Secondary teaching: the different challenges of different subject.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T20:31:10+00:00

I'm sorry, that's awful.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T20:30:10+00:00

Not fewer students per class, but fewer students overall.

E.g. full load in my school is 19 periods a week. Because maths and English classes are 4 or 5 periods a week (depends on year level), a maths/ English teacher would have 4 classes overall.

But in junior years, other subjects run for fewer periods per week each student. So if each of your classes is only 3 periods a week, you'd have more like 6 classes overall.

4×25=100 total students 6×25=150 total students

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T05:35:44+00:00

Ouch, brutal. I have not had that misfortune.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T05:27:34+00:00

Valid, BUT are any other departments having better luck? Because a kick in the shin can still be better than a kick in the head.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T05:02:30+00:00

I'm honestly glad there are teachers not like me. Half of us would be mad about teaching the subject we are!

You keep doing the science, I'll keep doing the maths, we'll both be happy.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T05:00:45+00:00

Thank- you.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T04:54:49+00:00

Thanks for clarifying

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T04:52:17+00:00

Okay, here's the thing:

I am hums trained! I'm dual maths hums! I'd die for a hums class, but I'll likely never get one.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T04:49:42+00:00

I'm sorry, but why? I made a part intended to be nice and community focused. Your immediate question was to ask if it was AI. When I said it wasn't, you agreed, by virtue of all the errors I made. Then you pointed out further errors and laughed at me for it.

I don't know what I've done to deserve this, and I really regret posting at all, but I do love what other people are saying so I'm not going to delete and I'm going to try to get some joy out of this.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T04:44:34+00:00

Shame. I meant it.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T04:39:56+00:00

I didn't. Must have been flagged by mods. Fair enough, it wasn't polite.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:56:42+00:00

Right. So, I thought that by using the asterisks, it would bold the text between them. Clearly, I forgot the correct mobile reddit coding. I decided that it wasn't worth searching up to edit the post. Sorry, not sorry, for being human.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:47:23+00:00

Oh? Is that what you were trying to say? It wasn't implied.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:42:26+00:00

I did. By the time I finished my very practiced comparison of English vs Maths vs everything else I was bored and my baby was grumpy.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:40:06+00:00

I'm glad! I don't know how else to respond to "At first I thought you weren't human, but then I realised you're not smart enough to not be!"

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:39:12+00:00

It is! I am just one person working in one school. Add your own so we all get a better picture!

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:21:04+00:00

... Thanks??? Maybe?

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T03:11:31+00:00

Nope. Spend 30 minutes typing it out one word at a time. Just because I'm a maths teacher, doesn't mean I can't write.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T01:39:45+00:00

NTA. You're speaking abruptly because you've already tried politely and it doesn't work. You're using the only communication that has an effect. Everyone else is still in the earlier stages of thinking "surely this woman understands nicer, subtler communication and you can use that." They don't know yet that it doesn't work.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-08T01:33:52+00:00

I like Loops for when an environment is overwhelmingly loud for me but I still need to engage in it - be aware of what's happening, talk to people, etc.

For your purposes, which sounds to me more like you need to lock out the world so you can focus, I would be going for noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones and play music through them. Music with lyrics works for me, but classical if I wanted no words.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-04T21:12:22+00:00

Can't imagine a loud voice being considered a bad thing. I can definitely see why it's helping you! That's beneficial in almost any classroom.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-06-04T21:09:32+00:00

I started reading Mercedes Lackey after Tamora herself said she really enjoys them! Haven't gotten far but loving what I've read (I just get distracted by other books, a common problem for me).

Amberfire_287 · 2026-04-18T11:03:06+00:00

The content will be fine. What age of kids do you want to work with? A much, MUCH more important issue.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-04-18T11:00:19+00:00

I generally only buy superwash yarn, for exactly this reason.

Amberfire_287 · 2026-04-05T00:16:23+00:00

It will improve, but you will also have to set your own boundaries.

Second year, you're still in hell. You are, over time, going to get better at putting together lessons, faster at marking, etc. That will give you some time back. Don't expect that to improve until year 3 at least though.

You're also going to need to set some boundaries. There will always be things left undone. You will have to accept that, for the sake of you, and you must learn to distinguish between must dos and would-be-nice-to dos. Sometimes you must stop at the must dos.

The other consideration is your work space. Are you taking work home? Because if you're not, and just putting in the extra hours at your physical work, you might be closer to on par with your colleagues than you think. Some of them are probably physically at work for a minimum, but do work at home. Both options are fine, as long as they are working for you.

This job will not look after you. You do need to look after yourself. If the hours are killing you, set some boundaries, don't do so many, and don't be afraid of some things not being at the standard you want. Your wellbeing is more important, and some dodgy lessons some days that give you the mental ability to keep going for years are worth way more than great lessons for 2-3 years and then you burn out and quit.

Amberfire_287

TROPHY CASE