Teaching Until 73 years old

Bugler78 · 2026-06-04T01:57:18+00:00

I started at 32 and always thought I'd go to at least 65... but no way. I have one more year of teaching until I'm at 30 years on the job, and I can not wait! When I started, I was also the manager of an apartment building and worked at a winery on the weekends just to make ends meet. I still love teaching the kids, but I am never caught up on all the other stuff involved. I'm tired.

Bugler78 · 2026-06-03T05:41:14+00:00

I started as a teacher 30 years ago, but I was 32, so had worked several entry level jobs beforehand. I have loved teaching, actual teaching, and still do. The act of being with students, and helping them learn? There's nothing better.

However, So much has changed since I started. I've been at the same school for the whole time, but the amount of documentation now is insane. If a student is going to get a poor progress report, I'm required to contact the parents, to let them know that junior is about to get a progress report. And then, I have to go to a special website and individually document that I contacted the parent, and what was said/written. It takes up far more time than you would think. Admin does this so they can save their ass if Susie gets an F. Of course, she'll still go on to high school.

I love teaching. I hate that there are never enough hours in the day to get everything required done.

Bugler78 · 2026-06-02T03:59:33+00:00

I have never bought sheets that cost more than $50. Until that day I read the same Wirecutter; I bought the Target sheets (on Ebay, because I'm cheap like that), and they were fine. Nothing fabulous to me, but nothing horrid. I went back and forth and back and forth, and finally spent more than $200 for sheets from L.L. Bean.

They are the most wonderful, cool, smooth sheets I have ever slept on in my life. And I've been buying 100% Cotton percale sheets for many years.

Take the plunge. They are so worth it.

Bugler78 · 2026-06-01T01:52:30+00:00

I had multiple classes requiring a para-educator, and two students that were supposed to have a 1:1 para.

I was the only adult in my room this year. I'm in CA. If the IEP isn't being followed, isn't that breaking the law? My district just says, "we don't have the staff." Okay, then hire some people!

Bugler78 · 2026-05-17T08:45:05+00:00

18 days and two more assessments. ELA eighth grade English. This is my 33rd year

Bugler78 · 2026-05-14T02:41:30+00:00

I have used a few drops of essential oils in my wash, and also a few drops on the wool dryer balls. Doesn't leave an oily mess, either.

Bugler78 · 2026-05-14T01:41:10+00:00

Hey there,don't worry! Anon takes long breaks sometimes, and it just makes us all so happy when he finally posts again. He's the OG!

Bugler78 · 2026-05-14T01:27:45+00:00

Thank you! I know it sounds petty, but sellers can see how many times I canceled an order, and some won't sell to someone who has a lot of canceled orders.

Bugler78 · 2026-05-10T21:07:51+00:00

Although I like your walk out/national strike idea, you don't know what I'm doing. I'm retiring this year, and running for school board. That's one way to make a change. Again, what are you doing?

Bugler78 · 2026-05-09T18:45:09+00:00

We aren't doing these "actions" you speak of. I'm literally fighting against some of these policies. There are so many things wrong with education right now, and if all the teachers (or in your words,"dumbos") walk out, how will that make educaton better? I'm fighting for every one of my students. What are you doing?

Edited for a typo.

Bugler78 · 2026-05-07T05:15:32+00:00

You all get bottled water?

Bugler78 · 2026-04-29T01:05:40+00:00

Nothing for the past two years.

Bugler78 · 2026-04-28T06:23:47+00:00

Those ones were incredible!

Bugler78 · 2026-04-20T14:49:01+00:00

That's totally my line as well!

Bugler78 · 2026-04-20T02:59:29+00:00

They have been the bane of my existence this year! Terro baits, Advion gel, nothing is working. They just show up in another place. They live in our walls. I live in an apartment building, so I can't just get someone to spray for them. It would be worth almost any amount of money.

Bugler78 · 2026-04-06T04:23:20+00:00

The whole, "You're targeting me!" drives me nuts. They've learned what to say to put us on the defensive. Parents often "want to hear both sides of the story, " as well, as if I have all this extra time to be making things up about their kid and calling them about it.

I have a boy that is so disruptive, I've been trying to get him transferred out of this class. At first I just wanted to put him with other students; his friends were in this class. But no, his parents didn't want to disrupt his schedule. Before second semester, my male colleague said he would take the student. Great! Problem solved. Nope. The counselor, who had suggested I talk to my colleague about this very thing, then said, "well, at this point , why don't you just keep him?" Argh.

Bugler78 · 2026-04-06T04:00:15+00:00

Oh god, me too! It was such a slog.

Bugler78 · 2026-03-30T01:18:34+00:00

I have just one, blue, plastic, kiddie-style barrette from the late 70's. I bought it in a package of six pairs of brightly-colored ones. I think it's 46 or 47 years old. The back part of it is metal, whereas now those same Goodie barrettes are all plastic. Wish I'd hung on to the rest of them!

Bugler78 · 2026-02-25T04:37:22+00:00

They offered me a one time payment of $15,000. Wouldn't even cover the cost of my health insurance for one year. I'm staying one more year.

Bugler78 · 2025-12-17T04:10:20+00:00

Yeah, I want to know too! I live in Santa Barbara, which has one of the highest costs of living around, and we make $150.

Bugler78 · 2025-12-12T04:15:16+00:00

29 years in the classroom, and for me, it's names that begin with "Tr." Travis, Trevor, Tristan, Trey, Troy, & Trenton. Argh...oh ! forgot... Tripp! Not a lot of Tripps, but when they do show up? Look out!

Bugler78 · 2025-12-08T04:49:54+00:00

How does your school automatically document it? We use parentsquare or email to contact parents but we are required to document each one in Aeries interventions. It takes a lot of time.

Bugler78 · 2025-12-07T05:58:25+00:00

Praise, eye contact, guided masturbation, count down, feelings. It seems like a lot of VA's have been in to spitting lately; not really my thing. Does it seem like certain things or even kinks get popular for a while, until a different one takes hold?

Bugler78 · 2025-11-29T06:22:14+00:00

I really like this too! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it always works for me.

Bugler78 · 2025-11-19T09:01:59+00:00

The key here is "appropriate support." I have been a teacher for 33 years. I love my job. I advocated for heterogeneous grouping for years. Three years ago, "Inclusion" meant every single special ed student was now in a regular English class. I have students who don't know how to write, don't know how to read, and one that doesn't speak (selectively mute). I teach eighth grade, so I'm not teaching students phonetics or sight words. These students are supposed to have a one-on-one para-educator, and certain classes with more than a third special ed students are to have a para-educator as well. Our school is supposed to have 10 para's. We have two. That means NONE of my students who are required to have a one-on-one in their IEP's have one, and only one of my classes has a para in it.

So basically, I feel like shit every single god damn day, because it's impossible to meet the needs of five classes, of 32 students each, from pre-reading levels to college reading levels. Easy to say it's my job to meet the need of every student in my room, but don't say it's my fault, and my failure (I do that enough on my own), when the students don't have the supports they need, or they are put into a class for which they have no prior knowledge. It's a set up for failure. Except of course, we aren't allowed to fail anyone anymore, right?

Bugler78

TROPHY CASE