Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary-style TV series that revolves around a group of passionate teachers who wind up working together in the Philadelphia public school system. Despite being underfunded and having the world against them, these dedicated teachers will stop at nothing to help their students learn and give them better lives. Abbott Elementary has been subject to critical acclaim and was nominated for over 20 awards, including a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
One of the best aspects of the show is its cast, featuring Quinta Brunson (writer and creator of the show as well), Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, and, of course, Sheryl Lee Ralph. While every actor has been praised for their performance on the show, special attention has been given to Ralph, who plays the experienced older teacher Ms. Barabara Howard. In September 2022, in fact, Ralph won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, delivering a stunning song during her speech. With the new release of the second season, it’s only fair that we look back on some of Ms. Howard’s best moments so far. Here are Sheryl Lee Ralph’s best Ms. Howard moments from Abbott Elementary, ranked.
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6 Teaching William to Read
ABC
In season 1, episode 4 of Abbott Elementary, we see the difficult yet hilarious realities that Ms. Howard faces. Sitting down with William, she attempts to teach him how to read, and despite doing her best, William is only interested in perfecting his dance moves. She does eventually get him to read and while trying to get him to say the word “hill,” hinting that it rhymes with his own name, he ends up saying “hilliam,” to which Ms. Howard shakes her head and says no. Part of what makes this scene so funny is its relatability to teachers and parents alike as children struggle learning new things, especially considering that each child learns in their own individual way.
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5 Sillier is Better
When it comes to teaching kids, one of the greatest challenges is keeping the children interested in learning. In episode 8 of Abbott Elementary season 1, we get to see Ms. Howard team up with Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) to teach Gregory (Tyler James Williams) a better approach to keep kids interested in learning. While Melissa suggests using a ridiculous voice to bring more fun to the kids and help engage their critical thinking, Barbara stands up and shows Gregory how singing and dancing while teaching is more effective than the traditional bout of forcing memorization on students without them actually learning anything. This scene not only shows the fun side of teaching, but allows all viewers to approach learning in a more accessible way.
4 Barbara and Melissa Give Janine Solid Break-Up Advice
In the season two premiere of Abbott Elementary, we see our favorite characters return to the screen with new struggles to overcome. One of the most heartfelt moments is when Barbara and Melissa give Janine (Quinta Brunson) advice on how to handle her recent break-up at a party that went terribly wrong. They give her the sage advice to work through her break up and not just move on from it. Not only is this sound advice overall, but this once again shows how close all the teachers at Abbott Elementary are, acting as far more than simply co-workers, helping each other when they need it the most.
3 Crying for a Student
One of the most heartfelt moments of the newest season appears in the premiere. When Ms. Howard sees a wheelchair accessible desk set-up for a disabled student, she begins to tear up at the sight and shows her appreciation. This scene not only displays Barbara’s compassion as a human being, but it also displays how she feels about her students, truly wanting the absolute best for each one of them. The act of tearing up when one of her students is able to sit among the rest of the students without feeling left out is part of what makes Ms. Howard a phenomenal teacher.
2 What Barbara Did Over the Summer
In the first episode of the second season of Abbott Elementary, we get to see a whole new side of Barbara. When asked what she did over the summer, she talks about her all-inclusive cruise where she lost her shoes while drunk. Up until this point Ms. Howard has always been seen as a fun but serious teacher who is committed to her job. In this recap, we get a taste of Barbara during her free time, getting so drunk that she loses her shoes, an activity that many would consider “fun”. While the told this story, she said one of the most quoted lines of the second season “Sea Barbara is… different from Land Barbara.” This makes us wonder what the rest of the season has in store for us by starting off strong.
1 Ms. Howard Decides to Keep Teaching
In the finale of the first season, Abbott Elementary wraps up a number of unresolved conflicts throughout the series. Where Ms. Howard is concerned, she makes the decision to keep teaching despite her being at retirement age. Not only does this display Ms. Howard’s dedication to her students, but this proves her loyalty to her co-workers and her desire to teach the next generation. Audiences were ecstatic to hear that Ms. Howard would be returning for the second season of the show as most fans consider her to be the heart and soul of the show. This is only proven by her taking home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
