Air Quotes: A "Friends" Moment in Room 18

)



 I always say that every moment in life can relate back to a "Friends" episode. Well, today that came true in my classroom during the writing lesson. If you've never seen this clip, watch it first, and then this story will be even better.



In writing today, we were talking about ways to "spice up your writing." We focused on adding dialogue to stories using quotation marks (most of them didn't even know the name for "those things that say people are talking"). After explaining to them how quotes are used, I asked if they had ever seen anyone use air quotes (I did the motion with my hands). They all got excited and said that they had seen it, but didn't really know what it meant. I explained to them that people usually use air quotes when they are explaining something someone said or did, but that sarcasm was implied. I gave them a few dramatic examples, where I talked like a valley girl and put air quotes up when "she like totally said that I COULD copy her homework..." and they understood it a little more.



During the next transition, I looked down at my kids and they were all practicing using air quotes. They were using them in the MOST sarcastic way possible, and totally wrong - which was hilarious. One of them said, "Hey! Ms. Steadman! You're the *insert air quotes here* WORST teacher ever!" Everyone laughed and they made sure I didn't actually think they were saying I was the worst. But then I asked for their attention and one of my boys looked at his best friend, and with the most authority his body could muster, he leaned forward, put his air quotes high in the air and said, "SHHHHHH!!"



Naturally, I busted out laughing and we all laughed together. It didn't even matter that they were using it wrong. It was just cute that they were trying it at all :)