Dr. Sheridan Steelman worked as a high school teacher for 50 years while raising six children and pursuing her Ph.D.
Teachers play an important role in our lives. They mold us into better people and are always available to assist us to get through difficult situations as we grow up. They have such an impact on so many people’s lives that any amount of gratitude is insufficient. Some professors devote their entire life to their students. Dr. Sheridan Steelman, who spent 50 years of her life teaching at a high school, is one such instructor. The students there did their utmost to send her a lovely farewell.
Her daughter Katherine (@katherineinmanhattan), a TikTok user, captured the moment Steelman’s kids surprised her on her last day at the high school on tape. Steelman is seen heading down the stairs in the first frame of the video, to a location where everyone from the school has gathered to bid her farewell. Steelman is taken aback to find the entire school assembled to bid her farewell. “My mum has taught at this high school for 50 years,” the text inlay says.
Her students can be seen celebrating and applauding her as she walks out of her last class. She walks forward among the ovation, tears in her eyes, and the text inlay explains that she was just 22 years old when she started working as an English teacher at that school. In the following scene, she is seen embracing someone, while the video’s text reads, “The entire school sent her off as she left the building one last time.”
She can be seen crying happy tears as she walks down among her pupils and coworkers over the previous 50 years. This touching video has received over 1.3 million likes and has moved many people to tears. According to a TikTok user, “50 years times 100 students (minimum) equals so many lives touched. I’m crying in my classroom at lunch watching this.” Her daughter mentioned in the comments that besides teaching her mother also raised six children, “earned her Ph.D. at the age of 67, and has her first book being published this year.”
Another TikTok user complimented her, stating, “It is clear her students and coworkers felt so lucky to have her. She must be so amazing!” A past student of hers also took to the comments to express their gratitude, “I was her student 5 years ago, she is a wonderful woman with so much passion for her work and love for her students. Send my best to your mom :)”
Several people have written about how teachers are an essential part of our lives. As one person put it, “this has me bawling. Great teachers truly are EVERYTHING! I’m 30 and still talk to my HS English teacher regularly.” Another added, “This made me cry. It reminded me of the one teacher that truly changed my life. I wish I could find her and just say thanks!”
Katherine also provided a photo of her mother when she was just starting out as a teacher, at the request of a follower. “we found some old yearbook photos.” she stated in the video’s caption. According to Dr. Steelman’s Instagram, she is having the time of her life in retirement. She is traveling and spending quality time with her loved ones, creating wonderful memories.