After my first year of teaching, my husband and I needed to establish new after-school boundaries. I was constantly making decisions for my students all day, operating at 110% energy. By the time I got home at 3:15, all I wanted was to slip on my headphones, go for a run, and tune out. Even after my run, my brain struggled to recover. I snapped at minor things like dinner plans or evening activities because I was just too drained. This struggle made perfect sense when I discovered a TikTok by @lessonplansandvans documenting how many times students asked her questions or called her name in a day. Curious, I had to know the number that explained the after-school exhaustion plaguing me and so many other teachers I know.
Miss Vela used a thumb clicker counter to track how many questions she was asked in a day—what do you think her total was?
This kindergarten teacher starts her experiment armed with nothing more than her wits and a clicker counter. Her mission is to tally every single time someone calls her name or fires a question her way throughout a seemingly endless school day.
“Less than an hour, and it’s already over 100.”
Before the morning bell even finishes its echo, Miss Vela clicks her counter in rapid succession. It’s a spring from the start. She reports her current amount, a hint of disbelief in her tone, paired with the steely resolve only a Kindergarten teacher can muster. In the first portion of the day, its much harder to anticipate which questions students will ask, right?
“Alright, I’m going to lunch, and I’m at 196 at 10:20 AM.”
By 10:20 AM, she checks in with a staggering count of 196. She sighs, the clicker tucked away in her pocket (with the Wild West duel song playing in the background—haha!).
“I just dropped my kids off at specials at 12:15 PM, and my count is at 338.”
Post-lunch and specials bring no respite! The count soars to 338 by 12:15 PM! Had you guessed this number?
“Day is over, and the final count was 627!”
The school day wraps up, and kind Miss Vela still has the biggest and brightest smile on her face. She says, “It was a really good day, but even good days are just long constant days.” Yes, you heard right—students asked for her attention 627 times in just one school day!
Students request teachers’ attention over 600 times a day!
From the comments on her TikTok video, fellow teachers chime in. “This is why teachers deserve all the coffee and more,” writes @teachermom123. @daycarechronicles adds, “And that’s on the quiet days!” The community knows, it a teacher says they’re tired, it’s not just an excuse—it’s a battle scar worn with pride. But this experiment isn’t just about the physical and mental toll of hundreds of queries; Miss Vela cracked open the window to the marathon of the heart of teaching. Next time you see a teacher, maybe offer a word of thanks (or a spa day). Because as this teacher has shown, every day in teaching involves being on your toes!
