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#1: Its creator, Quinta Brunson<\/b><\/h3>\n
Abbott Elementary <\/i>was created by and stars Philly-native Quinta Brunson. Brunson is an actress, comedian, writer, and producer. You may have seen her on BuzzFeed Video or HBO\u2019s A Black Lady Sketch Show<\/i>. She even made the 2022 Time 100 list!<\/p>\n
Inspired by her mother Norma Jean Brunson, Brunson created an awesome show about the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of teaching. In an interview with Vogue magazine, Brunson shares, \u201cIt was just a world that I knew so well, like the back of my hand\u2026[H]aving this real in-depth experience with my mom being a teacher for most of my life really helped me see the world.\u201d The show is named after her middle school teacher Ms. Abbott, who also deeply impacted Brunson\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
#2: Relatable characters\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u201cWe are administrators, we are social workers, we are therapists, we are second parents.\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
Abbot Elementary<\/i> follows the experiences of teachers and school staff. As an educator, I was able to see myself and my colleagues in the diverse set of characters!<\/p>\n
Janine Teagues is a second-year second-grade teacher in the community in which she was raised. She is passionate and idealistic \u2014 sometimes to a fault! On the other hand, the very composed Barbara Howard has been teaching for two decades. Classroom management is one of her strong suits \u2014 her voice and presence command the space! In introducing herself, she shares, \u201cI do my work, I go home. I get my nails done every week and I love teaching.\u201d That said, Barbara is not without her faults! She admits her insecurities with feeling old amongst young teachers and new pedagogical methods.<\/p>\n
Melissa Schemmenti, another veteran teacher, is a \u201cSouth Philly type\u201d who has a tough exterior but is honest, resourceful, perceptive, and supportive. Jacob Hill is a white queer man and a second-year teacher like Janine. He\u2019s corny and sometimes problematic but he\u2019s also well-meaning and lovable. Long-term substitute teacher Greg Eddie has a dry demeanor yet is thoughtful, qualified, and open to learning.<\/p>\n
On the other end of the competence spectrum, Principal Ava Coleman is self-involved, delusional, and erratic. There are a few moments when she supports her staff, the students, and even her own family members. However, she is largely a comedic relief!<\/p>\n
Each character may be a little stereotypical but not to a point of unrelatability. We can even see ourselves in wise yet hilarious custodian Mr. Johnson and Janine\u2019s slacker\/rapper boyfriend Tariq! This was Brunson\u2019s intention. In an IndieWire <\/i>interview, she shares, \u201cWe get silly, but the humor really grows from these grounded situations and the minutiae of everyday life for these teachers. We wanted to make it feel like people who have everyday jobs can relate to these characters.\u201d<\/p>\n#3: Balanced portrayal of teaching in urban, under-resourced schools<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u201cBut money would still be nice though\u2026\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
Abbott Elementary<\/i>\u2019s student body accurately depicts Philadelphia\u2019s student body. Over \u00be of students identify as Black and\/or Latinx.100% of the public school population (excluding charter school students) are identified as economically disadvantaged. Abbott Elementary <\/i>also does a good job depicting staff demographics in Philadelphia schools. As of October 2021, 65% of teachers in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) identify as White while about 35% identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).<\/p>\n
In real life, the SDP reported billions of dollars in funding. However, Abbott Elementary <\/i>spotlights the contrast between raggedy, outdated textbooks in the classrooms and the multimillion-dollar stadium renovation!<\/p>\n
The show also highlights issues with teacher retention in underfunded, majority-minority public schools. Jacob and Janine are the 2 of 3 teachers left in a cohort of 20 new teachers. Barbara critically points out there\u2019s \u201cmore turnover than a bakery!\u201d That said, the teachers and staff support one another and their students in the best ways that they can. As Ava passionately stated at a school board meeting, \u201cThe teachers that work here are some of the most dedicated, hardworking, and creative in this entire city. We\u2019ve been taking appetizer money and giving these kids a charcuterie experience!\u201d<\/p>\n
#4: Positively centers Black educators<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u201cWe make do\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
Most shows about teachers are caricatures and\/or have white leads, such as AP Bio<\/i>, Mr. Corman<\/i>, or Bad Teacher<\/i>.<\/p>\n
According to data released by Research For Action (RFA), more than half of Pennsylvania\u2019s teachers of color are employed in Philadelphia County\u2019s district and charter schools. That said, there are nearly 1,200 fewer Black teachers in Philadelphia public schools (district and charter combined) than there were 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
The show\u2019s protagonist Janine is not perfect and is still working on herself. Yet her passion and dedication to her students are obvious and unmatched. She was raised in Philly, attended public schools, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Janine \u2014 as well as Barabra and Greg \u2014 demonstrate why it\u2019s important to hire teachers of color, especially from the communities of which the students are apart.<\/p>\n
#5: Demonstrates the power of mentorship<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u201cTeamwork, motivation, innovation, excel, achieve\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Mentorship is the backbone of an educator\u2019s development. The entire season is filled with memorable and impact moments of mentorship. For example, Jacob teaches his students about unions in South Philly with help of Melissa and Greg seeks out Mr. Johnson\u2019s company and wisdom.<\/p>\n
One poignant moment of mentorship occurs between Barbara and Greg. When Greg is tasked to have a challenging conversation with a parent, Barbara successfully coaches him through the process! Janine says <\/i>she\u2019s open to mentorship but is a bit more reluctant to take advice that challenges her belief system.<\/p>\n
For instance, Barbara, Mr. Johnson, Melissa, and Greg all advise Janine to leave the school\u2019s electrical issues alone. It\u2019s not within her locus of control and it\u2019s beyond her current skill set to fix it! However, Janine continues to meddle with the infrastructure. Meanwhile, she neglects caring for herself, which is something she can<\/i> control. She\u2019s not eating breakfast or lunch and she is choosing to date a man who isn\u2019t contributing to their relationship.<\/p>\n
How many of us<\/i> have been there\u2013or may be there right now? I know I have! Luckily, she realizes she hasn\u2019t been taking ownership of these things and starts to make changes.<\/p>\n#6: Storylines that center the kids\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
\u201cIf we burn out, who\u2019s here for these kids?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
The Implications and Complications of Gifted and Talented Programs<\/strong><\/p>\n The episode about gifted and talented programs was a pleasant surprise. It was filled with instances of culturally responsive teaching, project-based learning, and experiential learning.<\/p>\n As teachers, we understand that all kids are intelligent in their own ways. So how can we move away from traditional ways of assigning \u201cgiftedness\u201d? That’s a problem explored in Abbott Elementary<\/i>. As Greg eloquently states, \u201cThere\u2019s more than one way to be gifted.\u201d In this episode, we see Greg open up about his childhood and teach Janine about multiple intelligences. Ultimately, the new teachers \u2014 Jacob, Janine, and Greg \u2014 all work together to create differentiated learning experiences to engage all students of varying intelligences. I love how the episode started with a girl who struggled to solve math problems and ended with a discovery of her love of animals!<\/p>\n The Problem with Teaching to a Test<\/strong><\/p>\n Another moment in which students are centered is when Greg learns from Barbara and Melissa how to make teaching fun and engaging instead of \u201cteaching to a test.\u201d Barbara powerfully states, \u201cIf one child fails, it\u2019s on the child. But if all<\/i> the children fail, it’s on their teacher.\u201d Greg\u2019s immediate response is \u201cIf there\u2019s something I\u2019m doing wrong or if it can be improved upon, I\u2019m more than happy to take some pointers.\u201d He is so <\/i>receptive to feedback; it\u2019s admirable and brave\u2013especially for a young teacher. If more teachers created strong rapports and were then open to giving and receiving feedback like Barbara and Greg, how might that transform <\/i>the schoolhouse?<\/p>\n This is a mockumentary like The Office<\/i> and Modern Family<\/i>. Brunson knew that she wanted Abbott Elementary<\/i> to take this form from the moment she conceived the idea. I\u2019m thankful for this decision because the close-ups of horrified faces and bewildered faces are golden<\/i>!<\/p>\n This style also highlights the many moments of absurdity throughout the show, such as teachers leaving their classrooms unsupervised; Ava\u2019s highly inappropriate comments towards Greg; Ava blackmailing a superintendent for a principalship; and my all-time favorite: Tariq\u2019s F.A.D.E performance (shoutout to Mr. Johnson breaking it down<\/i> in the back!) I love that the absurdity is just the right amount\u2013not too much to make it unrelatable but just enough to make it hilarious.<\/p>\n On a more serious note, this style of filming makes the audience feel closer to the teachers and students; we need more of that empathy \u2014 especially in today\u2019s polarized and painful environments.<\/p>\n \u201c…Tried and true methods over whatever the latest doohickey is!\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n One lesson that resonated with me because it\u2019s one I wish I learned sooner is the importance of healing and mental health. It\u2019s nearly impossible to show up as your best self for students if you are not in a good place yourself. In the show, Janine\u2019s childhood traumas showed up in the schoolhouse when she made assumptions about a parent instead of thoughtfully engaging <\/i>with the parent.<\/p>\n Another powerful lesson comes from Barbara\u2019s experiences. Her storyline shows that It doesn’t matter how long you\u2019ve been teaching \u2014 you always have room to grow and learn. Barbara learned that it\u2019s important to come out of your comfort zone and try something new for the good of your students. It turned out that coming out of her comfort zone was good not only for the kids but also for herself and for her relationships with her colleagues! One example is when Jacob invites her to plant a school vegetable garden with him. Her initial response was, \u201cStuff like that won’t work here!\u201d but she ends up bonding with Jacob while doing something beneficial for their students.<\/p>\n Throughout this article, I\u2019ve included some of the best quotes from this season of Abbott Elementary. <\/i>Here are 5 more:<\/p>\n Season 2 of Abbott Elementary will air beginning September 21, 2022! Here are some of my hopes for the next academic year at our favorite Philly school!<\/p>\n#7: It\u2019s a mockumentary<\/strong><\/h3>\n
#8: Emphasizes the lessons teachers learn\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Next Season?<\/b><\/h3>\n