Teaching Profession

11 Scenes From ‘Abbott Elementary’ That Connected With Real Educators

By Hayley Hardison — April 12, 2022 1 min read
ABC's "Abbott Elementary" stars Quinta Brunson as Janine.
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ABC’s workplace comedy, “Abbott Elementary,” has offered educators moments of relatability and laughter throughout the 2021-22 school year, which proved to be especially stressful and draining for those running the nation’s schools.

The mockumentary-style sitcom follows an ambitious new educator inside a fictional West Philadelphia public school. Earlier this year, Education Week reporter Ileana Najarro sat down with the show’s creator and star, Quinta Brunson, who shared her inspirations for “Abbott Elementary”—including her mother, who also taught in Philadelphia—as well as what she hopes educators take from the show. Throughout its first season, teachers on social media vocalized their responses to the new comedy.

“Teachers like Janine mean everything to kids,” shared Brunson in her Q&A with Education Week. “They change their worlds and change what they think the world can be and what life can be for them.”

With the show’s first season coming to a highly anticipated close this week, teachers across Twitter shared their connections to and appreciation for “Abbott Elementary.”

Here are 11 moments from the fictional show that resonated with real educators.

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