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Klassenkasper

Learn a funny, quirky German word each week with DW's Word of the Week feature. This week: Klassenkasper.

https://p.dw.com/p/RlxU
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English speakers know a "Klassenkasper" as a "class clown," and surely anyone who's gone to school knows what that is. He or she is that sunny pupil who can't stop cracking jokes or goofing off. While endearing to many, go a little deeper and any psychologist will tell you that a class comedian really can't stop acting up to get attention - it's engrained in their personalities. So rather than come down hard on the cut-ups, many educators advise to just "go with your gut" and give them a good guffaw. After all, a good laugh never hurt anybody.

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