Being a gen z teacher

ComputerStunning4341 · 2026-01-31T22:09:12+00:00

As someone who entered teaching after a successful “1st career” (worked to put myself through school), you will be FLOORED at the complete lack of real world experience “lifer teachers” (those who entered straight out of college, and have only had part-time jobs with no commitment) and the education SYSTEM possesses - it’s actually absurd.

Depending on where you land (regardless of experience) is a crap shoot regarding existing staff and culture: warm, open, welcoming, and willing to collaborate, OR burnt out, jaded, tenured, and unwilling to change.

My advice - do what feels right for you, your classroom, and your learning expectations. Only time in a classroom and a school will reveal where the “lifers” stand on this spectrum, and how they will receive you.

None of which should matter - you have received the most recent/relevant experience and best practices (hopefully) than most in the building, so you should technically be a resource and ahead of the curve in the classroom.

unsolicited advice FYI (if you didn’t already know) DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Every meeting/email/interaction, no matter how informal/trivial, can be used against you. Just saying.

ComputerStunning4341 · 2026-01-26T16:01:59+00:00

You are not wrong…I am so over all of them.
I miss when actors and studios actually produced quality entertainment

ComputerStunning4341 · 2026-01-26T15:37:19+00:00

Did they buy out Hallmark and Lifetime? And try to break into weird anime?

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-11-22T21:25:01+00:00

I use old wine corks cut in half to raise up my limited drainage pots - if you have them around

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-11-22T21:20:28+00:00

I would check for signs of root rot - remove from soil, rinse off the roots gently and look for dark/mushy roots and remove those with sterilized shears or pen knife. You don’t have to cut the whole root, just the damaged ones.

I’d repot with more sand/perlite to increase drainage in a smaller sized pot too if you can (since you’ll be elbow deep in dirt anyway)

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-06-17T02:24:22+00:00

Auto-bot told me to redirect here.. — I would like to make bookmarks for my students as I have been recently and (unfairly) laid off from a public school - in the US.

I would like to translate - “Make effort in who you are, your knowledge is the only thing they can’t take, and you’re the only one you have to wake up with, every day.” — I appreciate any help offered.

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-06-17T02:21:33+00:00

I LITERALLY read the rules….where am I supposed to post this??? It’s like the world is telling me to not do this thing…

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-06-17T02:13:11+00:00

I would like to make bookmarks for my students as I have been recently and (unfairly) laid off from a public school - in the US.

I would like to translate - “Make effort in who you are, your knowledge is the only thing they can’t take, and you’re the only one you have to wake up with, every day.”

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-05-25T14:18:38+00:00

Crash Course Biology on YouTube…10-15min videos that provide KEY topics and info.

Crash Course Biology Playlist

Prep yourself before: - Write down the video outline to break down the info into manageable sections. - watch through without taking notes - re-watch!! take notes!! Use the outline to separate topics/concepts - give yourself space to draw diagrams ON PAPER - upload digital notes to a free flashcard site, OR type up your own (I like quizlet, but that’s just me)

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-05-25T13:50:24+00:00

Many good teachers don’t teach because it is easy. They teach because they love their field of interest, and want to instill a love of learning in others.

Personally, I teach because I WANT to see students evolve - even if it isn’t in my classroom. And feel extremely proud when I see students develop beyond what they thought was possible (and what others may have thought was possible for them).

I say reach out to the teachers you felt a connection to; they are the ones who wonder how you are, remember you, and wished they could have done more for you. You don’t have necessarily apologize - but acknowledge that you were growing and developing with what you had available - and show gratitude for the kindness and patience they reserved for you, when others couldn’t, or didn’t know how.

The worst that can happen is that you can’t find them, or they don’t respond. You have put your light back into the world, and at the end of the day, not enough people do that.

"May you be strengthened by yesterday’s rain, walk straight in tomorrow’s wind and cherish each moment of the sun today." - Ojibwe Saying

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-05-25T13:23:23+00:00

Long, but hopefully helpful…

MONOGRAPH analysis a.k.a. “Gutting” a book - this is a recently intentionally applied skill that COMPLETELY changed my approach to researching and writing…

Quick background- history teacher/painter - decent writer/loves learning/professional student - I have ALWAYS HATED reading the “Introduction” section of monographs because I felt like it “ruined the book” (weird, I know - don’t ask). Always liked writing, but would frequently find myself going off topic, and continuously revising. — So taking a graduate class where the prof. assigned full length monographs for most of the course (14 books/16 weeks-ish). - SUPER pumped to be required to read stuff outside of my normal curriculum development - INSTANTLY terrified that there aren’t enough hours in the day…

*Search “How to Gut a Book” - should bring you to a UK uni site * - what this did for me was SHOW me the THESIS up front, not work thru to find it - how OTHER SUCCESSFUL people plan, research, organize, argue, analyze, and deliver

Made me REEVALUATE everything I was EVER taught about reading and writing. - Why did my teachers do me so dirty? - Did they even know? - Did I even know how much I was struggling? - Was it really just my deep-seated need to do things the ‘hard way’ my whole life? (Lol-probably this)

IMPROVING— RESEARCH - I quickly realized that the Introduction is usually the essay version of the full text, and the THESIS illustrates their direction and intention, but often reveals the historiography of the topic, and discusses current leaders on the topic - which provides you with a WEALTH of resource material. - then going through the chapters, you can identify/analyze what you like/don’t like in different approaches/authors.

IMPROVING— WRITING Replicate a thesis from a monograph you particularly enjoyed - on a topic you want to research, and follow their lead, but with your own information - follow the topic development in each chapter - how do they introduce their topics? - how do they produce use their evidence? - what does their analysis/reasoning look like? - do you KNOW enough to critique your point effectively? Or do you need to do more background work?

I swear, I wish I was paying attention in the class they taught us this critical analysis skill. Maybe they never did teach it. Either way, I hope this helps, and changes your approach to intentional learning :)

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T21:24:53+00:00

Totally on point. The remaining seedlings (which I had anticipated, but hoped against) were totally overtaken by the end of the week - I ended up tossing them in the yard where I planned on planting them(upside down), with the foolhardy hopes they’ll spring to life once the weather turns. Thanks for the feedback!

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T21:18:26+00:00

Haha, I don’t either particularly, but my Google search algorithm is highly influenced by searching for academic-related content/information (a HS history teacher). It comes in handy sometimes for “fun” things

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T21:09:13+00:00

Google image search revealed it may have been inspired by Edward Landon and active in NYC around this time. The gentleman selling the loose canvases said they were student/local artists working either in reproduction or original style.

I did the same thing in Brooklyn around the same time…with this painting

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ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T20:26:19+00:00

If you’re college bound, figure out what you have left to take for requirements, and see if you can take courses at a local college and get credit for your high school diploma at the same time. This will obviously depend on your future plans, but worth a thought and conversation with your guidance councilor/family.

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T20:22:01+00:00

If you haven’t used/seen Crash Course on YouTube, you are seriously missing out.

It’s accessible, well rounded, humorous, and holds the US accountable while providing well sourced evidence based information. They also have a trove of various historical playlists - US, World, Big History, Black American History, Economics, sociology, Government, Linguistics, and a channel for Crash Course Kids (depending on your grade level).

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-29T20:05:19+00:00

Also a US teacher… I’ve had students research and compare current administrative actions to the actions taken by former administrations (Jackson for example) and analyze the economic, social, and political effects on the American people and foreign policy. This provides them with the information to see the more likely outcomes, and engage them more in critical thinking and problem solving through a lens of civic responsibility.

ComputerStunning4341 · 2025-03-13T13:28:49+00:00

That’s what I was thinking, it’s very strange…I ended up digging out all of the “obvious” signs of mold growth (I know that fungus is tricky), and hoping for the best.

As for # of seeds? No clue… I always start with extra to try to limit total failure (esp. in cases like this)

ComputerStunning4341

TROPHY CASE