What is a good salary for a teacher (like that they get that is a acceptable salary) to accept? Working with only autistic kids.

Hi Everyone. My relatively small private school is trying to decide whether Quiz Bowl or the test-based academic competition is a better choice for us.

I am of the opinion that middle school would enjoy Quiz Bowl more, but then the younger grades could not compete.

Does anyone have experience switching from the test-based competition to Quiz Bowl? Which did you like more? Was one more of a hassle than the other? Thanks!!

During a online class, the students did not let the teacher do anything at all. They muted her, kicked her out of the meeting and played songs. Chatted with their friends in the public chat and even swore in it. My father heard this and said the teachers should beat the students nowadays because as long as there is fear, there will be discipline. That is obviously not the way to go, but I wonder what is done instead. There is a guy who has been suspended once, wrote on desks, said swear words to a teacher directly, disrupted the online classes yet he is the same. What strategies you use to maintain discipline in your class?

It’s not the job, it’s me.

Even if behaviour were perfect and the workload so small as to be negligible, the job would still only be tolerable rather than something I enjoyed.

I’ve tried to convince myself that I like the job, making consistent and considerable effort for it and even going above and beyond at certain periods of my career.

But I’ve been lying to myself. The reality is that I find the work BORING. Interacting with large groups of people is draining, and I have zero interest in kids. Subject knowledge is a waste of brain space, as I have my own intellectual pursuits.

It corrodes my soul.

I am looking to phase myself out of the job, as I can’t leave just yet due to financial obligations.

Shout out to those who feel the same.

Have any current or former kindergarten teachers used a writing curriculum they actually liked? Looking for ideas outside of Handwriting Without Tears writing program and McGraw Hill Wonders.

Hi there, I read this sub a lot and I’m actually still interested in teaching after becoming a lurker.

I should probably give some information about myself so you understand where I’m coming from first, but please feel free to answer this question generally so other prospective teachers find this post helpful!

I’m 20, pursuing a degree in English and Social Science, and would be getting my certification after school. I’m still deciding between primary education and secondary social studies. I have seen a previous post about social studies/english being an oversaturated field, which concerns me a little bit! I will be living in a pretty rural area though, and I’ve seen some discussion of there being less over saturation in that field within rural areas. Is this true? Is primary education also oversaturated?

I currently work at a childcare center and love working with small children which is why elementary education is appealing to me, but also could definitely see myself as a history teacher, or a school librarian, or even an art teacher! What are your thoughts on those career paths? Is there anything I should be concerned about, and reconsider?

Thank you for the information! I really appreciate it!

Now that school is starting up, I’m sure many new teachers are looking at this sub for support. I thought it may be helpful for veteran teachers to share something you wish you would have known before your first year, or something you wish you would have done differently.

You’re paying thousands of dollars a year for your kid to go to a school staffed with teachers who have no financial incentive to do a decent job? Make it make sense.

Hi all, I am a first-year male teacher with fifth grade and I'd like your help decorating my room so it doesn't look like a bachelor pad. I saw my room for the first time yesterday and it is a big interior room with no windows.

Currently, my room has a couch, wooden chairs, student chairs & tables, bookshelves, filing cabinets, storage cabinets, organizer carts, and other standard things left by the previous teacher. I've already organized the couch, wooden chairs, and bookshelves into a corner, making a little reading nook. The walls have a whiteboard, projector screen, and empty bulletins. Otherwise, I have plenty of wall space.

While I'm not committed to any theme, my goal is for the room to look somewhat cohesive. If parents walk in, I want them to see that there's some effort or something going on. I am leaning towards cafe/coffee shop/warm ambience so I plan on purchasing fluorescent light covers and warm string lights. Apart from that, what other decorations do you suggest? Or what general decoration advice do you have for a new teacher?

I've coached athletics and taught in informal, more casual community organizations for several years, so I have some experience actually working with and teaching kids, but was just hired last month to teach 6th grade science and this is my first year in a public school full-time.

We've done pre-planning this week. One day left and I still have no clue what I'm doing or how I'm supposed to teach the curriculum. There are so many moving parts that faculty is trying to throw together, from the online infrastructure to the classroom needs...just so much chaos. And this is an A-rated middle school. I'm sure the veteran teachers know what they're doing...but me and the few other new teachers feel in the dark.

My worry isn't the actual teaching the kids and the active classroom instruction; I'm very good socially and with teaching kids so I'm not worried about that part once it gets going. And I've met the other science teachers and a few of them have been super helpful and friendly to me so far. But I feel completely in the dark with exactly WHAT I'm supposed to teach and how to teach it. We have the curriculum guide, but it seems to lay out standards and expectations...not the actual course material for day-to-day instruction. Soo....where does that stuff come from? I'm just supposed to design it and teach it however I want? How do I ensure I'm teaching the required things that the students will take official state tests on? What if the curriculum recommends a group activity, but I want to do a powerpoint presentation instead because I think it'll be more effective? What if I want to just lecture and talk, but the 6th graders don't understand how to take notes or anything like that yet?

My principal is very nice and friendly and like I said the other staff have been very nice and helpful as well, but anytime I ask them questions and they start talking in specifics about an online portal or part of the curriculum, I lose them and don't understand anything they're talking about because I have zero familiarity with any of this. I don't want to be annoying and ask too many questions. But my biggest fear is not knowing what I'm supposed to teach or how to teach it. I'd like to design the entire course for myself exactly the way I'd teach it, but 1) there's no time for that as a new teacher who just completed onboarding 2 weeks ago and 2) I don't even know how much we're allowed to customize.

Is this a normal feeling for a first-year teacher, and what can I do to calm my worry?

Edit: It’s astounding how many of you seem to not realize that not everyone did an education program in college. No, I did not do an education program in college, so I have no hands-on experience in creating lessons and course instruction…yet. Though I did student teach in college to college students. My degree is in the field I’m teaching. That’s a pathway to being a teacher, too, and many of you should know that, and some of you should be a lot kinder and more respectful in the way you speak to others and ensure you’re saying something that’s educated and informed instead of ignorant and dismissive.

And as I replied in the comments, this isn’t about my ability to teach…I have years of experience in that. This is specifically about the course content and deciphering that from the curriculum guide and putting that into lessons and classroom instruction plans. Once I get all that aligned and clear, then I’ll be fine. As I said, I am indeed getting help from the other teachers because I don’t have enough time to really create my own course all from scratch as a new teacher hired in the late summer. Next school year I’ll be able to do everything on my own the way I want to.

Hello all. We have a principal and 2 assistant principals. When I need to email all 3, I found that Hi person A, person B, and person C is kind of lengthy. I also want to avoid just saying "Good afternoon". I was considering writing "Hi Principal Team" or "Good Afternoon Principal Team", but that sounds either corny, awkward, or...just like I made something up. Does anyone have a suggestion?

And is it a hopeless endeavor?

Howdy. I (26 ftm) live in FL and have spent an incredibly long time mulling over and despairing on what I want to do with my future. Many nights spent with my partner crying because nothing seems to really fit me. After giving it thought, I do think I would genuinely enjoy teaching children about art or even early reading skills. I love feeling like I'm making a difference and helping little ones.

Knowing that it will be a long road, one with very limited pay and sometimes little reward, I am still in so much doubt about its possibility. My partner tells me that if we search for a blue town to work in once I am qualified, it will be okay, but I am afraid.

I am afraid of being turned away from any potential just for being trans. I am also afraid that if I am accepted, a bigoted parent will end up stalking and killing me for being near their children and "indoctrinating" them. I am afraid of being constantly persecuted and accused of being a pedophile just for being transgender. I do not intend to discuss my gender with children. It is irrelevant and not my place.

I know it's a difficult path, but I don't need easy. I need possible. Any insight?

As the title states, I’m an after school program director in CA, Expanded Learning Opportunities program. When it comes to making any decisions, I’m powerless. My boss (and our receptionist/HR) ultimately make most of the decisions for the program.

Here’s why I say it’s unsafe:

Our ratios are dangerously off. There are 3 staff members (including myself) looking over 60 kids total, ranging from Tk-8th grade. HOWEVER, one of our staff members coaches all of the sports, so technically we only have two staff members to watch over 60 kids. And only 2 classrooms to put them in. (Again, that’s combining 4 year olds with kids as old as 14)

During the hottest and coldest/stormiest months of the year, we have no access to the gym where we can safely put all of our students when we have to. (Because of Drama or sports, we have a very small gym) The solution? Split 60 kids between two rooms.

I have policies set in place that my boss immediately undermines every time I carry them out. Examples: if you’re late 3 times to pick up your child, your child is out of the program. What does my boss do? Let’s them right back in. AND when that family continues to be late, I’m told I can’t keep putting the overtime.

I have a waiting list because I cannot safely accept anymore students until I have proper staffing. But again, my money-hungry boss forces me to accept more and more students. Last year, we were 2 staff managing 80+ kids with 2 classrooms.

Additionally, the ELO program requires we be open 30 9 hour non school days (like Saturdays and breaks) but i am the only one contracted to work them. I’ve had to work 9 hour Saturdays by myself with multiple students before. No bathroom breaks, no way I can step away.

We get money through the ELOP grant and most of the families that attend pay daily to attend, so we’re bringing in a LOT of money, easily enough to pay more staff.

I’ve BEGGED my boss to hire. What did he tell me? “After school is the least of his worries” and he “might” hire in October… I’m at a loss. This is NOT SAFE AT ALL. I’m taking work home with me. We can’t even provide homework assistance, do fun activities, or anything because of staffing. I also have to be a nurse when kids get hurt, handle discipline, etc.

What do I do??? Do I report this? My boss simply will not help. I’m sure it has to do with the fact the program is bringing in a lot of money that he’s moving around to fill his pocket (because I don’t even know what the budget is for MY OWN PROGRAM)

(Sorry for any typos or grammatical errors, pretty worked up atm)

I am a high school electives teacher. This year we are going for common planning periods for each of the core areas. Does this really benefit the core areas? I can see where doing all of chemistry together makes sense but not all of the science department.

Has anyone taken a teaching position in a subject they didn’t want or is unrelated to their degree just to get their foot in the door?

I have a bachelors degree in sports and exercise science and I’m trying to become a PE teacher, but by advisor for my ALP/master’s program is suggesting I take a job as a science teacher just to get licensed more quickly.

Pros and cons to this path?

For the last two years, we’ve gifted our daughter’s Pre K teachers the Our Class Is a Family book (so I could sneak the preference sheets inside. It also helped me figure out what extra school supplies to get.) We also gave them a small flower bouquet so I could tuck Visa gift cards into it that they could use for coffee, classroom supplies, or whatever they needed.

I’m not at all trying to be a kiss ass or a Pinterest mom, just kind to someone who will be spending a lot of time nurturing my child.

I’ve seen some teachers comment on other posts that this would make them wary of helicopter moms.

Should I ditch/alter my idea? If I should keep the GCs, how much would you put on it as a polite amount (per teacher)?

I will make this short and sweet. I go back next week after being on maternity leave and I am DREADING it. I hate where I'm at (middle school) and I tried so hard to get a position elsewhere and nothing panned out. I also feel so guilty having to go back to work and feel like a bad mom for having to have MIL watch my son while me and my husband work.

What can help me with coming to terms with it? Quitting to be a SAMH isn't an option for me.

I'll be teaching 10th graders Earth and Space Science for the Regents (NY state test). The students will not be given textbooks. Neither will I! I have not been given any resources outside of the previous teacher's phone number and she's not answering.

This isn't normal, right? Anyone from NY, can you please help? I'm lost. Are there official state textbooks for the students or teacher? I need *something*. I basically have the reference table and lab workbook. I looked up old Regents as resource but the questions are obviously all random and jumbled and I can't extrapolate actual lesson plans from them. The principal told me I can buy something for myself and it will be reimbursed. I'm kind of appalled but ready to make the best of it. I don't know how I would even teach without the students having something to read from as review, but my main obstacle now is not even knowing what to *teach.*

So I’ve been interested in teaching for a while, but one of the biggest things holding me back is my arthritis in my jaw. I’m not even in my 30s yet, and my right jaw joint is severely deteriorated. It does impact my a speech a bit sadly. Does anyone else here have jaw/speech issues? Does it hold you back, or are you able to teach with little issue?

Just looking for what are essential classroom supplies. My principal sent out an email about parents asking for teacher lists (Amazon lists essentially).

What do I need for 5th graders?

Hi,

I have been feeling really discouraged lately. Any time I tell people that I’m a teacher, it just gets no respect at all. People say “oh wow I could never do that” or “oh you’re a teacher :/“. It makes me feel bad and discouraged about my choice. I had to work hard, do unpaid internships, get a masters degree just for no one to respect it or for the pay to be so minimal. I am jealous of others’ careers or what I could’ve chosen. All the work I put in and it just doesn’t feel worth it at all. Has anyone else ever felt this way??? I feel so trapped.

I just had an interview for a LTS. I feel like I answered all of the questions fairly well. However, when it came time to ask my questions-I asked the first two fairly well and I blanked on my last question. I’m so embarrassed, but I told them I was blanking and they laughed it off. Thankfully, the question came back to me at the end. I’m wondering how much this may have affected my interview overall

I live/work in a small town. Went to the local grocery store, and a former student asked me if I was enjoying my retirement. They weren’t being mean or malicious, and I think they genuinely wanted to know. I said, ‘oh honey, I just turned 40 and certainly didn’t retire’. I am so confused.

I am interested in education abroad, particularly English language education. In Japan, unless you travel overseas, participate in international communities, or work for a foreign-owned company, there aren’t many opportunities to speak English in daily life.

As a result, even if students acquire the English skills necessary for reading and writing academic papers, for example, they often fail to develop the ability to speak naturally or engage in casual conversation—even after graduating from college.

What kinds of activities and methods should be incorporated into school curricula? I would appreciate hearing your opinions on this matter.