December 10, 2020, 12:18 pm
A viral TikTok video has been making everyone cry since it was posted on Wednesday by user Lauren Herrle after her last day in an online college class. It shows her instructor, identified in the video as Dr. Brown, initially confused when class begins and everyone has their video off but him. After a minute of doubt, his students reveal a surprise they had prepared to thank him for his hard work.
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The video starts with Dr. Brown clearly unsure of what’s going on as all his students started the Zoom meeting with their videos off.
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“I’ve heard that in some classes nobody turns their camera on, including the instructor,” he says. “Seriously, is it my fault that you have your cameras off?”
Technically, the answer to that question is “yes,” but in the best way possible. One of the students then unmutes to explain that “we actually kind of wanted to do something.”
“Everybody wanna go ahead?” she says. A second later, everyone activates their cameras to hold up signs offering their thanks to Dr. Brown for “a great semester” and “for making a difference.”
“Oh, you guys, oh, you’re gonna make me cry,” says Dr. Brown. He follows this up almost immediately by crying, taking off his glasses to wipe his eyes.
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Teaching hasn’t been an easy thing during the pandemic, with many finding it difficult to keep the same level of engagement going in virtual classrooms. However, many have done what they could and found ways to connect with their students through the computer screen. Clearly, at least one out there is still changing lives for the better, though we suspect there are thousands like Dr. Brown who didn’t get featured in a viral video.
This video has already been viewed 5.8 million times on TikTok before making its way to Twitter for over 1.3 million more views, plus thousands of comments and countless tears.
“As a retired college professor I just have to say…..I am weeping right now!” wrote Twitter user Mama Lew. “Oh my gosh, what a wonderful educator he must be for his students to honor him this way. Beautiful!”
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“Any teacher receiving this kind of support would cry,” said historian Joanne Freeman.
Thank you from the rest of us, Dr. Brown, for being amazing enough to result in this video.
*First Published: December 10, 2020, 12:18 pm
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