This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Deidre Kelly. It has been edited for length and clarity.
This is my 14th year teaching sixth-grade math, and I enjoy it just as much as I did when I started. Math and middle schoolers both get a bad reputation, but I love them both.
I always knew I wanted to teach math, and I gravitated toward sixth grade, where students develop the time management and accountability skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
Back in 2019, I noticed in the fall that my students were laughing at their phones and dancing around their desks. I thought, “What are ya’ll doing?” By January, I had a TikTok account and was making videos with my own three kids, who are now 11, 13, and 16.
When our district switched to remote learning, most of my formal class time with my students was focused on making sure they were doing OK. I still wanted to teach them, so I started making fun, math-focused TikTok videos.
My students realize I’m not all fun and games
At first, I posted the videos quietly. I was curious if I would show up in my students’ pages organically. Sure enough, a student asked, “Why are you on my ‘for me’ page?” From there, it spread quickly. Today, I have 1.3 million followers on TikTok.
That’s made me a bit of a local celebrity in my Texas school district. Recently, kids were watching YouTube in another class when they came across a TikTok commercial featuring me. They came running down the hall to tell me.
It’s fun for students and parents to have “The Mrs. Kelly” live in their classroom. My class has the same fun, energetic vibe that I bring to social media. But, there’s always a point during the year where the students realize I’m not just a fun TikTok teacher — if the class isn’t focused, I can use my mean voice to get things done.
My school community loves my TikTok
I typically keep notes on videos I want to make and spend a few hours in my classroom recording after school each week. I aim to align my TikTok videos with what my students are learning, so they appear the day after I teach a concept.
That’s helpful not only for students but also for parents and grandparents. I use math at work every day, so I didn’t realize how many adults have forgotten middle school math. Today, a lot of my audience is adults who need a math refresher so they can help with homework.
I’ve never had any pushback about having such a public social media presence. I let parents know about my videos, but I’ve never had anyone opt out of their kids participating. I’m careful to stay positive and appropriate at all times. My husband is an attorney, so if I run an idea by him and he hesitates, I don’t do it. If I don’t know a song well, I check with my oldest to make sure it doesn’t have any risqué lyrics.
When I switched schools, I made sure the principal knew I brought a large social following. Now, even the superintendent loves it.
Relating math to the real world helps kids remember
Because of my husband’s job, our family has always been financially comfortable, even though my teaching salary isn’t the best. Now, TikTok has had a big impact on our budget. For the first time, I have the financial flexibility to say, “I’ve got this.” I also appreciate the travel and opportunities I’ve had because of my social media.
I want to encourage parents to help their kids relate math to the real world. Connect it to whatever they’re interested in. For my sixth-grade daughter, that’s makeup. So, when we shop at Sephora, we talk about percentages and discounts. Maybe you relate ratios to sports statistics, or your kids’ favorite video games. That will help them really understand the real-world impact of what they’re learning and remember math concepts for life.
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