So this video by a teacher and school in the New Tech Network went viral this week. I can’t help but make some criticisms. Where is the content in this? How does this relate to the Common Core Standards? What are students learning? How is this preparing kids for college and careers? How is this activity helping students on their test scores?

Actually I realize that it is a theatre teacher and he is doing his job here (although shouldn’t we cut arts and humanities classes and spend more time propping up math and ELA skills).

So why, if this does not meet all of the things that teachers are constantly being told we must do has this video gone viral?

Because this video is about connecting with students, sharing passions with students, being weird with students, and having fun. It is about relationships with kids. The only videos about standards and testing that would go viral would be people critiquing them.

I guarantee that Scott Pankey’s students love him and I would gladly have my children in his class. So I say congrats to him and A. Maceo Smith New Tech High for showing the world what learning really can and should be!