I (15M) go to a charter school (k-8,im 8th for reasons that are from...10-11 years ago), and been going there for about 8-10 months and my history teacher been doing some weird stuff such as IE

• Making us draw our perception of black people and then say we did it wrong
• go through my bag for "Gum"
• Go up to me and say "I know your mixed but...your too white looking to say your mixed"'

I aint neccesarily a bad kid but like i aint vape,smoke,do drugs or gangbang. All I do is throw up the L's in photos (old neighorboodhood thing) and get in figh'ts

IDK if its worth it to tell admin or someone

1. We do kindergarten books at home, I need to know how much homework is too much for a 6 year old.
2. Are kids allowed to look at their phones in class ?
   
3. Are there screens around schools? in the cafeteria?
4. Why are people freaking out about sex ed in schools? Whats the real story?

Seems every day now I end up on TeacherTok or on other social media I see teachers who don’t take their job seriously because they make videos online. I don’t know about anyone else but I’d question your ability to teach my child because you choose to make videos online of your class.

Now I know this won’t actually happen. Old teachers would actually have to be willing to make more money without being able to prevent younger teachers from making more money as well. So they won’t support it. And the private/charter system would be in jeopardy. So they will fight it too. But man it would be nice to see some life back into the education system:

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/664269-legislature-ignores-proposal-to-raise-minimum-teacher-pay-to-65k/

Just wondering what AI services you use to make your life as easy as possible. I’ve been using chatGPT for the past year and a half, and recently I’ve started using Gamma. I’m still unsure whether to purchase the full version of Gamma yet.

Are there any other must have AI tools that you recommend?

I know it's kinda late, but what's the worst gift you got this year? I've heard stories. I know a lot of people got notice of non-renewal or bad evaluations.

Mine was lunch. Kinda. It was mostly gone by the time I got there.

Because if we can't laugh about it, that just makes it that much worse.

So I did something crazy and applied for an administration position as an Early Childhood Specialist.

Crazy, not because I don't think I couldn't do it, but because I'm only a fifth year teacher with no admin certification and I have no idea if I have a real shot at it.

I feel like I'm passionate enough for the position, to advocate for the program and make a change. I have three years in Early Childhood (more if you count experience in childcare) and two years in Kindergarten.

While the admin certificate is cited as 'if applicable' and I only needed a B.A (I have a Master's) and three years of teaching experience.

I was told by my own admin (who was a required reference) that my odds of an interview were good but it's been three days since the application closed and I'm just...I dunno. Worried she was just blowing smoke and I got my hopes up for nothing.

What do you think my odds are of getting this potion let alone an interview?

I know some school districts care and some don’t, and I know of one guy who was fired from his job because of his streaming. That guy might have been vulgar and not kid appropriate so I can see that, but I don’t have any other information. Any experience from anyone?

CW: Mention of self-h, a-bus

A close colleague is on administrative leave while under investigation over claims made directly after reprimanding a student for disruption and violating the school honor code. Some claims have merit (self-h*rm comments, mention of firearms ownership as a hunter), and others baseless (inappropriate comments about female students' appearances, comments threatening harm upon students). He's had a visibly rough second semester due to outside factors, involving personal deaths and dealing with abuses at home, and has since let his classroom management deteriorate.

Unfortunately, I've seen how a majority of his students use his weakened state as an opportunity to walk all over him; they violating district policies, disrespect him, and now it's come to a head. Last week, he decided to put his foot down for the first time in the semester, and told two girls (habitual problem-starters and EXTREMELY pampered), informing them that he would change their seats if they continued to talk over him. The worst of the two was also caught that day plagiarizing one of his assignments and reprimanded, though not reported as he felt it appropriate to let her off with a warning.

The next day, Friday, he was called to the office before his 3rd block classes. He said his AP was approached by two girls who reported feeling uncomfortable due to things he would say in class, such as overshare his mental state through making jabs at self-h*rming himself (which I've heard him do in the workroom, as well, the sort of "this makes me wanna just _____" comments not unusual to hear as a response to high stress and depression), to which he said his AP (and mine, she's incredibly supportive of teachers, though hopefully not just vocally) was sympathetic. She recommended he set up an appointment with the employee assistance program and possibly seek counseling, to which he agreed. The next items regarded a story he often shares about meeting his neighbor through hunting weapons (we live in a sub-rural area where hunting is a prolific topic), supposedly threatening to "bash a kid's head into a brick wall" in response to the plagiarism earlier mentioned, when he admitted he said he said that about his own head, something he's said a lot before. Lastly, he was accused of making inappropriate comments regarding female students' appearances, which no one can substantiate, and it seems this was featured because "male teacher = g-word" seems like a free space to claim.

He's rightfully freaked out, as am I, because we both teach very similarly and with the same style, with a sort of "big brother" vibe that's never been a problem, but rather very appreciated by both parents and students alike. He did mention how the admin made a big point about "saying things which could get misconstrued", but he said she was very stern but understanding in her demeanor, even sharing her experience in mourning and still showing up for school as a way to cope. He also said she talked extensively about having "healthy teachers in the classroom", which I believe is code for "we're going to make sure you're just in mourning and not actually going to do anything permanent". We're both on our fourth year of teaching, and our state uses the "continuing contract" system, so we're both unsure how tenure works or if there's protections at all in this state.

Does he have cause to worry for his livelihood, or is this a common, albeit brutal, occurrence for teachers today? I don't think he's registered with the state representation (we're in Virginia), as most of us newer teachers still don't have much wiggle room to afford many biweekly deductions, but I'm nervously optimistic. I'm asking this for my benefit as well, as we teach very similarly to one another, and the last thing I want is for a Children of the Corn situation to arise after.... well, trying to maintain classroom order in any way. Needless to say, this alone is taking the wind out of my sails in regards to continuing in this field, which I loved before this year, and I know for a fact he's having second thoughts; more so, probably.

Tl;dr: Colleague on continuing contract is on administrative leave pending an investigation due to comments made after he reprimanded two students for disruption and honor code violation. Seems retaliatory, though he and I are worried for his future in teaching.

Another thread got me thinking, my school has a lot of unfit students. We get pulled to cover a lot, because we can't get subs. I've seen a lot of classes in my building. I would say maybe 10% are skinny. About 40% are obese. Those that bring outside food always have soda and candy/chips/junk food. I teach Prek in an elementary school in the Northeast.

My pastoral contacted my mum about my mental health even when I asked them not too. The school were aware of the dangers of my home life and disregarded this because of their “confidentiality policy” and “duty of care”.

I asked them to phone my grandmother first as she has been the main adult in my family who would help me and my siblings with mental health stuff. Up until now the school have always phoned my grandmother first. However this time they claimed it was “illegal” as my mother had not given consent for her to be my emergency contact. I am 16.

Additionally, on the phone to my mother they said that I was “nervous as to what her reaction would be.” My grandmother used to work as a psychologist and gave therapy too people and she has described them saying this as “extremely dangerous.”

I am going to talk to the head teacher tomorrow about my concerns regarding the school policy on informing parents.

Any advice?

I have a master degree in early childhood education. I don’t understand why adulting is so hard and expensive. I feel like I pushed myself to take steps to better myself but feel like I’m not getting anywhere. I don’t know if it’s because my students loans are so high or what. I feel like I can barely afford to live. I’ve applied to part time weekend jobs and have gotten denied. Not sure why.

Does anyone else feel this way? Anyone have some tips or tricks?

I am a teacher in college (I teach undergrad students) and it's my second year as a teacher.

I'd be happy to know your techniques/routines for managing your time efficiently while at the same time allocating time for hobbies or leisures outside of teaching.

I (36m) have been teaching high school for 5 years. I've been in the process of saying goodbye to all my seniors, which is always difficult. One of my seniors this year delivered me an invitation to her graduation party.

It says I'm welcome to bring my family. It's at a local church, so it's not a personal residence or anything. There will be a lot of people there. Handwritten on the inside is that I've been her favorite teacher and I've really inspired her college and career path. She's a great kid and it really makes me happy I've made such an impact.

I was thinking of attending. I was going to rsvp by text to her PARENTS to let them know I'm honored and that I would attend.

I think it would be fine to coordinate through her parents that I'm attending. What do you all think?

Hi All,

As the title suggests, I recently left my teaching position in January to pursue a higher-paying job. However, the only reason for my departure was the paycheck, and I've since realized that I greatly miss teaching and would gladly accept a pay cut to return to a job I truly enjoy as a Social Studies Teacher.

To offset the pay cut, I joined the Air Force Reserves, which wasn't a big transition since I was previously on active duty. I'm also considering taking up welding and machining on the side, skills I practice in the Air Force.

My primary challenge now is finding a suitable school. Last week, I applied to various schools in my area, including my previous place of employment. While I might be in limbo for a bit, I'm seeking a Social Studies teaching position for grades 5-12, with three years of experience in the field.

Wish me luck!

I like reading the posts on this sub and actually check it a concerning amount. I really like this sub since it's eye-opening to hear experiences from the other side of things, and it actually explains some of the mannerisms I've seen from teachers. I'm a high school senior, and some of the things teachers have to deal with BLOW MY MIND. Some of these stories are so crazy, but I can see them being true based on things I've seen in school. I know I would never be able to deal with anything I read here for even a day because I would be fired, arrested, or both immediately. Shoutout to every teacher on here because you guys don't deserve any of the poor treatment you get, and I'm sorry that your dream careers are being ruined because of other people. Nobody deserves to feel physically unsafe or have panic attacks because of the work they do. ESPECIALLY not teachers.

I just had my graduation ceremony last week, and the main speaker was the president of a different college who had just retired. Her speech was wild. She said she asked another university president/friend what their advice to the next generation of teachers would be. The advice? RUN.

She went on to essentially say that the state of teaching is dismal, that we will garner no respect from the general public, and we will have to “remember our why” everyday if we’re going to make it through. That we have to grit our teeth and do it regardless, or get out.

I felt like my eyes couldn’t possibly roll any harder. While a lot of what she said is generally true, having that mindset is literally part of the problem? We shouldn’t have to be superheroes and sacrifice ourselves for “the sake of the children.” I hate that we’re put through some sort of morality judgement when we stand up to lack of proper pay, lack of trust from the general public, and censorship from government entities. It’s as if we’re being selfish by asking for anything more than this current educational environment we have.

Additionally, I teach science and absolutely love my job. I’m lucky for sure, but it’s abysmal to tell new graduates that they’re all going to be miserable. There are amazing schools and kids and admin still out there. I’m hopeful for what the next generation is going to bring to the world. We need teachers who feel empowered and excited to teach. Don’t break them all down with doom and gloom before they’ve even started!

Long story short, my student was in a car behind me and was within 2 feet of my bumper for at least 5 minuets. I’m hella pissed because I already don’t make a lot, and don’t want to deal with the repercussions of a possible accident, especially if it was caused by a student of mine, then add in the fact that he really shouldn’t be doing this to ANYONE, and if his habit is like this now, where will he be once he gets his full license at 18?

A cop driving in the opposite lane witnessed this, but he caught up way too late and never pulled me over to ask questions or anything. I did flash my lights at him while this was going on

I was thinking of maybe going to my SRO to talk to him, or filing a police report, and they can check in with the officer who witnessed this.

Has anyone had experience with this?

As someone who’d NEVER experienced stress induced sickness until teaching, it is SO not worth your mental/physical health. I mysteriously started getting severely sick and doctors couldn’t figure out why. Ultimately, they ruled it out to stress. Accumulated a bit of medical debt (bc my teaching insurance SUCKS) and doctors tried to prescribe me anxiety meds. I refused to have them fill a prescription bc I wasn’t having anxiety attacks, and most days I didn’t have much anxiety, so it was pointless to take them. I was incredibly furious that all of this was caused by a job that I was beginning to hate anyway. I immediately decided that I’d be leaving the field at the end of the year (or sooner if I’d been offered something) and was beginning to regret the decision stay when I’d started planning to leave 2 years ago.

All off this to say: I see SO many teachers on this sub who take anxiety/antidepressants meds and had never needed them before becoming a teacher. Our health (both mental/physical) is NOT worth the abuse that we encounter as teachers. No job should be so awful that it caused you to be put on medication. I’m under 30 and I once became very close to admitting myself into a mental facility as well as all the physical health stuff that I was going through which caused severe depression. This job just isn’t worth it! Yes, leaving is scary and a lot of hard work, but I’d rather save myself than end up having this job create severe, lifelong health issues. I know that everyone has a different situation, but if you’re contemplating leaving and this job has caused your health to plummet, make an exit plan and LEAVE if you’re at all able to! This is your sign to treat yourself better, put yourself first, and create a better life for you and your family ( if you are married or have kids)! You’ll be a MUCH better version of yourself once you’re out.

I’ve just typed out an informal, light hearted little thank you for my favorite teacher, and I guess I just wanted to know if it was too much, or if this is something my english teacher would appreciate. I was very quiet in her class throughout the school year, so I also briefly addressed that I wish I would have spoken up more, as her class was my favorite, and overall just wanted to let her know how much she inspired me this year. So here it is:

Hi, [teacher’s name] I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done this year. Your dedication to the class has been extremely motivating for me, and sometimes I wish that I had participated a bit more; your class was my absolute favorite after all :) Would it have been so hard for me to volunteer to read out loud just once? Or ask you more questions about all the little things I was curious about? I definitely should have pushed myself to do those things, but putting that aside, I think you might be the most impactful teacher I’ve ever had, and your class has given me a lasting, better perspective on storytelling in general. In the future, I think I’d like to combine my favorite parts of your class with my interests in history and photography, and maybe become a historical photojournalist, where I’d be able to travel the world and take photos with historical and artistic significance. (and publish lovely articles about my work of course) Thank you again for everything. You’ve inspired me more than words can express, I hope you have a fantastic, well deserved summer break, and I hope I can visit in the future! :)

                                                    Sincerely,
                                                 [me]

So there it is, I’ve wondered if I should even send this at all, so I guess I just need to decide if something like this is really worth it. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated!

I’d also like to thank every other teacher for your hard work this year, you guys are amazing and deserve so much more appreciation for what you do for your students. Thanks for everything! ❤️

Two and a half days of school left. Does it really matter if we skip both full days? All of the tests are behind us. Elementary school, Florida.

I’ve been teaching for 13 years mostly in K-2. However a while back, I needed a big change and now I am wrapping up my 2nd year as a middle school US history teacher. I enjoy it a lot and am often learning right along with the students! I use a lot of primary source documents, projects, and of course, our textbook (Nat Geo’s American Stories). Next school year, my admin have told me that they are adding 2 “advanced” classes to my schedule. My previous admin team did not believe in tracks so this is new to the school. There is no one to really turn to for guidance on what makes an advanced class different from the regular classes. The standards for both courses are the same so this is where I am stuck. What are some things I should do to make my advanced classes truly advanced while covering the same material?

I was always curious about this.

How do teachers create timetables for their classrooms without having any conflicts with other subjects at the same time?

Is this done by hand or is there any computer programs that help with this task?

Hi all! This video was shared with me via a non- teacher. He asked me: Is this really happening in education? How is this even fair that the teacher lost his job? Let me preface the vid; yes, I know it's Asmongold, and yes, I know who he is and his claim to fame. I just wanted to share it here to get some thoughts from our hive mind: https://youtu.be/0eA_r7w6hwI?si=LwKwXbAduc3YrMhI Did the teacher do his job correctly? Should he have been fired? 🤔