I teach high school English. My formal is coming up this Thursday. Last year I just did what lesson I was going to do that day anyway, but this year I learned that the other teachers at my school specifically make a lesson for that day just to make yourself look better.

So what will knock admin's socks off for the formal observation?

I had a traumatic birth and traumatic immediate post partum (did you know you can get pre-eclampsia AFTER birth?) I'm set to return to work right at Thanksgiving. I'm having very scary feelings about leaving my baby and being okay mentally/emotionally, or if my baby can handle it. I'm not going to be returning next year, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience leaving after returning from mat leave in the middle of the year.

I'm not willing to risk my mental health for a job. I feel myself feeling into a depression, I'm leaving asap. I just want to know if this is horrible of me or not lol.

Dear educators,

Could you please guide me on where US colleges typically announce teaching job openings? What are the chances for foreigners?

I hold a PhD in Chemistry and a Harvard Higher Education Certificate. Currently, I am in a postdoctoral position (outside of the US), but I have a clear understanding that academic research is not my preferred career path.

I would be very grateful for any advice or tips on where/how to start my job search. Thank you.

I’m currently a fourth grade homeroom teacher at a school I can’t stand. I’m looking into leaving the school to go somewhere else, literally anywhere else. I love teaching but my administration lets kids best each other up in class with zero consequences, the class is huge, and I receive almost no support with curriculum. I feel alone and stressed.

How likely is it that I can be hired at another school mid-year after leaving one full time position? I don’t think my license will be put at stake, but will other schools be wary of me?

Edit: I reread my contract and I need only two week’s written formal notice to leave to be in good standing and keep my license. If I find somewhere else I’ll put in a notice. I also want to mention that this isn’t coming out of nowhere, I’ve been talking to my admin about how I feel and how stressed, overwhelmed, and needing support I am; they have given me hardly anything. Other teachers say that’s just how this school is, but I know it shouldn’t be like this.

Hello, I’m trying to land a full-time position and noticed that there are many open positions in the nearby areas. One of them is for the San Bernardino School district.

The city and county itself are known for all the bad reasons. It’s worst than the area of LA. their city has been bankrupt many times over the last twenty years.

I’m asking to see if I should even apply or not. I’m trying to get my first teaching job besides subbing for two years and one of them as a building-sub/resident sub. I don’t want to enter into a burning house knowing that I’m set to fail.

Hello! I just finished up all my on boarding stuff for day to day substitute teaching in Pennsylvania. I have been in outdoor education for a few years but being in a classroom is really intimidating for me, I am only 23 (especially with high schoolers because its not a huge age difference) so Im definitely feeling a little nervous about all of this, anybody have good advice or good habits to start working on? Thanks!

Context: I’m a second year teacher. I taught 5th last year and now I’m in 1st at a different school. I know classroom management is something I need to work on, but I’m trying to also find my own style with it. With advice from veteran teachers and also searching this subreddit I have some new ideas. I was afraid for a while that it was too late to change things, but now I feel more confident that I still can.

Now to my question: I teach in an area where parents are VERY involved. If I start to become firmer / change expectations and the kids come home talking about it the parents might think there is something really wrong. This isn’t true. In fact, I’m just trying to make certain frequently broken rules clearer and more consistent, and establish some more routines for smoother transitions. Should I bring up to parents that I’m implementing some changes or is that making it too big of a deal and drawing more attention to it? Particularly if I take away dojo points as a consequence and allow the parents to see it, they might need some context. What do you think I should do?

Sorry for the long post. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

I am seriously at my wit's end. I teach Art and my Kindergarten class is absolutely feral. They can not even sit still for 10 seconds while I am trying to give directions. They do not care if they are reprimanded, or have to sit out. I have tried making the whole class practice routines such as walking in the room quietly but that just causes more chaos because then some of them start to cry, or argue with each other, etc.

My other classes are fine, it's just this group that is really hard to work with due to their immaturity. Their classroom teacher struggles with them as well but she has an aide in the class who is there all day to help. It's a small private school and we are all stretched thin so there is no one to come in and help me.

I want to do some STEM activities with them but it is so hard because the minute I turn my back to go help at one table, another table starts fighting or putting the materials in their mouths or something.

I need some practical solutions because this is wearing me down.

I got reprimanded today because we’re behind. I’ve had admin tell my students that they can literally hear me from the hall desperately trying to teach only to come in later and say in front of them I need to start actually teaching and explaining. What is the truth here?Then when I do help my students, they talk in my face while I’m actively trying to help, so much so, I’ve even straight up give them the answer sometimes to see if they’re listening. Their attention spans last about 45 seconds before it gets off topic and I can’t teach without getting interrupted, which obviously wastes time on reviewing expectations and refocusing. Then, after all that they tell my supervisor that I didn’t help and they’ve been asking me all day. I was out and admin had my class just for me to find out they literally don’t even have answers down for what she went over with them, so it’s not me and her method clearly didn’t work either, but when I came in she was saying they aren’t doing satisfactory work because I’ve NEVER told them what to do. I gave a specific example of helping a student and checking their understanding and said, “that student explained the exact method back to me and is still not completing it” and she moved the goal post! “Oh well it’s about his concentration.” Alright babe, let me just give them the answers and check things off so I won’t be called a lazy ass teacher and we can move faster. In reality I’m working myself ragged everyday and my students aren’t focused. I can’t believe I was told I don’t do anything and in front of kids I fight for everyday. I’m not cut out for this lol.

I had an interview this morning over the phone for a position at a school. The interview lasted 10 minutes and, they said they would be in contact with me shortly.

did I bomb the interview for it to be so short?

I am a 21 year old teacher at a private school for language learning. About 2 weeks ago i got a new group of students. This particular group had the same teacher for the last 7-8 years. When they got told that I would be their new teacher they had no objections so we started working. Everything was going great and we were making significant progress. Until today. After the class ended they came and told me that they want their old teacher back. They said I was great and they were learning but they were not used to the way I teach and wanted their old teacher. They even suggested that we both held the lectures together but I told them that that wasn't possible. I know it may sound stupid but I feel like I'm not good enough. Any comment helps.

I teach computer science and AI to a girl studying in higher secondary school. She is from a family in the neighbourhood, whose parents are somewhat good neighbourhood friends of my parents. I gave her a strict day and time for her tuitions which is Friday at 7 PM. However, she tends to bunk classes occasionally, and delays joining the classes, attending very late. Over that, her parents expect me to be available any time to teach her because they reside very near to me and they expect that their daughter can come anytime to me and I will teach her, or make up for her missed classes, etc.

When it comes to her other tuitions, if she has another tuition and by chance, the day and time of that tuition conflicts with my day and time (which is again during my tuition time- Friday, 7PM), then her parents allow her to bunk my classes and join that other tuition instead, giving absolutely no importance to my tuition, whereas it is supposed to be my tuition that she should be joining because it is on my allocated day and time. Then, her parents also expect that I make up for the classes that she misses from her end, and talks in a very clever way so that they can convince me to make up for the missed classes.

Yesterday, I talked with her father (who is the main person who takes my time, efforts and availability for granted). I clearly and firmly told him that I won't tolerate the lack of discipline and punctuality of his daughter's attendance, and I won't be making up for the classes that she misses from her end. I also requested him not to take my classes for granted and give equal importance to my tuitions, just like they give for the other tuitions, otherwise I won't be able to make up for her because the burden keeps increasing and all the chapters that were supposed to be finished on time are now being pushed further later and they will pile up and cause huge burden just before the final exams.

But her father instead started to get defensive about her daughter and also started to question me that why I did not inform about her daughter's lack of discipline and punctuality before... I was stunned. Being her father, doesn't he know that her daughter is not being disciplined and punctual in attending my tuitions? Is it not their responsibility as her parents? In fact, he is the one who gave her the freedom and flexibility to come to my tuitions at any time she wants because she resides nearby, ruining all her discipline and sense of commitment to attend the tuitions and study.

I somehow think that my efforts, time and availability are taken for granted. I am thinking that her father and mother thinks that I will do anything that they say and adapt according to their requests. And when I am approaching her parents regarding the indiscipline and punctuality of their daughter, then her parents are going on the defensive instead of trying to come up with a solution.

How do I deal with such a situation?

https://youtu.be/E1x0a_U42nE → There are 3 easy steps in CCPM:

• Step 1 (Replacing Schedule Padding with a single Project Buffer)
• Step 2 (Tracking Buffer Consumption & Project Progress by Fever Charts)
• Step 3 (Creating Feeding & Resource Buffers to Manage Uncertainty)

Just here to vent out a little frustration again. I’m the same person who posted about being soft spoken and how my coordinator micro manages me almost every single day. Well another day has gone by and of course it was expected to happened somehow.

Started in class for the party where she said to take a picture of four or five children with their Halloween activities. I heard her, but most of my kids were doing homework with a teacher in the classroom so I only had three to take a picture. She wanted the picture as soon as possible, therefore I took a picture of three of the kids with their activities.

Shortly after I was going to send it, she came in and ask me. I started telling her that I took a picture of three and give her my reason, but she began berating me again saying how I didn’t follow instructions and that I need those photos now. I was embarrassed since there was another teacher in there and everytime she berates me, it is always in front of the kids loud too.

Afterwards the teacher quickly gather the kids she was doing homework with to take a picture and I did. Then she kept asking me to send the pictures when I clearly did. It was still sending.

Once she left, the teacher came up to me and told me she should’ve never said that to me in front of the kids and that was extremely rude because if she speaking to me like that in first of kids then they will observe and treat me the same one. The teacher then apologizes and I had to ensure her it didn’t bother me, but deep down after she said that to me. It made me want to cry honestly and swallowing the lump in my throat as I tried to continue the activities with the kids.

It’s so bad till the point that even another coworker ask me if our coordinator was blaming stuff on us when it’s out of our control. Lastly, one of the kids asked me

“Why does ________ boss you around?”

It’s something every day and I can do no right, even if I manage to do good, it’s still not enough.

Frankly I am still going to work and do my thing then go home. I just tried to push through and ignore her comments, but walking on eggshells and trying to put out perfectionism is wrecking with me. I just know if she gets upset at something weather it’s my fault or not, I have to prevent it.

It’s so bad that even when I take attendance, I recount so many times because if I do one thing wrong she will scold me in front of the kids. Sometimes it’s out of my hands because there are kids that aren’t in the program that are there and the ones I have aren’t there on my list.

It just so much and I dread going to work even if it’s only for four hours. The funny part? I started this job nearly a month ago.

I don’t even know where to begin. I teach upper elementary and just finished our first 9 weeks. Students in general are rough, I won’t lie. Nothing I can’t handle though!

There is a single student who has physically and verbally abused me every single day. I have been bit to the point of drawing blood quite a few times, punched and slapped multiple times, had things thrown at me, told I shouldn’t exist, called stupid/dumb/the worst person to exist/b**ch (there’s more I just can’t remember all off the top of my head). They scream at me and in my face (literally in my face) daily, from the second they walk into the room until they eventually get removed from the room. My admin does nothing though since the student has an IEP with a behavior plan (that just talks about how they treat and hurt THEMSELVES not others). Other students have been hit, things get stolen from others and my desk. Our building “aide” almost had his hand broken by this kid today!!! Coworkers have said point blank they would quit if the kid got moved into their room (since that’s my admins answer to everything- just move rooms!!!) I’m behind on curriculum because I spend 95% of my day dealing with this. I try ignoring the behavior and continuing to teach but that results in temper tantrums and full blown screaming til they’re red in the face. My other students are suffering because of it and I can see how exhausted they all are every time this student starts.

I’m at my breaking point. I don’t know what to do anymore. I come home daily and am crying because I’m so exhausted from dealing with it. I’m tired of being beat up and called names constantly. I’m just tired. My boyfriend sees how drained I am and has encouraged me to look for other jobs, and I have. I just feel bad leaving my coworkers mid year. But I’m breaking apart, and leaving is going to be my best option.

I am currently working at a charter school and teachers are grossly underpaid compared to the surrounding public schools but our school keeps using the excuse that they only get 80% of what the public school gets so we get paid 20% less… even though we have a $90,000 budgets for field trips (each grade k-8 goes on 2 field trips a month).

Our school does an insane about of fundraising. And has gotten big grants from Nike and other companies but they always go to “field trip funds” or “elective funds” or “school facility funds”. Where’s the fund raiser for teachers pay? They even request that each family “donates” at least $800 per school year. It’s also worth noting that the school serves a very wealthy population of families and students.

The last charter school I worked for payed well over the public schools in the area because they wanted “the highest quality teacher in the area” granted that was California and I’m now in Oregon and I know funding is a little different.

I’m trying to gather all of the pay scale of schools in my surrounding areas, including charters to provide evidence of why teachers desperately need a raise to our pay scale. However, it’s been hard to find charter schools pay scales. Are charter schools pay scales also supposed to be public information. If I email the schools will they have to provide me with their pay scales?

If that doesn’t work, most of the teachers are ready to start a union. Let me know your thoughts or if you had a similar experience.

Edits: -I took this job because I moved states right before the school year started and I’m an Art Teacher so I had to take what I could get.

-I totally agree with all of you that Charter schools shouldn’t exist. But a girls got to make a living somehow… trust me I am looking for another job but full time art teacher jobs are few and far between.

-Listen guys I have dyslexia and a laundry list of other learning disabilities. I get I spelled some things wrong in this post. When at work or in a formal setting I use tools to correct my spelling but this was a quick Reddit post…. I grew up in Special Education like many of your students. Students grow up to be adults with learning disabilities. It’s fine if you just spelled checked me, I get it we are teachers but if you are questioning my ability to be a teacher based on my spelling or upvoting those comments you are flat out Ableist. I feel bad for all your students with learning disabilities. Check yourself!

I have an interview coming up to be an ASL interpreter. The school district classifies those as teacher aid/hourly pay, and it's 16 dollars an hour. Is there a way I can negotiate the pay if they offer it to me? I do have a bachelor's degree, and I am willing to do teaching. 

Hi teachers! I created Presidential Pick'Em, a tool to help students understand the Electoral College. They can predict each state’s winner, set the margin of victory, and compete in class-specific pools for some friendly competition. After Election Day, predictions are scored with a live leaderboard, making it a fun way for social studies, history, and civics students to explore swing states, voting patterns, and election dynamics. Some teachers are already using it—I’d love to hear any feedback if you give it a try!

Hi all -

I teach at a private school in Connecticut, where I’ve been for six years. The parents have been exceptionally challenging this year; truly angry and mean-spirited. My lead teacher has had to play interference with several parents of students of mine who wanted their kids to be more mathematically challenged, but the truth is that their kids are simply lazy.

Yet as a private school, the expectation is that I’m the one responsible for the quality and quantity of student work. As a result, the lead teacher is micromanaging my every move. And since our curriculum is entirely custom, it means daily hours of re-working last year’s lesson to suit this situation. Three months in, I’m exhausted!

Friends of mine teach in public schools in the area and, while teaching is most definitely hard, they suggest it’ll likely be much less stressful. However, it would mean quitting my school part-way through the year. I’m scared that will look bad, and I’m also scared that it could cause the lead teacher or others in the school to provide less-than-stellar recommendations.

Any thoughts? What would you do here? Should I be scared to leave part-way through the year, if even I don’t have a role to leap into right away? Should I slog it out and worry about getting better recommendations? Any advice here would be helpful!

A.K

Hello,

I’m a third-year liberal studies major with a strong interest in middle and high school education, aiming to earn a single-subject credential. I have 37 units left to complete my degree. I chose liberal studies because it covers content knowledge, pedagogy, and classroom management skills that single-subject majors often lack (I realized my preference for teaching higher grades too late to switch).

I’ve declared a concentration in ethnic studies, which fulfills 12 of my 120 required units. I’m ahead in coursework due to dual enrollment in high school and on track to graduate a semester early. At my college, a minor requires an additional 15 units, while a double major requires 30 units. I plan to speak with my counselor but am curious if my concentration units might count toward either the minor or double major, as I’ll exceed the 120-unit graduation requirement with my current degree.

I’m passionate about ethnic studies, especially with California’s new graduation requirement for high school students to take an ethnic studies course by 2030. Given the teacher shortage, I see a high demand for qualified ethnic studies teachers, particularly educators of color who represent student demographics.

If I pursue the double major, I’d need to take on a heavier course load to graduate by Spring 2026. I’m inclined toward this option for the additional credentials, but I’m unsure if it would significantly boost my employability or just add stress. Any advice from teachers on whether a double major or minor would best support my career goals would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I spent ten years working in "urban" schools. Say what you want about those schools -- we had virtually zero interruptions to our classes, other than the occasional 15 district people crashing into a lesson, or the frequent visits from useless coaches. But there were no "all-calls," no announcements every period to dismiss whichever sportsball team or club, no phone calls every period to send such-n-such down for something related to a club, and students were almost never dismissed early for field trips and sporting events. Field trips on school days had to be directly related to the curriculum and they were limited to one or two per year per club/department (since those days quickly add up). Any extra-curricular field trip had to happen outside of school hours, including sports.

Where I work now, in a small, rural school?

FFA goes on a field trip every week. Another club has three blood drives per year, resulting in constant interruptions and at least 10% of the student body missing the entire day. Virtually every. single. day. there are multiple sports teams being dismissed two hours early. My classroom phone rings off the hook to dismiss this or that student for this or that after school activity. Multiple students hand me "clearance slips" every day because they're going to be absent (most often for FFA, but for countless other things). And while my students have far better attendance than was the case in the urban school, it's only better on paper; they miss every bit as much school, just for what should be after school activities. Multiple students missing multiple days to decorate for this or that (homecoming, prom, etc.). It is KILLING ME to keep up with all the make-up tests and whatnot, since I don't work outside of contract hours and I don't allow students to effectively miss a second class to make up tests or quizzes during class time. I'd also really enjoy being able to teach a class without having it interrupted.

Look, I'm not trying to poo-poo anyone's fun. Field trips are important. I like to go on field trips. But this is getting ridiculous. What is the sweet spot here? Surely my current situation is extreme. I realize that Friday Night Lights and sportsball are often the be-all, end-all of rural public schools and that school boards and communities value sports beyond any respectable level.

(No, it's not that simple to just go somewhere else -- that's incredibly unhelpful to say. Anticipating the bbbut's: "Field trips keep some kids in school!" ... "Sports keep some kids in school!" ... "Kids should be allowed to have fun sometimes!" ... "Field trips are learning experiences!* ... "I went on X field trip and it changed my life in Y ways." Etc. Etc. Etc. I do not have a problem with field trips or sports. I have a problem with allowing those to take all precedence over teaching and learning and having my classes constantly disrupted because of them.)

Hi! I’m a math student in Quebec, graduating this year. My goal is to become a cégep math teacher (cégeps in Quebec are colleges that bridge high school and university). This year, I’m doing my first and only internship, and I’m lucky enough to be working with one of my former cégep teachers. So far, it’s been a great experience—I’ve been attending classes and helping students with exercises, and I’m really enjoying it.

This week, though, I gave a 15 minute presentation to the class, and wow, I was nervous! Having 30 pairs of eyes on me, just watching and listening, felt so strange. I’ve done presentations in front of people before (it was mainly for school), and while I always get nervous, I’ve also had moments in public where I’m less shy and more relaxed. But let’s just say, by the time my 15 minute presentation was over, I felt such a relief. It went well, and I was a little proud of myself but mostly, I was just glad it was done.

I know it’s too early to decide if I like teaching based on one presentation and I know teaching is not only about speaking in front of students. But I’m definitely not looking forward to the next time I’ll have to speak in front of the students. Now, I’m kind of wondering—how will I ever be able to teach if it stresses me out this much?

I think I'm overthinking this, but anyway, I just wanted to heard from people with more experience than me.

Anyway thanks in advance!

(Sorry if I made mistakes)

EDIT: Thanks guys for all your advice! Knowing that some experience the same struggle actually helps me a lot. I'll continue gaining experience! Thanks again

No parent of the year, I don’t need to prove to you that your kid used ai. If it is written at a college level and little Johnny does not understand any of the words, I can’t grade it.

That is all.

Ps. The student is in grade six.

Teacher +5 years in in my early 40s. I am teaching all seniors this year and this is easily the worst, most apathetic group of students I can recall. The lack of maturity is astounding. I work at a very low school in a Southern that has steadily gone downhill over the last few years. I've never been someone who believed in busy work or even constant daily assignments but it is ALL they respond to. If they come in and there's not printed handouts of work they automatically assume it's a free day. Lecture is basically impossible and group work and presentation are out the the window. Despite having Chromebooks for years, many students refuse to work on them and prefer printed out handouts, which is fine but monotonous for me.

As I am sure is happening to everyone, the AI war has been lost. Behavior is what it is. I can handle the classes and the problem kids but writing up too many students here is frowned upon. I manage them but I feel that we are very much powerless here. The vibe from the admin and deans is they are the absolute last resort for any issue so I manage as well as I can with phones and music. I basically just focus on trying to get work from them every day and definitely focus on the kids who are working and wanting the help.

I just feel at my school the reason the students come are for 1) food 2) Wi-Fi 3) hanging out. I don't think education is much on the list.

Oh and we have a new principal who is an eager beaver doing frequent walkthroughs to look for bell-to-bell instruction, which with this student body is basically like looking for the Chicago White Sox to win the pennant.

I get the economic/social/cultural disparity issues at play that caused these issues but this all feels like a sinking ship. Is this a job anyone actually expects to do for the rest of their lives anymore?

Hi all, if this post looks familiar, that’s because I posted a similar question last week, and this is kind of an update.. and I could use some more advice on what else I should do.

I had an interview for a Special Education Teacher Aide position three weeks ago within a really good public school district (in the northeast USA) I had my eye on for a while, and it went pretty well! I applied on a Monday, and by Wednesday the same week, I had an interview. The director woman I interviewed with gave me an application to fill out, and once I handed it into her (preferably as soon as possible), she will tell me the next steps in the process (i.e., other paperwork and such, where I will be assigned and with whom, although she implied I would be working with an elementary school student, since I informed her the majority of my students that I tutor (I work at a tutoring center) are on the younger side.

I handed the paperwork on Friday of that same week, and my list of references. Since then.. crickets. I emailed the director I interviewed with last Tuesday asking for an update in the hiring process, but again, I got no reply. I’m starting to get a little nervous, because I’m not sure how the hiring process works for public school districts, and if it takes this long. I called again a week later (yesterday) and got her secretary/assistant who said she would leave a message for her to reach out to me since the director wasn’t in the office then. 24 hours later, nothing. I’m starting to think I’ve been ghosted..

Does it always take a while to hear back about school positions, or is it possible that I didn’t get the job? The job posting is still up, and the application deadline has changed from November 1st of this year to June of next year. The tentative start date for the posting is still November 1st. What is going on? What else should I do, if anything?

I've misplaced my WHY. If found please return as I have 4 more years until I can retire.

I’m a first year teacher. I’ve been trying to fight going the boring “textbook” route but I am caving in. We’re going to read aloud from the textbook tomorrow as a group. Are they going to hate me. Help please how do I make it a little more engaging ?? I’m 5th grade social studies BTW

Wow everyone. Thanks so much for your input and perspective. I feel so much better about going into today!

I am a volunteer for a program that goes into title 1 schools and we teach science to kids in interactive ways. Today was my first day and it did not go as expected at all. When I first got to the class the teacher was non stop screaming at her kids over every little thing. We had to start super late because the class before had some fights, so we weren’t able to do our lesson and instead we went outside to play a game. I stood off to the side because I didn’t really know what to do and I looked up and saw a teacher tackle a student to the ground. The students shirt was half ripped off and he was struggling to break free. Eventually he did break free and ran to fight another student and a different teacher restrained him in a similar way. After this several teachers and staff screamed at this class. I heard teachers from other classes screaming at their kids too. It seemed as if all the teachers within this school didn’t know how to manage their kids properly. I’ve worked in a different educational program outside of schools before and have never seen anything like this. Is this normal? If not what can I do to help?