Why Teaching is Like a Sitcom

7 reasons teaching is like a sitcom. The 6th one is my favorite! Teacher humor at its finest!

Every day in the classroom is new and unpredictable. There are many plot twists, and we never quite know what we are going to get, but teaching is also remarkably like a sitcom.

Live Audience

I don't think there is any mystery to this one. As teachers we always have to be on, because we have our students always watching what we are doing as our live audience. While we may not always be that sage on the stage, you better believe that we do always have eyes on us.

This means that every moment we are in our classrooms, and a lot of time when we are out of the classroom, we have to be on. Teachers are really not allowed to have a bad day, because we have to give our all to our students each and every day.

Scripted

Our lessons are scripted just like sitcoms, we are even told when to pause and ask students to reflect.

Also like a sitcom, the magic happens when we improvise. I always love to hear that some of my favorite one-liners from sitcoms were actually improvised in the moment. Similarly some of my favorite teaching moments are when I am pulled off script and take the opportunity for a teachable moment, even when it isn't exactly what is on the scope and sequence. These moments are truly magic.

Viewed Through Rose Colored Glasses

As I said earlier, teachers don't have the luxury of bringing their stress into the classroom. When we enter the school it is our responsibility to put on a smile and give our all to our students. It doesn't matter if we have a headache, got in a wreck that morning, or spilled coffee all over ourselves.

While we know what is going on inside the head of teachers everywhere, our students never should. They should be able to view the classroom through the rose colored glasses that often filter the lives of of sitcom putting a sunnier disposition onto everything.

We are in Syndication

Sitcoms call it syndication, we call it reteaching or just repeating what we just said. I mean, can you remember the last time you gave students directions and didn't have to repeat anything? I can't.

Syndication in the classroom means that our students have multiple chances to glean information from a lesson. The more times I watch even my most favorite sitcoms (Friends followed closely by Frasier if you were wondering) the more I pick up from them. Even when I already have the dialogue completely memorized I will notice something new in the set, or make a connection to a guest star that I had not previously realized was on a new show.

We Could Make a Blooper Reel

The classroom is a silly, quirky place and I am completely positive that if we were to be filmed day in and day out the classroom would be home to the best blooper reel ever. There is just something about the unpredictability of kids that makes the classroom ripe with laughter.

Ensemble Cast

Although you may be the only teacher in your classroom, you are part of an ensemble that supports your students. Other parts of the ensemble cast are administration, interventionists, specials teachers, your team, and other school staff.

Every adult in a school has the job of supporting students and play a major role.

Memorable

Just like we talk about our favorite sitcoms years after they have gone off the air our students will remember us for the rest of their lives. Similarly I will remember my students for the rest of my life as well.

Our opportunity to impact the lives of students, as well as have them influence mine, is really the greatest privilege I could ask for.

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