- That's some traumatic PTSD right there.
Slamming a book.
(Nicholas laughing)
It's nice a teacher actually found a practical use
for a text book.
(upbeat music)
- Hi, I'm Nicholas Ferrone.
I'm in my 18th year as a high school history
and cultural studies teacher.
- My name is Tselane.
They call me Ms. Tsunami.
I'm a teacher.
I've been teaching for about four plus years,
actually five or six years.
What am I talking about?
Time has gone by I'm in the zone.
- I'm in my second year as a TikTok teacher.
And I only have a TikTok
because one of my students, Junior Madrid.
So shout out to Junior, encouraged me to get it.
And now I kind of have a stronger following than he does.
So we have battles back and forth on TikTok.
- I try to hide my TikTok for my students
but I love TikTok.
I think it's a great place to go and dive in
and get lost in the nonsense.
So first video, let's see.
(upbeat music)
This is excessive.
The hair cut and the uniform,
probably happened to him in the military a lot.
Got the book.
That's some traumatic PTSD, right there,
slamming a book.
It's nice a teacher actually found a practical use
for a text book.
That's pretty traumatic.
What I do if a student falls asleep,
is I have everyone in my class quietly leave the classroom.
And then when they wake up,
they instantly run out of the classroom
thinking they're late to their next class.
And we're all in the hallway just applauding.
- Which one?
What's the longest river in the world?
- We always try to guide our students.
- It's asking what year the Louisiana purchase was.
What year?
What's the largest and deepest ocean?
What's an ocean?
Now which one is the largest and deepest?
Think about that.
- Yeah, that's not me during tests, but I do ask questions.
I won't repeat the same thing over and over.
'Cause they're just gonna look at me like
Ms. Tsunami, what are you talking about?
(Ms Tsunami laughing)
- I do make a lot of sounds.
Or I'll talk to myself, especially virtual teaching.
I will be talking to myself.
Most teachers either have a teacher look,
a teacher voice which is what I'm using right now.
Or if you're good, you have both.
I hope I don't make that many sounds.
(lady screaming)
- I love these.
- Oh my God.
- Yeah, nobody wants to wake up in the class
with their professor all by themselves.
No one, no one, no one I've had that happen in college.
- I'll be honest.
I know my student is the first one to sign on.
They're kind of awkward.
So they'll sign on real quick.
See it's just me and turn off their camera.
Cause especially if you didn't like the teacher
and you didn't have something to talk about,
they're probably what are we gonna talk about
with Mr. Ferrone like cultural studies or history?
No we could talk about a lot of stuff.
- I'm Timothy Chapman.
I'm a third year.
Management and Economics major
and I'm currently tearing up the slopes
out here in Colorado with,
- Wow.
Wow.
(Nicholas laughing)
- (indistinct) class today.
- [Lecturer] Apparently not, have fun.
Try not to catch COVID again,
or for the first time or whatever.
- Can't be mad at him.
- Oh my God.
I am not mad at him.
Listen, I might be teaching class from Tehidy, I don't know.
- I've had students sit in the car with me, come from class.
I've had a student in a chair that they were leaning back
and I'm like, where are you?
And they were at the dentist office.
I was flattered that they did not wanna miss class.
So they were sitting in, literally dentist chair with me.
I did have a student today who asked me politely
if he could leave class a few minutes early
'cause he's in Pennsylvania, paint balling.
So that was fine.
I thought it'd be funny
if he actually would have me on camera
with class while he was running around playing paintball.
I'm flattered.
You're at work.
You're doing something you still want to be in my class.
Thank you.
- I have had students doing classroom from weird locations.
I think a couple of kids went on vacation to Turkey
or something like that.
And they checked in, but it looked so crazy.
I was like, wait, wait, where are you?
Oh, I love that movie.
That was (indistinct).
(indistinct) know about that.
(tense music)
- [Lecturer 2 ] Now, can anyone
(Ms Tsunami laughing)
- [Lecturer 2] Matt, what is your roommate doing?
- I'm more impressed that they know
the (indistinct) reference.
You'll see people walk behind doing stuff.
I've had a few shirtless parents.
- Yeah, I've had a couple of students
like try to sneak onto the camera cause they have pajamas on
or like they'll do something weird.
And I'm like, I literally see you like.
- [Student] Mrs Anderson,
I know this year has been very challenging
for all of.
- These videos always get me.
- [Student] So as a class we wanted to show our appreciation
and how thankful we are for you.
You guys can turn on your cameras.
- These are intense.
- Oh your gonna make me cry.
- And again, most people don't realize,
as teachers, we care so much about what we do.
My students did something similar this year
and I was so impressed.
Not only that they did it
but they were able to coordinate 20 something students
who normally would not have their cameras on
and each wrote a letter
and kind of shared their love and their gratitude.
I print them out and I have a little happy folder.
I put all the emails and notes and letters from students too
because that's what we look at
when we're questioning our existence as educators.
- Okay here we go.
Seriously, is it my fault that you have your cameras off?
- [Student 2] So Dr. Brown,
we actually kind of wanted to do something.
- With your, with your cameras off?
- [Student 2] Everybody if you wanna go ahead.
(Ms Tsunami laughing)
- Aww you guys.
Thank you, very thoughtful.
Hold on just a second, let me get a Kleenex.
- More nice stuff you guys.
The world is already crazy.
So all the nice videos you guys do
with the signs and everything.
That's awesome.
I think you guys should do more of that stuff
and make more funny videos of course.
- Actually, as I'm looking off screen,
I have framed a frame.
Let me grab it.
This is what we do with this stuff you give us.
This is a frame post a note
that one of my students
who I literally thought hated my guts the entire year,
left on my desk at the end of the year.
We battled every single day.
And every single day I told her
I'm not gonna give up on you.
And you could yell at me all you want, but I'm here for you.
And I know you're going through a tough time.
And she was going through a really tough time.
And the last day of school
when none of my students were there she was.
So as she left, she said,
I left you something in your desk
and this is what you left me and said,
"hi Mr. Ferrone, you're the best don't ever forget that.
You always look out for people.
You're loving, you're caring.
And I'm so thankful for you."
And this is what we do with the notes you gave us.
So stuff like that is always worth it.
It is never too early to thank a teacher
who made an impact on your life.
(soothing music)