Ed Sheeran Helps Students Learn the Joy of Music as He Teaches Silly Song About Brushing Your Teeth on Celebrity Substitute…
When pop superstar Ed Sheeran stepped into a Brooklyn elementary classroom for the web series Celebrity Substitute, it seemed like a typical celebrity cameo.
But what followed was far more meaningful: he empowered a group of young students to experience the joy of making music—through a delightfully silly song about brushing your teeth.
“Mr. Ed” Takes Over the Music Class
In the October 22, 2025 episode of Celebrity Substitute, Sheeran became a substitute music teacher for the day at a public school in Brooklyn. The school’s regular music educators, Mr. Chung and Mr. Hampton, described his lesson plan as “ambitious” — after all, he intended to teach the class rhythm, sound layering, creativity, rehearsal, and end with a performance all in one session.
Sheeran himself admitted to host Julian Shapiro-Barnum that he was bracing for either success or comedic disaster: “It’ll either go really well … or it’ll really fail and you’ll get a lot of clicks.” The students, however, affectionately dubbed him “Mr. Ed” on the spot.
To start, he softened the mood with an acoustic rendition of his 2014 hit “Photograph,” before introducing the class to a looper pedal—a tool he frequently uses during his concerts. One after another, students contributed sounds: singing, saxophone riffs, beatboxing, and even funny noises.
The energy built up, and gradually, a routine subject—brushing one’s teeth—transformed into a playful, original song. A student opened with:
> “I woke up one day, I brushed my teeth.”
Sheeran joined in:
“I’m brushing my teeth, I’m brushing my teeth, oh yeah.”
Together with the class’s layered loops, the result was charming, goofy—and memorable.
Learning Through Laughter (and Loops)
At first glance, a song about brushing teeth might seem trivial or comedic. But to Sheeran, and to the classroom, it became a powerful teaching tool. By working together on a musical project, students practiced:
Rhythmic awareness: using the looper required timing, listening, and patience.
Creativity & texture: deciding what sounds to layer, when to play, when to rest.
Collaboration & confidence: performing in front of peers and teachers, contributing ideas.
Ownership of learning: they co-created something, not just followed instructions.
Mr. Chung later revealed he had mentally prepared to critique Sheeran, only to be disarmed:
> “I was prepared to tear you down and cut you to pieces, but you got my heart. … Everyone’s having a good time. That’s what music is about.”
He ultimately awarded Sheeran an A on his substitute teacher report card. What resonated most was that the students were engaged, taking risks, and feeling proud of their creation.
A Glimpse Into Sheeran’s Philosophy and Personal Life
Sheeran’s hands-on approach in this classroom is more than a feel-good moment—it reflects deeper priorities. As a parent to daughters Lyra (5) and Jupiter (3), he’s no stranger to kids, and he’s been vocal about valuing family and balance.
He also shared that at this point in his career, he has the flexibility to tailor his touring around family time. He’s passionate about the creative process—songwriting, exploring sound—and this classroom experiment allowed him to share that passion in a pure, unfiltered way.
Celebrity Substitute itself offers a playful platform: celebrities step into classrooms, teach with authenticity, and expose students (and viewers) to new experiences. For Sheeran, it wasn’t about spectacle but connection, curiosity, and joy.
Why This Moment Matters
This is not just a viral clip. The episode underscores that:
Music is approachable: You don’t need years of formal training to create songs. The looper, simple melody, and group creativity demonstrated that musical expression can be spontaneous and joyful—especially for kids.
Education thrives with creativity: When teachers (or surprise guests) give students space to experiment, share, and lead, enthusiasm follows.
Positive role models in schools matter: For many children, a memorable visit from a musical icon is beyond the ordinary. But here, Ed Sheeran didn’t show up to perform—he showed up to teach.
Everyday topics can become portals for learning: Brushing teeth—an act we all do—became a lyrical anchor to engage rhythm, phrasing, and group singing.
In an era of streaming, social media, and ever-shortening attention spans, moments like this remind us of the power of in-person interaction, of play, of building something together.
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Final Notes & Reflection
Ed Sheeran may have left the classroom at the end of the episode, but the echoes of that day linger. Students who helped build that brushing-teeth jam now have a memory where they weren’t passive listeners—they were creators. Teachers observed new dynamics, risk-taking, and smiles all around. And viewers got a glimpse into how profound (and fun) music education can be.
Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the most effective. A looper pedal, an enthusiastic teacher, and a subject as mundane as brushing your teeth—with that mix, Sheeran helped a class of kids feel musical agency. He reminded us: the joy of music is meant to be shared, explored, and discovered—even (especially) in the classroom.
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