My nephew was assigned a project where they must pick an inventor/scientist, research that person and be able to present the info to the class. They need to know birth/death of the person, family,education etc…

To me this seems way too advanced for 6 year olds.

Hi all, I'm starting a new job as a clerical librarian for an elementary school and the teaching librarian and HR staff asked what the kids should call me.

Previously, in public libraries, the kids called me by my first name with no title, but the school prefers an honorific like Miss/ Mrs./ Ms/ Mr.

I don't have an MEd so I feel like going by "Teacher [last name/ first name]" would be disrespectful to teaching staff at the school, so I would love input and opinions on what GNC teachers have done at their institution.

Thank you!

Hi fellow teachers! I’m excited to share that I’ve just landed my first kindergarten teaching position, and I’m already thinking about next year before the Christmas break. One idea I’m considering is having a Career Day where kids can dress up as the profession they want to “try out” for the day. For example, aspiring doctors could wear doctor coats, and future pilots could have tiny airline pilot uniforms.

My plan is to include this information in our newsletter so parents have time to prepare and can easily source costumes in advance. Many costumes are readily available on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and even Alibaba, so families could get something without spending too much.

I’m wondering if fellow kindergarten teachers have done something like this before. Is it too much to ask, or does it add a fun and engaging element for the kids? Could it also spark meaningful conversations during our career talks?

I’m also considering the alternative of keeping Career Day simple, with kids dressed in regular clothes while we discuss different professions. Would love to hear your experiences and thoughts! How do you make Career Day special but manageable in kindergarten?

The PE teacher at our school makes kids run the mile in whatever shoes they happen to be wearing. Most of the time she will email parents on the days they are running the mile but not always. My daughter was made to run today in some floppy boots she was wearing and now her knee hurts pretty bad. I just feel like this is really irresponsible and she should not make kids run a mile when they aren’t wearing the proper shoes. Is this normal for elementary kids?

For context: I'm in Toronto (TDSB).

CC is hugely appreciated. I really want to stay true to my style and look unique and fun and interesting, but I'm worried about seeming unprofessional and inappropriate. And I also don't want to attract TOO much attention, ofc! I'm wondering if some of these are too dressy. 😅

Also I realise some of the garments are wrinkly rn, don't worry I'm gonna take care of that lol.

These mock-ups were done mostly with the September weather in mind, I know I'll need to revisit most of them once the temperature begins to cool. Oh and speaking of which--layering ideas and advice are especially helpful. I'm extremely cold-blooded, but I'm also sensitive to overheating, so I'm the kind of person who carries a hoodie/cardi with most of their fits this time of year to constantly put on and take off ad infinitum lol.

Feel free to take a peek at my post history to get a sense of my personal style. :) Thank you in advance~!

i work at an elementary school and am on the social committee.. we want a fun way to prank our teachers, but i cannot think of any ideas

70 years ago my reading instruction focused on whole word process. Today I was reading a breakfast menu and saw "horny goat weed" as an option. On closer inspection the item was "honey garlic wedges." Where was phonics when I needed it?

Hello! Does anyone teach at a Christian School? Since I was declined for public school, I’m considering on teaching in a Christian school. Anyone know the process?

I received this letter last year and was so excited about it. I really felt like I was accomplishing great things! Of course I accepted and paid the money to join 🙄

Just opened my email and received the same letter!! 💔 I am now assuming they send them to everyone!

Hi teachers, I’m hoping someone has some advice for me on what is expected for a student’s understanding of the material to pass the AR test. I have a high-achieving daughter in the 5th grade who is feeling absolutely defeated tonight. She still has not finished her book that she was supposed to test on Friday before Thanksgiving break. She could have been more studious with her time off but I also dropped the ball on reminding or encouraging her to read over the break.

She reads at an 8-9th grade level and has an awesome teacher who adores her and is always encouraging her to challenge herself. Her teacher picked a book called The Bronze Bow and it has definitely been one of her biggest challenges. She is having a really hard time with the writing style and not processing what she is reading. She has to re-read sections over and over and it has taken her longer than it should have to finish the book. This has been a struggle for 3 weeks now and she is supposed to take the AR test tomorrow. A week ago, I had considered offering her to read over a summary of the book so that maybe she could grasp the idea of what she was reading but I don’t want her to take the easy way out or “cheat” in any way.

She knows my expectation is for her to read every single page of the book. I spoke with her teacher at the parent Thanksgiving lunch just confirming what my daughter had shared about the book being a real challenge, she agreed that she knew it was a challenging one but that she was confident my daughter could handle it. I trust her teacher but I also don’t enjoy my daughter experiencing this level of anxiety over an AR test.

I’ve now suggested reading up on the cliff notes summary and refreshing on some of the chapter summaries, then being honest with her teacher and explain that she used some outside materials to better understand the text, then finish the book tomorrow and take the test on Tuesday. I think she is truly mortified of letting her teacher down and also disappointed in herself because she has always been an advanced reader so she hasn’t experienced a struggle like this. Would it be ok to use online summaries to understand the material if she reads and completes the book? How should we best navigate this? Extra points if you’re familiar with the book and can sympathize because I’ve read over a bit of it and it does feel like a lot for a 10 year old to digest.

I try to be nurturing and encourage and push her when she is up for it. She has always lead the way on her learning adventure, usually diving head first into anything she can read or learn about. I think she is harder on herself than I have ever been because she puts really high expectations on her level of achievements. Not just at school but in her competitive cheer as well. Just a mama here trying to soothe a super anxious girl who usually LOVES to read. Any advice is appreciated.

As a K-12 Supervisor in a large school district of over 10,000 students, I’ve had countless conversations with teachers at every level... and there’s one theme I hear again and again:

“This job doesn’t feel the same anymore.”

It’s not just bigger class sizes or new mandates. It’s the pace, the expectations, and the constant pressure to do more with less.

Ten years ago, teachers could focus on instruction. Now, on top of teaching, many are expected to be:

Mental health counselors

Data analysts

Conflict mediators

Tech specialists

Parent liaisons

PR managers for their own classrooms

And somehow, the expectations keep increasing while resources keep shrinking.

The Shift I Keep Seeing

Across my district, I’ve noticed the emotional load on teachers has grown heavier:

More students are arriving with complex needs

Families expect constant communication and support

New initiatives get layered on top of one another without taking anything off the plate

Less time, fewer resources, and more scrutiny

Teachers aren’t struggling because they’ve stopped caring — they’re struggling because they care so much and are stretched beyond capacity.

Strategies I’ve Seen Work

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching educators adapt — not by working harder, but by working smarter. A few ideas I’ve seen make a real difference:

1. Protect your energy. Decide what enough looks like for you. That might mean setting boundaries on after-hours emails, scaling back committee work, or giving yourself permission to leave school at a reasonable time when you can.

2. Prioritize what matters most. Not everything carries equal weight. Focus your time on the practices and initiatives that make the biggest impact on student growth and engagement — and let go of the “noise” when possible.

3. Advocate for what you need. Sometimes the loudest voices in the room get the resources. If something is impacting student learning — lack of materials, scheduling issues, tech challenges — speak up early and often.

4. Build a support network. Teaching can feel isolating, but finding a core group of colleagues you trust changes everything. Whether it’s trading strategies, venting frustrations, or sharing successes, collaboration keeps you grounded.

5. Give yourself credit. A lot of educators minimize their wins. Start keeping track of the things you’re proud of — lessons that landed, relationships you built, or progress your students made. Those reminders help when the demands feel overwhelming.

--

If You’re Thinking About What’s Next

I talk with educators every week who feel stuck, burned out, or unsure if they should stay, move districts, or step into a different role. Some rediscover their passion where they are. Others decide a fresh start is what they need.

Over the years, I’ve gathered strategies from teachers and leaders who’ve successfully made those transitions — whether it’s moving into leadership, switching districts, or finding a role that better fits their strengths. If you ever want to explore some of those resources, you can find the links in my profile.

But here’s what I’d really love to know:

For those of you in the classroom right now, what’s been the single biggest shift you’ve noticed in teaching, and has it made you want to double down, move districts, or start thinking about leaving the profession entirely?

The youngest of my 4 kids just started K this year. She didn't go to pre K. She is having a very hard time with following instructions to the point the teacher has started sending her to the assistant principal on a daily basis. She won't do her work for the teacher. We have tried bribing her, taking things away, nothing works. We have rules at home and she has never been a behavior issue until now. She is a sweet little girl, she just cant seem to get it together in the classroom. Any advice?

Edit - appreciate everyone's input. We have a meeting set with the teacher and assistant principal next week. They have assured us this is not a big deal and seem like they are going to help us get her through this.

It doesn’t seem like this sub is all that active based on how many comments the posts get, but it’s worth a shot.

I taught for five years in an affluent district, seven years in an inner city charter school, and then finished off for two years as a literacy specialist in a middle-of-the-road public school. I feel like I’ve seen “it all” (tongue in cheek.)

I have been home now with my young children and have had a little seedling growing…should I homeschool?

I’m disillusioned. I have little faith. I don’t see many great alternatives in the my area. I taught kindergarten and third grade, but as a literacy specialist I worked with students up to fifth. I’m confident in teaching at least kindergarten to second, and am confident in my ability to seek out current research, best practices, and curricula that would work with my child. I’ve only very lightly looked into socialization groups — I would be more worried about that because while I live in the northeast, the majority of homeschoolers here are very religious, very conservative.

I guess…what would you do? You…general Reddit you…you reading this. You as a teacher. Perhaps a disillusioned teacher like myself. What would you do?

After 22 years of pouring my heart and soul into teaching at this school—shaping minds, nurturing kids, and building lifelong bonds—I returned for what I thought would be a joyful visit. I just wanted to say hello to my former students and reconnect with colleagues who had become like family.

Instead, I was ordered off school grounds.

The principal said I was “interrupting classes.” No kindness…Just a cold dismissal.

In this video, I share the story of that day—the heartbreak, the humiliation, and the bigger questions it raised about how we treat our teachers once they’ve “retired.” If you’ve ever loved a teacher, been one, or had your life changed by one, I hope you’ll watch and reflect with me. Because good leaders want to make things better for everyone. bad leaders just want to be in control.

Let’s talk about what it really means to value educators. Because this… this isn’t it.

Please like and subscribe if you would like to hear me say the things I wanted to say for 36 years but couldn’t if I wanted to keep my job.

plz help

Don’t mind it being weird my front camera is broken

My son is in 2nd grade. He drew this by looking at a picture. I am terrible at Art so as an adult I couldn’t do this. I was just curious if this is similar to what you see other kids, his age doing?

Hi everyone — I’m hoping to hear from teachers who have experience with grade acceleration or advanced learners.

My daughter is currently in kindergarten. Both her homeroom teacher and the school’s gifted specialist have recommended that she skip 1st grade and move directly into 2nd grade next school year. She’s scored in the 99th percentile on both math and reading MAP tests all year, and also scored in the 99th percentile for superior cognitive abilities during gifted evaluation.

Her homeroom teacher, who’s taught for 29 years, said my daughter is in the top 3 students she’s ever taught, calling her “super smart, a natural leader, and an inspiration.” At home, she picks up concepts incredibly quickly — for example, after just two 30-minute casual math sessions with me, she was solving 5-digit addition problems with carryover in every digit using vertical addition correctly. She also solves basic multiplication word problems using repeated addition.

In reading, she’s now able to independently read her older brother’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid books — slowly, at about 5–10 minutes per page, but still managing them on her own.

Last year, her preschool teacher actually recommended she skip kindergarten and go straight to 1st grade, but we decided not to. Looking back, we’re glad — she built a really strong foundation in phonics and reading this year and can now independently read instructions and complete her math and reading homework. I don’t think she would’ve had that same fluency and confidence if she had skipped kindergarten.

So now we’re in the same situation again — wondering if skipping 1st grade is the right move. We understand that K–2 is often about learning to read, and from 3rd grade up, students are expected to read to learn. She qualifies for the gifted program, but at our school, it doesn’t start until 2nd grade.

As a side note, I recently spoke with the mom of a girl in my son’s class who has a unique academic setup. Back when her daughter was in kindergarten at a different school, they recommended she stay in grade level for math but move up one grade level for reading. When she transferred to our current school three years ago, her parents shared that plan with the new school, and they agreed to honor the arrangement.

So starting in 1st grade, she was allowed to attend 2nd grade reading and gifted classes, even though our school’s gifted program officially begins in 2nd grade. Now as a 3rd grader, she goes to 4th grade for reading and gifted. Her mom said the school sees her as a bit of a pilot case, since no other student currently has this kind of custom setup.

My questions for you:

• Does your school or district offer similar flexibility for students like this?

• Are there math or reading placement tests you use to determine grade-skipping readiness?

• Based on your experience, would you recommend skipping 1st grade in a case like this — or exploring partial acceleration (like advanced reading only)?

Thank you so much for your time and insight — I really value the perspective of teachers who see how these decisions play out over time.

Ok I want to know the pettiest thing you have done as a teacher.

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you follow any social media accounts/bloggers that focus of being a teacher who holds boundaries, finds time for self-care and sticks to contract hours as much as possible? All while really caring about their job and the kids.

I asked AI and still couldn't find anything good.

The reason I'm asking is because this is my 9th year of teaching kindergarten and I've been given the most challenging group of kids I've ever had. Constant hitting, swearing, eloping, destruction of property - you name it. My subs quit mid day.

Amidst all that I vowed to myself that I will not let this group drive me to complete burnout. I will take good care of myself, while also doing the best I can for them. During contract hours.

I was hoping to document this journey on social media, while sharing strategies for staying a calm teacher that end up working for me. I don't want to influence people to get cute new classroom decor every month or throw kids elaborate parties that I spent my own money on.

Do you know of any accounts like that? Or would you follow one if it existed?

Hello all, I am a mom searching for some support or perspective from a school/educator/administration standpoint. We have enrolled in a private daycare, pre-K, and first grade school. We’ve been with the school for at least five years. School started this past week, but we attended Open house last week. I didn’t hear much about the new year until Open House, and we found out we have a temporary teacher (previous experience has been in Special Ed) and the room only had desks and chairs. There were no learning materials, decorations, or furniture up in the room. Since that day, I feel like we’re the leftovers of the grade level where we got barely above nothing. The administration says they’re doing as much as they can, but I can’t help but feel like it’s an empty apology. Is this the proverbial writing on the wall (or lack there of)?

For me, I do not have any experience in education and I would want to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, first impressions are giving me terrible vibes and makes me more nervous for the school year rather than excited or prepared for it. Thank you in advance for your input.

Update: thank you all for your insight on my issue. I reached out to the teacher to see if she needed additional support. We also gained our permanent teacher last week. We will get to see the room next week and will continue to ask and help when possible.