UPDATE: We reached out to the teacher in question after her video was pulled down from YouTube. She confirmed that she didn’t want it to continue being shared — although she may change her mind later on, she said — and told us that she’s received a great deal of support from both current and former (she’s been teaching for over a decade) students, who reached out to let her know how important her teaching had been to them.
“These kids listen to the same syllabus day in and day out and I wanted it to be different,” she told us. “I’m a goofy person!”
The first day of school, for most people, is already a nightmarish shock to the system after a summer of sweet freedom.
Our grandparents used to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow, but these days our teachers are rapping to us and creating pop song medleys of their syllabus. It’s no doubt inspiring that these teachers are trying new ways to reach their students, but this particular teacher is inspiring in a whole other way. She shows real grit and perseverance. Even when some of her students can’t take it anymore.
This teacher gives a lesson (possibly) without even really knowing it — finish what you start. Her students go from groans to begrudging respect in the span of seven minutes and forty-eight seconds. Sure, they may be hating every bit of this display, but they know the teacher can’t stop now. What would happen if she stopped singing? The medley ends without any closure and then everything is awkward for who knows how long.
And so, it continues. It continues, and some even give in, and kinda start singing along except to the wrong words. Then it ends.
Math is going to be hard this year — eight minutes of singing hard — and that will not soon be forgotten. But if anyone needs help, they will know where to find help. Math tutors are available in the media center daily, and they will remember that information to the tune of “Call Me Maybe.”
(Via Reddit)
