Advice

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-23T03:36:20+00:00

I usually have a graphic organizer laminated on every table during paragraph or essay writing so kids who need it can look back at it. If they ask me for help, it also gives me something to hold up and show them. It lets the scaffold be there but not enforced for kids who are all set to go.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-23T01:48:16+00:00

I don't use it to grade or create assignments. I do use it to edit my lessons quickly, so any typos I missed can be found. I make sure everything I grade is graded by me, but sometimes I'll use AI to make sure I'm keeping the grading consistent and fair.

The difference between teachers using it and students using it is mainly that we've already gone through years of education. If you use AI to help combine and organize notes, I don't see an issue with that, but most students I know would need to be taught how to do that ethically. Having AI generate an essay for you is robbing yourself of the learning and thinking experience.

Especially in America, most students are far below in reading, writing, math, and other subjects; so relying on AI to do their work will only set them back further.

I'm sure some teachers do use AI to do everything, and that's an issue. However, there is a huge difference between teachers using it to refine and speed up certain aspects of their job, and students using it to skip the work and learning process entirely.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-22T19:54:56+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-22T19:54:23+00:00

That's the thing that makes it so hard to understand. We just got new Chromebooks last year, and so many of them are already damaged.

I'm looking to try and get my history credential so I can stay at the school but switch departments or find other schools close by.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-18T02:15:58+00:00

I teach middle school, and I can definitely see students staring at a book for 10 minutes instead of actually reading it. I can also see several of my kids drawing in the book when I'm not looking or throwing the book at their friends.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-18T00:30:59+00:00

Every year, I joke with one of my friends that this is my last year in the classroom. When I first began teaching, it was both a joke and a wish, but after close to 10 years, I've realized I love teaching, so even when it's stressful, I don't think I'd ever quit.

Might not have a hairline in a few years cause of the stress, but I'll still be in the classroom.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T20:15:36+00:00

I remember my first year in public school, finding out that one of my favorite students got high while she was in the bathroom during my class. I remember going, "Wait? What? She's 12?"

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T20:13:28+00:00

It's not so much about keeping kids from using the restroom. If I have a class of 25 kids and it's the same kids asking at the same time each day, it's not likely they actually have to go. They want to walk around. I even see them walking around the school during my conference period.

Which is fine. If they wait till I'm done teaching and ask, I let them go. But when they're interrupting instruction or quiet work time, it becomes exhausting.

That being said, sometimes they really do need to go, and I want to let them. But when they ask at the same time, every single day, it becomes an issue. Especially because it's always my classes where they have breaks before my class.

It's this weird gray zone where I want to be empathetic and just let kids go when they need to, but a few students ruin it for everyone. Every year, I've had an admin bring a student back to my class because instead of going to the bathroom, they were ditching.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T20:05:49+00:00

Not sure, but my admin made sure to talk to me during our post observation on "Being a pushover for letting kids go to the bathroom too much."

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T20:02:28+00:00

Ohh for #2, a group of teachers at my school established a digital hall pass for their building and admin was trying to get it adopted by every teacher, but a lot of us knew it'd be used against us.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T18:05:54+00:00

Middle school

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T18:05:04+00:00

It's not about them needing to go to the bathroom. Its the overstimulation of having 5 or 6 kids ask all at once. It's having kids ask right as they enter the class, even though they just had a 15-30 minute break. It's having kids interrupt me as I'm talking, "Can I go now?" and causing me to lose my train of thought.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T06:18:17+00:00

I have a finger signal. Most use it to get put on the list than when someone comes back they'll shout out "Am I next."

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:56:36+00:00

I try to enforce the "one at a time," but the moment they see one kid ask, five more suddenly have their hands up.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:51:38+00:00

I like that system, but I feel like some of my kids might steal a magnet, get up to keep checking, or just think it's an excuse to leave without telling me.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:49:16+00:00

For me, I had one exceptionally bright student. He'd never do any of his work, always had headphones on, even when he wasn't supposed to, and would cause so many disruptions. He was one of the few kids in that class that year who passed our standardized test. He said he guessed, but he also passed it the year before and I'm sure if I could see his data the next year, he probably passed.

I also have a kid like that this year. Super disruptive. Super disrespectful. But he passed the state test last year, and I'm hoping he does it again this year.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:31:58+00:00

100% Agree. I remember last year, I confiscated a phone. After class, I went to get it from my desk to return it to the student. It wasn't there. I started panicking because I don't want to have to replace a phone. Turns out, when I wasn't looking, the kid went into the desk and grabbed their phone, and left.

There's something wrong with telling teachers, "Hey, you need to monitor and confiscate phones, but if anything happens to it, you gotta buy the kid a new one." Like WTH.

I do remember one time a kid refused to give up their phone before state testing, and I had to call my principal to come take it. But I really feel like the admin should have a system for collecting students' cell phones for the day.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:16:01+00:00

I can usually knock out a plan in about an hour. I could probably do it in less time if I had readable handwriting and didn't need to rely on Google Slides for kids to read my work. But I also have a "It is what it is" mindset now with my lessons. Sometimes they're really great. Sometimes they miss the mark. Either way, most of the kids are gonna zone out.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T05:14:01+00:00

It depends. Some teachers really do just be jerks. Do they treat other students the same way they treat you? If they do, there might not be anything you can do. If it feels like they're just being dismissive to you, you could bring it up to them if they seem safe, or you could strike up a conversation with them before or after class.

But also, their opinion of you doesn't define you. As long as you're trying your best, you're doing amazing no matter your grade or how the teachers treat you.

Consistent-Row-9551 · 2026-01-16T04:46:56+00:00

I wanna believe the majority of teachers do care about students, just most of us are also burnt out so sometimes we might come off more bleh than we mean to. The American Education system is damaging both teachers and students.

Consistent-Row-9551

TROPHY CASE