- My mom was a teacher,
which basically makes her a hero in my eyes.
And a lot of us now that you're having to do it from home,
am I right? (audience laughs)
But any given day being a teacher, it's tough and rewarding,
or so I've heard from my mom,
but now whether in the classrooms or leading classes online,
teachers are facing challenges like never before.
So when I first saw this first grade teacher in Florida,
like when I saw what she did, I was blown away.
I had to immediately retweet it.
Before her students were turned to the classroom,
she transformed the desks into socially distant Jeeps,
and so we're calling this best in class.
(upbeat music)
- [Woman] Best in class.
- We have Kim dialing in right now.
Kim, meet Jenna Bush Hager, meet Paris Hilton.
(audience applauds) - Hi.
- Hi Kelly, hi Jenna, hi Paris, how are you?
- We are sliving. - (laughs) Yes.
We are slaying and living and y'all hot.
(audience laughs) So Kim, we all know
school looks different this year for everyone.
I mean it depends on what state you're in
and city you're in as well.
So explain some of the challenges
that you in particular have faced.
- Well, I think that there's anxiety for anyone
coming back to school this year.
- Hmm.
- There's a struggle for their kids,
there's the concern about parents
and it's a really scary time,
and kids have not been in school since March.
So even just getting kids together
is something that's very different.
And the way we're gonna teach this year
is gonna look different.
I mean, I've been a teacher for 20 years
and it's not gonna look the same this year.
Kids can't share materials, they can't work with a partner,
they can't make any physical contact.
So there's a lot of stress going on right now.
- Yeah, no, I've heard from loads of people.
So, Kim, how did you come up with the Jeep desks?
And why Jeep?
- So it was daunting when we looked at our classrooms
when the school year was getting ready to start.
Our school did plexiglass shields-
- Hmm. - For the kids.
So we had seen a prototype of a teacher's classroom
in actually Texas, Jenna's home state.
- And mine. - And she graciously shared-
- Yeah. - Oh, and you.
And she graciously shared her prototype
and we decided that it would look less daunting
if we made it playful.
So the kids' desks were turned into Jeeps.
That's the teacher in Texas,
and my co-teacher in first grade has a Jeep, loves Jeeps.
So Patricia said, let's put this show on the road
and let's drive them into a new year.
So we created the Jeeps
and they have trunks which are baskets
where they keep their extra materials
and we have license plates with their names on them.
And we have a terrific team of first grade.
Julie, Patty and Carrie helped us
kind of put these together.
And I don't know, it kind of made it less daunting
even for us before the kids even showed up
just to kind of make it a playful environment.
- I remember my mother would always go in early
like weeks early and start decorating her room
to get the kids excited.
And I'm just saying like, this is cool
regardless of what's happening,
just like to make it so exciting.
They get in their own little thing and their own space,
and I don't know the ownership
and how much y'all cared and put into it,
like that really does translate.
And it really does get kids more into it
and wanting to learn.
So it is an incredibly brilliant idea,
but it's also just cool without COVID,
it just is a nice idea.
And you incorporate the Jeep theme every day, right?
- Oh, absolutely.
So we have to be playful this year.
So we have a driver of the day,
that's the best person in the classroom,
and we have a big presentation
with a trophy at the end of each day.
And with discipline this year, we have to be creative,
so if you're not really doing the right thing,
we give you a violation. (Kelly laughs)
And then it could result in a ticket,
which is sent home to the proper authorities,
and we pull over because we do have some kids
that want to wear masks all day.
So we pull over for rest area breaks
and everyone takes their mask off and there's no talking
and we have our drink breaks there,
and we do long, long road trip stretches.
So anything we can do to take the theme and incorporate it.
- It's brilliant, it's so incredibly brilliant
and innovative and it's just pretty creative, right?
- So creative that I like literally have tears in my eyes
listening to this,
I think that's so amazing. - I know.
- And just turning such a scary time into fun.
- Yeah, exactly, and like even if it wasn't a scary time,
like I wanna come to your class. (laughs)
- Yes. - I'm like, I want a Jeep.
(laughs) I want a name and all of that,
I would be so into that.
So, well, Kim doesn't know this,
but we have the teacher who first created these Jeep desk-
- Hello! - Dialing in right now.
So let's bring her into the conversation.
What's up Jennifer? (audience applauds)
- Hi, how are you?
- So, Jennifer, Kim's tweet went viral,
but it was actually your original idea.
So how did you feel knowing it caught on?
- I was really excited.
I wanted to do something special for the kids,
came up with the idea for the Jeeps.
I also drive a Jeep
and I knew I had to go to desks this year.
So I'd put this together and made a quick little video
and took some pictures while I was doing it and shared that.
- Yeah. - And then I was asked about
how I made them, so I talked more about it
and I shared the file.
- Yeah, it makes like a little safari adventure,
and when you're learning, it's so cool.
So, Jennifer, how did your kids react to the desks?
- Oh, they loved them.
Each child has a different color desk,
I knew what color they wanted
before they came on the first day.
So I was able to write their names on the license plates.
I had their favorite color and they make little car sounds
(Kelly laughs) and they remind each other
where to put their equipment or their gear,
so they've loved it.
- I love that you personalized it too,
that's so thoughtful.
It's such a great thing to get kids excited
and involved with and knowing how important education is
and how fun it can be.
Way to be awesome teachers,
cameras were actually in the room when Kim's students
first got back to school.
Check out their reactions.
(upbeat music)
- Today is the first day that the kids
are going to get to see their new classroom.
Welcome to first grade.
What do you guys think?
(upbeat music)
(boy mumbles)
(Kim mumbles)
- Yeah. - Yeah, okay.
(upbeat music)
- Where was this when I was in first grade?
(upbeat music)
- Oh my gosh. (audience applauds)
I mean, Jenna, you're a teacher,
what are your thoughts after seeing that?
- I'm just so inspired by the two of you,
but also by teachers across our country,
y'all are making our kids feel safe and empowered.
And I know that so many kids are
looking forward to be back in school,
so thank you guys so much.
- It is, it's so awesome.
What's your favorite Jeep color?
Would you have picked pink?
- Yes, like I wanna do that to my desk at my office.
(Kelly laughs) (laughs) Like literally.
- Me too, I like this. (laughs)
I'm going to. - So.
- (laughs) So, Kim, what was your
favorite part of the kids' reactions?
- That we gave them keys when they came
for meet your teacher and they really thought that they
could start their vehicles (Kelly laughs)
and they looked for where (audience laughs)
could you put the key in the ignition?
And really, if we could have videotaped the parents,
they sort of had this, huh!
- Yeah. - This looks doable,
this looks manageable,
this looks safe and secure for my kids.
- Yeah-
- So that was kind of cool for kids.
- Yeah, as a mama who,
one of my kids has gone back physically to school already
and literally I was worried.
I mean, every parent is, you get a little worried
sending them, and then when you see something like that
and you see all the care and thoughtfulness,
it's not only keeping them safe and healthy,
it's also keeping them still involved
and excited about learning.
So thank you both, it's really, really incredible.
We have one of Kim's students, Eva, on the line
along with her mom, Heavenly.
So, hey, what's up, Eva and Heavenly.
- Hi guys. - Hi.
- So, I mean, what do- (audience applauds)
So both of you, what do you think
makes the Jeep desks so awesome?
Eva, what is so exciting about it?
- I like it because it has keys
and a license plate.
And I also like it because it has a windshield
and I like it because it feels safe.
- Oh my gosh, you are adorable.
So, Heavenly, like did it kind of
relieve any fears of sending Eva off?
- Yeah, I was so nervous sending her back,
I honestly was on the verge of not sending her back.
And when I walked into that classroom
and I saw those desks, I wanted to cry. (laughs)
- Yeah.
- And just realizing how much work
and how much heart these teachers put into
not only making her comfortable, but myself-
- Hmm. - During such a scary,
uncertain, uneasy time, it's amazing.
And I'm really, really thankful.
- I really do get it that watching my mother work so hard
and put so much effort and all the creativity
behind making her classroom so enjoyable
and so comfortable and welcoming.
Like it's got to be a nice payoff, right ladies,
to have them come in and just be so excited about it,
and they kind of light up?
I mean, Jennifer, I'll start with you.
Is that kinda how you felt?
Were you just so excited?
- Oh, absolutely.
They were excited and happy
and for a teacher to be away from students
for the length of time that we were away from students,
it was important and exciting for me.
I got to see kids for the first time in months and months,
and I was gonna be able to do what I do, which is teach.
So I was very excited and kids were very excited
and we've had a great year.
- Yeah, what about you, Kim?
- I think it's great, it's cute.
The other day I said something
in a post-COVID world, we might not have these
and a little girl in my class said,
oh, I love having my own vehicle.
I like people staying out of my vehicle.
I like keeping all of my (audience laughs)
(Kelly laughs) things inside my vehicle.
So it's just been a great, I don't know,
it's made something daunting seem so heartwarming
that I'm proud to be an educator at this time.
It's not easy, I'm telling you it's not easy.
- Yeah, oh, trust, we get it now.
Like I've been telling people this for years.
Well, you two are such incredible women and teachers
and proof of what heroes teachers really truly are
that I don't think everyone really got before.
And our friends at Michaels craft stores agree
and they love teachers and are committed to supporting
inspirational educators like you too,
so they are giving you both,
they're giving you each $5,000 like a gift card just-
- What? (audience applauds)
- Yes, so you can create in your classroom, ladies.
- Oh my gosh.
- Oh my gosh. - Yeah, have fun.
I love Michaels, y'all have so much fun in that store.
(woman laughs)