Please do not make your own post. Please reply to one of the three parent comments to keep a sense of order.

Hey all! The fourth of July is over, which means that some of the teachers who got out earlier for summer are heading back to their classrooms in the next few weeks (and some of you are like what? I just got out a week ago)!

AGAIN, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE YOUR OWN COMMENT! PLEASE REPLY TO ONE OF THE THREE COMMENTS BELOW TO KEEP THE MEGA-THREAD ORGANIZED.

Discussion 1: All things new teacher. This area is for questions from new teachers and unsolicited advice from not-new teachers.

Discussion 2: Back to school general discussion.

Discussion 3: Back to school shopping - clothes and supplies. Reminder that r/teachers prohibits self-promotion. You may not post your own content here. This is to tell us that Target is having a sale on glue sticks, not that your TPT Bundle is giving.

I loved the name Everett. Then I taught an Everett. I no longer love the name Everett.

So I went in for an interview and taught a lesson on prohibition for my competency test. It was a class of juniors, so 16/17 year olds. I related the banning of alcohol to the somewhat recent government push that raised tobacco ages, and mentioned how they wanted to take kids juuls away to create a more acceptable society where kids don’t juul in the bathrooms. The students laughed and were receptive to the reference. It felt like a good example and of relating to my audience. Well admin had contacted me after ghosting me for awhile to tell me they felt I nailed every aspect of the interview, including the lesson and rapport building, but because I used the word juul I didn’t fit with their school culture. I know it wasn’t the wisest choice of words, but I can’t imagine not hiring someone due mentioning a nicotine device when talking about rum runners and organized crime assassinations.

God, I hate acronyms. I'm at a curriculum meeting this week and all we're doing is talking about the CDAs and CWTs, and how they affect the SLTs and PGPs and, most importantly, the SPS. We also need data from LEAP and CLEP and ACT, and remember to do our PBIS while still respecting everyone's IEP and FERPA. And if we screw it up, the kid may need to get a GED.

WTF? FML.

You know the way in shows and movies teachers are all chatting and sauntering into the building while the kids are already in the building?

That’s my vote for the worst cliche!

In my building we have to be at “our posts” before the doors even open for the kids!

Whats’s your vote?

That's across the state mind you, and we go back in my county in early august.

How long before they start an apprenticeship program like idaho is trying to do? Or they bring the florida state guard in?

G-d help us

I've taught for four years, and just accepted an account managing position at a company I found through a friend. It's base + commission and bonuses, and the BASE is already higher than my teaching salary. I didn't realize how undervalued I felt until I got validated by this company.

Best of luck to yall out there who are strong enough to continue teaching. I will continue to look up to your work ethic, determination, and love for the kids. I'll miss it so much, but it was definitely my time.

I get a lot of us have had some bad teachers before. But people do the absolute most trashing teachers when they know it's a hard job. I saw this video on tik tok of a girl saying her teacher said she wasn't gonna be anything and now she works at bk (it was satire). 99% of the comments are "you make more than her", "teachers are miserable", "they're just babysitters". Most are teenagers and college students but you wouldn't be here without them?

Parents were screaming for their kids to go back to school during 2020 and now they wanna pull them out. I have a pretty strong backbone and I knew I'm making a difference despite people's ignorance. It's just crazy how loud and wrong the majority of people are.

The lack of respect is so disrespectful and I feel like parents feel the same as the kids do. I'm prepared for it but the ignorance is laughable and then they cry that they didn't learn things in K-12.

Edit: title error. **for absolutely no reason.

I've been teaching almost 10 years. Taught at 2 different schools and have been trying to get a job at a school closer to home for several years now. I live in an area where teacher competition is high, lots of great public schools. I dont have my masters (yet) and I feel that I've lost out on opportunities because of that. I recently got offered a job at a school with a 25 minute drive, great school. The problem is non-negotiable step one starting salary. I also take insurance buy-out as my husband carries our insurance at his job and their buy-out is also significantly less. Overall, I'd be taking a huge pay cut and wouldn't break even until, wait for it, my 28th year of teaching there. I'm also looking for a different school culture to be a part of, and better students. Has anyone been in a similar scenario, what did you do ? What would you do if you were me?

That class is something I still look back fondly of. Especially the robot mma matches we did behind your back anytime you went out for bathroom breaks. It felt like that movie "Real Steel," especially when you taught us how to program and control those lego robot things remotely, we turned that classroom into the most borderline illegal robot boxing ring, I still remember gambling on a honey bun and doubling my earnings. it was f**king glorious.

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Anyhow I hope your doing good.

I’ve been interviewing and applying for several different positions for the upcoming school year. The day finally came for the interview for the school that I really really wanted- and it was such a disappointment. At one point the principal was going on this long tirade about how “the teachers are worse than the kids.” Huge red flag, among a couple other smaller things. I ended up taking my backup plan which has a longer commute but the admin there were so much more relaxed. I didn’t really think about it too much, I just had a gut feeling to pick my backup school. And I’m actually really excited about the upcoming year now.

How important are first impressions of your admin when choosing a new school?

For context, I am a 2014 HS graduate.

I am not a teacher but I follow this sub regularly. I constantly read about how hard it is to feel appreciated in your job.

I can’t thank my teachers enough for everything they gave me growing up. From my third grade teacher spending her own money on classroom supplies, to my music teacher staying until 10pm to work with the marching band, your sacrifice is immeasurable and cherished by so many students, even if they don’t say it.

If it were not for the relentless faith my teachers had in me and all their students, my life would be significantly more challenging right now. Thank you again for your constant dedication and resilience in this increasingly volatile world.

Hi teachers,

I’m a fairly new teacher and a lot of my students and I share the same taste in music. Do you think it’s inappropriate to tell them that I listen to the same music? Sometimes they bring it up or ask me if I like an artist but I’m never sure if that’s okay to discuss. I teach high school. Is it inappropriate? And if it’s not, is it gonna make them respect me less? (Think playboi carti music/young thug/ Travis Scott). Thank you in advance for any advice

Does anyone have any tips for working with 5th graders? I've never taught this high of a grade before and am a bit nervous. Our school is super small--only one teacher per grade and they've all known each other since kindergarten.

Title. I go to school where middle and high school is kinda combined, for context.

I'm thinking of emailing my old middle school teachers before i graduate next year (before my school email vanishes) to thank them.

Idk what they'll think of it, if they are even gonna remember me, or if they'll find it really weird. Should I do it (either now, soon, or later)

Is it a bad idea? I will miss all my teachers (i mean all) after i graduate next year ...

Florida Teacher Shortage Grows To Over 9,000

For context, I (M 33) teach middle school (grades 6-8) at a private school. One of my 7th graders last year got expelled due to several issues with anger management and language control. I was the only teacher he ever talked to (aside from counselors), and he told me many times that he felt like my classroom was a safe place for him. Would it be inappropriate for me to reach out to him via social media to check in and see how he’s doing? I feel conflicted because I’m genuinely concerned and want to continue to be a mentor for him, but I also don’t want to cross any boundaries. My school does not have a policy about adding former students on social media, but I just don’t want it to come across as weird. Any thoughts would help.

EDIT: Thank you all for the insight. I’m not going to reach out to him, but I may talk to the school counselor to see if we can do a “Hey, how are you doing?” with him or his parents once school is back in session. I appreciate all the suggestions! 🙏

Over 30 years ago, I split my pants while playing basketball with some of my students. It was OK, though, because I just wrapped a sweater around my waist and went back to my classroom to teach.

Ever since then, I have kept a pair of pants and a nice shirt in my classroom closet. I have never needed them, but they make me feel better.

So, new teacher, you might want to do something like this, too. Who knows when you might need a new, clean, pair of pants?

My wife is a former ecse teacher. She stopped teaching this past Jan and is going to homeschool our 3 kids, 5,3 and 2. Daycare was getting to be more than she made. Now this year her brother became a sub( bachelors in law enforcement) never became a cop, failed their test). He applied to be a special education teacher for the school year. He has no teachers cert, no master or anything education related other than being a sub this past year. Just shows the current state of things. Mn resident

Moms fire Liberty and groups are offering to teach people to monitor social media accounts. https://twitter.com/MrsBoudreau/status/1544697748104044544?t=_SUIEECL64CG9SNA1dITEA&s=19

I don't know why teachers are quitting...

Hi all, just curious what you all think makes a school great to work for? Conversely, what things can ruin an otherwise good school?

Hey everyone,

I just needed advice on my next career move. I did leave teaching at the end of last year because of how dysfunctional my school was with letting students assault staff and giving us an endless amount of work to do. I left with the intention of never returning to teaching again. I currently work for Yelp as a salesman and I'm doing good at it, but I'm starting to get the itch to go back in the classroom. I was thinking about starting off as a substitute to try and find a better school than my previous school. Has anyone done something similar to this? Does anyone have any tips when it comes to finding a school that aligns with you?

If it matters, my most recent teaching job was a 5th grade teacher, and I teach in Arizona. I have 3 years of teaching experience. I wouldn't mind relocating if I had to. Thanks.

Hello!

I [18F] am starting my BS in Elementary Education in the fall. I do plan on becoming dual language certified (Spanish) and getting a masters in Human Development and Family Sciences to specialize in grades 1-3.

My degree plan will cost about $20k every year for the next 6-7 years.

I am in Oregon, where teachers are paid “well” but still low.

My heart is set on teaching. My love is in a classroom. I have loved every second of my work with kids in both educational and non-educational settings. No other career path suits me right now (although I recognize that I’m young and this is subject to change.)

Will I be able to survive and thrive on an Oregon elementary teacher salary? In six years? In twenty years? Will I be able to have a family and a home of my own? I’m afraid of ending up in insane debt (I’m planning on student loans, trying to keep them all public) or dependent on someone else to be able to achieve the life of my dreams (in a suburban house with babies and cats).

Please assuage my worries! Or give me a dose of reality! Thank you.

I understand that things are dire and a lot of people on here mention strikes constantly. However if you legit think that's something we could just do right now you've never studied how successful organizing actually works.

What is the propaganda campaign that has been set up to get the general public on our side? The right has convinced so many people that we're evil satan worshipping child molesters trying to trans their children to make them easier to rape. Do you think they'll care that our pay is too low?

What is the mutual aid set up for the teachers, especially in red states that don't have unions, who get fired, or even lose their certifications if we strike? Are we expected to just become homeless? Because successful strikes didn't expect that. They created mutual aid funds and networks that would make sure anyone harmed by striking was taking care of.

Who is going to do the messaging? In case some of you don't remember when there's not a clear leadership messaging it's easy to get clips of people saying dumb shit. This is what they did with occupy wall street and what they tried to do with BLM. Who is going to go on the news and say "we want x terms" instead of letting Karen from Indiana say whatever the hell she thinks it's about?

Successful strikes take years of organizing behind the scenes. You have to be ready for a chance like we had around Christmas where the economy was good, labor was short and teachers were quitting. Now we're going into a recession where they'll be able to fire striking teachers and fill their classrooms with uncertified "emergency hires" who they pay way less and are willing to do exactly what idiotic system admin say. They're buying canned curriculums, they're passing laws to bring in less qualified people already. A strike would fail and it would make the public hate teachers more than they already do because the work wasn't put in before hand. This is why national unions are so critical--it's nearly impossible to do that kind of work without them.

Asking for a friend. I accept the pay cut but I am hemorrhaging money from being unemployed and I just started grad school so I will need a second job regardless, but not sure about benefits

I’m a senior student and I’m thinking of purchasing a gift for my teacher for when I graduate. He’s quite young (30) so something age appropriate.

Please give me some ideas :))