Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The third artifact I have chosen for this portfolio is my certificate of completion for a
humor in the classroom seminar. This professional development experience gave me tools I need
to maintain class engagement and make my classroom a fun place to learn. The techniques I
learned in this seminar will not only engage learners, but also assist in classroom management.
R.L. Garner (2006) highlights that using humor in the classroom provides positive psychological
and physiological effects; additionally, teachers who utilize this technique are well-regarding,
garnering higher ratings amongst students and peers (p. 177). The pedagogical use of humor is
beneficial to many. It connects teachers and students through a “common psychological bond”
learning, such as relieving anxiety, helping to relieve stress, lowering blood pressure, releasing
endorphins into the blood stream, and even provide an “increase in mental sharpness” (Garner,
2006, p. 177). Participating in a seminar to learn strategies for the pedagogical use of humor has
been quite beneficial, and I do believe that it will be an important part of my future students’
Connections to Standards
InTASC
The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually
evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others
(learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the
skills in order to provide all learners with engaging curriculum and learning experiences based
CAEP
Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through
practice.
Educators recognize that professional knowledge and development are the foundations of
their practice. They know their subject matter, and they understand how students learn.
Educators respect the reciprocal nature of learning between educators and students. They engage
professionally and to promote student learning. They draw on and contribute to various forms of
Care
The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for
developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being and