To think this is an unusual trait to list in job advert

[Snowandsparkles12]

Under desirable there's a bullet point for sense of humour? The post is based in a secondary school.

Aibu to think this is an odd thing to list and didn't come across as professional?

in a school not I'm a school. Heaven forbid.

This is a VERY narrow definition of what a sense of humour entails and not one I really recognise at all. I work in a school and agree with PP that it is very obvious to those of us who do why a sense of humour is required.

Most people's definition of "a sense of humour" is their sense of humour. People who won't laugh at racist and misogynist jokes are routinely told we have no sense of humour.

Going back to my earlier point, practical jokers are often described as having a good sense of humour, and they would definitely say they have. I think they are destructive and anti-social and I absolutely wouldn't want to work with them.

I like working with people who can find things to laugh about and can use humour to defuse tense situations. I don't like working with pranksters or racists. So I appreciate one type of sense of humour but not others. There is no single "sense of humour".

It's not about 'jokes' it's about responding with good humour to the things that happen.

This made me laugh

This.
If you can't laugh when confiscating the potato that someone is messing with instead of doing their work, you're going to have a pretty hard time.
I do not teach Food.

It's not about 'jokes' it's about responding with good humour to the things that happen
This.

You don't have to be a comedian and cracking jokes every 5 seconds to work in a school. I'm far from funny, don't do jokes, and don't have a matey relationship with my pupils, but have a sense of humour to roll with the reality of teaching teenagers.

The benefit to advertising a job in this way is that it weeds out all the old bores, who definitely should not be working with kids, without even having to interview them.

😁

A child with mild SEN in my class inexplicably went missing and the whole school was starting to panic. A work experience boy in my class found her in my stock cupboard buried under a pile of aprons eating all the creme eggs the TA had bought the children for the end of term. I struggled to keep a straight face and tell her off and it still makes me laugh 9 years later.

This is the kind of thing that happens and you have to laugh (away from the children obvs) and not get uptight about it. I have also completely outed myself to anyone else who worked in that school.

An ex employer once put this out on one of their ads. They were sexist arseholes and didn’t want to be called out IMO

For a school role they are probably coming from a different angle but it would probably put me off tbh

@CaptainMyCaptain I often look at the ridiculous things that happen to and because of teens and think "no one would believe this".
We have a new school rule because of something completely ridiculous a y10 did last term.
It wasn't dangerous; it wasn't against any rules (then). It was hilarious and I'll be laughing about it along with the rest of the staff and students (including the boy in question and the head who had to create the new rule) for a very long time.

I can totally imagine it being something else in a male dominated office environment but in a school you always have to expect the unexpected and deal with it with good humour.

Oh yes - and in that way, it is essential in a lot of jobs - it helps with resilience.

It's not about 'jokes' it's about responding with good humour to the things that happen.

That is your definition of sense of humour.

Many people's definition of sense of humour is not taking offence at insulting people because of their colour, gender, etc. Did the job advert identify why kind of sense of humour was required?

It's a school. I've worked in schools for over 30 years. I know what they meant.

@FatOaf I'm finding your points completely incomprehensible!!

You say: Most people's definition of "a sense of humour" is their sense of humour.

But earlier you said that a sense of humour is laughing at racism and misogyny.

Speak for yourself.

Exactly!

I think some people on their thread are mixing up 'having a sense of humour' with 'being a joker'. The two are not the same.

I work with some of the most challenging teens in the county and a sense of humour is most definitely helpful. I wouldn't put it in a job advert though, it makes the job sound awful.

So basically every teacher in this thread has agreed it's a necessary trait, and yet a load of people who have never worked in the sector are adamant it must mean bullying, toxic work place, disorganisation etc. And nearly every teacher has agreed it's on most job adverts yet HR folk are claiming its discriminatory etc. If it's that much of an issue, how are there literally thousands of teacher job adverts with this exact term every year and county councils and MATs across the UK getting away with it?

I’ve heard people on here say shut like this before - they don’t seem to trust humour - see it as belittling, jibes and low blows. I think people who have worked in toxic environments carry scars with them and it can be hard to trust again, I understand why but the lack of trust can be equally as destructive.

You would not cope in teaching without a sense of humour.

Years ago I had a naughty class with a Very Naughty Boy in it. One lesson I had taken them into the library (always a risky manoeuvre but I live dangerously) and suddenly saw Very Naughty Boy 2 (bosom friend of Very Naughty Boy 1) outside the window where he should not have been. In a split second VNB1 had legged it out of the library and the entire rest of the lesson was a write-off as we basically watched VNBs 1 and 2 run repeatedly past the library in various directions followed by various combinations of staff. I could have been indignant and furious at the complete undermining of my authority and terrible behaviour of both VNBs, but the farcical nature was absolutely hilarious and we laughed so much about it later in the staffroom.

The piece de resistance was when the grounds man joined in and confessed he’d been wanting them to swear at him because he knew if they did they’d get excluded and he didn’t care if they swore at him or not (because he knew their dads) 😂😂

Whee
Plus there are many issues in education and many teachers will be quite open about them, but needing to have a sense of humour really isn't one of them.

Different teachers have different teaching personas and different teachers bring different amounts of their 'non teacher' self to work, some are more pastoral by nature, others more detached, but regardless of those differences in style and personality, the sense of humour is needed.

I can think of times students have said or done things that were hilarious but not appropriate for a classroom. They were dealt with professionally, sanctioned if required, but instead of going around with a face like a smacked arse and being frothy for the day, I got on with it and it was a tale for the staff room

As a secondary teacher of many years standing, I'd say that was a very sensible trait to add to a job description in all the places I've ever worked.