I tell a joke

[Matt McKeon]

We're are finishing the Civil War in school next week. Since the start of the unit, whenever I mention a general or politician, I say, "he's the one with the beard." While I can't say it ever really got much of a chuckle, the kids are heartily sick of it now.

 

[jgoodguy]

We're are finishing the Civil War in school next week. Since the start of the unit, whenever I mention a general or politician, I say, "he's the one with the beard." While I can't say it ever really got much of a chuckle, the kids are heartily sick of it now.

Once I wanted to be a history teacher, but I was told there was no money in it, soon after I fell in love with computer tech. My experience with history classes, is that I was the only one there that wanted to be there. Getting a chuckle out of a captive audience is hard.

 

[diane]

We're are finishing the Civil War in school next week. Since the start of the unit, whenever I mention a general or politician, I say, "he's the one with the beard." While I can't say it ever really got much of a chuckle, the kids are heartily sick of it now.

When I first started looking at the CW, it did make me wonder. The enlisted men didn't have beards too much, but I think it was because they were pretty young. Some officers had distinctive beards, like Ambrose Burnside, whose style became unique as exaggerated mutton chops. Jeb Stuart grew a beard while on duty in Kansas - where the winds whip over the prairies! Self-defense. Nobody was more surprised than he was about how luxurious it became - do believe he wins best beard. N B Forrest's distinctive chin beard (not a goatee) and mustache was genes - a modern family member noted that the men of the Forrest family tended to have scraggly beards and favored this style. Robert E Lee, who opted for short but full cited sunburn in Texas for the fur. U S Grant had a beard that looked as if it had a hangover but there was a shortage of water for shaving when he first sprouted it. Sherman's beard was as tough as he was - he couldn't shave because it really hurt!

And we can't forget Billy Mahone...Epic! He was short and very skinny, which made the beard seem even bigger - it's a wonder he didn't trip over it!

 

[rittmeister]

Once I wanted to be a history teacher, but I was told there was no money in it, soon after I fell in love with computer tech. My experience with history classes, is that I was the only one there that wanted to be there. Getting a chuckle out of a captive audience is hard.

given the right teacher i loved history lessons - with the wrong one they were boring as hell

 

[azizi]

It sounds like you've been having a little fun with your Civil War unit, but it's not surprising that the kids would get a little tired of hearing the "he's the one with the beard" joke over and over. Sometimes a running joke can wear thin after a while, particularly if it's used too frequently. Perhaps it's time to mix it up and bring in a new method of recalling those numbers—such as a catchy phrase, a fun fact, or an interesting story. That way, you get to maintain the enthusiasm while giving some variety to the lesson!

 

[Matt McKeon]

It sounds like you've been having a little fun with your Civil War unit, but it's not surprising that the kids would get a little tired of hearing the "he's the one with the beard" joke over and over. Sometimes a running joke can wear thin after a while, particularly if it's used too frequently. Perhaps it's time to mix it up and bring in a new method of recalling those numbers—such as a catchy phrase, a fun fact, or an interesting story. That way, you get to maintain the enthusiasm while giving some variety to the lesson!

I think I will actually increase using that joke! Now that we're moving in the later 1800s, it can be "the guy with the mustache."

 

[O' Be Joyful]

I think I will actually increase using that joke! Now that we're moving in the later 1800s, it can be "the guy with the mustache."

I can't wait to hear what kinda line you used about the robber barons Matt. History was always my best/favorite class, I always had good teachers who knew how keep things interesting w/ me waiting to throw in a smart-ass comment/crack when the time was ripe, to this day I still fondly remember Mr. Adams and last I heard he's still kickin' and I grad-i-uated in 1978. BTW there is a strange link between robber baron Pullman and Lincoln, hint: it has to do w/ their burials, in Abe's case the last one.