12.30.08
Horton Hears Humor
I was watching a video today, with background music. The music was a bassoon concerto. It made me wonder why we had to take music classes in grade school. Maybe it indirectly helped form our creative abilities. As I watched the video and listened to the music, I could picture someone playing a bassoon. I could differentiate that it was not a stringed instrument. I knew it wasn’t a brass instrument. Think of how many different images, thoughts, and connections went through my mind, in just a few seconds of listening.
Dr. Seuss knew that humor could help children to be more creative, and to even learn to read more effectively. He knew that they would be entertained, but they would gain other things as well.
* CREATIVITY: Young readers would learn to differentiate objects, sounds, parts of language. They could also learn to tolerate different people they encounter in their lives.
* FEARLESSNESS: These children would use his example as a role model to try out new speech patterns and silly words.
* HAPPINESS: Kids who are having fun are learning. They are more relaxed, so they can absorb more information and process it.
Humor is a lot like music–both help us to learn, both give us enjoyment, and both can encourage others in a chain of learning, enjoyment, and accomplishment. We don’t say, “Get Your SHINE Together!” for nothing!
What is your favorite instrument?________________________
What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?_____________________
