Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Profession… second-grade teacher at Abbott Elementary. Janine is part of the batch of new-school teachers at Abbott, being hired just two years ago alongside work friend Jacob. Most of the new teachers at Abbott do not stick around very long, but Janine remains positive that she has what it takes to stick it out.
Interests… coaching the step team, decorating classrooms, and getting to know her fellow teachers.
Relationship Status… it’s a little complicated. Janine is in a committed relationship with aspiring rapper Tariq Temple. He has not made it big yet, but he has Janine’s full emotional support…and financial support…and transportation support. Tariq and Janine are the only romantic partners that each other has ever had. That bond is Janine’s main motivation for sticking with him through thick and thin. Things start to get dicey for the relationship though once Janine learns more about herself and begins to catch the eye of the new substitute teacher, Mr. Eddie. Janine has grown a lot from working at Abbott, and it may be that she and Tariq are not quite as inseparable as they thought.
Challenge… getting too involved with her students. As Janine says, "I don’t want to wait until somebody gets to it. You know, our children have needs that deserve to be met. And I’m going to fix this. And nothing is going to get in my way." But sometimes Janine cannot help that she wants the best for the students, and she gets a bit overzealous. Her coworkers have even started calling it “pulling a Janine.” Her desire to please others often leads her to be too optimistic about her own abilities. Though her intentions are good, her efforts frequently do not go according to plan and worsen the situations she tries so hard to fix.
Personality… relentlessly optimistic and caring. Janine is a wide-eyed young teacher, and she wants nothing more than to impress her coworkers and make an impact on her students. Janine sees herself in those around her, like kindergarten teacher Mrs. Howard, and is always willing to learn from them. She is loyal, friendly, and a bit sensitive at times when she feels like she has not performed to her fullest potential. Janine, and her never-fading smile, has found herself becoming the center of Abbott Elementary as there is no one as excited, driven, and passionate about teaching as she is. As she says, “The more senior teachers are just used to giving in, but I, however, am young, sprightly, and know where they keep the ladder. Forgot I was afraid of ladders."
