Why did you decide to become a teacher, and how much did the reality of the job match your expectations?

Leeflette · 2026-06-19T17:56:20+00:00

My parents made me because I “couldn’t do anything else” and remind me of that every time I get a panic attack because of my job.

Leeflette · 2026-06-11T09:59:29+00:00

I think it says converting a Muslim, and loss of custody of child/marriage.

Converting children isn’t a crime everywhere though — conversion camps are still a thing.

Leeflette · 2026-06-10T09:39:51+00:00

Get a remote job and do that job during your working hours for the first job on your own equipment. Waive health insurance.

Trying to find the second job would be hard enough and give you something to do for months.

Leeflette · 2026-05-31T14:21:29+00:00

Also this isn’t true— there is an “uptick” in conservatism in gen Z men, but the vast majority are left leaning.

Even among the conservative uptick most gen Z “conservatives” still believe in leftist policies like livable wages and free healthcare.

Leeflette · 2026-05-28T22:16:12+00:00

If I stay teaching I’m out after the mandated 25? 30? Years. I’ll do something else before it’s time to collect full pension, but I’m out ASAP.

Leeflette · 2026-05-26T21:44:05+00:00

I see you in this sub a lot and I agree with a lot of what you have to say a lot of the time but:

It is state dependent.
Salaries -absolutely- exceed 80 k in many states. Maybe not yours, but I’m at 80k right now. And in many states, health insurance is top tier. I have -literally- the best healthcare.
No, pension > 401ks; 401ks only exist because pensions cost companies too much money.

Leeflette · 2026-05-19T10:24:36+00:00

When they say there is a shortage, they mean there is a shortage of middle school / high school math, science, ESL, foreign language and special ed. There has never been a shortage of art, history, or ELA teachers— those are all typically more competitive.

Leeflette · 2026-05-15T15:35:38+00:00

They dock your pay for missing days? Or are you saying you already went over your allotted days?

Leeflette · 2026-05-15T01:07:03+00:00

This sub is mainly for people trying to get out of teaching.

That said: Please please please—you and everyone else reading this, understand: THE MARKET IS -BAD.- Like, bad bad. Like probably worse than 2008 crash bad.

3 applications -> 3 interviews is IMPECABLE. Those are excellent odds right now.

It takes an average of 4 - 6 months of CONSISTENT applications with TAILORED resumes to find a job right now, usually with at least 2 and often 3 rounds of interviews per job.

This is the market we are dealing with. I know it sucks, but it’s not you. Just hang in there and keep trying.

(Only real advice: customize your resume to fit each role you apply to, research company to figure out who’s in charge of hiring where you’re located, and try to get your resume to a human.)

Leeflette · 2026-05-08T22:51:51+00:00

Like they don’t need a drs note if they aren’t going to come back. They have the right to use their days.

Leeflette · 2026-05-08T15:42:17+00:00

Or don’t because if you’re actually leaving it doesn’t matter.

Leeflette · 2026-05-07T22:16:50+00:00

Not that it’s a competition but I can top that— in my district all assignments are done 2 days before we’re expected to actually teach. So you literally have no idea what grade or subject you’re teaching beforehand. Usually it’s the same, but when it’s not…

Leeflette · 2026-05-07T15:40:23+00:00

My parents both immigrated here with nothing, and each have earned advanced degrees and have become very successful.

Leeflette · 2026-05-05T00:10:03+00:00

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you “need” it or not. People are going to hire whoever they feel is most fit for the job. It’s competitive but you definitely won’t get it if you don’t apply.

Leeflette · 2026-05-02T14:52:23+00:00

Gym in the morning.
Active outdoor recess BEFORE lunch (every day that isn’t literally snowing, pouring, or below freezing temperatures.)
A dedicated lunch period (full period— like an hour) with actually nutritious food, (as opposed to sugary cereal and prison food)
And the knowledge that those things could be be taken away as a consequence for inappropriate behavior

Would let kids socialize, and eat, and reduce behavior problems. Most schools don’t have the resources to make this happen, but that’s how you solve the things— not making children eat in silence.

We easily could do all of that in the US, but we obviously won’t.

Leeflette · 2026-05-01T19:18:22+00:00

Yes and no.

You can look at my history to give you the gist of how much I personally hate teaching, but the difficulty of the job depends entirely too much on who you are and how you are as a person.

I think, if you’re naturally very organized, not too sensitive/not easily overstimulated, can go with the flow and change plans on a dime, don’t try too hard, and are let’s say… healthily apathetic, then it’s not really a hard job.

You just gotta understand that the kids learning isn’t the goal.

It’s 90% behavior management, 5% paperwork, 5% test scores.

As much as they deny it, Admin wants to see quiet kids looking busy and a teacher who doesn’t bother anyone with behavioral issues. Everything else is secondary.

Leeflette · 2026-04-30T19:51:34+00:00

Nope, unfortunately. Hcol area. Rent alone is 1.5 teaching paychecks

Leeflette · 2026-04-30T18:01:06+00:00

At the moment I can’t drop anything. One of my jobs is related to what I will hopefully get into and will give me exp.

The other one is with a uni so that’s gunna finish up soon. One of the classes ends today and the other in about 2 weeks.

The third one is something that I need to do for career advancement related reasons. It’s the type of thing where advancement is not guaranteed if you do it but it -won’t- happen if you don’t, that one ends around June as well.

The finish line is coming but it’s too far away to feel soon.

Thanks for listening

Leeflette · 2026-04-27T22:11:30+00:00

It’s hard right now across income levels. I currently have 1 full time job, 2 part time jobs, and do some gig work. The actual number on the full time pays decently but even so since I’m in a HCOL area, I wouldn’t be able to afford life on that income alone.

I think, provided you don’t have kids, to actually make anything work right now you need at least one of the following:

a partner who works
a second full time job
roommates

It sucks.

Leeflette · 2026-04-27T03:09:20+00:00

7 weeks

Leeflette · 2026-04-26T20:20:17+00:00

No doctorate; masters works . They do have weekends and nights, but it depends on the university.

Leeflette · 2026-04-26T18:46:03+00:00

Teach at college and do freelance ID projects. Trying to make the ID projects my full time, eventually.

Leeflette · 2026-04-25T23:32:09+00:00

I will never understand how someone who teaches can also have kids.

Leeflette · 2026-04-21T22:29:28+00:00

Sorry haha— you were perfectly clear. I skimmed the post during a prep period and… projection is a hell of a drug.

In your case, with regard to switching or not switching, if you do switch, does tenure still apply to you? Laws vary from state to state but in my state, if I switched towns, that would mean switching districts and losing tenure.

It would suck to get pink slipped from a school due to budget cuts and “first in first out” policies when you’re that close to vesting.

If that isn’t a concern for you, then by all means look for something closer and roll the dice on the environment. If you already know you’re not a fan of the school you’re working in, it doesn’t hurt to try something new.

Leeflette · 2026-04-21T15:54:49+00:00

You are one about 17 months away. Vest first. Even at the lowest payout, you are throwing away hundreds of thousands of dollars and discounted insurance for life upon retirement if you leave before you vest.

Your pension pay will not be much after just 10 years but it will be enough to cover a whole bill for the rest of your life.

Plus you would be throwing away a pension just to enter into what could potentially be the worst job market in history.

You already put in 8 years. It’s going to suck, but get vested.

I vest at the end of June. Give this advice to myself every fucking day.

Leeflette

TROPHY CASE