Sometimes to better understand the chaotic, comedic, and oh-so-lovable world of teaching, you have to take a look at it through a different lens. The Muppets are here to help! Here are Muppets GIFs that strangely look a lot like teaching.
1. There will always be some things that you just can’t explain.
Teaching is a mixture of art, passion, beauty, and a dash of excellence. Just when the balance is right, your students add their own special ingredient to make each moment magical. If only we could foresee those special, and occasionally awkward, moments.
2. Your students will look like this when they hear the recess bell.
No matter what students are learning or how cool the lesson is, when that bell rings, all restraint and composure go to the wayside as everyone runs for the door! Last one to the monkey bars is the rotten egg!
3. You and your co-teacher? Simpatico!
Thank goodness for awesome co-teachers, paras, and other classroom aides. When you’re in sync, nothing can stop you.
4. You will be poked and prodded within an inch of your life.
It happens much more often in elementary school and usually when you least expect it. Somehow, being pushed like a button or having your hair braided at choice time was not in the job description. …
5. Everything is either fine or on fire.
More often than we care to admit, sometimes the well-orchestrated plan for the instructional day hits a speed bump. A student getting sick, a broken copier, or indoor recess for the umpteenth time can just derail things. Whatever the problem, in the moment it all seems unmanageable and simply awful.
6. But sometimes, we’re in the zone!
If we were in charge of things, every day would start with an epic music jam in the car or a high-octane cup of coffee to get us motivated for the classroom. There are those special occasions when the stars align, said coffee is had, students are engaged, lessons are cruising along, and all is right with the world. You could be teaching in Swedish, and your students would still keep up! Don’t you just love those rare moments?
7. You often think of yourself as the entertainer—that your students don’t appreciate.
Not all of us fancy ourselves comedians. But even the driest teachers among us have commentary or quips that we think will make students laugh. So you, feeling like the king or queen of late-night TV, tell that sweet joke. Then the students react to you as if you’re Fozzie Bear, no matter how stellar the punchline.
8. Then there’s these two.
They’ve been in your classroom before or are now (sorry for your luck). Perhaps you were one of them when you were a student. Only now can you see the joy and pain of a heckling duo mercilessly derailing your perfect lesson with sarcasm, wit, and an endless supply of punchlines (that are actually pretty funny). If only they would just laugh at someone other than you.
9. If I can type eight more pages in the next four minutes, these lesson plans will be finished!
Lesson plans … ahh we love you so. All teachers know the calm and slow pace we think about, meticulously prepare for, and dutifully type up lesson plans. Especially once that warm spring weather hits. Right?
10. We get to tell every student that they are special.
Being a teacher is not just about facts and tests. Each and every day we have the honor and responsibility of helping young minds learn and grow. While in our charge, students grow from little people to functional adults (hopefully). We have opportunities to inspire students to discover what is special about themselves and share it with the world.
How else is teaching like the Muppets? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, get classroom management techniques from the oh-so popular Mary Poppins.
