A high school teacher recently took to TikTok to share a bizarre experience involving her students and a set of basic office supplies, as reported by the Daily Dot. The educator, known as @dubdub81, described a moment in her classroom that left her stunned when she realized her students did not know how to use highlighters.
She explained that she was teaching a lesson on historical figures Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. While she acknowledged that discussing these philosophers can be quite boring, she wanted to make the material more engaging for her class. She prepared a double-sided reading guide and planned an activity where the students would mark important information.
The teacher told her students that they would be given the reading sheets along with highlighters. She explained that she would read through a passage, discuss the content, and then have the students highlight the key points they needed to remember. When she finally handed out the highlighters and told the class, “Perfect! Let’s highlight it,” she was met with blank stares. She initially thought the students were just waiting for a signal to begin, but it quickly became clear that they were genuinely confused about the tool in their hands.
The situation escalated when she had to provide step-by-step instructions on how to use a highlighter
She even had to walk them through how to open the highlighter and where to place the pen cap. Even after her detailed explanation, the students still struggled with the simple task. When she allowed them to work independently, she noticed that one student decided to use the highlighter to color the desk instead of the paper. Other students opted to get creative by drawing pictures and coloring inside them rather than focusing on the philosophers.
The teacher made it clear that she was sharing this story because she found the incident funny, rather than as a complaint about her students. She noted that she appreciated their willingness to learn, despite this particular hiccup. She even joked that it was the only f-word she would be using in her video.
As of publication, the video has reached nearly 300,000 views on TikTok. It is definitely an interesting look at the classroom dynamics she is navigating. Whether this is a sign of a broader trend or just a singular funny moment, it certainly caught the attention of many viewers online.
Published: Aug 26, 2026 04:30 pm