I once read a quote that said, “People think I’m crazy, but I like to think of myself as normal with a twist of awesome!” Because I have an outgoing, flowery personality, I honestly feel that some people DO think I’m crazy, but the way I look at it is that someday I’ll be six feet under and I’d like to think that before I die, I’ve had some grins and giggles along the way. So, yes, I do have a fun outlook on life, but when it comes to teaching I had to ask myself, “Where does my job begin and I end? Knowing my personality, where do I best fit into this profession? Do I have to abandon who I am at the door, or can I incorporate my personality and sense of humor into my career?” In answering these questions, I’ve had to come to the conclusion, that there is a place where I best fit in, and although there is a time and place for everything, it is perfectly ok, if not welcoming, to add your own flavor and sense of humor to your job inside the classroom and out.
Ways to Add Humor
During my first year at my new school, I was overwhelmed with all of the new things that I had to learn, and it wasn’t easy, but I DID manage to find the humor in my day. For instance, each quarter, I sent out an e-mail to the staff called, Ten Things I learned in the (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) Quarter of My First Year at WHS. Along with some humorous tidbits of information, such as “I learned that the automatic light will go off on you if you stay in the bathroom too long,” I always ended it with, “I learned that I work with the most awesome people on the face of the Earth.” I wasn’t sure how the staff would take my humor…welcome it or think I was just plain weird…but it felt right, so I did. Since then, I’ve tried to send out funny things here and there to lighten someone’s day. This last Friday, sensing that it had been a long week for all, I sent out an e-mail titled, Ten Reasons to be Glad it’s 3:36 on a Friday. I ended it with, “Go home! It’s 3:36 on Friday!” Another thing I did last year was that I put Cookie Monster waving on the tagline of all my e-mails. I had read somewhere that people read e-mails more negatively than they are intended, so I thought it just might alleviate that problem and even add a smile to someone’s day. When I first did this, I DO think people thought I was crazy, but then they just got used to my “twist of awesomeness”! This year, I switched to Kermit the Frog. I love it!
IÂ Know What You’re Saying
I know what you’re saying, “Mindy, teaching is serious business, and there is no place for these shenanigans in the workplace.” I disagree, but I do agree that there is a time and a place for it. It’s never ok to make someone the butt of your jokes.  It is never ok to be funny just to distract from a serious situation. It’s never ok to be funny when someone has a real problem that they are trying to discuss with you, and it’s never ok to put out sexual, inappropriate pieces of humor. But, humor DOES have its place, and it just may be the one area that is lacking in your building.
Humor is Catchy
Since I began my journey of putting sunshine into people’s day, it has paid off in many ways. Maybe I’m crazy, but it seems like I’ve seen a more relaxed atmosphere amongst our teams and our staff. I’ve seen people that know that at the end of the day, when it’s been rough, there are those that can help put a smile on their face. I’ve seen others jump on board the humor bandwagon. For instance, we had Pertussis (Whooping Cough) make it’s way through our school district, and all the staff had to get shots. Our arms were still sore when at the beginning of the faculty meeting, our principal called us together to tell us that our shots were ineffective, and we had to get them again. All of us held our arms, and moaned and groaned in disbelief when the principal grabbed a huge syringe filled with water and yelled “Gotcha!”  We all laughed hysterically. It was a great ice breaker to our tough week and our long meeting.
Find Joy in Your World
Whether you’re “crazy with a twist of awesome” or not, humor can and should be a part of your professional career and personal life. Abandoning your personality and sense of humor at the door doesn’t have to be an option, just don’t try to be someone or something that you are not. Be yourself. Include everyone, be welcoming to all, and you just may find yourself loving your career even more!
