The New Teacher

{{#arraydefine: episodeLinks|The New Teacher;"Mark Miller";"Joe's Counting Problem"|;}}

## Broadcast Information

### **Airdate**

January 7, 2028

**The New Teacher** is a two-part episode of Season 1 of *Wayside School*, and the second and third episode overall.

## Sypnosis

### Part 1

a woman named Mrs. Jewls is seen walking to a flight of stairs to the thirtieth floor. Meanwhel the class on the 30th floor has been without a teacher for three days, and they never told anyone what happened to Mrs. Gorf. Even though their new teacher will be much nicer than Mrs. Gorf, the students are nervous because they have never had a nice teacher before. Mrs. Jewls is equally nervous, hearing that the children are cute, because she has never taught cute children before. When Mrs. Jewls enters the class, the students can tell she is a nice teacher just by her appearance. However, when Mrs. Jewls sees her new students, she figures that they must be monkeys because she has never seen children so cute, much to the confusion of the students. She starts ranting about this, feeling unprepared for her new job.

Todd attempts to speak up, but Mrs. Jewls simply thinks he's a talking monkey. Mrs. Jewls offers to bring a banana for him, but this only raises more confusion among the class. Mrs. Jewls offers everyone a banana, but Calvin objects because he isn't a monkey. He doesn't reject Mrs. Jewls's offer of peanuts, though. Allison and Jenny attempt to point out they aren't monkeys, but Mrs. Jewls still doesn't accept it. Eventually, when Jason states he isn't a monkey, Mrs. Jewls thinks it through and questions if monkeys would know if they're monkeys. Allison claims she doesn't know, because she isn't a monkey. Mrs. Jewls figures Allison is right and stops believing her students are monkeys.

Mrs. Jewls, now corrected, begins teaching normally and decides it is time to focus on schoolwork instead, assigning her new students a test. Jason tells Todd he liked Mrs. Jewls' idea better, and Todd is disappointed because he won't get a banana. Mrs. Jewls points out there is no talking in class, and writes Todd's name under the discipline list.

The episode begin with a woman named Mrs. Jewls who is hired to be the teacher on the thirtieth floor. The narrator says that she has a terribly nice face. The class on the 30th floor has been without a teacher for three days, Meanwhile everyone (except for Benjamin, Sharie, Myron and Dana) never told anyone what happened to Mrs. Gorf. Even though their new teacher will be much nicer than Mrs. Gorf, the students are nervous because they have never had a nice teacher before. Mrs. Jewls is equally nervous, hearing that the children are cute, because she has never taught cute children before. When Mrs. Jewls enters the class, the students can tell she is a nice teacher just by her appearance. However, when Mrs. Jewls sees her new students, she figures that they must be monkeys because she has never seen children so cute, much to the confusion of the students. She starts ranting about this, feelingunprepared for her new job.

Todd attempts to speak up, but Mrs. Jewls simply thinks he's a talking monkey. Mrs. Jewls offers to bring a banana for him, but this only raises more confusion among the class. Mrs. Jewls offers everyone a banana, but Calvin objects because he isn't a monkey. He doesn't reject Mrs. Jewls's offer of peanuts, though. Allison and Jenny attempt to point out they aren't monkeys, but Mrs. Jewls still doesn't accept it. Eventually, when Jason states he isn't a monkey, Mrs. Jewls thinks it through and questions if monkeys would know if they're monkeys. Allison claims she doesn't know, because she isn't a monkey. Mrs. Jewls figures Allison is right and stops believing her students are monkeys.

Mrs. Jewls, now corrected, begins teaching normally and decides it is time to focus on schoolwork instead, assigning her new students a test.

The episode end when Jason tells Benjamin he liked Mrs. Jewls' idea better, Benjamin agree to this, but Todd is disappointed because he won't get a banana.

### Part 2

The second part starts as Mrs. Jewls ringing her cowbell to calm down the class, as she told them that they already introduced to Mark Miller who comes from Magadonia. He awkwardly stands at the front of the room, knees shaking. He sweats in the front of the room. He hates being shown off like this, feeling as though Mrs. Jewls brought him in for show and tell. He feels like a weirdo, just wishing he could sit at a desk like everyone else. The narrator also reveals that his name isn't really Mark Miller. His name is actually Benjamin Nushmutt, and he's from Hempleton, rather than Magadonia. However, Benjamin is too afraid to correct the teacher. Mrs. Jewls asks if he has anything to say, but he stands still, silent, wishing he was actually Mark Miller, thinking Mark Miller would probably have plenty to say. After staying silent for so long, Mrs. Jewls sits Benjamin in an empty desk between Todd and Bebe.

Todd is the first to greet Benjamin, saying that he'll like it at Wayside School. He says Mrs. Jewls is the nicest teacher, only for Mrs. Jewls to remind him he shouldn't talk during class. She has Todd write his name under the discipline list. Bebe also introduces herself to Benjamin. Benjamin decides that he'll have to tell Mrs. Jewls his actual name at recess, but the thought of doing so makes him cringe, because he's always had trouble revealing his name to people, and he's never understood why. The narrator paints a situation in which Benjamin would struggle to say his name to an adult about five times until they finally figure it out. Eventually the recess bell rings, and Benjamin walks up to Mrs. Jewls's desk. She asks how he feels, and Benjamin says he's feeling fine. He shrugs and walks away, figuring that if he were to tell his name now, he'd be considered weird for not telling his name sooner.

He sits at the top of the stairs, figuring there's no reason to go down for recess, which is only ten minutes long. He feels ashamed of his name, he has no friends, and doesn't want to walk up and down that many stairs. He repeats his false name, and thinks it rolls off the tongue easily, thinking Mark Miller would have plenty of friends at this point. Suddenly, Benjamin hears a large rumble, thinking there's an earthquake, but it's actually just all the other students running upstairs. They tell him that they were worried because they didn't know where he was, and Benjamin is glad to see everyone actually cares about him, or at least they care about Mark Miller. Mrs. Jewls brings everyone back inside, and has Todd put a check next to his name for being late. Mrs. Jewls has Dameon hand out a stack of worksheets, which he hands out to all the students. Benjamin isn't sure if he should sign his name as Benjamin or Mark. When Louis comes inside, however, he says that his father brought him a lunch, but Mrs. Jewls notes that she knows the names of all the students in her class, and there isn't a Benjamin anywhere in her class. After Louis leaves the lunch on his desk and leaves, Benjamin worries that Mrs. Jewls would think he's making up his real name for a free lunch, and writes "Mark Miller" at the top of his paper. However, Benjamin knows that someday, he'd have to reveal his real name. For now, he'll just have to embrace his new identity.

## Cast

* Pamela Adlon as Benjamin
* Maryke Hendrikse as Dana
* Britt McKillip as Mrs. Jewls
* SungWon Cho as Todd
* Ana Sani as Bebe Gunn
* Andrew Francis as Calvin
* Diana Kaarina as Deedee
* Kelly Metzger as Ron, Dameon
* Chantal Strand as Allison
* Tara Strong as Jenny
* Cathy Weseluck as Jason
* Avi Roque as Louis

### Mentioned

* Mrs. Gorf
* Myron
* Sharie
* David Nushmutt

### Non-speaking cameo

* Stephen
* Jenny
* Eric Fry
* Eric Bacon
* Paul
* Eric Ovens
* John
* Nancy
* Joe
* Bebe Gunn
* Rondi
* Maurecia
* Leslie
* D.J.
* Callie
* Jason
* Joy
* Kathy
* Terrence