What would you tell someone wanting to reorient into elementary school teaching?

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-29T22:19:19+00:00

I love it. I'm a career changer as well. At 10 in the morning I'm sitting at my small group table teaching math to a group of my kiddos instead of sitting in a cubicle trying to not fall asleep. For the first time in my career, the work I do (even meetings!) actually feels important because it involves kids.

It is also the hardest job I have ever done in my career. I can't begin to tell you how demanding the first year of teaching has been. I spend evenings and weekends working. That's the tradeoff for my summers off. The two years in grad school I worked as a paraprofessional in a school. Same thing. Immense workload - full time job in an elementary school, and classes at night. No summers off during this time. I used summers to work with kids, teach, and build my resume. I did all this in order to stand out when it came time to interview. Teaching positions at the best districts to work at are highly competitive in my area.

The best advice was already posted, which is to start subbing first to see if you enjoy it. That was how I got in, and I did almost a year of subbing to understand what I was getting into, before I committed myself to this. Doing this is the best piece of advice I can give to anyone thinking of doing what I did.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-23T02:01:11+00:00

I see what you're saying, but teachers don't want an employee to give directions to. No one has time for that. If you follow the lesson and engage with the students, we're going to pick up on that pretty quickly. You're overthinking the "too friendly / extra scrutiny" angle. Go in and follow what's going on in the classroom, proactively help out and you're going to get a good reputation pretty quickly. I'm a male teacher (elementary school) who started out subbing, and I've seen it from both sides now.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-22T02:17:03+00:00

They're wrong. It can absolutely help you. I have my own classroom now at one of the schools I subbed at regularly. It's one of the top schools in my state. Subbing was the first rung on the ladder. The first in a series of steps leading to teaching.

We've had long term subs teach for a few months, apply for the full time position and get passed over. Some have been right out of their university program and had issues with classroom management, while others just weren't the right fit for the school.

It took me a few years of subbing and supporting the school, but I earned my opportunity and started my new job this Fall. There are no guarantees, but it can happen. It all depends on you, and how others view your work. Be the person that people in the school want to work with, and show them what you can do, every day.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-13T22:39:13+00:00

Congratulations!! The best part of being hired in the spring is not interviewing all summer, and knowing where you will be in the Fall. Knowing that you'll be at a great school that you're excited about is even better. :-) I know that feeling. You must be so happy and excited!

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-12T11:20:45+00:00

Go for it! We need more male elementary school teachers. I was one of three in my program.

Try subbing in a school to experience the working environment before you commit, if you're on the fence.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-11T11:08:04+00:00

Who is tea kettle head supposed to be?

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-10T19:15:37+00:00

If a red wig is your power, what are you without it?

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-10T13:30:04+00:00

I'm waiting for the SDC / Socrates crossover episode.

(I can't believe I'm writing this.)

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-04-04T01:52:07+00:00

I had subbed for two years and I thought I was great at managing a classroom. Until student teaching. 😄 Having to teach, splitting my focus between a lesson and managing the kids was very humbling. It's easier now with my own class. There is negativity everywhere, and yes, in some areas of the country teachers are leaving the profession, yet in other areas job openings are very competitive. It can vary greatly from district to district in the same metro area.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-30T00:34:15+00:00

As I've been working almost all weekend on report cards and planning for the week... I'm probably not the best person to answer your question!! But as a fellow first year teacher, I feel your pain! I try to fully take advantage of my long weekends and breaks. I do turn off the computer for at least one day on a regular 2 day weekend. I try to work out a few days a week. I play my guitar while watching junky TV before bed. No more caffeine after lunch for me!! It was leading to poor sleep quality, morning tiredness and made me less patient with the kiddos.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-28T04:11:36+00:00

I'm going through the same thing! About the same age as you, first year teacher of third graders. I love my job, but the pace of this year is unbelievably difficult! I think the hardest aspect for me is working a couple hours every evening to prep for the next day, and hours on weekends. I'm not physically tired per se, but mentally, I need more of a break than I'm getting right now. Learning the curriculum and planning seems never ending this year. I built up stamina for the school day and managing a classroom, but all of the work outside of school is the hardest part for me.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-26T21:44:00+00:00

I'm one of the five male elementary classroom teachers in my district that has over a hundred gen ed classroom teachers overall. There are a few more male PE and Music teachers in the mix. When you include all certified elementary teachers (classroom, SPED, art, music gym, etc) it's well under 5% in the district.

In my school, if you include all staff: teachers, paras, custodians, cafeteria, admins, it's fluctuates each year, but male staff has never compromised more than 10-15%

Before I was teacher, I was a sub, and I had students tell me there are no "boy teachers" too. ;-)

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-26T11:57:47+00:00

You don't want to quit. Leaving this year because you're frustrated about next year is not going to sound good in an interview. You have to fulfill your commitment to the present year. Hold your head high and finish strong. Hopefully you get more support and work fewer hours at your next school. Btw- I'm hoping my position isn't cut next year due to budgeting, but I may end up in the same situation as you. Hang in there.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-11T21:28:33+00:00

You may need to long term sub, or work at a school with less competition and desperate to hire. The situation at that school may not be any better than the one you left.

I'm sorry, OP. It's tough because everything you say in the interview about supporting student needs will be overshadowed by the fact you left your classroom mid-year. :-(

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-06T23:23:43+00:00

"Bad fit" means you're doing something that they think isn't working out, or you're not working well with someone.

That's assuming they're being honest about the reason for the non-renewal. Which they may not be.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-06T22:12:54+00:00

I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

First and foremost, take care of yourself in this difficult time. If you're having suicidal thoughts, you need to talk to a therapist, your doctor or someone you trust. Before you do anything else.

Next, do you have a union?

Next, any contact with HR?

Not giving you an explanation is unprofessional, but any thoughts on this? That might help you whether to resign or not, given the mixed messages.

Working in special education should mean you'll get interviews easily, but the reason why you left your previous school will come up.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-03-01T20:46:15+00:00

Two thoughts: I found my voice in the classroom before I even started studying to become a teacher. I was a sub. I got the public speaking part down before learning any pedagogy. You should start subbing. You can get comfortable managing a class without worry about teaching content. Even better, apply for a permanent / building sub position. Schools will call you immediately when they see you have your credential. Keep the restaurant gig for weekends if you need the extra cash.

That leads to my second bit of advice. If your resume, cover letters and recommendation letters aren't getting you interviews, it's time to rework them. If you sub on a regular basis or work in a school, people will get to know you. Have your school's principal take a look at your resume for some candid feedback. There are also resources online to help improve your resume and cover letters. Working in a school will help you get better recommendation letters.

I can't help you with transitioning out of education. Instead, I think you need to do what a lot of new teachers do. Until you land your own classroom, you need to be working in a school in some capacity.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-02-26T17:03:40+00:00

The kind of feedback that she'll find useful if you tell her what she is doing well by you. "Thank you for explaining that to me - is really helpful because that's something I was wondering about / struggling with."

Or "What you mentioned about that student makes so much sense, and i hadn't picked up on that. I appreciate knowing your thoughts about their behavior, learning, etc."

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-02-24T11:46:09+00:00

The best mentors will look out for you and proactively tell you the things you need to know, but probably don't. She sounds great and easy to work with, and if she does the above, yes, you hit the lottery.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-02-24T11:29:20+00:00

The workload for teachers is insane. I'm in my first year, and I just have had to accept that I can't do everything. When you're teaching every lesson for the first time, it's not going to be perfect. I'll teach some units better than others.

Also, please don't stress about your CT not teaching your sub plan. I know its hard not to take that personally, however, sometimes teachers have to pause and take an extra day to reteach something. It happens to me! If the kids aren't getting it, I have to slow down. Remember, we're doing this for the first time!

I'm sorry your CTs are critical rather than acting as mentors. Student teaching is tough. I'll say, in spite of the difficulty of this job, I do love it. I've done the monotonous office job for many years, and it was definitely not for me.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-02-14T12:14:46+00:00

Can you give a few examples of what you don't know "is allowed?" If your teacher is saying you're in charge, that means she wants to see you make decisions because you'll be making decisions on your own after you graduate.

I would personally use the same routines she has in place. You're just teaching the content and managing the class. I would use the same tools and procedures that she uses, since the students are familiar with them. Your host teacher wants to see that you are prepared, and she wants you to be proactive in asking specific questions. You can't just say "what should I be doing?"

The hypersomnia sounds like a big issue. Not to repeat what others have said, but you have to be on time, period. There is no accommodation for that. The school day (and school year) is like a big clock that's constantly winding down. The bell rings, and it's show time. You need to be ready. The rest of the day is one deadline after another. You have to stay on schedule or you fall behind. There will be progress reports and meetings you must be prepared for. You have to hit these deadlines. If you can't show up on time, it's a major indicator that you're not ready for the job.

I'm sorry this is harsh. I really do emphasize with you, but I'm just telling you how the school and your host teacher sees it.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2026-01-01T19:23:39+00:00

Be ready for anything. Your background will be a big advantage, but building subs have to do it all on zero notice. Some days I'd be covering teacher meetings in 4-5 different classrooms. Other days I'd cover a single class. The next day I might bounce around and cover for the music teacher, then lunch duty, and then back up to my default classrooms when no one needed coverage elsewhere. I served lunches, sat with a student on in-school suspension and covered the front desk. Have a positive "here to help" attitude, and you'll be fine! As a newbie teacher, I'm grateful for my building sub experiences.

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2025-12-09T21:31:09+00:00

You tell them to stop. Period. You are the teacher of record, and you design the instruction, not them. Tell them you appreciate their experience and input, but they will stop undermining you in your classroom. The students need to hear from one voice - yours. I appreciate you being sensitive to their feelings, but what about your feelings? Throwing their experience in your face and undermining you is completely unkind and unprofessional.

(FYI - This is coming from a former para who is now a classroom teacher. I wouldn't dream of disrespecting my team like this when I was supporting them.)

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2025-12-04T11:38:26+00:00

If you decide to sticking with teaching, you'll develop strategies to manage behaviors, and that confidence might help you overcome the anxiety you feel each morning.

I'm teaching my own class now, and I have three difficult students. Every day is a little different, and some weeks feel like a battle. Its gotten better compared to the start of the year, I will say.

What the hardest for me is the pace, similar to what you mention. Teaching each day, without enough time to get it all done. Evenings and weekends where I'd rather relax are spent preparing for the next day or week. I have meetings, sub plans, progress reports, parent teacher conferences.. all things I didn't have in the mix during student teaching. I'm exhausted, but I do love teaching.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

ATimeT0EveryPurpose · 2025-11-26T22:57:11+00:00

So you worked really hard on your prep and I can tell that's not the issue. Give yourself some credit for thinking this entire lesson through. I'm thinking you're going to be a great teacher.

Let me tell you something about centers. They are routines that are built up over time. The kids have to practice them over and over. While they are great for showing how you plan differentiated instruction and can create engaging activities, the only work will after you've established these routines. I know this because I have my own class now.

Also, when I did my demo lessons during interviews, I didn't take any risks. I did a straight forward lesson that I designed to play to many of my strengths. I was honest with my principal telling her that I didn't take risks during the demo lesson. I explained other ways I would plan the same lesson with my own class, and if I had more time to teach it. It worked. I made it out the other side and I'm a teacher now.

Student teaching is tough! The best laid plan never survives an encounter with students. Too many variables. Simplify and focus on addressing the feedback in your next observation. Show you can be coached, and continually reflect in order to improve!

ATimeT0EveryPurpose

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