After a gym teacher was unknowingly recorded with a child at school by one of his colleagues, the footage was posted online. Then, the little girl’s mother saw the video and decided to speak up.
Jonathan Oliver, a physical education teacher at WG Nunn Elementary School in Valdosta, Georgia, was unknowingly recorded by one of his colleagues as he paused during gym class to engage with one of his students. The footage of the encounter was then posted to social media, where it quickly garnered millions of views. With the video taking the internet by storm, the mother of the child captured in the clip decided to speak up.
It was an otherwise ordinary gym class when kindergartner Kristen Paulk approached Jonathan Oliver to ask if he could put a ponytail in her hair during a basketball activity. The gym teacher, who also happens to be a father of three and often styles his own daughter’s hair, was happy to help, although he admitted that his expertise doesn’t go beyond ponytails. So, Mr. Oliver took a moment to pull back Kristen’s hair, just as she had requested, not knowing that he was being watched.
Not only did someone have eyes on Mr. Oliver during the encounter, but their phone was also trained on him. Unbeknownst to him, his interaction with little Kristen was being recorded as he assisted the kindergartner with her hair. The sweet moment was then posted to Facebook by assistant kindergarten teacher Kandice Anderson, who wrote, “When your job goes beyond teaching… #CoachO #LoveIt.”
It was a simple act. The 34-year-old Georgia phys ed teacher had only paused the gym class for a brief moment to put the little girl’s hair into a ponytail, but the footage was a hit with online viewers, who found that it brightened their day. The reaction to the video shocked Mr. Oliver, who didn’t even realize that he was being filmed, according to Good Morning America.
“It was a good thing she asked for a ponytail,” Jonathan Oliver said with a laugh. “Anything else, I’d say, ‘You better ask your mom,'” he jokingly added. As for the instant fame, he was admittedly surprised by the overwhelming attention the video received. “It was shocking to me that it got that much attention because we all do it.” Saying that teachers want to make their students “feel like they’re at home and that they enjoy being here,” Mr. Oliver added, “We try to love on them as much as possible. To me, it was just a ponytail.”
However, many saw it as so much more, including the little girl’s mother, Miyah Cleckley, who was moved enough by the video to speak up. “I always know that Kristen is in very good hands with him,” Cleckley said of the P.E. teacher, who made the extra effort to put her daughter’s hair in a ponytail. “I thought it was really cute because her father he does their hair a lot. We have five girls and one son so when I’m working he has to pick up the weight of doing their hair.”
While the video is incredibly heartwarming, one also has to wonder if society is setting the bar rather low when it comes to what we expect from teachers and how they interact with our children. According to this teacher, it is not out of the ordinary for educators to genuinely care about their students. However, the reaction to the video seemingly suggests otherwise. Of course, we have countless “bad teacher” stories flooding the news to thank for that, but isn’t it also disheartening that we find such a simple act to be so moving, rather than just the norm?
Of course, this isn’t said to downplay Jonathan Oliver’s kindness but rather to point out where such compassion may be missing among other educators. Even the now-viral teacher himself admits that the reaction is a shocking one for a gesture so small. I guess it just goes to show that acts of kindness don’t have to be grand to be heartwarming and capable of touching the hearts of millions. Sometimes, it’s the simplest, most straightforward good deeds that are the most impactful.
Perhaps Jonathan Oliver’s words can serve as a reminder to others and provide some much-needed inspiration for those working in our schools. “We, as teachers, aim to create an environment where students feel as comfortable as they do at home and genuinely enjoy their time here,” Oliver explained. “Our goal is to shower them with care and support. In this instance, it was as simple as helping with a ponytail.”
The heartwarming video highlights the strong bonds that educators can form with their students with very little effort. This shows that it doesn’t take much to ensure that every child feels safe and cared for in the school environment. Jonathan Oliver’s simple act of kindness serves as a reminder that teaching goes beyond textbooks, and the positive impact teachers can have on students’ lives can be immeasurable if they simply bring a little love and dedication to their classrooms every day.
