As an elementary teacher, I’ve heard my fair share of farts over the years. In all honestly, I find farts HILARIOUS. However, I really try to maintain my composure in the classroom. Prior to the “toot talk” kids will pinch their noses, point, whisper, and shout, “EWWWW!” When this happens, and it’s happened every single year, we gather on the carpet for the Classroom Toot Talk.
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What is the Classroom Toot Talk?
It goes something like this:
Me: What’s it called when someone passes gas?
Students: Fart! Cut the cheese! Toot! Break wind! SBD (silent but deadly)!
Me: Raise your hand if you’ve ever farted?
I immediately throw my hand in the air, which naturally is pretty shocking.
Other brave souls smile, and put their hands in the air.
As students look around and start to giggle, more and more hands go up until every single hand in the class is raised.
Me: Wow! It looks like we all fart!
Students: *laughing*
Me: Raise your hand if your farts have ever been stinky? Loud? Funny sounding? Silent? Sneezed and farted at the same time?
Of course hands go up and down as students relate to what I’m saying.
After lots of smiles, and giggles, I explain that it’s perfectly normal to pass gas and that we don’t have to point to the person we think did it.
We don’t have to say, “EWWWW,” or plug our noses, and we don’t have to laugh at the person who did it.
Instead, I teach my students to just say, “Excuse me.” Simple, but effective. And we’re able to move on with whatever we’re doing.
And that my friends, is the Classroom Toot Talk.
It’s very simple, and it only takes a few minutes, but it saves lots of hurt feelings, countless disruptions, and it’s just another way that we bond as a classroom community.
This year, I’m adding the book, Almost Everybody Farts by Marty Kelley to the Classroom Toot Talk.
I saw it at a book shop in Austin, and after reading through it, I immediately ordered it.
The book perfectly illustrates the fact that everybody farts.
It’s a short book (probably will take less than 5 minutes to read), with relatable examples, funny rhyme, and a surprise ending (no pun intended).
The Classroom Toot Talk lets students know that it’s ok to fart, and it’s ok when someone else farts.
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