Laugh At The Fart – What Happened to Fun?
I was in the middle of my lesson when it happened.
The enormous fart! – The type that just can’t be ignored.
My students erupted into volcanic laughter.
This was my reaction:-
My eyes rolled.
My heart rate increased.
My muscles tensed.
I was annoyed, verging on angry.
I was frightened.
I waited impatiently for the group to turn their eyes back to me and refocus on my brilliant lesson.
“Billy, say ‘Excuse me’.”
“Excuse me.”
Cheeky eye-contact between Billy and his best friend.
Smirks amongst peers.
The gradual stifling of lingering giggles.
Pause.…
Big breath.
“Right, where were we?”
What kind of teacher do you want to be?
That’s a question I ask myself every day, but in that moment I answered the opposite question.
What kind of teacher did I NOT want to be?
This one!
This serious, stern faced, stressed out human.
Something had to change.
How much fun are you?
One of the things we are drawn to in kids is their brazen celebration of all things fun.
That day was my epiphany. I was taking myself and my job way way way way way too seriously. These are kids! That unexpected, unwanted moment in my career, forced me to release my own pressure valve that was clenched far too tightly.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we should have crazy, unpredictable classrooms. I am a huge advocate for clear rules and settled learning spaces. I believe in respect and good manners. For me it is almost impossible to be a happy teacher without a calm classroom. I also do not believe teachers need to be constant entertainers who spend their life striving to make every lesson mind blowing.
But …
I do think it is essential to have a room where laughing happens regularly and a fun outlook is not dismissed as being frivolous or disruptive.
What we do as teachers every day is deeply significant. Educating the next generation is a huge responsibility. Maintaining control of a class of 30 students is highly challenging. Planning and delivering relevant lessons that inspire and stimulate potential whilst also catering for the individual needs of every participant; borders on impossible. It takes an enormous sacrifice of both time and energy.
But it had cost me more than that.
I had given away my joy.
So on that pivotal, flatulent day in my career; I made a crucial decision.
I was going to find my joy again and I would keep it until the day I retired.
The purpose of this blog is to remind myself (and anyone who happens to stumble upon it) how to be a happy teacher. It will contain practical strategies, simple ideas and meaningful moments from my 30+ years of teaching experience. I simply hope to encourage teachers to find long term satisfaction in this profound career.
So my very first piece of advice is:
The next time a lesson is rudely interrupted … laugh at the fart!
Thank you for speaking so openly about the realities of the classroom, Jen. Your words were a powerful reminder of why I became a teacher. My goal was and is always to help students learn—but true learning can only happen when our kids feel safe, loved, and cared for. As you’ve said, it’s the connections we build and the giggles we share with our students during those unpredictable moments (the fart and alike) that shape us to be the very best teachers. Thank you xx
I love this! My favourite part of being a teacher is those 30 seconds bursts where we get off track for a moment and all have a little giggle at something unexpected.
Aaawwww Jen! Such a beautiful reminder of why we chose this profession all those years ago. After 30+ years in the classroom myself, I know how easy it can be to lose sight of the joy in the midst of pressures and change. But you have always been a shining example of what it looks like to lead with love. Every time I’ve stepped into your classroom, I’ve witnessed warmth, compassion, and genuine connection. Your students are seen, heard, and deeply cared for—and that’s the true heart of joyful teaching. Thank you for sharing your voice and your passion. Keep writing—it’s needed more than ever.