San Diego Teacher Dances His Way Into Students' Hearts On TikTok
SAN DIEGO (CBSLA) — Everyone agrees — students, teachers and parents alike find learning remotely very difficult. But San Diego teacher Kevin McClintock turned that difficulty into a way to connect with his students on TikTok.
McClintock, who teaches 7th grade at The Rock Academy, a private Christian school in San Diego, is known as Mr.McTikTok on the social media network favored mostly by kids. His videos are wildly popular with students, parents and teachers across the country.
His first video was satire about what it's like to teach from a computer in isolation. Now, he's best known for his dance videos.
"I am not a dancer at all, so that's why it's really funny to see that these have taken off," McClintock said.
He had initially begun making videos on a private account on Instagram. But just about a month ago, one of his students looked up with a bright smile as he was teaching a class remotely and said, "'McClintock, you're going viral, you need to make your account public."
He has used the videos to challenge his students, recently offering extra credit for anyone who could tell him why the bioluminescent waves were happening in Southern California and cite the source.
McClintock says he has enjoyed making the videos because it's been a way to make clean content for the kids on that network, and spread joy.
In one of the dancing videos, he posted the message, "Dear students, By now you should know I'll make a fool out of myself for you…because you are loved. -Mr. McTikTok"