Things too serious at your organization?

-- Call the humor doctor

What do you do if your organization needs a dose of humor? You call the humor doctor, Mark Shatz, professor of psychology at Ohio University-Zanesville.

To help Wagner College students prepare for its new humor-writing contest, Dr. Shatz is headed to New York City to conduct a workshop, Humor Writing 101. “I’ll teach the students to think and write funny,” said Shatz. The presentation will prepare students to compete for a $1000 grand prize.

Shatz will also conduct a workshop for Wagner College faculty, “Using Humor to Enhance Instruction.” Using humor in the classroom is not about being funny but finding and applying funny according to Shatz. 

Shatz teaches and researches classroom humor. He and colleague Frank LoSchiavo, associate professor of psychology at Ohio University-Zanesville, published the first study of humor used systematically in online instruction. He is the coauthor of the top selling humor writing book, Comedy Writing Secrets 2^nd.

Shatz is nationally known for his presentations on a variety of topics related to humor. From humor writing for print or stand up comedy to utilizing humor in business or in the classroom, Shatz’s approach is interesting, interactive and entertaining.

Shatz has facilitated programs at conferences, via webcasts, and in college classrooms including a recent one for the Ohio State Supreme Court Judicial College. He also teaches Humor Writing with its infamous final exam – a standup performance before a live audience, as well as a one-day workshop for teachers, Enhancing K-12 Instruction with Humor.

 “There’s an old teachers’ adage: If you lost your sense of humor, it’s time to become an administrator,” Shatz explained. “My job is to keep teachers in the classroom by teaching and modeling the mantra, ‘Learning is fun’.”

To find out more contact Shatz at 740-588-1496 or via email at shatz@ohio.edu.