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Can you remember the teachers in your life that really left an impact? Educators have the ability to truly influence a child's life, beyond just what they teach in the classroom.
One administrator in a Philadelphia school system is now going viral after security footage capture his interactions with students -- and it will melt your heart.
Teaching is often a thankless task, but people from all corners of the globe are now praising this man for his positivity, and the example he is setting.
Arnold Ford is the vice principal, as well as a teacher, at Mastery Charter Mann Elementary in West Philadelphia. There, he is devoted to spreading joy to his students, never seeking praise or recognition for it.
Thanks to a now-viral video shared to TikTok, however, he can be seen through the school's security cameras throughout the day, as students see him down a hall or across the room and run towards him. Unabashed, these children often even jump towards him in a huge hug, clearly eager to be around him. Watch the footage below.
Clearly, Ford is a warm and beloved presence off camera -- these glimpses into his student-interactions simply evidence of the role he plays in their lives.
The video shows various scenes of him walking the halls, or speaking idly to another teacher, when a student will spot him and gleefully sprint towards him.
In these clips, he looks closer to a big brother to these students, in one instance even hoisting a young boy over his shoulder playfully. The students love it, and seem to truly gravitate towards Ford.
“He gives a bear hug and it's the best. It’s like the best hug you could ask for,” Trinity Hall, a 6th grade student, said to a local news outlet.
However, the exchange is a two way street. “In a way we got to give ourselves permission to be open to that kind of connection, that kind of love. Our kids deserve it and not only that we deserve it,” Ford said. “Sometimes it's not about them really. It's me who needs the hug.”
He is clearly leaving a lasting impact on his students, as another 6th grader --Jordan Muhammed -- even admitted, “I have big dreams and he is one of my inspirations. The stuff he does I just want to do that.”
Online, people of all ages are reacting to the security footage, struck by this teacher's commitment to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for his students.
One user wrote in the comments: "The look of joy on those children faces as they run to that man tells all you need to know about the kind of man he is."
While another added, "This is what we need in this world, good honorable and loving men out here. Keep fighting the good fight."
He admits that the interactions seen on camera have been the norm for years, and actually started as a joke. When he went to pull the footage to rewatch one funny interaction, a pattern of positivity was unearthed.
West Philadelphia, and its surrounding school zones, sadly make the news more often for violence, and this footage offers a refreshing new narrative. Ford clearly cares deeply about his students, and is not afraid to display it openly.
“I believe any space we walk into we deserve to be received with love, so love is our curriculum,” Ford said.
No doubt, Ford will be a role model that these children remember for the rest of their lives. He is truly a hero, never once seeking recognition for his behavior. We can all learn from the example he sets, raising up the people around us.
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