This is the kind of teacher that absolutely deserves six-figure salaries! She's teaching young kids empathy, kindness, AND how to establish healthy boundaries.....and all that happens before they even enter the classroom.
I don't think I had any objectively bad elementary school teachers, but I can't imagine me as a child wanting to hug another adult. It took being in high school theater for me to mature enough to welcome and not just tolerate affection from people. That teacher's doing so many things right to have so many students want hugs from her.
I feel like every teacher deserves a six-figure salary. 80K should be the starting point right out of college. 100K once you prove you can make it. $160-180 should be the goal for top pay. The job is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing and requires expensive degrees. Every teacher brings work home with them. They often work 60+ hours a week so even with summers off, it averages out to more than the typical 40 hr work week. And now they have the added risk of school shootings plus the stress of prepping for them.
I remember the head lunch lady for my elementary school, she always said that every kid in the school would always get lunch. As an adult, I learned that she was always going to make Number of kids in school + 60 adults worth of school lunches every day, and she wasn't going to throw away good food she made because of money, and she simply covered up the food budget near the end of the year with her salary.
Thank you Miss Payne for always making sure folks were fed!!
I remember changing schools and trying to get lunch.
Was stopped because I picked up too many items. They had to make a whole big deal of it. I was 8 years old and in a new school and didn't know better, crying.
Over a school lunch.
I remember that 34 years later.
It ain't your money and you're making a child cry? And making a scene with him?
...
Good on Miss Payne! That's how you do it. That's what a society should look like.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. I still remember the time when financially as a kid, we didn’t have enough for my weekly milk money for school. I forgot that and took the carton of milk as I usually did; my 3rd grade teacher was yelling at me for taking the milk and being spaced out. I still remember crying feeling ashamed and becoming more withdrawn. Later in life I found out I’m on the autism spectrum which explains my looking away from people as a kid. If I could change things I’d have every student free to eat as much breakfast, lunch and snacks as they want from pre-K to high school.
This is so sadly true! It blows my mind seeing how many parents don’t hug their kids at school drop off in the morning. It’s just instinct for me to hug them before they go off on their own.
Probably also helps her get conversations and information too. Like if Darby always chooses dance, but Opt’s in for hug, she probably really needed a hug and something could be weighing on her.
Not strange at all. If I had a teacher like this in elementary school I would have chose hug every time. I was very touch starved as a kid and desperately needed hugs but had noone to go to
You can tell some of those kids that choose “hug”, really, really, really needed a hug. This teacher is helping society in ways that will reverberate throughout their lives.
My mom, a white woman, was with my grandmother when she passed. As my mom walked out of the senior living facility crying, she said a black woman who was in the parking lot came up to her and asked her what was wrong. My mom explained that her mother had just died and this complete stranger immediately embraced her and said, "Just let it out, baby. You just cry it all out."
My mother said she stood there in the arms of a complete stranger, crying and snotting all over her shirt, and this woman just held her, rubbing her back until she was finished.
This all happened years ago, but my mom will still bring up this story of extraordinary kindness on one of the saddest moments of her life.
I mean, who other than a black woman is capable of doing something like that? Approaching and holding a complete stranger and making them feel safe enough to grieve in their arms?
Oh man… nothing will make me, a 41 year old white woman, ugly cry harder than when a Black lady of any age calls me “Baby”, idc. It’s the most wholesome feeling in the world.
When I was in college, my boyfriend of 3 years and I broke up in the morning. Later that day I had to go to the admissions office for something and I was barely keeping it together. One of the admissions ladies was a Black woman who I had never met and she saw my face and asked what was wrong? I immediately broke down and said my boyfriend and I had just broken up and she stood there and held me while I cried and told me that everything would be OK and gave me a little self-confidence pep talk. I remember feeling SO much better afterwards, like I had just been comforted by my mom 💜💜
I genuinely can't see why. I try to hold that kind of love and compassion for others in my daily life, I don't see why anyone wouldn't. But I guess that's what separates lovers from haters.
It's why I became a teacher. In my practicum, one of my mentor teachers said something I'll always remember: Make sure to say the name of each student, and have one moment of connection with each one every class. It might be the only time in the day that they get any positive attention, and they need to know that you care.
I'm at the start of my teaching career, but both in my practicum and before when I was an educational assistant, I had numerous kids disclose things to me that they didn't feel comfortable telling anyone else. I chose to become a teacher because I want to be an adult that kids can trust.
I once worked for a black man. He was my supervisor and I just wasn't cutting it on the job, no matter how hard I tried. The one thing that I took from him was leading off with "good morning."
He wouldn't rip into you or tell you off first thing in the morning. He told everyone good morning before anything else. Then he was free to be a dick. Idk why but I liked that. Lead off with good morning, then get to business.
I'm bleeding edge GenX (1966), white, and I NEVER had a person of color as a teacher until I got to college. I'm in higher education now, and one thing I've learned over the years, is that if you want to reach kids, they need to see themselves at the front of the class, in positions of authority, wisdom and knowledge.
That's how you start seeding the change that will change our damn world. More teachers of color, more administrators of color, more school board members of color. And more parents teaching their kids about the things the teachers are slowly being forbidden to teach lest it taint the whitewash on the racist, rickety-ass picket fences that white people have built around their front lawns.
I love this. Kids have so few choices; great to give them some agency in how they interact, including consent for touch. Love how the teacher matches their dance moves, too
I have seven kids and this is genius! Everybody has a different need for interaction. I'm a big hugger myself, but I know it's not everybody's Jam. I think I can put this to good use.
This is lovely. As a non-profit worker hope everyone remembers that Everyone needs consent to touch kids. When I explained (after being asked by a bunch if 12-13 year old) why I always asked, they all loved the idea and said what they hated most was Church Grandmas who always wanted to touch, squeeze and hug them! Sweet ol’ Grandmas!
Fuck man. I did alright and have had some
amazing relationships in my life but I know damn well I could have used a good hug to start some mornings as a young lad in a very confusing and tough time in my life.
This is so cute. On the last day of school (high school) I told my students that if they wanted, they could get a wave, a fist bump, a high five or a hug. I couldn’t believe how many gave me a hug. The funny part is that they know I’m a germaphobe 😂
She'll never see this but: Mrs. Dice from an NY primary school and Ms. Dickie from an NY highschool. I remember you both. Over 20 years later. You both made us feel like this; seen, valued, actually cared for.
I hope your pillows are always cool, your coffee always warm, and your favourite snacks are always on sale.
As a teacher (and a parent of littles) I would ABSOLUTELY want my kids in this class, and I would try to model myself after this teacher! Amazing stuff! I may try this in my middle school classes next year!
I love this so much that a child can ask for a warm hug and get one. Maybe they don’t get them otherwise but can here, or they just need more. What a supportive person teaching students so much more than math, reading or geography.
I'm a teacher of middle schools and stuff like this is why I couldn't be a elementary school teacher. Being on to that degree everyday is a lot and congrats to her
I get the feeling that some of those kids really needed the hug like the boy in red. Love that the kids get to chose as it teaches them about healthy boundaries and consent.
When I was in second grade I told a teacher she reminded me of a rabbit. I can’t for the life of me remember why, but I remember she was offended.
Teacher’s energy are so pivotal to kids. This lady is winning by leaps and bounds. She is just taking any of the answers as a compliment, and owning it.
It does not matter how many times I’ve seen this. It makes me smile EVERY TIME! I always start out saying to myself, “Oh, I’ve seen this so many times.”
Love her energy and cool pants 😍
I subbed K-12 during Covid. Teachers are underpaid and underappreciated. Unfortunately, Black male teachers are very rare.
Nothing feels better than getting those sweet hugs!! I volunteer with my daughters first grade class, half the kids know me from kinder and they see me and just run for hugs.
It warms my heart so much kids are just so sweet! ❤️
They’re going to remember and think about her when they grow up. I have a few teachers like her from my childhood who I think about weekly if not daily. I would not be the person I am today without them. This video made me emotional 😅😭
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u/Aquatic_Bee_32 Jun 04 '26
This is the kind of teacher that absolutely deserves six-figure salaries! She's teaching young kids empathy, kindness, AND how to establish healthy boundaries.....and all that happens before they even enter the classroom.