Abbott Elementary

Pencils, erasers, left-handed scissors...

Oh, you got some southpaws in your class.

You know, there's actually

- a lot of data... - Jacob.

Please. I'm just trying to inventory my needs.

So, it's wish list week here at Abbott Elementary.

The city doesn't always give us

the funding we need for our supplies.

I know I keep saying that, but it keeps being true.

It's not like we have nothing.

We, uh, clip old pictures out of magazines

from the barbershop down the street.

Uh, the whole wish list thing makes it very easy

- for the community to help. - (door opens)

- Hello. - Hi.

- (door closes) - I heard about

your needs over here, so I would like

to donate this to the school.

Oh, um, thank you, but we actually put specific items

on our online wish list, which you can find...

I don't know what that is. Here.

Top of the line. Enjoy.

Okay. Um, you know what?

It's actually very nice, now that I look at it.

Yeah. I love it.

Sometimes you need to unplug it, then plug it back in.

Couldn't find the cord.

Okay.

It also smokes.

Okay.

- The trash? - Yeah.

Hi, y'all. My name is Miss Kerman.

I'm a third grade teacher here at Marshall Elementary

in Louisville, Kentucky, and here are some of the things

we need for our classroom.

So I didn't get a lot from our wish list last year,

but this year is gonna be different,

because I'm gonna make a video.

- Crayons and staplers... Hey.

You gonna ask for a pair of headphones

on that little wish list of yours?

'Cause I cannot listen to one more squeaky voice

begging for pencils.

Well, if you saw how much stuff these teachers got,

- you would make one, too. - Yeah, no. I'm good.

I got plenty of classroom supply plugs

to keep me stocked up on whatever I need.

It's not my fault yous didn't want into the deal.

Okay, to be fair, none of us said no.

We simply had a few questions.

And I said that's a few too many questions.

Hey, Barbara, you know,

you should make one of these videos.

I know your class is short on resources.

- This could really help. - You know, I actually

- submitted a list. - Mm-hmm.

Typed it up myself, and I left it with the young man

at the front desk with the earring in his cheek.

Yeah, well, I mean, it could be really easy, though.

It only takes 10 seconds, and it's so effective.

All you have to do is go, "Hi. I'm a teacher,

and I need pens and paper and..."

It looks like you might need a new stapler?

We make do in my classroom, and my kids are just fine,

and there's nothing wrong with my stapler.

Borrowing the teachers' granola, y'all.

Trying to give y'all space to talk about

your little Hondas or whatever,

but I ran out of oats in my earthquake kit.

We don't have earthquakes.

That's what everybody says, until they wake up

and their kitchen is across the street.

Some of you need to open your eyes to the very real

and constant threat of global catastrophe.

- Ooh, are you on TikTok? - Uh, yeah.

Did you see my video that I did

- about softening elbows? - Mnh-mnh.

I did it to the tune of "Black and Yellow."

- It blew up. - (chuckles)

Pretty clever.

I'm just looking at teachers' wish list videos from all over.

- Some of them are really cute. - Mm.

Oh. Whoa. That's not...

You're not throwing that away, are you?

The bloody paper towel or the Hustler magazine?

Oh, Lordy. Boy is in the trash.

This is not trash.

Yes, it is.

We are so quick to throw things away,

you know, always looking for, or...

or asking for new, new, new, new, new.

Well, I'm gonna get this thing working

and show you that, like our students,

you can't give up on something just because it's easy.

I mean, this is a perfectly good...

Well, I can't find a brand name, but...

Oh, I know what it's called.

It's called trash.

Don't put that up there.

- (knock on door) Knock, knock.

I don't know why I said that.

It's weird when you think about it.

You don't say "pull" when you open a door.

Um, I just wanted to know if I could borrow your projector

for a little pro-ject that I'm doing.

Making a wish list video for my classroom supplies,

which, by the looks of things, you could use.

What happened to your walls?

Oh, I took all the old teacher's stuff down.

It just didn't feel like me, you know?

I know that if this feels like you,

you might be a serial killer.

I think it looks good.

It's clean. I like clean.

Yeah, no, clean is good.

It's just, you know, the walls are the soul of the classroom.

You gotta put something up there.

- You know? - Yeah. Okay.

I'll, um... I'll think about that.

- Okay. - Yeah.

Remember the walls.

Let them speak from you to your kids.

What kind of teacher are you?

Who is Gregory?

Gregory is a Baltimore Ravens fan,

a Grape Nuts fan... although, they can get a bit sugary...

and a temporary teacher.

I made this for you, Mr. Eddie.

Thank you.

That trash?

Uh, no. No.

Thanks.

I got out all the old cords from the computer room.

I mean, one of them's gotta fit this thing.

Hey, can I show you what I've made so far?

My video?

I know you have ethical objections to,

well, everything,

but you're more Internet-y than I am, so...

- Um, yeah. - Okay.

All right. Let me start from the beginning.

Hi. I'm Janine Teagues, and I teach...

See how I spelled my name out in the back

on the projector on the wall?

- Hmm. Mm-hmm. - Mm-hmm.

Needs school supplies. What do we need?

Tape, right-handed scissors...

So, I'm going to, like, put the items over my head...

pictures... and, um, as soon as I learn how to do that.

And you get the idea.

It's easy as one, two, three, so thank you, from me.

Did you notice that last part?

- That it rhymed? - Yeah. That was fun, right?

I like it. I just... I'm not sure

it's going to, you know, break through the noise.

The Internet is very busy.

You know, you're competing with alien conspiracies

and animals that can sing, and it just...

it... it... it's missing that... that thing.

Huh. What thing?

You know, that thing, where you look at something

and you're like, "That's good."

Well, I'm adding a filter that's gonna rain glitter, so...

That's not gonna compete with singing parrots.

It just needs a little showmanship.

Well, I'm not a showman.

Yes! Yes! Yes! (Laughs)

I-Is that European, or...?

- (computer blooping) Oh, yeah,

I can help you make your video.

- Really? - Yes. This is what I do.

Well, you're also a principal, so...

Yeah, but this is my art.

I write, I edit, I direct, I do the music, I lip-sync.

Because of me, when people say that their favorite director

is that Ava lady, somebody else gotta be like, "Which one?"

Well, maybe you can just give me a few tips.

You know, maybe help build upon what I already have?

Let me see your phone.

What is this? An iPhone 9?

It's like a Walkman.

I don't know nothing about this.

That's before my time.

Hi. I'm Janine Teagues, and I teach second grade...

Ugh.

Well, I'm not on social media like that,

so I don't have a lot of experience with...

Quality control? (Chuckles)

I'm kidding. She know I'm playin'.

And that's why I, or more importantly, we...

I can get you a lot of views,

and that's gonna mean a lot of supplies.

But I'm gonna need complete creative control.

Mm, what does that mean?

I'm gonna take some photos, do a little video,

and then I'll do my thing in post.

Can you twerk?

You don't look like you can, but I could be wrong.

With your help, I can become the hero.