A Thank You to Teachers: Reflecting on TikTok, Growth, and Finding Community

TL;DR

• Thank you for being you

• Free access to the TikTok Teacher Conference

  • Promo Code: TIKTOKISBACK

• More sappy reflections 😂

Hey there, fellow educators of young humans!

TikTok done got banished from this Magic Kingdom we call “The Internet,” but alas, it hath revived itself like Tom Cruise after every Mission Impossible movie.

For how long, we don’t know…but hopefully we can learn something from this lil Steph Curry pump fake!

When Tools Help Us Move Forward (Even If They Don’t Stick Around Forever)

Here’s the truth—some of the tools that help us grow aren’t built to last forever.

We in education call this the “Acronym Graveyard.”

Maybe it’s a degree that jumpstarted your career, a teaching job that taught you resilience, or an app that helped you build a community (looking at you, Tik to the Tok).

These things may not be permanent, but their impact and what we learn from them? That can stick like green eggs and ham on a cheap pan.

For me, TikTok has been one of those tools.

It wasn’t just an app; it was a megaphone, a bridge, and a way to meet phenomenal educators like you—teachers who inspire me with their passion and resilience and creativity every day.

Now, here’s the twist it and bop it: TikTok was suspended briefly, and though it’s back now, who knows for how long?

This rollercoaster of uncertainty reminded me that the platforms we rely on can be taken away, outside of our control or preference (I’m looking at you, JamBoard 😂).

But the connections and lessons?

That stuff can solidify itself as a chapter in the book of our story (if we’ll let it).

How TikTok Changed the Game for Me (and for Us)

Back in 2019, I was in the trenches—staying up late making Google tutorials, teacher cheat sheets, and resources to help teachers.

When I launched them, though? Nothing. Nada. Zero clicks.

Digital crickets. 🦗

Then came late 2020, when I posted my first education TikTok.

It was a simple lil vid sharing my teacher cheat sheet, but it popped. That one video made it possible to reach a plethora of the very teachers I created those resources for. TikTok became the connection point I needed to meet so many of you wonderful educators, whether through resources, in the comments, or even coming to speak at your schools!

It wasn’t all about trends or algorithms; it was about finding like-minded educators who are in the game for the same reason—to make a difference in this next generation (and trying to save a little time and sanity in the process).

A Gift for You: Celebrate What TikTok Helped Build

In honor of TikTok’s return(ish), and as a just-in-case backup for its uncertain future, I’m sharing something special that a few WONDERFUL TikTok Teachers and myself made a few years ago:

The TikTok Teacher Conference 🎉

This 6-hour professional development session is packed with ideas, conversations, and supplemental curriculum from some of the most inspiring teachers out there.

It’s usually reserved for Honor Roll Members, but as a thank you, I’m making it FREE for a limited time with the promo code: TIKTOKISBACK

👉 Get access to the course here.

Whether you’re looking to refresh your classroom approach, knock out some PD hours, or just soak up ideas from awesome educators, this conference is for youuuuu!!!

Moving Forward Together

The tools we rely on—apps, jobs, or even tech platforms—can be fleeting. But the lessons we learn, the people we connect with, and the impact we make? That’s forever.

So wherever you found me—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or from a conference—I’m grateful you’re here. You’re the kind of teacher who’s always looking to grow, to innovate, and to make learning better for your students (or else you wouldn’t be reading this cause you’d have hit that unsub a longgggg time ago).

Let’s keep building together.

Let’s keep creating resources that make our classrooms thrive. Because no matter what tools come and go, the mission stays the same: making teaching better for us, our students, and the future of this whole watery sphere we all inhabit.

I saw a comment on one of the 500 farewell to TikTok videos that said:

Maybe TikTok was about the friends we met along the way.

I know they were kidding, but it’s kinda true.

They say Facebook is for the friends you had in high school, and TikTok is for the friends you wish you had in high school.

I wish we’d have all gone to high school together. That’d have been dope (plus our test scores would’ve been through the rooooof 😂🙌)!

Go you. You’re amazing. 💪

Much love,

Dr. T