S02.E20: Educator of the Year

[DearEvette]

Quote

Gregory is named Educator of the Year; Janine deals with a difficult student; it is revealed that Barbara hasn't completed her teaching requirements.

Airdate: 04/05/2023

[MicheleinPhilly]

I saw a commercial for this last night and it revealed the return of a certain character and I yelled at my tv. 

[Annber03]

LOL, of course that's who'd be teaching the class :p.

Loved the moment between Ava and Melissa with them imitating Gregory and Janine, that was fun XD. Also laughed at Jacob saying, "Okay, even for me, this is incredibly performative." in regards to the woman overseeing the award. 

That was a really nice speech from Gregory. I totally understand him feeling uncomfortable with all the attention and praise as he did, but I do like that he was able to acknowledge what he has achieved since coming to work at Abbott. And Melissa coming in with that introduction speech was great, too. I also got a kick out of the comments about the award itself, 'cause it reminded me a bit of an award that our local news likes to do every year that also highlights great teachers in the area. 

That storyline with Janine and the parent. Oof. Poor Janine, that was rough to watch :(. I wanted to hug her. I could relate a little too well to her reaction to all of that. I loved how Barbara reassured her, though, that was a good talk between them. I wonder if they'll come back to that storyline sometime, I'd like to see more of how Janine tries to help that student. 

[Crashcourse]

I loved that closeup shot of the little girl looking adoringly at Gregory when he was giving his speech.  

I have a feeling Janine will deal with the unruly kid next episode.  

[BAForever]

Oh show, you got this so right. The best teachers I've ever known, never stop learning or trying to be better. I've cried after P-T conferences, and cried harder when I felt I failed a student. 

Teaching is a labor of love, this show is too. 

On Thursdays, at school we discuss the show. Our wing has a Janine and a Barbara. I'm proud to be a Melissa this year. Overwhelmed, barely keeping my head above water, but loving my kiddoes and working every day to keep them engaged and excited.

[Ms Blue Jay]

What does Chuck Lorre have to do with this show?  I keep seeing his tags at the end of the closing scene.

[kathyk24]

Janine broke my heart. I liked Melissa in this episode more than I have this season. It was a nice contrast between Ashley who has no self awareness and Gregory who is very self aware. 

[Blakeston]

The photo they used of Gregory was hilarious. Welcome to every ID badge I've ever had.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Blakeston

[Boofish]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

The photo they used of Gregory was hilarious. Welcome to every ID badge I've ever seen.

My passport picture is so horrid, the last time I tried enter the US, I got pulled by Homeland Security. I was escorted to an immigrant holding room to prove my identity. I was both flattered and mortified. When you get pulled out of line IN FRONT OF EVERYONE they don't tell you why. Told my friends to keep moving. 

[BAForever]

7 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

What does Chuck Lorre have to do with this show?  I keep seeing his tags at the end of the closing scene.

I believe that's from show that airs previously. My DVR picks it up just before Abbott starts.

[BAForever]

Another few thoughts- Quinta really played the emotionally devastated teacher well. She kept trying to deal with mom calmly and rationally and fell apart later. 

Plus a Dollar Tree shout out. Lots of money for my class goes there, but luckily it goes a long way. (No Rose Art or other off name-brand supplies though).

Edited April 6, 2023 by BAForever

[lovinbob]

I adore this show beyond measure, but I was actually slightly disappointed with the writing for the scene with Janine and Ms O'Neal. First I think it would have been more effective had we seen more of the student's issues throughout the year. I also thought that Janine could have done a better job of explaining the steps she'd been taking with him. It just felt a little too condensed and rushed.

but yeah, Quinta's performance was great (as was the actress playing the mom). 

I really thought Gregory was going to wrap his long arms around Janine, which I would not have been mad about. But I'm glad they tapped Barbara and she was able to provide support AND get her professional development on. 

I was a little surprised that Gregory wasn't into the fanfare. He thought enough of himself to put himself out there for the principal's job. Surprising he wouldn't have been more comfortable in the spotlight. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

7 hours ago, BAForever said:

I believe that's from show that airs previously. My DVR picks it up just before Abbott starts.

thank you.  Something really funky is going on.  It always shows up at the END of Abbott for me.  And I keep Googling Chuck Lorre + this show and finding zero connection. Sigh. 

[irisheyes]

3 hours ago, lovinbob said:

 

I adore this show beyond measure, but I was actually slightly disappointed with the writing for the scene with Janine and Ms O'Neal. First I think it would have been more effective had we seen more of the student's issues throughout the year. I also thought that Janine could have done a better job of explaining the steps she'd been taking with him. It just felt a little too condensed and rushed.

 

I think she was trying to, but the mom kept cutting her off. She did mention that he was throwing books, and there was no reaction from mom. I do like how they showed that some parents aren’t as caring as others. They’ve done a really good job showing the parents that are working hard to hold everything together and want the best for their kids even if it doesn’t look like that from a teacher’s perspective, but it is good to see that there are parents out there that will immediately blame the teacher and attack. As hard as it was to watch, it’s something every teacher has faced. 

[tennisgurl]

Barbara's face when she saw who was teaching the class! Then Ashley jumping in, the lord is truly testing Miss. Barbara. I shouldn't have been surprised, Mr. Johnson is everywhere. 

My heart hurt seeing that parent yell at Janine. Most of the parents we have met have been quite reasonable but some parents just cannot accept that their kids are causing problems and need a talking to, they will blame the teacher instead of the kid or, god forbid, themselves even if the teacher is doing everything they can. Janine was doing really well until the mom started to get more aggressive and she got flustered, we know that Janine isn't great with confrontation like this so she got more and more upset, although it seems like the lady came in there looking for a fight. The talk with her and Barbara was really great, she so idolizes Barbara it must mean a lot to her to hear that she's dealt with things like this before and that not even she knows everything. 

Those were really good speeches from Melissa and Gregory, she's right that you have to take the wins when you can and that, while he might not be the best teacher, he's really made an effort to improve this year. I knew right away he would be miserable with all that attention, his introvert self wanted to shrink away the second he heard that poetry. 

[Crashcourse]

I'm waiting for the writers to get into Mr. Johnson's backstory.  Sure, he's given us tidbits here and there, but I want him to tell the whole story.  Now I'm beginning to think that he might, indeed, be wealthy and just loves his job. 

[Vanderboom]

19 hours ago, Annber03 said:

That storyline with Janine and the parent. Oof. Poor Janine, that was rough to watch :(. I wanted to hug her. I could relate a little too well to her reaction to all of that.

I've had those parent conferences. They stay with you a long time, and you'll mentally be doing ESPN-level replays and analysis trying to figure out how things went so wrong . I'm glad Janine was able to keep it together in front of the parent, and that Barbara was great at redefining success for her.

 

[rollacoaster]

I do think that mom treated Janine terribly.

I also think that she is aware that her kid is a problem, but expects Janine to handle it without pulling her in. 

That mom DOES care for her child, but has few resources and is under pressure from her job. Apparently being away from her workplace for even that short amount of time was a problem. She's worried about losing that job, which adds even more stress. Plus, I suspect she was feeling judged for her child's bad behavior.  

It's a little more complex than she's just a terrible parent. 

[BAForever]

2 hours ago, Vanderboom said:

I've had those parent conferences. They stay with you a long time, and you'll mentally be doing ESPN-level replays and analysis trying to figure out how things went so wrong.

 

This times 1000. I always hope I've forewarned the parents about my concerns, but every once in awhile, something comes up out of the blue. Since covid, I've given out my cell number to all my parents. I've told them to call anytime before 9 pm (and I promise I won't call them before 5 am). Most teachers I know (elementary) will go the extra mile with parents. 

[kwnyc]

I think it's excellent that Melissa adapted her Jalen Hurts speech for Gregory. 

Also liked the shout out to Bone Town! (And a $50 gift card!)

Edited April 7, 2023 by kwnyc

[callie lee 29]

Neither the Goldbergs (on right before) or this show are Chick Lorre productions. These are the two cards I get at the end of this show.

ETA: you know what though, there is a little blurb right after the Goldbergs final production card andbefore Abbott starts that had a line about this episode being a work of fiction. It's white lettering on a black background. I wonder if that what you're thinking of. Not sure what show it's for though.

Edited April 7, 2023 by callie lee 29

[Black Knight]

I liked how this episode partly focused on interactions we don’t see much generally. I can’t even remember the last time Melissa and Gregory had a 1-on-1 scene, and I don’t remember Barbara and Jacob having one since their storyline about the garden. It’s good for the show.

I felt for Janine in the conference, but I also appreciated the nuanced portrayal of the mom. She works hard, she loves her kid, she rearranged everything to come in. I think ultimately she’s overwhelmed and just felt like Janine should be able to handle it. It’s not the right thing - it is best when the teacher and parent work as a team, as Janine was trying to accomplish - but it’s not as simple as a parent just refusing to believe their kid behaves badly. A telling moment early on was when the mom asked if the answers her kid was giving were the right or wrong answers. Janine sidestepped the question, which indicated that he does give the right answers. As a Black woman with a Black son, she’s used to having her behavior and her son’s behavior policed and exaggerated in ways that white people would not typically experience, and I think she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder as a result. And I would say Janine made an error in moving the meeting up; it could have waited until the following week it’d originally been scheduled for. When one asks a working single parent to rearrange everything at the last minute, it had better be an emergency, and I think that also created issues. She didn’t hear anything from Janine that she didn’t feel couldn’t have waited a week. She’s more concerned about his academic performance than whether he’s the best-behaved kid, and that’s not an invalid perspective considering how often we hear about successful people having not been particularly well-behaved kids. There’s also probably an element of “he’s in second grade, this boundary-pushing stuff is normal” in her thinking.

I would have liked the mom to work with Janine, but it’s complicated. I think that’s what made it hard for Janine, too - the mom couldn’t just be written off as some uncaring parent. She cares. They have different perspectives and priorities. It’s interesting to contemplate how it might all have worked out with the other second grade teacher, Melissa, who routinely breaks rules and is not a people-pleaser. Janine has a teacher’s-pet personality and naturally prefers that in the kids she’s teaching.

[kathyk24]

1 hour ago, Black Knight said:

I liked how this episode partly focused on interactions we don’t see much generally. I can’t even remember the last time Melissa and Gregory had a 1-on-1 scene, and I don’t remember Barbara and Jacob having one since their storyline about the garden. It’s good for the show.

I felt for Janine in the conference, but I also appreciated the nuanced portrayal of the mom. She works hard, she loves her kid, she rearranged everything to come in. I think ultimately she’s overwhelmed and just felt like Janine should be able to handle it. It’s not the right thing - it is best when the teacher and parent work as a team, as Janine was trying to accomplish - but it’s not as simple as a parent just refusing to believe their kid behaves badly. A telling moment early on was when the mom asked if the answers her kid was giving were the right or wrong answers. Janine sidestepped the question, which indicated that he does give the right answers. As a Black woman with a Black son, she’s used to having her behavior and her son’s behavior policed and exaggerated in ways that white people would not typically experience, and I think she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder as a result. And I would say Janine made an error in moving the meeting up; it could have waited until the following week it’d originally been scheduled for. When one asks a working single parent to rearrange everything at the last minute, it had better be an emergency, and I think that also created issues. She didn’t hear anything from Janine that she didn’t feel couldn’t have waited a week. She’s more concerned about his academic performance than whether he’s the best-behaved kid, and that’s not an invalid perspective considering how often we hear about successful people having not been particularly well-behaved kids. There’s also probably an element of “he’s in second grade, this boundary-pushing stuff is normal” in her thinking.

I would have liked the mom to work with Janine, but it’s complicated. I think that’s what made it hard for Janine, too - the mom couldn’t just be written off as some uncaring parent. She cares. They have different perspectives and priorities. It’s interesting to contemplate how it might all have worked out with the other second grade teacher, Melissa, who routinely breaks rules and is not a people-pleaser. Janine has a teacher’s-pet personality and naturally prefers that in the kids she’s teaching.

I disagree about the mom. It doesn't matter if her son knows the answers he's disrupting the class. I was glad to see the other students not joining in like last year. If his mom doesn't do something now he will continue to misbehave. Janine was only trying to help.

[gesundheit]

There was an unnecessary apostrophe on the blackboard in Janine's classroom that was driving me nuts. (In the state capitals lesson, it said something like "match each state to it's capital." Come on production people! She's supposed to be teaching them punctuation!) On the other hand, I'm the absolute psycho who saw, rewound, and paused it so I could make sure. Hardly a lengthy error that stayed on screen.

 

21 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I adore this show beyond measure, but I was actually slightly disappointed with the writing for the scene with Janine and Ms O'Neal. First I think it would have been more effective had we seen more of the student's issues throughout the year. I also thought that Janine could have done a better job of explaining the steps she'd been taking with him. It just felt a little too condensed and rushed.

It did feel a little odd when later she told Barbara that she had "offered solutions" to the mother. As far as I understand we didn't see a portion of that meeting, we saw the whole thing, and she definitely didn't offer any solutions other than vague things about "working as a team." She did nothing wrong, I just think that lack of specificity is going to get any parent on the defensive (and in this case, offensive).

[possibilities]

I thought Janine needed to speed it up. The mom was extremely stressed and obviously in a hurry and Janine kept trying to slow down. She needed to tell the mom exactly what she wanted her to do, and make it clear and quick. I was getting impatient myself! She was acting like the mom needed to be soothed, but what she needed was an action plan. Also, why couldn't it be done over the phone?

"I see you are in a hurry. I am sorry to have bothered you at work when obviously it's hard for you to get away. The kid is doing XYZ behaviors, it is having ABC impact on him and the other students, and I have tried DEF things to manage it, but I need you to also do GHI at home, to reinforce it. If he can't change his behavior, I will be forced to do JKL thing [I'm thinking  require him to be removed from the classroom because he's throwing things and preventing others from learning-- I know they probably don't suspend kids that young but I for sure remember kits being sent to the principal's office to sit all day out of the way, where they don't learn anything] but I think we can turn this around if you help out as I described."

She was worried about the mother's ego but she needed to be practical, and worry about the mother's time.

I was disappointed that Barbara only soothed Janine, and didn't go over the specifics to see if she had another idea to add to the lot. I don't really think that there is always a solution, but before you decide there isn't, at least go over the details and find out. Barbara was more interested in checking a box on her ed requirements than being helpful in that moment.

[rollacoaster]

9 minutes ago, gesundheit said:

It did feel a little odd when later she told Barbara that she had "offered solutions" to the mother. As far as I understand we didn't see a portion of that meeting, we saw the whole thing, and she definitely didn't offer any solutions other than vague things about "working as a team." She did nothing wrong, I just think that lack of specificity is going to get any parent on the defensive (and in this case, offensive).

I think that was part of the mom's issue too, that Janine didn't get to the point quickly enough and was wasting her very limited time. 

[Abra]

The mom and whatever home environment she has for her poor kid to be acting out like that the entire school year is the problem, not Janine.

Please replace the character of Ashley with anyone else played by June Diane Raphael, who was a gem as she always is. Ashley isn't even fun in sporadic doses.

I had to rewind and watch Jacob's reaction to Barbara requesting help from him several times. I love them together.

 

[lovinbob]

3 hours ago, Abra said:

The mom and whatever home environment she has for her poor kid to be acting out like that the entire school year is the problem, not Janine.

That's an oversimplification, IMO. Janine has to deal with the reality of the students and families she has in her class. I'm sure she knows that there are probably many layers to the challenges that her student and his mom have at home. Which is likely why she didn't call the mom in sooner -- out of compassion and because she thought she could fix it herself.

I think the show was trying to portray Janine as doing all the right things, but the writing (or maybe the editing) didn't do that. 

[possibilities]

Not all behavior issues are the result of problems at home. Remember that kid who was too smart for her grade level? There are also kids with attention problems or who have a lot of energy and have trouble with the sit still all day format of a classroom. There are lots of things that do not speak to bad parenting or troubled homes. We don't know whether Janine considered any of those possibilities. We know she tried behavior modification by rewarding him (which didn't work) so maybe she needed to assess other options. I still don't know what she wanted to mom to do.

[DearEvette]

This episode was definitely falls on the more serious side.  But I liked seeing yet another aspect of their teaching life.

That award was so extra. And Gregory's reaction was very much on point, imo, for Gregory's character. 

June Diane Raphael, who played the lady giving the award, was perfect for that part.  I loved her on Grace and Frankie.

Melissa got the best LOL lines this episode hands down.  I loved her speech for Gregory.  Also, "You are not the best teacher in Philadalphia, or this school, or this grade or even this classroom."  Ha!

But Barbara got the best line of all: "People have thrown dirt on my name and others have given flowers. But it’s all a garden to me."  I am gonna use that.

I have had a fuck ton of contentious conversations with parents and my students have been college age and these confrontations come in all forms.  I recognized this one as well.  There are some interactions where you know early on where you simply can not have a productive conversation with the parent. They are deaf to everything you are gonna say to the point where they won't even let you say it. 

That mother was was out of pocket all around and went on the offensive way too fast.

At first she tells  Janine that someone picked up the rest of her shift.  Which would imply she was free for the day and had enough time to sit with Janine.

But... and I agree with how Janine started out giving background and context about why she is only calling the mom in now, rather than earlier, because the disruptive behavior was small and she did handle it, and it was only now because it was escalating. --- the minute Janine used the term 'Disruptive'  the mother suddenly had no time because she looked pointedly at her watch.

And then she would never let Janine finish a sentence.  She says 'So what do you want from me?'  Janine goes to open her file and says 'Well, I thought -" and before she could finish the mother barked 'Thought what exactly?"

That is when it went pear shaped because the mother was on the offensive from that moment on.

- "Nobody is stopping you from doing that"

- "He's seven you can't control a 7 year old."

- "We are not a team."

She completely derailed any productive conversation because she went on the attack from the moment Janine used the word 'disruptive.'  And anytime Janine tried to speak the mother spoke over her. And then she went into insult mode.

And When her phone buzzed, she never even looked at the phone but said it was her boss calling.

It felt like the mom was fine with sitting with Janine until Janine was telling her something less than complimentary about her child.

This does not mean there is any problem at home or anything, but the mom's attitude makes me think of someone who simply views teachers as day care workers who should be taking care of your child while you are at work. She wasn't seeing Janine as the person who is alerting her to something that could affect her child's education but rather as the babysitter who can't control her charges. 

[Lois Sandborne]

5 hours ago, DearEvette said:

That mother was was out of pocket all around and went on the offensive way too fast.

I was gonna write out a whole post, but I don't have to because you hit every point I had.

I've only taught college-aged kids too, and this show often teaches me that that was for the best, because my reaction to Ms. O'Neal would've been wishing her son good luck learning to read when all his books end up across the room.

[BAForever]

8 hours ago, Lois Sandborne said:

I was gonna write out a whole post, but I don't have to because you hit every point I had.

I've only taught college-aged kids too, and this show often teaches me that that was for the best, because my reaction to Ms. O'Neal would've been wishing her son good luck learning to read when all his books end up across the room.

This. I learned, after lots of error, that sometimes all a teacher can do is plant a seed to a parent. It may not be until the next teacher says the same thing that the parent is able to work with the teacher. Is that a waste of an opportunity, heck yes, but babysteps. 

 

[cinsays]

18 hours ago, DearEvette said:

This episode was definitely falls on the more serious side.  But I liked seeing yet another aspect of their teaching life.

That award was so extra. And Gregory's reaction was very much on point, imo, for Gregory's character. 

June Diane Raphael, who played the lady giving the award, was perfect for that part.  I loved her on Grace and Frankie.

Melissa got the best LOL lines this episode hands down.  I loved her speech for Gregory.  Also, "You are not the best teacher in Philadalphia, or this school, or this grade or even this classroom."  Ha!

But Barbara got the best line of all: "People have thrown dirt on my name and others have given flowers. But it’s all a garden to me."  I am gonna use that.

I have had a fuck ton of contentious conversations with parents and my students have been college age and these confrontations come in all forms.  I recognized this one as well.  There are some interactions where you know early on where you simply can not have a productive conversation with the parent. They are deaf to everything you are gonna say to the point where they won't even let you say it. 

That mother was was out of pocket all around and went on the offensive way too fast.

At first she tells  Janine that someone picked up the rest of her shift.  Which would imply she was free for the day and had enough time to sit with Janine.

But... and I agree with how Janine started out giving background and context about why she is only calling the mom in now, rather than earlier, because the disruptive behavior was small and she did handle it, and it was only now because it was escalating. --- the minute Janine used the term 'Disruptive'  the mother suddenly had no time because she looked pointedly at her watch.

And then she would never let Janine finish a sentence.  She says 'So what do you want from me?'  Janine goes to open her file and says 'Well, I thought -" and before she could finish the mother barked 'Thought what exactly?"

That is when it went pear shaped because the mother was on the offensive from that moment on.

- "Nobody is stopping you from doing that"

- "He's seven you can't control a 7 year old."

- "We are not a team."

She completely derailed any productive conversation because she went on the attack from the moment Janine used the word 'disruptive.'  And anytime Janine tried to speak the mother spoke over her. And then she went into insult mode.

And When her phone buzzed, she never even looked at the phone but said it was her boss calling.

It felt like the mom was fine with sitting with Janine until Janine was telling her something less than complimentary about her child.

This does not mean there is any problem at home or anything, but the mom's attitude makes me think of someone who simply views teachers as day care workers who should be taking care of your child while you are at work. She wasn't seeing Janine as the person who is alerting her to something that could affect her child's education but rather as the babysitter who can't control her charges. 

i imagine the kid is the same way at home because the mother's hours have her out of the home and stressed all the time.  not sure what the solution is but this did not require an immediate meeting with Janine.  her having to disrupt her schedule right away just got her more frustrated and not receptive.

[Bookish Jen]

This episode really got to me. When that mother called Janine the worst teacher, I felt it in my gut. What this show portrays are teachers who truly care about their jobs and the children they teach. Janine is a great teacher, and she's learning and growing as an educator. I'm so glad Barbara was there to offer Janine support and guidance. I think we all need a Barbara in our lives.

And I loved Melissa's speech regarding Gregory and him winning the award. As snarky as she can be, Melissa does have a mushy inner core and a loving heart. 

But seeing Ashley gave me a jump scare. Damn, give us some kind of warning. Yikes!

[mojito]

On 4/6/2023 at 3:25 PM, Crashcourse said:

I'm waiting for the writers to get into Mr. Johnson's backstory.  Sure, he's given us tidbits here and there, but I want him to tell the whole story.  Now I'm beginning to think that he might, indeed, be wealthy and just loves his job. 

I prefer the mystery. The mystery is the humor.

F.A.R.T. : Facilitating a Reading Type.

[Bookish Jen]

5 minutes ago, mojito said:

I prefer the mystery. The mystery is the humor.

F.A.R.T. : Facilitating a Reading Type.

I giggled over F.A.R.T. Apparently I have the sense of humor of an eight-year-old boy.

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I prefer the mystery. The mystery is the humor.

F.A.R.T. : Facilitating a Reading Type.

I have a feeling hearing the whole story would be even more humorous.  JMHO

[Annber03]

5 hours ago, Bookish Jen said:

But seeing Ashley gave me a jump scare. Damn, give us some kind of warning. Yikes!

Janine's expression when Ashley started talking to Gregory about how the two of them had a "will they/won't they" made me laugh. 

[RedInk]

I had little sympathy for the mom in this episode, but surprisingly also little for Janine. When I have to speak with parents about a behavior concern they’re likely aware of (and by the time I get them, probably for years), they’re often upset and angry and defensive. Doesn’t matter how carefully you explain it or how genuinely concerned you are for the child. Some interpret it as a judgement, so they judge you right back. What keeps me up is when parents are livid with a child, and I worry about how they’ll handle it at home. So I kind of winced when Janine was crying over being called a bad teacher because I’m cranky and jaded and just over that phase lol. But I do think Janine is a great portrayal of a new teacher. It all hurts so much then! 

Edited April 9, 2023 by RedInk
Autocorrect 🤨

[marceline]

I really liked Janine's dress. I think they made her look less frumpy in this episode because the character was going to take an emotional beating.

I'm a little confused about how this parent meeting came to be. Janine asked Ava for permission to move the meeting up from next week to that day. Why the urgency? Why couldn't Janine send a note home or email and confirm their meeting for next week and reiterate that Deshaun is having some behavior issues and that she'd really like to discuss. (I defer to the actual teachers on this thread if that's how anything works.) I think calling the mom to come in that day already had her resentful and I agree with those who said Janine needed to get to the point faster. I think we will get to the bottom of what's going on with Deshaun throughout the season.

I like how Gregory didn't react to Janine's crying with a hug or kiss. That would've only made things worse. He took her straight to Barbara and I loved the way Barbara energy shifted when saw Janine. She went straight-up mama bear with her "What happened?!"

I liked seeing Gregory and Melissa together. The scene in S1 where she and Barbara counseled Gregory on how to keep his kids focused on the lesson was one of those scenes where I fell in love with this show.

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by marceline

[Joimiaroxeu]

Android discrimination. The struggle is real, according to my Samsung devices anyway. 😉

Juneau is not a very funny movie, Janine. Juno is. And Juno not a movie for young children.

Slim, sensual, strange. That's our Greg!

What did Melissa mean when she called Greg "Pink Floyd."?

Cassandra had some serious eye-rolling going on as soon as she entered the room. Looked to me like she may have behavioral issues too. DeShaun might be picking up on her negative attitude at home and bringing it to school.

Sorry but I thought Barbara's advice to Janine was self-serving and ineffective. It sounded good though.

Random jabroni. That's our Greg!

Mr. Johnson said he's lowkey deadass. What does that even mean, lol? And I think having Ashley tacked on at the end ruined the moment.

Just saw a clip of Janine's mom and wow, either she and Ava will get along famously or they will loathe each other. Can't wait.

Edited April 11, 2023 by Joimiaroxeu

[luckyroll3]

10 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Android discrimination. The struggle is real, according to my Samsung devices anyway. 😉

The day before this episode aired, one of my friend group chats turned on me and everyone declared that I "needed to get an iphone". And I was like:

So then to see it called out on the show less than 12 hours later.....tells me the android hate in these streets is real strong! Lol!

10 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Mr. Johnson said he's lowkey deadass. What does that even mean, lol?

It means he's very serious about whatever he was talking about it! 

[853fisher]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:13 AM, marceline said:

I'm a little confused about how this parent meeting came to be. Janine asked Ava for permission to move the meeting up from next week to that day. Why the urgency? Why couldn't Janine send a note home or email and confirm their meeting for next week and reiterate that Deshaun is having some behavior issues and that she'd really like to discuss. (I defer to the actual teachers on this thread if that's how anything works.) I think calling the mom to come in that day already had her resentful and I agree with those who said Janine needed to get to the point faster.

I came here to say that, in an episode without much Ava and one with fewer hijinks than "serious" moments, this was something understated that showed the impact of Ava's ineffectiveness on the teachers.  Janine asked whether she could move the meeting up, and Ava brushed her off with the equivalent of "yeah ok whatever."  A different principal might have taken 60 seconds to ask for more context and maybe advised against it.

Very interesting conversation above, about the positions of Janine and Cassandra.  When I was in school, my mother was a homemaker and my father had flexible hours.  I've had other cause to think about this vs other families' realities, but I appreciate the way this show calls attention to their perspectives.  I understand the impact of being "face to face" vs a phone call.  Maybe video call could have been a middle ground?

On 4/6/2023 at 8:21 PM, callie lee 29 said:

ETA: you know what though, there is a little blurb right after the Goldbergs final production card andbefore Abbott starts that had a line about this episode being a work of fiction. It's white lettering on a black background. I wonder if that what you're thinking of. Not sure what show it's for though.

I was curious about that one when it started showing up.  It does go with "Goldbergs," which as you said is before "Abbott."  If you have a good lens prescription and squint, you see it's "This Episode is Entirely a Work of Fiction, LLC" - a new production company for this season.  I know some in the "Goldbergs" forum thought it was a pointed comment about the show becoming disconnected from the real family's life stories, but it's just a weird name.

[Ilovepie]

On 4/7/2023 at 11:49 AM, possibilities said:

Not all behavior issues are the result of problems at home. Remember that kid who was too smart for her grade level? There are also kids with attention problems or who have a lot of energy and have trouble with the sit still all day format of a classroom. There are lots of things that do not speak to bad parenting or troubled homes. We don't know whether Janine considered any of those possibilities. We know she tried behavior modification by rewarding him (which didn't work) so maybe she needed to assess other options. I still don't know what she wanted to mom to do.

Thank you for this. I am the parent of a special ed kid who is graduating this year. She was in a Gen Ed class up until third grade, which was when the problems started. It was a nightmare for both my husband and I and her teacher. I received so many phone calls that year I had to change my ringtone to the barking dog because every time my phone rang it stressed me out that it was the school again. I know her teacher tried everything, as did we, and I will forever love that woman for all she did to try to get my child through the year. We now know that my child has mental health issues that are beyond just tweaking a few things at school or home. I don't think that parent was fair to Janine at all, but Janine needed to be more direct and not beat around the bush. If that kid is throwing things, that is a safety issue and liability to the school if he injures another student. She needed to tell the parent what future consequences look like for that kid if the behavior continues rather than just reiterating that they are a "team" multiple times....

I loved seeing how supportive Barbara was to Janine when she was upset, even though Janine drives her bonkers most of the time.

I was surprised Janine's class was working on state capitals - that does not seem like second grade curriculum. Maybe learning the difference between a city, state, country, but actual state capitals? Giving side eye to that one......

Laughing my ass off at all the weird teacher acronyms - I am not a teacher, but the majority of my friends are, and when they are talking about classes and credentials and stuff it's all acronyms that sound like they are speaking a foreign language! ;-p

 

[Guest]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:25 PM, Crashcourse said:

I'm waiting for the writers to get into Mr. Johnson's backstory.  Sure, he's given us tidbits here and there, but I want him to tell the whole story.  Now I'm beginning to think that he might, indeed, be wealthy and just loves his job. 

Maybe he’s producing the documentary and just hiding in plain sight. ;)

[Court]

On 4/6/2023 at 5:45 PM, rollacoaster said:

I do think that mom treated Janine terribly.

I also think that she is aware that her kid is a problem, but expects Janine to handle it without pulling her in. 

That mom DOES care for her child, but has few resources and is under pressure from her job. Apparently being away from her workplace for even that short amount of time was a problem. She's worried about losing that job, which adds even more stress. Plus, I suspect she was feeling judged for her child's bad behavior.  

It's a little more complex than she's just a terrible parent. 

Sure, sometimes but I don't think so in this case. There are parents who think their child can do no wrong and that the teacher is the problem. There's nothing you can do about it. 

I had a parent admit that they blocked the school's number because when she drops her kid off, she's ours and we can deal with her. 

I've called a parent to let her know about her child's behavior and she said so what? What do you want me to do about it? He was flat out bullying another student and throwing her stuff away and making fun of her visible disability. 

I've had a parent tell me that her child is being singled out every day for behavior and that's why kids don't play with him. No, they don't want to play with him because he spends the day crying and screaming on the floor and hitting them. There's nothing more I can do because she refuses to sign the consent form to evaluate. 

That's just the beginning! 

On 4/9/2023 at 10:13 AM, marceline said:

I really liked Janine's dress. I think they made her look less frumpy in this episode because the character was going to take an emotional beating.

I'm a little confused about how this parent meeting came to be. Janine asked Ava for permission to move the meeting up from next week to that day. Why the urgency? Why couldn't Janine send a note home or email and confirm their meeting for next week and reiterate that Deshaun is having some behavior issues and that she'd really like to discuss. (I defer to the actual teachers on this thread if that's how anything works.) I think calling the mom to come in that day already had her resentful and I agree with those who said Janine needed to get to the point faster. I think we will get to the bottom of what's going on with Deshaun throughout the season.

I like how Gregory didn't react to Janine's crying with a hug or kiss. That would've only made things worse. He took her straight to Barbara and I loved the way Barbara energy shifted when saw Janine. She went straight-up mama bear with her "What happened?!"

I liked seeing Gregory and Melissa together. The scene in S1 where she and Barbara counseled Gregory on how to keep his kids focused on the lesson was one of those scenes where I fell in love with this show.

 

Well it was moved up because the behavior was escalating. The fact that the conference was already set up for a week later shows me that Janine has made or at least attempted to make aware Mom of the behaviors. 

Ava should have been at the meeting, honestly or an AP but clearly Abbot doesn't have one of those. 

Janine wanted to make Mom aware of the behaviors and what she has tried so far. If the Mom had let her, she would have asked her what tips/strategies work at home. 

Also, as far as  accommodations or evaluation, Janine can't do that unless Mom consents and many times parents won't consent. 

[cinsays]

9 hours ago, Court said:

Sure, sometimes but I don't think so in this case. There are parents who think their child can do no wrong and that the teacher is the problem. There's nothing you can do about it. 

I had a parent admit that they blocked the school's number because when she drops her kid off, she's ours and we can deal with her. 

I've called a parent to let her know about her child's behavior and she said so what? What do you want me to do about it? He was flat out bullying another student and throwing her stuff away and making fun of her visible disability. 

I've had a parent tell me that her child is being singled out every day for behavior and that's why kids don't play with him. No, they don't want to play with him because he spends the day crying and screaming on the floor and hitting them. There's nothing more I can do because she refuses to sign the consent form to evaluate. 

That's just the beginning! 

Well it was moved up because the behavior was escalating. The fact that the conference was already set up for a week later shows me that Janine has made or at least attempted to make aware Mom of the behaviors. 

Ava should have been at the meeting, honestly or an AP but clearly Abbot doesn't have one of those. 

Janine wanted to make Mom aware of the behaviors and what she has tried so far. If the Mom had let her, she would have asked her what tips/strategies work at home. 

Also, as far as  accommodations or evaluation, Janine can't do that unless Mom consents and many times parents won't consent. 

Nah, Ava would have probably just have gone along with the mother's attitude and said she used to do those same things in class and look how she ended up, running a school.

[bettername2come]

The parent-teacher conference was definitely something I went through in my past life as an educator, although when Janine told Barbara she offered solutions, all I could think was "No, no, you did not" but I blame the mom for not letting her say anything. I was kind of hoping for a hug from Gregory. Not even in a romantic way, I think I'd have wanted one if Jacob had been the one talking to her. I did appreciate how he

I laughed at Gregory shooing out the wrong camera guy when trying to get the news crew to leave. That's twice we've had confusion due to multiple film crews, the other being Ava letting in the charter school commercial crew when she thought it was the documentary crew. I am good with this as a continuing gag. 

On 4/14/2023 at 10:47 PM, Court said:

Also, as far as  accommodations or evaluation, Janine can't do that unless Mom consents and many times parents won't consent. 

I would enjoy seeing one of the teachers work on trying to get an evaluation process going and meeting resistance. I feel like that would be one of those rare times Ava might be a reasonable adult who backs up Janine. 

[nanners84]

On 4/7/2023 at 9:00 AM, possibilities said:

I was disappointed that Barbara only soothed Janine, and didn't go over the specifics to see if she had another idea to add to the lot. I don't really think that there is always a solution, but before you decide there isn't, at least go over the details and find out. Barbara was more interested in checking a box on her ed requirements than being helpful in that moment.

I was also disappointed in Barbara for poo-poo-ing the continuing education requirements.  I’m not familiar with what’s mandatory for maintaining licensure and keeping your job, and plenty of CEs are a waste of time but some are really vital in adapting to the times or adapting your lens and approaches to meet students needs and set them up for success.   

[sistermagpie]

On 4/8/2023 at 10:32 AM, cinsays said:

i imagine the kid is the same way at home because the mother's hours have her out of the home and stressed all the time.  not sure what the solution is but this did not require an immediate meeting with Janine.  her having to disrupt her schedule right away just got her more frustrated and not receptive.

What frustrated me about it was that yes, Janine should have seen she needed to just speed it up instead of gently protecting the mom preemptively. But if the Mom's time is so important and she's annoyed about every minute away, maybe let the teacher talk instead of cutting in? Why did you take off work if you weren't going to take it seriously anyway? You took off work to tell the teacher how angry you were about having to take off work and then stomped out. Why not just refuse to move up the meeting?