'Why I'm celebrating unsung hero teachers on TikTok'

A teacher says he is using social media to "shine a light on unsung heroes" in his profession and help recognise the positive and lasting impact they can have on people's lives.

Stephen Tetteh, 26, creates videos on TikTok under the name Mr T, celebrating teachers in the local community.

In the videos, he asks people on the street to name their favourite teacher and explain why. The videos then get shared and liked online millions of times.

Tetteh, from Medway, said: "It's to shine a light on the teachers that go above and beyond, the teachers that are appreciated in school and within the community that don't get the recognition they deserve."

Tetteh said he was surprised by all the comments and traction his videos had received.

"People will comment and message me paragraphs about how a particular teacher has positively impacted them," he said.

"Someone told me that a teacher had stopped them from ending their life."

Tetteh went to school in Rochester and now works as a supply teacher across Kent and in London.

He studied psychology at A-level and said he began to understand how early childhood experiences could dictate the path of someone's life.

"I became a teacher so I could have a positive impact on the younger generation," he said.

"Not everyone has good role models at home, which is why the role teachers play in people's lives is so important."

A recent report found that teachers' wellbeing across the UK is at its lowest level since 2019.

Rebecca Moody was one of the teachers recognised and celebrated in Tetteh's videos.

Moody, who teaches English and is special educational needs coordinator at The Holmesdale School in Snodland, said she was "flattered" to be named by pupils as their favourite teacher.

"Since the video was posted on TikTok I've had a lot more people come and say hello to me and more students coming to ask for help for certain things," she said.

"I think the video helped raise awareness that this school is a place where we all try and work together as a community.

"A number of teachers have been identified and appreciated on the TikTok channel and it's really given us a boost."

Tetteh hopes his videos will inspire a new generation to join teaching.

He said: "If the new teachers coming in can see the recognition and all the positivity from students it will help them join the profession with the right mindset.

"There is a lot of talk in the media about teachers leaving and how hard it is so I think it's more important than ever to show the positive side of it."

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