
Adolescence is a strange time for everyone. The hormones are rushing and, without assistance from those who already passed it, we can’t explain. Some of these changes are more visible than others, like fashion choices.
During a sex-ed class, children were asked what changes young women experience as they make their way into their teen years.
To assist in their answer, the teacher rephrased: ‘’What happens with girls as they mature?’’
One student promptly answered: ‘’They start carrying a purse!’’
This is 100% true, as I’m sure most of us men can confirm. What is inside the purse is still unknown to masculine science and all research has been abandoned.
#5 Unjust but Fair
Kids don’t care about the state of the playing field, only that it is fair.
Andy Simmons experienced this first hand when an old student came to him.
Student: ‘’I always liked and appreciated you. You never played favorites.’’
Simmons: ‘’Really?’’
Student: ‘’Yes, you were mean to everyone!’’
Just goes to show that students appreciate fairness more than good treatment. Even if you are on the receiving side of being the favorite student, you feel the unfairness. Maybe it explains why kids feel that some teachers are hard on everyone.
Conclusion
As you can see, all of these stories can be used as a learning experience. Some probably more than others, but you can always use funny school stories to bring a theme closer to those learning.
Such stories will rarely be forgotten and will be repeated frequently, which is the point of learning.
Even if they don’t contribute to something productive, they will always bring a smile to both your face and the faces of your students, which is a win of itself.