Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Covington.
Hi Jasmine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching was boring. My students were learning virtually and I was exhausting all efforts to engage them the best that I could through the computer screen. One day, I decided that I would film myself doing a virtual lesson as a way to try to wake myself up. I recorded snippets of class on TikTok and posted it. The video went viral. My students liked being the voices in the videos and loved seeing my TikTok account grow. So, with their help, we repeated that formula over and over again. I hit one million followers in December.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road as a creator has not been smooth. I’ve had moments when I lost thousands of followers at a time or videos underperformed for weeks. I’ve been told to not record on campus as of November of last year. I keep on going. I know that I’m going to get where I want to be. I’m encouraged.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a #TikTokTeacher. I went viral on TikTok for being a young, Black educator. My positive interactions with the students I teach inspire many future educators, parents, and students who are hopeful for the future of education.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice for students who are just starting out is to be consistent and to learn your craft. I studied the TikTok algorithm for weeks before I produced the first video that would be my niche. I wish that I had started my YouTube channel and Instagram pages while I was at the height of my initial growth on TikTok. I think that I dropped the ball on locking down all social media platforms.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @TheyLoveBellaC
- Youtube: Butta Bella (TheyLoveBellaC)
