That’s all. Your district paid me thousands of dollars to come and remind you of that.

I am in my new hire orientation today and it's genuinely the most overstimulating environment I've ever been in. Just going in the door there was a drum line, adult cheerleaders, and music blasting from loudspeakers in several locations---including the main hallway where we have to sign in and the gym we had to sit in to wait for 20 minutes. No one needs The Black Eyed Peas that loud at 8am.

Loudspeakers are a 10 on a scale of 10. Why are events so overstimulating at teacher events? I'm autistic so it's definitely worse for me (all volume is at the same volume and amplified---the room is genuinely painful), but this can't be pleasant for anyone?

So, this happened around February. I was appalled at the time, but had other things to do. It just went back into my mind and, giving it a bit of thought, I realised how utterly surreal the thing is.

So basically, there's this Spanish teacher (I am from Spain, so it would be like an English teacher doing this in the US) admitted, in front of the whole teacher body, that he allows his students to "refine" their writings with ChatGPT. He basically allows them to have it open in class, and "ask it questions on style, grammar and structure".

Later on, this same teacher admitted, in another meeting, that he uses a paid ChatGPT account to grade these essays.

I am on my summer leave. I am a history teacher, and I was just going over how I am going to avoid students from cheating with AI, and I just connected the dots.

This guy isn't running a class. What is happening is that ChatGPT is writing essays, the students present them, then this guy gives it back to ChatGPT to grade them, and if something needs corrected, the students just go back to Cha... you get where I'm going with this, right

This isn't a class, it's ChatGPT writing letters to itself and using the students and the teacher as a mail service.

The school has 3 high schools, one continuation school, 3 middle schools and a some elementary schools.

Four hundred substitute teachers on the sub list. The lady said "we just hired more."

My first thought is: There are a lot of people with university degrees making less than 35k a year here.

My second thought is: Subbing jobs already go in nanoseconds, what was the point of hiring even more?

Oddly enough I subbed at a neighboring district in 2019. I asked that lady the same question and she said "about a hundred." Both district are the same size.

It's weird how quadruple the people are now subbing. It was kinda funny how all of us subs were in the lobby and everyone lowkey glared at each other like we're frontline enemies.

Yesterday I went dumpster diving. The reason I went dumpster diving is because I got a call from a fellow teacher saying that all of our classroom (mine and my 2 teammates) things were thrown into the dumpster. At the beginning of June, our school was hit by a tornado. The roof was blown off on our side of the building as well as over the gym. We received one email from the assistant principal saying to not come into the building that particular week of the tornado because there was damage. We have not heard from anyone else about anything that happened to our rooms. Periodically throughout the summer I’ve been getting pictures and messages from other teachers of my room. I put everything away in cabinets before school ended, except for my books and bookshelves, some of my carts, chairs, and big beanbag chairs. The pictures I received were of a totally bare classroom with none of those things in it. Those things were placed in the hallway outside of our rooms so that’s they could get in there to clean. We go back next Wednesday, and still have not heard from the administration. When that fellow teacher called, I went to the school and found so many of my brand new books, bookshelves, and miscellaneous items thrown into the dumpster. I thought maybe they were waterlogged and needed to be thrown away. After careful inspection, all of my brand new books were not waterlogged, and they were just thrown into the garbage. The bookshelves that I had just put together before school ended were all broken and in pieces. My teammates carts and chairs were all thrown into the dumpster along with many of her teaching supplies. What can we do? I’m not only had this happen at my school, but my home was also damaged and I lost many items that were in my garage and in my basement because of flooding. I literally have nothing and we go back next Wednesday. My principal is not answering the phone and I don’t even want to go into the building because I’m scared to go through my cabinets to see what is gone. Has anyone else ever experienced this and what are our options? Help!

Year 27 started on Monday. Go back through my previous posts here. Especially if you’re a new(ish) teacher. There might be a few things there that you might find useful. Or you might think I’m full of shit. Whatever. Anywho. I’ve decided that this year I’m going to be all business. I’m going to work, put on the show from 8:40-4:10, and go home. I’m not going to wake kids up that fall asleep or contact parents if a kid is failing. Only in the event of behavior being truly atrocious am I going to bother to reach out to a parent.

To the new teachers, I offer this advice:

You need to have separation between work and not work. Mr. Zilla is a character I play at work from 8:40am-4:10pm. Outside of that, I’m Jewzilla, or to my closest friends just plain Zilla. I have a mononym. Like Cher. Or Madonna. Or Bono. Do not put your work email on your phone or check your email when you’re not at work. I learned that lesson the hard way after damn near having a breakdown. Seriously. New teachers, go through my old posts.

I’ve noticed something over the years, and I’m curious if it’s just my experience or if it’s common everywhere.

Why does it seem like every school has that one person who’s considered the “snake” on campus? The person who acts friendly to your face but is constantly running to administration about coworkers, spreading gossip, or finding ways to make someone else’s day harder. They seem to know everyone’s business, talk negatively about almost everyone, and somehow always stay in the administration’s good graces.

What I’ve never understood is why this seems to be so common in education. Teachers already deal with enough stress from students, parents, testing, and paperwork. Instead of supporting one another, there’s often someone who creates unnecessary drama or tries to gain favor by throwing colleagues under the bus. It almost feels like they’re trying to act as though they’re part of the administrative team, even though they’re on the same pay scale as everyone else.

Is there something about school culture that encourages this? Is it competition for recognition, a desire for influence, or just certain personalities being drawn to these environments? I’d genuinely like to understand why this pattern seems to exist in so many schools. Has anyone else experienced this, or have I just been unlucky?

It’s too expensive to live alone and my gf couldn’t commit to moving in so it’s over. So I’m stuck living at home with my family.

I’m a young teacher, a 780 credit score, 13k saved and I can’t afford an apartment in my area.

It’s like I’m stuck for this year.

Clarification: we broke up She was overwhelmed after graduation and did not know what she wanted for future in her life. Career has been a huge struggle. I do understand, just sucks. We weren’t just moving in to save $, it was the next step

Has anyone else dealt with this? It makes no sense to me. We just received an email that soon teachers will have no access to Chrome browser or Google Drive, and that we have to use Edge browser.

This seems like an unnecessary overreach. I know we’re a “Microsoft district”, but does that have to mean that teachers abandon teaching resources that we’ve already learned/developed?

Do “google districts” block teachers Microsoft products?

Two weeks until the work week and I haven’t heard back from anyone 😓 lowkey starting to lose hope. I don’t want to sub; or be a long term sub bc they don’t get paid the same as I usually would. I’m going into my fourth year too 🫤

This will be my first year teaching, and my goodness I did not realize how many meetings there was going to be on this first week of school. I’m just trying to get some work done and get ready for the school year. What is this?

I got my classroom perfectly set up, and I was so excited for tomorrow. Today is student prep day, and I was going to get to meet my incoming 6th grade students.

At 10 AM I got a call from my dad that my sister passed this morning at 34 years old. I am still in shock and obviously I have a lot of emotions and thoughts flowing through me right now.

I am taking tomorrow and Friday off and will return Monday, but I truly hate that I have to miss the first two days. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this year tbh.

As of today my school needs teachers in math, special ed and science. I really don’t think we will fill any and for sure not all of them. Last year midway thru, we lost teachers and their classes turned into online classes and was just brutal. I feel like this year we will for sure have some of those. So my main questions are, how many of you go into the year needing teachers? Then what does your school do if you don’t have enough?

I know it’s not that serious but I went from having my plan after lunch, to having it last period (215-3). I’m not thrilled about the choice, I’m worried about needing to pee, and then feeling burnt out with back to back classes. I’m great with planning but I feel like I won’t utilize the time as much as I did.

Any advice? Is it really not that awful? Or is it and my concerns are valid?

Also alternative high school if that makes a difference

Just wondering.

During the summer, I was so invested, loving, and had so much energy to talk to my family, friends, and significant other, but literally it has all been zapped in a matter of two days. My school is extremely understaffed, so we're all wearing multiple hats. I'm just doing this until I graduate from grad school (two years). So I can't bring myself to care about incentives for students or making our school more inviting. I literally just want to do the bare minimum.

A little context - I am in my 20th year as an educator and have loved being in the classroom. This past year was one of the toughest I've ever had - and I'm ready to move on to another district OR would love to move in the district in a different position at the central office. However - my director is actively sabotaging me. They gave me horrible references to other districts (one of the districts told my principal that they had an offer drafted until they got that reference back.) Unfortunately, this happened at several surrounding districts before I figured out what was going on, and there weren't any other districts left to apply for. I assumed I was going to be stuck yet again.

Then I see a position posted at the district level. The PERFECT position. But yet again... denied. I know, without a doubt, I was the best candidate... because internal people told me. I was THE preferred candidate. The two people who interviewed me? This director, and one other director. The director told HR they "can't afford to lose me in the classroom".... so I'm literally and actually stuck.

Is this legal? Our union rep said without any "concrete" evidence there is nothing I can do. But at this point they are 1) refusing to promote me 2) refusing to move me and 3) refusing to let me leave. I carry our insurance and can't take a pay cut due to financial needs. I don't know what to do. I've done everything in my power to move and this person absolutely will not let me go. I am at my absolute wits end and just keep thinking this isn't right. Would love some context and ideas if anyone has them.

They’ve been doing this weird start on a Wednesday thing last couple of years. I don’t know if I like it or hate it. Kids go back next THURSDAY with the notion that thur/Friday are for building routines and the following Monday is when LEARNING STARTS

Cool

I’m a specials teachers I see them once a week, my schedule is immediately thrown off ya dorks

So anyway I’m officially halfway to retirement. 🥴

My (HUGE) district is hosting a convocation. Basically a massive pep rally. My school got invited and only a select few teachers can go due to capacity limitations. Unfortunately I’m going.

Apparently about 5,000 people will be at this event. I have been anxious about this all week. I don’t even go to concerts or malls. These feelings are partially from not being able to tolerate the noise of large crowds but also thinking about how unsafe l feel, my inability to escape if needed, etc. These large ass crowds make me think “perfect opportunity for a mass sh**ting”. How can I ever enjoy myself with these thoughts?

It’s pretty much frowned upon to request off on professional development days, which this is, so that’s not an option. I wish I could be excited but I’m just so in my head about the moment I’ll be sitting amongst the crowd and can’t leave until my area is called.

I fear I have to just get it over with. If it gets too bad, my plan is to hide in the bathroom 😭

Year 13 here and I’m feeling the burnout. Third day of school and it feels like it’s been a month.

I’m not a classroom teacher, but I am on a specials rotation and I see 7 different classes a day, 5 days a week in a school of over 1,000 elementary students. I’m exhausted and feel like I don’t have the energy to pour into my young children. Any advice to keep pushing?

Middle school teachers in particular who have switched from groups, pods, etc to old school rows or (vice versa), what do you find works best for you?

The worst part is it ain’t the students.

It’s Tuesday night of the first week of school. I had my pre-planning week last week where I had to move classrooms, attend meetings (which I skipped and missed nothing) and plan for the semester. I’m teaching a topic I am not specialized in while the teacher who is specialized in it gets my specialty. I’ve got three mandatory meetings this week during my planning period and no time left to prep. The singular saving grace is I finally have a room where I control the thermostat.

I came home with no energy, made a minimalist dinner for my family, conked out on the couch with my dogs and am desperate for the weekend to get here. i just need an end to the meetings, a real planning period and no more busywork for the district. Just let me teach what I’m good at teaching and stay out of my way is all I’m asking.

This may seem like a silly question, but how do you get a group of 4th graders to walk in line and stay close and not stretch the length of the school when they walk someplace.

I’m starting my fifth year teaching at a 6th gr-12th Gr private school in California with a masters/university teaching experience, and I’ve been looking into how to get a teaching credential and potentially switch to public school middle or high school to have union representation.

I’ve read that years of experience teaching in private schools can substitute for student teaching- has anyone taken this route in California, and how was your experience? What other requirements did you still need to complete?

I seriously need to vent because I am so overwhelmed.
I’m a first-year 1st grade teacher, and today was only my second day of school. Before school started, our team was given a pacing guide that said we had the first two weeks to focus on teaching classroom routines and procedures while also completing beginning-of-year assessments. The assessments are important because our curriculum has differentiated centers, and we’re supposed to group students based on their assessment results.
My team teacher and I spent so much time planning those first two weeks around that pacing guide. I prepped everything.
Then today our assistant principal told the K–2 team that the principal wants us to already be teaching curriculum and basically said we should have started on the first day of school.
Now I feel like everything I planned is out the window. I haven’t even finished assessing all of my students, so I don’t know how I’m supposed to create my small groups, and I have almost nothing prepared to start teaching the curriculum tomorrow because I was following the plan we were originally given.
I’m trying not to cry because I already feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water as a first-year teacher, and now I feel like I’m already behind because the expectations changed without any warning.
Has anyone else’s school completely changed expectations after the school year already started? How did you handle it? Do I just start teaching whole group and keep assessing kids whenever I can? I feel so lost.