Nasreddin Hodja's jokes' evaluation from the point of education

1NASREDDIN HODJA'S JOKES? EVALUATION FROM THE POINT OFEDUCATIONPrepared by Hakan DEDEBAĞIABSTRACTThe main objective of the research is, putting forward Nasreddin Hodja'seducator aspect in growing new generations' training, equipping humanist values,gaining fine senses such as tolerance, love and kindness, growing as a secular anddemocratic individuals by mentioning importance of Nasreddin Hodja's jokes, necessityof utilizing in education environment and to bring up whether Nasreddin Hodja is aguiding educator who wakens scales of natural values in proactive consciousness or not.For this reason, the research was executed by interpreting information which gainedfrom general researching technique and content analysis based on the sourceresearching. As a first degree source, witty remarks were taken as a basis which wasknown as Nasreddin Hodja jokes. His jokes reflect Turk's wittiness, power of wittyremarks and life philosophy in the best way. Nasreddin Hodja is one of the leadingrepresentatives of Turkish people's humor genius. He became an source of inspirationfor many artisans, writers and caricaturists.The significant findings reached on basis of the research can be summarized asfollows:*Nasreddin Hodja in the strictest sense of the word is an educator nationalcharacter. Everybody young and old alike know, love and make his jokes an instrumentfor their humor sense. The main reason, why Nasreddin Hodja is so loved by heart is thesubjects which are as large as life with his witty remarks are from the real life and nevergets old. Because, these witty remarks reflect both the Turk's intelligence andsubconscious in an obvious way.*Nasreddin Hodja's jokes make people laugh but the main purpose is not tomake laugh, but guide people in order to make changes in people's behaviors in apositive way. At first sight; an illogical behavior, irregularity and inconsistency isbrought into sunlight by Nasreddin Hodja's jokes. In this way, Nasreddin Hodja wantsto prompt excellence sense and scales of natural values which people have.2*Nasreddin Hodja doesn't show his intelligence in the first part of his jokes. Thisis for coming down the common people's level. In the second part he gives the lessongradually. On the other hand, his witty remarks address every level of people.*There are many nature and public elements in his jokes. The distinctivecharacteristics of his witty remarks are that they are suitable for time, place, events andproblems. In this way he is a great educator. Another feature of these witty remarks, areincluding ordinary events which are probable to occur at any time. Therefore the lessonsin the witty remarks are at a quality which protects its freshness.*Nasreddin Hodja's power which causes to gain behavior in the contribution toeducation progress is thought in cognitive, psychomotor, sensual extents and evaluatedthat it is especially foreground in sensual extent.*In the research, Nasreddin Hodja's jokes were subjected to classification fromthe point of education, the messages which were given by the jokes evaluated one byone and jokes' contribution to language sensitivity acquisition were surveyed. In orderto be understood the subject better, some other observations, jokes and witty remarkswere mentioned when needed. But, even it is rarely, a few jokes had to be used morethan once because they form as an example for more than one subject.*Nasreddin Hodja exactly has never been considered as an education theorist.But important clues were obtained about what kind of a person this culture raises thatNasreddin Hodja presents.*Another subject that should be concerned is the common idea that NasreddinHodja jokes are generally for children. Actually, the ones who should primarily take alesson from these jokes are adults.Keywords: Nasreddin Hodja, Nasreddin Hodja Jokes, Nasreddin Hodja's Tutorial, TheEducational Values of Nasreddin Hodja Jokes, Turkish Love.