Mary Kay Morrison President Association for Applied and - Using Humor to Maximize Living: Connecting With Humor

Mary Kay Morrison is a teacher who has taught at virtually every level of the educational spectrum while facilitating keynote presentations and workshop sessions for the past thirty years. Her work includes integrating what we know about cognitive research on the emotions (particularity humor) and movement to classroom application.

In addition to humor and stress management, Mary Kay frequently conducts seminars on brain research, leadership, ADHD, group facilitation, parenting, and mentoring. Mary Kay is founder and director of Humor Quest. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) and was the 2010 conference chair.

In 2009, she founded and directed the international AATH Humor Academy graduate study and certificate program. As a member of the Illinois NCLB implementation team, she conducted "Train the Trainer" sessions for the State Board of Education on school improvement and mentoring. The YMCA Northeast Branch of Rockford named her 2009 Volunteer of the Year. Mary Kay served on the Tedx committee for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council. She is in the Seedlings Garden Club and is on the board of directors for Rockford Network of Women.

Her publication Using Humor to Maximize Learning: Exploring Links between Positive Emotions and Education is the text for humor studies courses at several universities and is the text for the groundbreaking international graduate Humor Academy offered by AATH.

Creating an Appropriate 21st Century Education: The Top Ten Reasons Why Humoris FUNdamental to Education. IAE Newsletter. Issue 83. February 2012. http://i-a-e.org/newsletters/IAE-Newsletter-2012-83.html.

Using humor to maximize learning (n.d.). IAE-Pedia. http://iae-pedia.org/Using_Humor_to_Maximize_Learning

Using Humor to Maximize Learning. Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development newsletter. Hot topic number 67. Winter 2011. http://wwwillinoisascd.org/pdfs/Hot%2OTopic%2OPDF/HotTopic67.pdf.

Go with your strengths. (2010, May). Journal of Nursing Jocularity http://www.journal of nursingjocularity.com/index.php?s=mary+kay+morrison.

How humor affects learning. (2009). Canada TVO Station live broadcast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaG678AzVs4.

Seriously funny. (2010, July). CMA Today.

American Association of School Administrators (AASA). (2009, November). The School Administrator.

Sylwester, R. Our elusive sense of humor. The Brain Connection. April 2008. http://brainconnection.positscience.com/content/268_l

• YMCA, 2012, Rockford, IL
• AATH International Conference, 2011, Orlando, Florida
• Humor in Education Conference, 2010, Izmir, Turkey
• AATH International Humor Academy, 2010, Disneyland, California
• IASCD Kindergarten Conference, 2010, Schaumberg, IL
• Bradley University Student Leadership Conference, 2010, Peoria, IL
• Art Council Workshop, 2010, Rockford, IL
• ISHS International Society for Humor Studies, 2009, Long Beach, CA
• Chicago Principal Association, 2009, Chicago, IL
• Kishwaukee College Fall Orientation, 2009, Malta, IL
• Barnes and Noble Education Week Seminar, 2009, DeKalb, IL
• Strategic Planning Harrison School District, 2009, Wonder Lake, IL
• Using Humor School Seminar, 2009, Phoenix, AZ
• YMCA Leadership Workshop, 2009, Rockford, IL
• Rock Valley College Tutor Conference, 2009, Rockford, IL
• 4-H Leaders Conference, 2009, Winnebago County, IL
• Commencement Address, 2008, College of Education National Louis University, Lake Geneva, WI
• Parent Academy, 2008, Wonder Lake, IL
• Early Childhood Spring Conference, Highland College, 2008, Freeport, IL

• Using Humor to Maximize Living. This workshop provides an overview of the benefits of humor with a focus on what we have learned from brain research. The relationship between learning, stress, and memory are explored. Humor-doomer behavior and humorphobia are discussed. The goal is that participants will be able to identify their humor style and focus on strategies that they can use to improve their humor practice.
• Humor: The Educator's Toolbox (1-3 hours). Fish for humor strategies that have been indicated in current research to improve communication and increase long-term memory. Jump on board with this action-packed session, and you will fall "hook, line, and sinker" for this approach to maximize learning! You will navigate the cognitive research that identifies the benefits of using humor in the classroom. Opening the "educator tackle box," you will explore purposeful ways to use humor to strengthen relationships and increase memory retention. Leave with a "catch" of powerful ways to (1) capture attention with humor (hook); (2) learn how to manipulate information in the working memory using humor (line); and (3) use humor in assessment and feedback to increase memory retention (sinker). Leave this session with joy in your heart and humor strategies for your classroom.
• Staff Meetings with Pizzazz. One-third of the population hates meetings. Make sure your staff meetings are both focused and FUN! Find out how humor and laughter can increase productivity, increase communication, and build trust.
• Stress and Learning: The Bucket Strategy (1 hour). If you suspect that excess stress negatively impacts student learningyou are right on! Stress impacts all of us, including teachers, administrators, and students. Explore the research on how excess stress can lead to depression and how a sense of humor can reduce anxiety. You will leave with a bucketfull of strategies to help you enhance your learning environment.
• What Is Your Humor Style? (1 hour). Take a humor styles inventory in this interactive session designed to help you explore your sense of humor. You will leave knowing the benefits of humor and how you can improve your humor practice.
• It's All about ME! (Movement and Emotions) (1-2 hours). Movement and the emotions are emerging from cognitive research as the power-charged tools that optimize student learning. Find out how to create an environment that creates positive emotional change. This is an action-packed session with an abundance of FUN activities.
• Humor Is a Funny Thing (1 hour). Include some fun in your day! This session will encourage participants in the practice of humor, not only as a personal tool to optimize a healthy lifestyle but to maximize the benefits of humor for healthy living. If you love laughter, this session is for you!
• Research Causes Cancer in Rats (2 hours). What is humor, exactly? How do you get a sense of humor? Once you find yours, how do you use it to maximize learning? If it is so important, why is it rarely mentioned in teacher preparation without some clues for finding and using it? Participants will complete a humor styles inventory and practice increasing their individual sense of humor.
• Got Stress? Survival Strategies (2 hours).