Humor in High School and the Role of Teacher Leaders in School Public Relations

How can public schools improve public relations strategies, particularly in communications between teachers and students’ The purposes of this study were to investigate teacher leaders’ perceptions of the use of humor in the high school classroom and discover how humor might bridge instruction to student learning and strengthen teacher’ student relationships. We also sought potential connections to school public relations. Teacher leaders’ humor in the classroom has not been studied at the high school level in any detail. For this qualitative case study, we researched teacher leaders’ perceptions of their use of humor in classroom instruction and observed them in action with student groups and teacher colleagues. The question of what makes teachers succeed when they use humor with students was analyzed using the constructs of climate, communication, engagement, and relationships. The sample comprised nine secondary-level teacher leaders, from various subject areas in a North Carolina school. We observed these teachers’ interactions in their classrooms, conducted interviews about how they perceived their use of humor, and listened to them dialogue in focus groups. It was found that humor improves instruction and supports classroom climate, teacher–student communication, and relational learning. Implications of this study are that teachers who effectively use humor are not only facilitating student engagement, but also enhancing their work in the school public relations domain by fostering a strong bond among students and adults in the academic setting and by propelling community development and renewal with such external constituents as families.