2 Brewer Teachers Sing about Pool Testing with ‘Booger Side Down’

Teachers are great at finding creative ways to educate their kids. Take, for example, these 2 Brewer educators who used a humorous song to explain pool testing.

The job being done by teachers is simply amazing. Their creativity has been tested to the max with things like remote learning and holding the attention of elementary students who are more concerned with the masks on their faces. But some things are tougher than others to convey creatively.

Case in point - pool testing. Even I had to re-read a paragraph about the process to figure out exactly how it works. And for children, who have always been taught NOT to put things up their noses, how do you explain that this is the exception? For two Brewer educators, the answer lies in music.

Tom Burby is a 7th-grade teacher, while Brian Estes teaches Art. The two men put their heads together to come up with a very creative ditty, that I'm sure had the kids giggling hysterically the very first time they sang, 'Booger Side Down.' Yep. That's the name of the song. It's perfect. I mean, let's face it. Children, especially elementary school kids, are fascinated by boogers. Putting their fingers in their noses. Swishing them around. Maybe even...gulp....eating them. But the last thing they expect is for someone to say, 'hey, I'd like to have a sample of your boogers.' What? Really? Cool!

Kudos to Mr. Burby and Mr. Estes, who shared their video on YouTube and also on the Brewer School Department's website. It's brilliant and very well done. I'm sure a lot of kids were quoting the title as they put their test swabs in the tubes, 'Booger Side Down.'