This article was originally published in the October 2020 issue of the Union Street Journal. The USJ staff voted this article as the best of 2020 A&E.

What was the main thing that inspired you to get on TikTok?

My 3rd period students last year asked me to start a TikTok. This was when TikTok was fairly new and super big on the dances and such, so we thought it would be funny. And that’s where it all started.

Are you a part of the TikTok fund?

So I got approved for [the TikTok fund] on August 26th. It obviously depends on how many views I get each day so sometimes I’ll make like $5 a day while other times I’ll make like $45 a day. In the last month I’ve made about $450 so far! I just signed a deal, and I’m going to get $3,000 for the next six videos with the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. All I really have to do is post about wearing masks and social distancing!

What does hate look like for you?

Lately there’s been quite a lot of hate and I don’t really know why because, I mean, I’m just posting general stuff in the classroom.

How do you generally deal with the hate that you’re getting on this platform?

Usually, if I see a hateful comment I will just delete them. In my life I like to keep around only positive people, and if there’s ever hate in my life I just try to get rid of it. I just dont need that. It’s ​my​ TikTok page.

Is there anything that you’d like to gain or any message that you’re trying to spread​?

Just to really try and spread positivity. I want other teachers to understand that teenagers are teenagers, and they go through some really tough stuff. I just hope that the teachers that see my “Teach Toks” [on TikTok] appreciate that kids are going through some really tough times and that they just have bad days. And to be aware of anything going on if they’re acting differently or acting up, so that rather than treating the kids as robots, we’re identifying their differences and understanding that they all have different circumstances at home.

Do you want to say anything to your fans?

The kids at our school are all very supportive. Sometimes you have a couple haters on there, and I always look to see who responds [positively] and it’s always kids from Creek, my students that I’ve had before, always there, defending me.