Local kindergarten teacher’s upbeat remote learning videos go viral

A local kindergarten teacher at Glenwood Elementary School in Lake Stevens, Wash., has become a star on TikTok, garnering millions of views on videos of her remote learning lessons.

Mackenzie Adams said she filmed the first video because she wanted to see what she looked like when she was teaching.

“I didn’t think anything of it, and I was planning on just deleting the video later,” she told KIRO Radio’s Gee & Ursula Show. “I just wanted to make sure I was being engaging enough and interacting enough with the kids.”

The video went viral within a couple hours.

“So I did not delete it,” Adams laughed.

Adams says she’s known she wanted to be a teacher since she was young.

“I was definitely that kid lining up the stuffed animals to play teacher with them,” she said. “And I also grew up in a family of teachers, so I was in and out of their classrooms and I got to see it first hand, and that really inspired me as well.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Adams is teaching her class of kindergarteners entirely online, and says she has had to adapt her teaching style in some ways.

“It definitely is a challenge,” she said. “So I’ve been doing a very animated voice, big facial expressions, big gestures, playing games, and really just trying to keep their attention on the computer screen for the little time I have them there, and we’re working through it.”

As far as keeping up her own energy, she credits coffee, “lots of coffee.”

“I will also say that looking at those kids and their enthusiasm for learning, it really just makes me want to give them a show, have fun while learning,” she added. “I really bounce off of their energy.”

When trying to keep a group of young kids focused online, Adams says she tries to just be silly with them and is working on building connection even though they’re not physically together.

“They like to tell me jokes all the time, so we joke around a lot,” she said. “We take little movement breaks together, and really just trying to build that connection with them. And it’s been great so far. I have a really great class.”

She also did admit that the mute button can sometimes be helpful.

“The mute button has come in handy for any of those little ones that like to blurt out,” Adams said. “Or maybe there’s some background noise, or they like to show their dogs. … Other than that, building connection is so important because the more that you’re connected to your students, the more that they’ll respect you and listen to you.”

Adams recognizes that this is a challenging time for teachers, parents, and for students.

“What I say to everyone is just keep your head up and keep moving forward. We’re in this together, and we’re going to get through it,” she said. “It’s really not an easy time for anyone, but parents have really, really stepped up.  And I really appreciate that. Teachers as well, and like I said, we’re all in this together.”

For parents at home, she says they can support teachers by helping their children with school work if they’re struggling, trying to keep them engaged, and making sure they’re turning in assignments and logging in to online class.

“I know it can be tricky, and life is completely chaotic right now, but like I mentioned before, I do think parents have really stepped up to be these home school teachers, and they’re doing an excellent job,” Adams said.

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Looking ahead, Adams is excited to get to see her students’ faces in person someday and have that social interaction with them.

“They’re really missing that piece,” she said. “And they really just want to make friends with each other, so I’m very excited for that.”

To watch Mackenzie’s videos, follow her on TikTok @kenziiewenz.

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.