I feel like I need a *despair* tag.

Today, one of the students I also taught 3 years ago, who is now a HS senior, informed me that he has never read a book. I, attempting clarify, asked if he had never read a picture book as a kid. He said no, and six of the kids around him (10th-11th grade) nodded their heads in agreement. I am pretty good at identifying BS 24 years I to my career. This... wasn't it.

So I now plan to read subject matter picture books to my 15-18 year olds, while sitting on my front lab bench and holding the pictures out for all to see like it's freaking library story time, b/c maybe they'll remember and read to their own kids sometime in the future

WTF

As I sit in a lockdown drill with my elementary school kids and I hear someone rattling the door handle to our classroom I am reminded of just how dumb we are for a nation who thinks we are the best.

We’ve failed this generation of kids 🤦‍♂️

A sad dad and 5th grade teacher

Edit: lockdown drill

High School.

Most classes at my school follow the same system. 1 test, 1 midterm, a 2nd test, a project and then the final. It's a semester long class so we are currently a few weeks post midterm approaching where test 2 would normally go. Lately the admin wants the CTE classes to have the students doing more hands-on work so they suggested we exchange 1 of our tests for a 2nd project. I love that idea.

In class today, I outlined the 1st project to the students. Some jokingly complain and I laugh it off. I get them going on the 1st part letting them work in small groups to think about their projects focuses. A student comes to me and tells me he doesn't want to do the project. I tell him I acknowledge that, but this is what's assigned. He tells me he's "too busy for this mess" and would rather just take the test. I tell him that's not an option and ask if he needs help brainstorming. He rolls his eyes. I move on. Done? Of course not.

I later get an email telling me he's going to have his mom email me because he shouldn't have to do this. I say okay. Mom emails me and my admin saying it's not fair he didn't get a choice between the project and a test. I'm so confused. In what world would you expect to get that choice? I show the project expectations to the admin and we all agree that the project can actually be completed (as I've intended all along) within class time. The parent the complains that this would require the child to come to class each day. Ohhh no, consistent attendance, we can't have that! /s

I'm so sick of entitled parents and students. It's my class. Do the work I assign... Or don't. But complaining to me about not getting to dictate your assignments is crazy.

1. Put up tenets of other ideologies right next to it, ex. Ten Planks of the Communist Manifesto, Ten Point Program of the Black Panthers 
2. Print out large excerpts from an article discussing the legality of it, and put it around the poster of the Ten Commandments
3. Write: "Examples of the government not separating church and state" in big letters, with a giant arrow pointing to the Ten Commandments
4. The law says "include only the text of the Ten Commandments" but one could argue that pictures are acceptable, as it does not specifically state that pictures are prohibited. So you could find a picture of, oh I don't know, two roommates holding hands or something 
5. Write the letters in rainbow colors 
6. Put a rainbow background behind the text
7. Explain the significance of the law in a way your students will understand. Then ask students to write about their opinion on the law, and hang up their opinions around the commandments. This could show multiple perspectives and is a good practice in critical thinking.

edit:

Some of these suggestions are merely meant to emphasize the ridiculousness of the law and are not things I would actually do.

But I think it is important to draw attention to the law. I do not think it should go unnoticed.

I don't live in Texas and just found about this law yesterday.

However, I used to teach in Texas and if I still did I would create an open discussion with students about it.

I would use it as an example of the powers state governments have, and provide arguments for and against the law. I would also encourage students to examine the law within a broader historical context of the separation of church and state, and of the role politics plays in education.

Kids should learn about what is going on in the world around them.

Marking it as humor because it’s absurd.

I teach at a private Christian school. I teach Bible, and the Bible teachers are typically expected to be “faith leaders” as well as having ethics be taught by our department.
I recently caught a staff member breaking the schools (very weak) AI policy for a devotion&prayer to students. I reported this person in accordance with the staff handbook and ended up having a meeting with the 3rd in command at the school who heavily favors this person and has previously attempted to get rid of me. It went super well and they even texted my principal to commend me and say the same. At this meeting I was told I’d be looped in on follow up but I never was (Worth noting that this exact devotion was given to students again 1.5 weeks later).

Well at the end of last week my department needed to refresh a bulletin board and I (half joking) suggested we just put “AI IS BAD FOR KIDS” and “suggested readings” on the board. One of the ethics teachers has been reading the pope’s spring encyclical with their class and said “hell yeah, I’m in.” A third teacher ended up putting it up, and the 4th in the department knew about it but wasn’t involved. The aim was at all the ai “art” in the hallways and not about my previous meeting, though it was in my head. We were about to include the MIT study as well.

Today we all got in email from the head of the school that it was removed and offering us a meeting to “discuss concerns.” I was the first (and so far only) to respond to the email and say I’d meet, so was told that a) we will meet next week and b) because of my previous meeting this seemed “deliberate and disrespectful and will not be tolerated.” My whole department now plans to attend the meeting to say it was a group effort and not just me, but I know I’ll get heat (I’m a known troublemaker).

I’m sure my principal will be pissed tomorrow upon return from vacation.

I’m in my 10th year of teaching and I’m just over it. These kids are so goddamn low, it’s genuinely frustrating. They can’t retain anything, they refuse to try whatsoever, they give the most minimal effort imaginable and we’re supposed to just pass them through.

Freshmen had to research an interesting person in history and do a presentation on them yesterday. It was simply embarrassing. These kids can barely speak let alone read or spell. The spelling is absolutely horrendous. When they clearly copy and pasted an AI response, they couldn’t even read what they copied on the slide. This isn’t just one or two students. This is every kid. Then, they laugh about it like it’s something to be proud of. 9th graders having 3rd grade reading levels. What the hell are you supposed to do?

Never mind, their parents are fucking idiots and can’t read themselves. Yet, we’re supposed to be open to them 24/7 and cater to their every whim or complaint. All they care about is if they can throw a ball or run really fast. Admin doesn’t do anything and our task list to appease all of these people is getting longer and longer. I just don’t want to live like this anymore. I’m miserable and my body is exhausted. I’m sick constantly because they’re always sick.

This is our future. Actually, this is our present and it’s terrifying. How the fuck am I going to make it to June? Please tell me, those that have left teaching, what are you doing now? Is there anything else that I can do?

Does anyone else get this stupid line whenever you talk about the challenges in teaching? I’m not in the classroom for now, and a coworker said this to me when asking about the teaching profession and why I left.

In year 6 of the same school I started my career at. Good school overall. This year has been a blessing to be honest. Student behaviors are pretty minimal compared to other years. However...

We have one freshman who is extremely entitled. I happened to catch him and another student in the teacher's lounge on my way to make copies. I asked what they were doing. One of them stayed to explain, the other just began walking away like nothing happened. I said "I am still talking to you". No response. I stated again "Excuse me but I am trying to speak with you". Student responds with "I heard ya". And sat down at the student commons he was working at before. I walked down and raised my voice for the first real time in probably three years. I just haven't had to until now. I'm never a fan of yelling if I can help it, but certain situations do require it. He said he was sorry and should not have been so disrespectful.

He's done this to several other staff and it's getting really old. Not really looking for advice, but I needed to vent. Like how do you just not even give someone the time of day?

At my school we have our own set of critical days as in do not dare take them off or have a really good reason. I swear I used to work in retail and I had less blackout days or critical days and Retail than I do now is a teacher. I wish I could post the photo of our calendar here most of it's blacked out

PS: English isn't my first language, so please ignore any mistakes

I am extremely frustrated right now. I am currently just a teacher assistant and there is this teacher that keeps saying that "we can't stop them from using it, so let's teach them the best way". Ok, she might have the best of intentions, but does she seriously think teenagers will be this responsible?

Not only she allows it, she encourages them to use it because "it's the future". Today they had to write a text about globalization. "USE AI but just to gather information, then use your own words" How naive you gotta be? You know already what happened next. Not a single student did that. I just watched a kid ask chatgpt then use gemini to simplify the text to the point a topic was 'Benefits (good part)'. That's depressing.

I am so upset because there is nothing I can do. She is the school pedagogical coordinator. They don't even try to think, ever. They just ask AI to think for them. I feel sick and horrified about the future. Me and other teachers spent days explaining why AI is bad for their critical thinking skills and overall unethical. All that work, gone. At first they hesitated and told this teacher what we taught them. It took her 5 minutes to convince them otherwise.

Please, dear God, if You can hear me... Just pop this bubble already.

Just venting. I was out at happy hour after school talking to someone who was a parent in my district years before. He said, “I hate to say this, but you guys are seen as glorified babysitters.” I’ve been in education for around a decade, a teacher for 3 years. When did this shift from educator to babysitter start? When did parents forget that their education is what built the foundation of their lives!? I would understand if it came from snobby professionals without children, but this is from a parent. Why is school just an inconvenience for families rather than a foundational institution that prepares their children for the rest of their lives!? I’ve heard it more than once, but this time it really stuck with me because I was out with my team. It’s hard enough to deal with the behaviors, but now that parents are siding with their children over siding with the institution designed by the government to support their children, I’m becoming disillusioned. I could move past it if it wasn’t a common sentiment, buts I’ve heard it so much more recently. Convince me I’m not wasting my life and career.

Last week, I (4th grade teacher) posted this story about how I was able to get my unruly classes to behave by implementing a strict one-warning-then-get-kicked-out-of-class policy and ALWAYS following through. I received nearly universal support from the teachers on here for imposing consequences and order.

However, I was with about a dozen of my colleagues after work, and we began to discuss my discipline policies. Most of my fellow teachers, while polite, clearly disagreed with my approach to classroom management. Among their criticisms were:

- My discipline could be racially inequitable
- Children deserve grace and shouldn’t be removed from class merely for being disruptive
- Being kicked out of class could lower their self-esteem
- There are methods of classroom management that don’t involve punishment, but rather positively reinforce good behavior

In essence, it was the same old BS that has led to the destruction of education in our country. About 8-9 out of the 12 teachers seemed fully bought into their (polite and professional) disapproval of my policies, despite the fact that my classrooms are MUCH more orderly than theirs are. Meanwhile, my admin (bless them!) have been amazing in their support.

Has anyone else encountered teachers who have drank the no-discipline, no-consequences Kool-aid? How did you handle them? Or do I just need to give this time?

To be clear, I have no intention of changing my policies, don’t worry.

We have a particularly challenging 7th grade class that has been difficult for their entire student careers. With that said, I would say we've had troubled classes before that were likely just as bad. The principal just sent out a long email explaining it's from experiencing lockdowns in kindergarten. I don't know if I can agree that Covid is still a valid excuse for terrible behavior as an entire class in 2026. What is your opinion concerning the validity of Covid as an excuse for terrible behavior at this point?

TLDR: elementary school destroyed overnight. 600 students displaced. 75 educators lost everything. As teachers what matters most to you and your classroom… the little things. The things that made the difference in your classroom and impacted students the most.

One of the two elementary schools in my local town caught fire this weekend and will need to be torn down.

I am contracted through a different school district and my organization has over 20 high schools they work with.

Over 600 students have lost their school. The district has already implemented plans for these students to be back in a local school setting eight days after the total loss.

I am looking for suggestions on how to support these students and teachers, utilizing the outside organization I work for.

Obviously the school has insurance and the state will help with funds to build a new school. My organization has teachers in schools throughout the state and I’d like to capitalize on that.

I think it makes the most sense to raise funds or collect resources for the teachers who lost everything (assuming the building and school supplies will be funded by the state).

Just curious how teachers would feel if their school was destroyed and what they feel is most important. Would you prefer funds to restock your room? Would you like certain items to be donated?

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. Ideally I’d like to come up with a fundraiser of some sort that my organization can back and implement in over 20 schools. I think this is an opportunity to resource A LOT of resources and I want to make sure I do it right.

Thank you in advance!

DMs OPEN

Hi, so we just had Family Night, and I had a situation with a parent of one of my homeroom students. The student is currently failing all his subjects, and I was the one who handed his mom his new schedule. She was frustrated and wanted to know why his schedule had been changed. I explained that it was based on his behavior and the environment in which he could work better.

She then asked who made that decision, and I told her that it was we, his teachers. After that, she started asking a lot of follow-up questions, like whether his behavior alone was the reason for the schedule change and other things along those lines. Honestly, I didn't know how to answer all her questions because I'm still a new teacher, and I'm not entirely familiar with all the details behind the decision.

So, I told her that we could speak with the assistant principal, who would be able to explain the situation more thoroughly. She then told me that she wanted me removed from her son's class because I couldn't even explain such a simple question. I just said, “Sure, ma'am. We can discuss that as well. Let me walk you to the assistant principal's office.”

To be honest, I don't really want to deal with either her or her son anymore, anyway. But the whole situation is stressing me out, and I'm worried. Could this incident put my job at risk or even get me fired?

Unpopular opinion: most teachers should have a real say in their own professional development, instead of being assigned the same training as everyone else in the building.

A first-year primary teacher and a twenty-year secondary physics teacher don't need the same session. When PD is chosen centrally, it tends to aim at the average teacher, which means it fits almost nobody well. People attend, sign the sheet, and go back to doing what they did before.

What I'd prefer: a school picks a small number of shared priorities, and each teacher chooses how to work on them. That might be a short course, peer observation, coaching, or a small inquiry in their own classroom, with regular check-ins across the term so it doesn't fade.

I know the objections. Some teachers would choose nothing, and schools need consistency. I'd still rather start from choice and add structure than the other way round.

Disclosure: I work in teacher development (COO and co-founder of an education company), so I think about this a lot. Push back if you disagree.

If you could design your own PD for this year, what would it look like?

Teaching algebra 1 and doing some linear equation solving. We got to a point where the final answer was y= 8/4 and not a single one of my 24 students in this class knew how to calculate 8/4. Are we cooked?

Side note: they would have been in 3/4th grade when covid was forcing everyone online. I think I was tough multiplication tables in those grades, so I’m assuming it’s related to that and the use of calculators

Looking for advice how to handle the mean girls in my class? They don’t care about most consequences and only one of the fours mothers even responds to my messages. One of them when I messaged dad about her upcoming parent teacher conference he straight up replied “we don’t go to those but thanks for the offer.” So clearly I can’t use moms and dads to get them sorted out. It’s not just mean towards other students and super disrespectful during lessons and class time but also rude and belligerent to myself and other staff, but if it’s teachers with more seniority they never do it and are more respectful but it’s like they know I have no real pull since I’m new. I need advice. Grade 6. I’m not opposed to humbling them.

i’m a first year teacher, and my first observation was so bad. i went into it with full confidence and a well planned lesson… which turned into a complete flop. there isn’t a single positive on the write up.
my union says to just sign it and it’s not a big deal. but i feel like my whole identity and career path has been questioned. how do i NOT fall apart right now?

I'm six months pregnant.

So far this year she:

-has admitted she was not familiar with the text book

-has shown up late and left early multiple times

- has not planned anything

- has told the kids something completely different or told them that they need to ask the teacher

- has no idea what we're doing

- told my intern to leave without asking me.

-talked when I'm teaching

- given the kids every answer

-told me she cannot input grades because she doesn't know how to weight them properly (later sent an email saying that she knows how to do this when I emailed her offering further help)

- had no idea there were strands in the curriculum we needed to cover (but again in email claimed to be super familiar).

- claimed an AI generated assignment I gave her (I didn't even look at it) as her own. It has a ton of errors but at this point I'm not correcting it.

-keeps making passive aggressive comments since I asked her to lead a lesson.

He ended up pepper spraying himself.

Dumbass.

High school history teacher here.
I hate hate hate having to give kids 50% who did not earn 50%. I know there are bigger fish to fry but every time I have to change their grades to a 50 it feels like it’s going against every fiber of my being.
Especially because our district offers reassessments so they have the ability to redo tests. Of course the kids who need that most never use it.
UGH
At least we can enter zeros for missing work. If I had to give 50% for missing work I think I would have to find a new district.

Well it happened. I got shamed for using my days off. I’m not going to let it deter me. I earned this PTO and I’m going to use it! To me not using PTO is like going to the doctor and not using your insurance card.

7th grade. The ADHD kid said a butthead thing that triggered a big emotional reaction from an autistic student that triggered the AUDHD kid that triggered another kid that I am so glad the bipolar kid was finally out of her manic phase...

...of which I helped lead each kid to use their tools we helped explore to fix each problem.

I did this with the VP walking by me in the hallway using restorative practices...Somehow, everything ended better than I expected...

I sit down at my desk, tell the kid with autism and a history of big traumas that no, they were NOT in trouble (I had to sit to remove the height differentiation), and the VP walked in while I was handling m THIS conversationand told me the ELL kid with an A in my class thad did the assignment for the day and later told me they did 3 missing assingments was... playing videogames...

Dude...timing...

...

Do you shame parents for not knowing what their child is consuming? I'm on the edge of calling them out.

Of course, presenting it as more of a problem that they don't know where this is coming from rather than blame. Although, I keep asking myself if it will actually have a lasting impact?

They're feeding into their child's behavior by not filtering what their child is looking at. Allowing children to think using the n-word,, that acting out, and bullying are all fine. Not to mention children's innocence is all but lost because parents aren't parenting.

Not to mention, "that couldn't be my child."

Come on now, we can't keep enabling and feeding into these behaviors.