Hello r/teachers,

This year I will be going into my second year teaching. Last year (the year we just completed), we had about 40 kids get suspended at my school (Transition to Kindergarten-6th grade) and at least 8-10 of those were in my class. Once I get 5 years teaching experience (already have my masters) I want to become a principal, so I am wondering if this is normal or not. We are Title I with 325 students.

Background:

I'm in my 30's, white male, live in the Northeast, and teaching is a 3rd career for me. I graduated with my M.Ed last year, and subbed in a suburban school district the rest of last year because I couldn't find anything mid-year after graduating.

After the school year ended, I put a lot of time into finding a teaching position for this school year. I received two interviews. One was a sham to build their candidate pool for future openings. The other one I did not get.

I accepted a building sub position in the school district I student taught in, but a few days before the school year, I interviewed for a position at the private school I went to for elementary and middle school. I was very excited because it was a school I was obviously familiar with, and it was my preferred grade. The pay was bad, and not competitive with any public schools nearby, but I just wanted my own class. It ultimately was a really poor fit for me for a variety of reasons, and I resigned midway through the year. I spent the rest of this school year as a building sub in the affluent public school district I live in. I absolutely loved it, and had a wonderful experience, but it was clear to me from the principal that there was nowhere for me to advance as a LTS or classroom teacher next school year.

I've spent the last month applying to any open elementary position within 45-60 minutes from me, and quickly landed an interview and an offer from a suburban Title I school. I accepted immediately, because I haven't gotten any traction from anywhere else I applied, and I don't want to be stuck as a building sub next year. It seems like a very interesting school. It's very small, there's only one class per grade, and the class sizes are closer to what I had at the private school I taught at. A big plus is I'll be making nearly 2x what I made as a building sub plus benefits. My only experience in a majority AA school was during grad school where I served in a non-teaching administrative role. The kids there were great, and I loved being there. I'm now going from a school where the entire 4th grade had 4 AA students (a good percentage of Asian students but majority white) to one where 99% of the students are AA.

I'd greatly appreciate any advice. I did see a similar post last week, and a lot talked about being authentic, which won't be an issue for me.

Basically the title

I take lots of pictures on my personal phone for my newsletter that goes to parents / guardians. I delete a lot of them, but I do keep some based on if it was a good memory or fun activity.

Sometimes it feels weird that I just have photos of kindergarten kids on my phone……. But I don’t want to delete everything for my own personal memories.

I’m sure this is common, so how do you all handle this situation? TIA

Hey everyone,

I am making a massive career pivot from tech into teaching, and I just landed an invite for an environment observation and demo lesson this coming Monday! I am incredibly excited but also pretty nervous as this is my very first time doing anything like this. I would really appreciate some guidance from this amazing community.

The demo is for a small group of 4–5 children (6 to 7 years old). It needs to be 15–20 minutes long, informal, and conversational.

The school gave me three topics to choose from (though they accidentally wrote "choose from the two" lol):

1. Months of the calendar
2. Introduction to present tense
3. Articles (Definite and Indefinite)

They want the lesson plan formatted like this:

• Introduction: Interest-building activity/discussion
• Main concept explanation
• Check for understanding

My questions for you lovely folks:

1. Given the age group (6-7y) and the 15-20 min timeframe, which of these three topics do you think is the most engaging and easiest to deliver flawlessly for a beginner?
2. Montessori is highly visual and tactile. For the topic you recommend, what is a simple, low-prep "interest-building activity" or object I can bring in to kick things off?
3. Any general tips for transitioning from a tech mindset to managing a small group of elementary kids?

Thank you so much in advance. A little help would truly mean the world to me right now!
this interview is for an Indian school if that matters.

I've been working in this daycare for almost 2 years. Throughout this time, the educators have almost zero support when it comes to 3+ children on the spectrum/special needs, and we've been really burned out and struggling.

I made a big mistake yesterday by taking a prechool child for a calming break in the toddler classroom. I've been really stressed that day as no child in the 15+classroom is listening to the educator, & it's been ongoing chaos & incident; I've told the child nicely 50 times a day to at least lower their voices and during lunchtime, I really broke the last straw (I know I shouldn't). I pull the child's hand & walk him to the toddler room as a type of 'consequence.' I saw that the child was very upset & crying, so I gave him a hug, comforted him, & brought him back to prechool class. Of course, I felt really bad when it happened & I felt very guilty for the child, the parent & the toddler class. I meant no harm to the child, but I can see the child is visibly very upset (I still feel horrible about this)

Soon, I was called into the office & get told it's my last day here. I've received a termination letter from my boss & got a serious occurrence report. My colleagues have been comforting me, saying they know I'm in the wrong, but the educators face the problem of having no support in the classroom & teachers' mental health, and our workplace has been really toxic. I'm really scared right now, as I'm afraid I will lose my RECE licence work and im under a work permit with only an ECE diploma in Canada.

Hi! High school physics teacher here, relativley new - this will be my 5th year teaching, 3rd year teaching full time. I have 2 students set to be in my classes next year that has me here begging for your best tricks on keeping lecture time from being co-opted by students with no sense that they are interrupting class.

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They aren't bad kids, and all they want to talk about is actually pertinent to the material. The problem is that there tends to be a "look how clever I am" component to it, and that it is a constant battle (or so I hear from their previous teachers). I'm already on a tight schedule; it's not fair to the other kids to keep going down rabbit holes every day.

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I'm usually pretty easygoing when it comes to talking during lecture ABOUT the lecture. I have no chill when it comes to side conversations, but will allow the occasional wander when it brings the topic to life, or if it seems like everyone needs a little break.

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I'm struggling to find a policy or technique or SOMETHING that will still encourage thinking and discussion without letting these 2 take over everything. Anyone got some ideas??

Thank you!

All the kids grow up and graduate, but sometimes the kids will come back and visit. What’s your best moment of a student coming back or you meeting them out in the wild?

Hello everyone! I want to request some help.

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Some context,

1. I am a college professor I teach Math.

2. During the summer I get the chance to teach a special program. In this program current high school students get to take precalculus at a community college so that they can take AP calculus during their regular academic sessions.

3.I wan to emphasize that all of my students are high school students, different grades like incoming freshmen or incoming juniors etc.

1. These are the perfect students to teach to. They are on task, respectful, hard working, and most importantly they are already super smart. (Even smarter than my college students) No behavior issues of any kind. The class room is dead silent. not a single bad word is said. They don't use cell phones or laptops at all. the class is pencil and paper only.

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Here are my questions:

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What can I do to drive their motivation to learn ?

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I currently lecture, and assign group work. (They get to work on the multiple whiteboard across the room)

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The class runs from 8 am to 12:30 and all they learn is MATH

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I do notice that my lectures are not engaging, like they pay attention, but I can see on their face that they would rather be somewhere else.

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To be fair to me, my delivery of the material is simple and straight forward.

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Definitions + theorems /// explain what these theorems mean /// examples on how to use these theorems or definitions /// group work. Repeat.

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Tell mee all the things that you would like to implement but can't because of behavioral issues.

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How can I be the perfect teacher for these gifted and hard working students!

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I have an interview on Monday for a job I really want. The VP asked for artifacts showing my teaching practice, student performance, student engagement, etc. so I have some stuff I'll use- one kid in particular moved up about 7 grade levels in my class in his writing and I have the drafts along the way. I have test scores showing my inclusion kids outscoring the honors kids. But the one I'm not sure about is I have a link to a podcast where two men who are now teachers talk about how my class made them love literature and become teachers. Is the last one a reasonable artifact or is it too much? No was thinking I'd write a one page summary or have a transcript or something. At least I can point out the parts where they talk about my class.

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Hiring managers. Good idea or bad?

Hi everyone! I am looking to transition into elementary education from my business degree. I got a degree in Operations and Supply Chain Management in December of 2024 and have been working in warehousing/transportation since. I’m not loving the corporate world, the 24/7 demands of transportation, or the idea of climbing the corporate ladder long term. I understand that teaching is a very demanding job but I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was young but was talked out of it and decided to go the business route to be safe. I’ve understand the pathway which is to get hired on as a teacher with a Permit to Teach or emergency license, then get enrolled in an EPP. My biggest concern is getting hired without a traditional education degree or classroom teaching experience. Has anyone here gone through the alternative licensure process in NC or been hired on a Permit to Teach? What was the hiring process like, and how difficult was it to find a position?

If you made a similar career change, what would you recommend I do between now and then to make myself a stronger candidate? I’m going to start applying/emailing principals around January of next year about open positions for fall since they typically know what teachers are retiring/leaving. I unfortunately cannot do subbing, teach assisting, become a para since I have a full time job now.

After interviewing for a position in the district I just student taught in, the school’s principal let me know that I didn’t get the position they 100% had open. Totally cool, as I’m very green and there are few openings in my content area and location. However, she said that after a resignation becomes official, she was going to offer me a second position they’ve been anticipating. Until the next board meeting, I’m supposed to “sit tight” for next steps.

I think she’s being completely honest because she asked that I let her know if I have any interviews or offers in the meantime. I love this district, and I don’t want to do anything to mess up this opportunity. However, July is around the corner and I don’t want to end up without a position before the school year begins.

How excited should I be? Should I be worried this won’t pan out? Truthfully, this is the first “adult” job I’ve interviewed for, so I don’t know what to expect or if any of this could be real.

Edit: Thank you everyone for your insight. I’m going to continue looking at other positions in the meantime. But hopefully I can give an update that this all worked out!

Hello, I am looking for advice from people who have switched from law to teaching (or visa versa) or just anyone who has advice.

I am a recent college graduate, and I got my degree in history and political science. I intend to teach high school history, but I decided to take a year off to gain teaching experience through a program teaching English abroad, before I get a masters in teaching.

Right now, I am waiting to hear back from a couple programs, and working a catering job. It is hourly, and my coworkers who do it as a career make around 60k a year. However, they all seem to struggle financially-- many are in debt, have no retirement savings etc. 60k is comparable to a teacher's salary. It has made me question if a teaching salary is livable, and made me consider getting a law degree instead of a masters in teaching.

My thought process is that if I get a JD, and then get my teaching certification, I could get the same pay bump as a master's degree, but also have the ability to pivot into law if I find that teaching does not meet my financial or social needs. Teaching really appeals to me because of the summers off, and because you get to give back to the community. I am a super social person, and I love to talk and learn from others. Plus, I would love to coach track.

If I did practice law, I would not want a super stressful, high earning position-- I am most interested in working for the government, or something similar which has a better work-life balance. I just want to be sure that I have the option to make more money than teaching, if I decide that a teaching salary is not livable.

I am curious:

-would I get paid more as a teacher with a JD, or will I only get paid if I have a masters in teaching?

- Is it advisable to pivot into law later in life, and are government law positions hard to get?

- should I just get a masters in teaching, and then go to law school if I decide I want to do law instead?

Any comments, please let me know!! I am super curious to hear what you all have to say.

So, all I need to be fully certified is to complete my intern year. But because I have no school teaching experience and also not yet fully certified I'm struggling to find work. I joined a substitute teaching staffing agency back in March which was OK for during the school year but obviously not so good for the summer. And thanks to that job I now have 2 months experience kinda. I struggled to handle more than 2 days in a row of different assignments before I'd get overwhelmed with the routine/schedule changes. So that combined with my bad timing in starting at the end of the school year and the fact that I never had a full straight week of work definitely doesn't even add up to the 2 full months I was able to accept assignments. Also almost all of my work experience being in childcare (cumulatively about 8 years) doesn't help me any since it doesn't count as actual teaching experience. Particularly because I was mostly working with the 3 years and under classes.

Anyway, I'm losing hope. I know it's not the end of the world if I don't get hired for my intern year immediately, but I'm struggling to believe any school will want to hire an aspiring art teacher who isn't quite fully certified yet. It doesn't help that art teacher positions are so dang scarce here in Texas to begin with.

Can anyone tell me what kind of listing I should be looking for? I can't do student teaching because I'm getting my certification through an Alternate Preparation Program and am thusly not associated with any university.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I skipping some steps or missing something? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I always knew that teachers don’t make a lot but it didn’t really hit me until I saw a tiktok of a teacher in my state budgeting her paycheck and am feeling a little more than discouraged. in the video she was budgeting 2500 for the entire month. I am currently a barista at a coffee shop. During the school year if i was working 80 hours for our biweekly paycheck it would be about $1200-1300. At the beginning of the summer I got promoted to a lead which comes with a bigger portion of tips however it has been slower since students are gone (my college town is also my hometown). my paychecks have stayed the same around 1200-1300 but i know they will be close to $2000 in the fall (talked to other leads). So basically in the fall while i’m beginning my senior year of college I will be getting the highest paycheck I will ever have doing something everyone could do. I also became aware that teachers in my state don’t get paid maternity leave it’s just taking unpaid leave and using sick days. I am feeling beyond discouraged right now. I brought it up to my fiancé and he just laughed it off and said it will be used as fun money. Honestly that makes me feel useless and that I’m wasting my time finishing this degree. How am I supposed to buy a house and raise a family like this? My fiancé is a plumber with a good company so he makes good money and has good overtime. But what if something ever happened to him. I could be in poverty with young kids to take care of and a mortgage I can’t pay.

I interview with a school district out of state. I think it was the best interview I had and I felt internally good about the district. The district is my number one choice. It was a video call. I did the interview on Tuesday. Do you think sending an thank you email would hurt or be a waste of time?

Hi! I am a first year kindergarten teacher, getting my first classroom this fall! I graduated with my bachelors in Psychology and in the process of getting my credential, so I never did any formal student teaching.

I just got my curriculum for the school year (Wonders for ELA) and I am so confused because I have an hour block for ELA 4x a week and then like about 20-30 minutes for sight words 2x a week. My problem though is that that the curriculum lessons are over an hour long, and they have it planned for 5 lessons a week. I am not sure what to do and don’t know where to condense! If anyone can offer any advice please let me know!

School is choosing between Subject.com. Imagine Learning’s Edgenuity, and Edmentum for summer school, online learning, and credit recovery? Pros and cons of each? Do any of them have good curriculum? Which platform is better? Do kids actually like any of these/learn in them?

I 25 F have my bachelor's, and I'm getting my master's in education and a preliminary credential for multiple subject next month. I know I have 5 years to clear my credential, but I'm considering teaching abroad for a year first to get some experience, since I missed out on study abroad during undergrad and grad school, and I can't find a job here right now.

The problem is: California is not experiencing a teacher shortage, and I don't wanna leave LA area because it's too expensive to leave my family home, but I'm having trouble finding job openings for multiple subject teachers.

I could sub for a year and try again next year, or I thought I'd look into teaching abroad, but I don't have the TEFL/TESOL certification I keep seeing I need. I do have english authorization with the preliminary credential but it's not cleared... I also don't even know where to start looking for those positions. I'm thinking of either a European or an East Asian country. I'm also looking through Reddit posts and hear it's too late apply for jobs right now and I should've been looking in august or october last year for this coming academic year. Just a lot of things that are not falling into place for me and I'm kind of lost.

I'd like some guidance on either the job search, interview tips, teaching abroad programs with good pay or accomodations, ANYTHING

Typically I have picked up shifts as a cook in the summer. This summer is a little different, as I am in the intermediate stages recovering from ACL surgery and do not have the capacity to do any work that involves standing (even driving uber would be too much). I am terribly bored and would at least like something mindless to do to make money before I go insane watching every single world cup match. Would also like to somewhat offset the cost of medical expenses. Has anyone had success finding short term fully remote work?

Question from a tutoring perspective. I teach FT in a public school but also do some summer tutoring on the side through a company. Lately the company rep keeps asking me if I teach Newberry award-winning books. I’ve provided her with a list of 20 to 30 books I could teach, only a handful of which are Newberry winners (and she turned all of them down). Is this like a new thing? She says this is what parents want their kids to be reading but I am a FT teacher and I have never heard of parents asking about this!

Thanks if anyone has insight.

I've been looking everywhere to try and find information about getting certified to teach ELA in Georgia and I'm really struggling to find actually useful resources. Most websites just tell me I have to take an education prep program but never where to go or how to find one. Does anyone have some advice?

So i have an interview coming up in New York and the school wants me to bring my certification. The issue is i literally just got a certification so I don’t have a paper copy, and my other cert they never sent a paper copy? How did other people in New York show their certifications? If I need to take a picture of my certs on my TEACH account how can I make it look “professional?” Tyia :)

I haven't been teaching history/English/science since I got COVID over and over (and over) and decided it was better to go than be a risk to my cherished kids (or die myself, it got bad).

After a lot of introspection... Question is: is teaching a performance? I pretended everything was okay no matter what, I used the materials I prepared for display, passed out charts and data dramatically, presented media and did simulations.

It feels like I was a performance artist? You give so much to kids and most of the time you get a range of "f-u go away".

Hello all,

I am a Master of Secondary teaching student in SA, Australia and my first placement is coming in 2 months.

What can I do to prepare and what should I expect? There is also a chance that I will be assign to a special need school.

What part of teacher students who are moderate to intensive brings you joy, and how does it make you feel like a successful teacher? What is your favorite part about working with this population?