Teacher Cancels Test After TikTok Promise Goes Viral: 'Roll Out the TV Cart'

Lebanon (Ohio) Junior High School teacher Josh Chasteen recently canceled his students' final test after a TikTok video of his went viral, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Chasteen (@mr_chasteen101) posted a video to his TikTok account last week, in which he said: "I told my students I'll cancel our last test if a pro sports team commented."

"Will their Christmas wish come true?" he asked in the post's caption.

The video has racked up more than 54 million views and over 8 million likes. The post also garnered more than 168,000 comments from major brands, musicians and, to his students' delight, professional sports teams.

Some of the video's top commenters included the Olympics, the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots.

"Roll out the TV cart," wrote the Detroit Lions.

In a video response to the Lions, Chasteen excitedly brings a TV into his classroom and performs a dance to announce that the test has officially been canceled.

"This doesn't get said too often, but Lions came through in the clutch for a W here," Chasteen wrote in the caption.

"A core memory for a brand new generation," the Lions replied.

Chasteen isn't the first teacher to go viral in recent weeks. In a TikTok video with more than 38 million views, "Mr. LeMay" can be seen performing the "Jerk" with his students.

LeMay's students can be seen cheering him on in the video, but they weren't the only ones impressed by the teacher's moves.

"He waited his whole life for this moment LOVE IT," said a TikToker named Monica.

"Mr. LeMay killed it!! That's my generation right there," added another TikTok user.

Speaking to WXIX, Chasteen explained that he began using TikTok as a way to improve engagement in his classroom.

"I just started watching it and I was like, well, I think I can make some TikToks with these trends but put, like, a little teacher [or] school spin on it," he told the station.

To The Cincinnati Enquirer, he added: "Lebanon's mission is building community, and they really put a big emphasis on building those relationships with students, staff members, families. It was kind of an out-of-the-box way to do that."

Cornell University's Center for Teaching Innovation stated on its website that connecting with students and building a rapport with them can greatly improve their learning. Benefits include increased student engagement, "greater student comfort with expressing their thoughts" and a feeling of value.

The university stated that one way for teachers to better connect with students is to engage with students' technology.

"Today's learners are always connected," Cornell said. "Create a digital learning environment by using online technology such as bulletin boards, blogs, Canvas, or social networking sites where students can interact, ask questions, and share information relevant to the course at any hour."