'I'm almost speechless!' Barack Obama surprises three Chicago teachers on a video call to thank them for their work - before asking about the challenges they're facing amid the pandemic

Former President Barack Obama surprised three Chicago Public Schools teachers with a video call to thank them for their hard work and dedication in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week.

The 58-year-old, who is a longtime Chicago resident, reached out to Jalayne Brewton, a middle school teacher at Parkside Academy; Daniel Michmerhuizen, a civics and U.S. history teacher at Benito Juarez High School; and Katie Owens, a second-grade teacher at Joseph Kellman Elementary. 

In the video that Obama tweeted on Wednesday, he praised the educators and asked them about the challenges they are facing amid the coronavirus pandemic. He even bonded with Owens over the Michael Jordan-Chicago Bulls documentary 'The Last Dance.' 

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Heartwarming: Barack Obama surprised three teachers with a video call to thank them for their hard work and dedication in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week

Exciting: The former president reached out to three Chicago Public Schools teachers: Jalayne Brewton, Daniel Michmerhuizen, and Katie Owens (left to right) 

All three teachers were thrilled and also a bit flustered to be talking to the former president, though he quickly put them at ease. 

'I am overjoyed, overwhelmed. I am almost speechless,' Michmerhuizen admitted, while Owens said she was 'beyond excited' and 'trembling.'

Obama - who was seen in one clip holding a Rubik's cube in his hand - asked each of them how they decided to into teaching, and Michmerhuizen recalled his professor asking him to teach a remediation lesson to some of his fellow students. 

'My mother said I was gonna be a teacher. I think she recognized in me something maybe I didn't see in myself,' Owens shared. 

Meanwhile, Brewton cited her own childhood while reflecting on what motivated her to become a teacher.

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Going viral:  Obama tweeted a video of his conversations with the teachers on Wednesday 

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Praise: 'Great teachers, in a lot of ways, put as big of an imprint on their kids as anybody,' he told the educators, while holding a Rubik's cube in his hand 

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Motivation: Brewton, a middle school teacher at Parkside Academy, said she became a teacher because school was an outlet for her growing up 

'I didn't go grow up in one of the best neighborhoods and didn't have the two-parent household, so my school was my outlet,' she explained. 'So I said to myself, how can I give back to those that actually helped me growing up.'

During his conversation with Owens, Obama pointed out the influence that she and other dedicated teachers like herself have on their pupils. 

'You spend this time with them and they trust you and you love them and you're transmitting knowledge,' he said. 'Great teachers, in a lot of ways, put as big of an imprint on their kids as anybody.'

Obama went on to ask them about the challenges they are facing now that they are teaching their students remotely.  

Brewton's school is in South Shore, the same neighborhood where Obama's wife, Michelle, grew up. She said that at the start of the pandemic, she was concerned about her students having access to devices for online earning. She spent two weeks passing out Chromebooks to her students as a volunteer  

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Giving back: Brewton shared that she volunteered to pass out Chromebooks for two weeks to ensure that her students would have the devices they needed for online school

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Dedicated: Michmerhuizen, a civics and U.S. history teacher at Benito Juarez High School, said that he has continued to have hour-long lessons with his students while teaching remotely 

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Welcome guest: Obama told Michmerhuizen he will have to tune into his class if he gets 'too down and out' 

'We passed out over 147 devices,' she said, adding: 'I don't mind being on the front lines for the kids because this is what I'm really passionate about doing.'

Michmerhuizen, meanwhile, explained that he has made a point to continue his lessons as if he was still in his classroom.   

'What I've tried to do is just transmit my class as much as possible into the remote environment,' he said. 'I teach hour-long classes. to every class because I'm trying to replicate our class, because our class is so powerful in the interaction.'

'You know, if I ever get too down and out, I'm gonna have to tune in to you, so that I can get geared back up,' Obama told him. 

Michmerhuizen stressed that he would be 'an honored guest' in his class at any time.

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Story: Owens said her mother was the one who told her she was going to be a teacher. 'I think she recognized in me something maybe I didn't see in myself,' she shared 

Common ground: Obama bonded with Owens over the new Michael Jordan-Chicago Bulls documentary 'The Last Dance'

All three of the teachers thanked Obama for reaching out to them, saying it was an 'honor' to be able to speak to him.     

'What a beautiful message you're sending to me, and it's so well received. Thank you,' said Owens, who couldn't resist asking Obama if he is watching the new Netflix documentary series The Last Dance' about Michael Jordan and the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls season. 

'I am! I am reliving. You and I must be close to the same age,' Obama replied. 'And so, I'm on a nostalgia trip back there.'

Owens agreed to having the same feelings, noting that she couldn't wait to tell her students about their conversation.  

'When I go on Google Classroom and tell the kids that I talked to President Obama, they're gonna be so happy,' she said.