Top 10 Times Barbara Was the Best Character on Abbott Elementary
#10: Teaching William How to ‘Read’ “New Tech”
We all know that Barbara is one of the best teachers Abbott has to offer. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t get a little ahead of herself sometimes. In an early episode of season one, Barbara pretends that she understands a new piece of reading technology a bit better than she actually does. When one of her students, William, is asked to read aloud to show how well her class is supposedly doing, she gets a bit nervous. She teaches him to “read” “Jack and Jill,” which really means she teaches him to memorize the words. When Principal Ava brings out Michelle Obama’s book for him instead, Barbara has to scramble. She doesn’t lie often, but when she does, boy is she funny!
#9: Spam Queen “Pilot”
Right from the jump, Mrs. Howard became one of our favorite characters on “Abbott Elementary.” In the very first episode, we get to see a little bit of her and Janine’s dynamic. As the kids line up in the hallway, Janine asks Barbara if she received her email about hanging out after school. The latter says no, replying that it must have gone to spam before delivering a sneaky look to the camera. Knowing where the pair’s mentor/mentee relationship ends up, it’s delightful to go back and watch these funny moments. And Barbara always delivers on the humor.
#8: “Baby Shark” “Pilot”
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If you have children, or spend a lot of time around them, you know there are a few things they can’t get enough of. There’s “Bluey,” of course, but there’s also “Baby Shark”. This song has been around for God knows how long, and has been the bane of many an adult’s existence for just as much time. In the pilot episode of “Abbott Elementary,” Barbara tells it like it is. While she’s trying to teach her kindergarten class the letters of the alphabet, Janine is blasting “Baby Shark.” When asking her colleague to keep it down, Barbara delivers a pitch-perfect description of the tune. She’s got it right – it’s like dancing sugar to kids.
#7: Sick Burn “Pilot”
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A lot of the “Abbott Elementary” crew, in particular Ava, make no secret of the fact that they don’t think Janine has much sense of style. But this zinger from Barbara in the pilot takes the cake for the filthiest burn we’ve heard in years. When Janine asks for a bit of support from the rest of the teachers when asking for new supplies, Barbara doesn’t hold back. She says that her support is going to be about as helpful as the bra Janine has on, making it very clear it’s not helpful at all. Jacob’s face says it all, don’t mess with Barbara!
#6: Teaching Advice “Work Family”
It’s time for a dance break with Barbara and Farmer Hank! Melissa and Barbara are the two veteran teachers at Abbott, and therefore, they know their stuff. Late in season one, they give Gregory some well-earned advice about how to run a classroom. According to them, entertaining diversions and making things fun are an important part of the teaching process. Melissa does designated silly-voice time, but nothing beats Barbara’s preferred mode of distraction. She demonstrates for Gregory how she likes to spice things up with a dance. And can we just say, Mrs. Howard has some moves (and vocal chops)!
#5: Sea Barbara “Development Day”
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There’s a lot of fun to be had in the season two premiere of “Abbott Elementary.” As the teachers prep for the new school year, Janine tries to make “Development Week,” as it’s called, as fun as possible. But there’s one teacher who’s clearly not ready for summer to end. And that’s Barbara. She tells the documentary crew about the cruise she took over the break, remarking on how intoxicated she was. You might be surprised at the lack of filter from Mrs. Howard here, but what can she say? Sea Barbara is a whole different entity than Land Barbara. We want to hang out with her!
#4: Breakup Advice “Development Day”
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Plenty of relationship advice is shared in the halls of Abbott. Whether it’s very good relationship advice is a whole other topic, but we’ll save that for another time. However, when it comes to breakups, Melissa and Barbara are so very wise. When Janine is struggling through her split from her long-term boyfriend in the season two premiere, the duo of veterans offer some help. They tell her to not just try to blindly move on pretending it doesn’t hurt, but to work through – and grow from – it. That’s sage advice for anyone to follow!
#3: Tech Issues “New Tech”
When you’ve been teaching for as long as Barbara has, sometimes new technology can be tough. We aren’t ones to laugh at an older generation trying to figure things out, but it’s hard not to be amused here. In the fourth episode of “Abbott Elementary,” Barbara is fiddling with a tablet the teachers received as part of their new reading curriculum. She inadvertently opens up the camera, and snaps an unwitting photo of herself. The selfie looks just like any accidental pic you’ve ever seen of your parents, but her follow up line seals the comedy deal. Psst … it was you Barbara. You took the picture.
#2: Celebrity Mix Up “Wrong Delivery”
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Get ready for perhaps one of the funniest moments in “Abbott Elementary’s” history. Early in season two, we learn that Barbara has a hard time keeping famous celebrities straight. Who among us doesn’t, truly? But Barbara’s issue stems beyond a bit of facial or name recognition issues. She keeps getting white and Black actors with similar names mixed up. This leads to quite a few funny switch ups, including Carrie Underwood and Kerry Washington. But our favorite has to be Barbara’s inability to keep the two Michelle Williamses in line. Who was on “Dawson’s Creek?” Who was in Destiny’s Child? The world may never know. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Molding Hearts & Minds, “Student Transfer” One Forgotten Kid at a Time Not a Fan of Sight Words, “New Tech” Barbara Is Team Phonic Principle Support Local Journalism, “Light Bulb” Local News Sure Can Cause a Laugh
#1: Wheelchair Set Up “Development Day”
Grab those tissues folks. One of the more serious bits about “Abbott Elementary” is how it focuses on the hardships that hit public schools. In the premiere of season two, Barbara is struggling trying to find an appropriate desk for a student she has who uses a wheelchair. She’s already gotten him a ramp, but she’s not going to do things halfway. Her commitment to doing right by her kids is incredibly admirable, and a real sign of how much she cares and values creating an inclusive environment. In a touching display of camaraderie, Gregory ends up finding exactly what she needs. Barbara’s face when she walks in with her new student and sees the desk there is absolutely priceless.
