Stephanie Heitman

She's never 'safari' for laughing

Stephanie Heitman said she likes being surprised by the little things in life and at school.

“It’s the little things that make me chuckle,” said Heitman, 56, a fourth-grade teacher at Grant Wood Elementary.

That includes funny lines from her students. One example was a girl in her class making a joke about the Safari Web browser on the school’s computers.

“As we’re leaving the lab, she says, ‘I feel Safari we’re leaving,” Heitman said.

Other times, it is spontaneous moments on television shows such as segments on “The View,” which included a spot in which co-host Sherri Shepherd was using an exercise ball.

“Her body was just jiggling,” Heitman said. “I just started. It was so surprising.”

She also is a fan of humor based on current events featured by stars such as Tina Fey and on shows such as “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report.”

“I’m (thinking), ‘Who can take those things and turn them around so you’re laughing?’” she said.

However, most of her laughter revolves around her students, especially when some of them start giggling and it snowballs around the classroom.

“They’re trying to stop, but they can’t,” Heitman said. “Pretty soon, we’re all laughing. It’s a fun moment.”

— Rob Daniel

Iowa City Press-Citizen -- March 12, 2009