One of these teachers is math teacher, Mr. Gary Engen.

   “Everyone’s favorites are word problems,” he sarcastically remarked.  “Ever since I’ve been doing word problems, I try to put fun names in like Paul Aes (police) and Rob Banks because they can get kind of boring.

   Engen also puts in unrealistic numbers making G. Imtall eight feet taller than I.B. Squat and their total height being 160 feet tall.

   “They’re much better than the boring book problems,” says Engen.  “I also used to do skits with my Algebra Two where Math Man had to come and save the day.  I have a cape and a funky hat, and even Dr. J has been involved in some of the skits.”

   This hands-on, out of the seat learning is a strategy that business teacher, Mrs. Judi Olson, does also.

   “You just let them get out of their chairs and do weird things every now and then,” she says.

   She tries to provide motivation by putting sayings such as “It is what it is” and “Life is good” high on the walls in her room, and students usually notice them.

   Another thing she does is bellringers.

   “I’ve always considered being in the position of a student, and after doing a little brain research, I’ll often do something that I call a bellringer,” she said.  “Sometimes they have to with what you’re learning, but they’re mainly about movement.  People might call a bellringer and energizer.”

   One of these bellringers is laughing yoga.

   “There’s research out there saying that if you laugh, you feel better about learning, so I sometimes have my students laugh for 15 seconds,” Olson said.  “The first time I do it in class, they look at me as if I’m crazy, and maybe I am a little.”

   Another teacher at D.C. Everest who tries to lighten the mood in the classroom by laughs is Mr. Donald Tinjim, a math teacher.

   “My wife said I should make the classroom a little more relaxed, so I started Sven and Olie jokes to loosen up the air a little,” he explained.  “I do one about every three weeks and when a class asks if I can read them, I’ll read one from my book.  If someone’s requesting it, someone’s got to like it.”

   Though not all students like the jokes, Tinjim believes they’re still worth sharing.

   “It lets people relax a little bit and maybe I can get a student to laugh or chuckle,” he says.  “Maybe it makes their day.”

   Mrs. Kathy Johnson, a foods teacher, believes the mood in her room is lifted because of the atmosphere.

   “The classroom is a little more homey,” she explained.  “They’re [students] sitting around round tables, and I think that’s more relaxing.”

   She believes her attitude helps a little.

   “I have a pretty even temperament,” she said.  “I’ve taught so long I don’t get too excited about things, and I think students know that I’m not going to be snapping at them and then have a different mood the next day.”

   The biggest thing Johnson believes lifts the mood is food.

   “Anytime you feed students, you’ve got them,” she explained.  “They will respond.  They all like food.”

   Whether it’s food or laughing, teachers at D.C. Everest do their best to lift the mood in the classroom to making learning more fun.