A teacher is leveraging social media to "shine a light on unsung heroes" within his profession and to acknowledge the positive and lasting influence they have on people's lives.
Stephen Tetteh, 26, produces videos on TikTok under the name Mr T, where he celebrates teachers in the local community.
In these videos, he approaches people on the street, asking them to name their favourite teacher and explain why. These videos have been widely shared and liked online, accumulating millions of views.
Tetteh, from Medway, explained:
"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."
He expressed surprise at the volume of comments and engagement his videos have attracted.
"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 attended school in Rochester and currently works as a supply teacher across Kent and London.
Having studied psychology at A-level, he said he began to understand how early childhood experiences can influence the trajectory of a person's life.
"I became a teacher so I could have a positive impact on the younger generation,"he stated.
"Not everyone has good role models at home, which is why the role teachers play in people's lives is so important."
'Working as a community'
A recent report revealed that teachers' wellbeing across the UK is at its lowest level since 2019.
Rebecca Moody, one of the teachers recognised and celebrated in Tetteh's videos, teaches English and serves as the special educational needs coordinator at The Holmesdale School in Snodland.
She described being named by pupils as their favourite teacher as "flattering."
"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 encourage a new generation to pursue teaching.
"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."
Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
