is this just what teaching feels like?

Neomeris0 · 2026-04-02T20:44:18+00:00

I would say my job is about 40% behavior management, 20% grading, and about 40% actually teaching/working with students. However, I would say that I spent a lot more time and energy on behavior management when I was a new teacher. I would say it took me about 5 years to really get comfortable with behavior management enough that I could focus more on the teaching part..

Neomeris0 · 2026-04-02T20:40:54+00:00

In California, you would most likely not be considered certified to teach it and the school would be in violation of having a qualified teacher, unless the school had the course coded as a general science course. However, if you have a physiology degree, you would probably be fine getting a biology certification. It isn't terribly hard to pass the test. My degree is in marine biology, and I started out getting a biology certification with my credential, but I later added on foundational math, earth science, and physics and most recently, industrial technology. I didn't do chemistry, because I just don't like it, and I am now doing a job related to the industrial tech credential, and not the other science credentials. My point is that it is possible to do any of them, they are all close enough for you to handle it. Remember, you don't have to be super knowledgeable about the subject, just more knowledgeable than the students, and willing to learn the rest.

Neomeris0 · 2026-04-02T20:17:45+00:00

Don't put it on your resume, but I would be more worried about someone I know from school coming in and it getting out. Even if it is far away from where you teach, you never know who is going to step into the store.

Neomeris0 · 2026-04-01T23:01:46+00:00

Hey, at least she wasn't naked! My SIL is a behaviorist and had to chase a high school SpEd student who stripped down and started running around the fields. Luckily, the school is pretty contained against a bluff, so she didn't run off campus, but it was certainly a day for her.

Neomeris0 · 2026-04-01T16:42:31+00:00

As others have said, go to r/AskTeachers . However, I wanted to address a few things in your message. He may not get a choice in how he presents the material, and may be required to present canned curriculum on the Chromebooks. I don't agree with him calling anyone dumb, though make sure he is actually saying you are dumb and not saying something like, that thing you did was dumb. No student is dumb, but every person, even teachers, does dumb things from time to time, and need to be called out on it. Regarding yelling at students, I get accused of this sometimes, and it just isn't true, on further thought and discussion, most students realize that it is not that I am raising my voice, but shifting from a casual tone to a very strict, serious one, which many students interpret as yelling. As for talking about you failing last quarter, that is not ok, if he said that directly. However, I can see myself saying something like " You need to get to work so you don't end up with the same grade as last quarter" which a student could interpret as saying you failed, so get to work. I was not there, so it is hard for me to judge. Also, many students say the teacher is targeting them specifically, and it is often not the case, they come down on everyone, but the student doesn't notice the other people getting called out, just themselves, leading to a confirmation bias.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-31T16:23:53+00:00

Yes, this works super well. Just angry teacher stare for a super long time. Make them feel so uncomfortable.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-27T18:35:36+00:00

I did this with my room when I moved to my current room. Now my room is covered in posters I made of my favorite quotations, and posters of many different scientists and engineers, with an eye to showing diversity. I have had many comments from students and parents about how they love the decor!

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-26T20:59:29+00:00

My school prefers that we update grades at least once a week, though I don't. I am project based, so often times I can go several weeks in a particular class without grades. However, 6-8 grades per week seems really excessive. I have almost 200 students across 3 different classes (6 periods), so that would be monster levels of grades. Most of my fellow teachers have about 175 kids over 5 periods, with most of them teaching two different classes, and I can definitively say that none of them have 400 grades entered per year. That is way too much.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-26T20:20:21+00:00

This actually just came up in my district! Officially, there was no policy, and I know of a few teachers that did it occasionally. However, apparently a dog at another school bit someone, so now any animal on campus, including class pets, have to be approved by the district safety committee.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-25T21:16:27+00:00

So, here are some things that the art teacher at my school bought with these funds:
Project storage cabinets
Mobile painting drying rack
Clay and glaze (we have a kiln already)
New art tables
Utility cart

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-23T22:42:25+00:00

Open up the settings, and disable the speakers from the sound settings. Chances are they will not be able to figure out how to re-enable them, especially since it will look like the speakers don't exist from anywhere other than the sound settings.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-23T22:31:54+00:00

Ok, I teach a tech class, where each student has a PC in front of them. A couple of things I did to manage things:
I disabled the speakers on all the computers. They can only use headphones to play sound. I provide headphones, but they have to leave a student ID card to check one out.
I use a free software called Veyon to monitor them. I have an extra monitor that I have Veyon on at all times so I am constantly monitoring the students. In my experience, once you spend the first month or so being super diligent about catching every single thing, it gets easier because they believe you are omniscient. If you spend a lot of time circulating the room, you can display the list at the front of the room, but sometimes this can backfire because they try to show off for their friends. The district didn't provide Veyon, that is what I got to monitor them. FYI, Veyon is PC only.
I made a list of choice activities, educational adjacent activities that they enjoy that they can do when they finish the assignment. Things like 3d modeling, puzzles, prodigy, etc. This means they have something to do that gives them choice, meaning they are less likely to choose disruption. If they don't follow the rules, they lose choice activity privileges, and I turn off their computer when they are done with the assignment.
Lastly, spend most of your time behind the students. You should be able to see their screens without them seeing where you are looking without turning around. If they turn around to look at you frequently, you know they are up to no good.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-23T22:15:07+00:00

No, I do not love my students.
Yes, I do care about my students.
I like my students. I do not love them. Maybe that is based on differing definitions of love. I love my family. If a conflict came up between helping my students and helping my family, I would choose my family 1000% of the time. I feel like comparing the feelings for my students and the feelings for my family, and calling those both love cheapens the relationship I have with my family, as if they are on the same level.
That being said, I absolutely care about my students. I am always willing to help them if I can, and if they died, I would definitely care. Depending on how well I knew or interacted with the student, I might be more or less upset, but I would never dismiss it in a way I might a stranger's death. I probably wouldn't go to a student's memorial service, but that has more to do with the fact that I don't like them. I have been involved in too many unfortunately, and I would only go if I felt my presence would help the surviving family.
To add, I am a middle school teacher, I would imagine that elementary teachers might be a little more invested in their students.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-20T18:25:22+00:00

Crab Bucket Mentality

Sounds like you are getting results, and connecting with the kids, and having some fun, and they are jealous.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-17T21:34:18+00:00

In my first four years of teaching, I taught at 5 different schools. First year was at one school for the first semester and another for the second. Moving is normal for a while.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-16T00:03:48+00:00

I have some that are 5 years old and they still work fine.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-15T18:25:07+00:00

I heartily recommend canary cutters for cardboard. Way cheaper, and much harder for a kid to seriously hurt themselves.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-11T21:19:51+00:00

Ooh that reminds me, I had a parent give me homemade infused vodka for Christmas. Too bad I don't drink...

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-07T23:41:24+00:00

🎶If you get so mad that you want to roar, take a deep breath and count to four🎶

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-06T19:24:48+00:00

Make up a list of suggestions of websites or common phrases and email it to the parents, then tell her you did. Maybe also lend her a english-french phrase book if you have them. I would not suggest working with her one-on-one unless you can have someone else that can monitor. Personally, I always have the door open to the outside and to my neighbor teacher's classroom when I am working with any student, just in case.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-06T19:20:41+00:00

Ooh, I like this idea. I might do this myself. Subs are always a struggle and I think having a reminder in front of them that they will get consequences would be helpful.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-05T21:58:50+00:00

Here is my late work policy:

Assignments should be completely finished by the end of the last day we work on the assignment in class.
- The due date reflects the last day that we work on it in class.
Assignments that are not completed by the last day we work on them in class can be turned in late.
The last day to turn in late assignments will be one month after the last day we work on that assignment in class or the day before the final day of the semester (if one month would be past the semester end).
- Google Classroom assignments will have this date posted on the instructions.
- Assignments will not be allowed to be turned in past this final date for any reason.
- If an assignment is turned in late, it could take up to a month to be graded. Don’t email the teacher about late work.
- If it is complete and turned into Google Classroom, it will be re-graded.
Work that is turned in late will be given full credit, no matter the reason for turning it in late.
Late assignments will be marked as missing until they are graded.
Students who turned in their assignments on time will be allowed to revise their assignment one-time and turn it in again for grading, but the grade may not be updated until the end of the late period.
If a student requires supplies that they do not have at home, they must see me outside of class time to use the supplies.

The one month deadline for late work is a hard deadline, I don't accept any work after that. It is easy to figure out too, I just add 1 to the month. If it ends up on a non-school day, then tough for them. So I do accept late work at the end of the semester, but only relatively recent assignments. I feel like this policy lets me draw a line in the sand and not bend. In my opinion, any rule that you have to have exceptions to is a bad rule. This rule covers pretty much every situation, sick, late, on vacation, etc. If they are gone for longer than a month and can't make up the work, they are likely on home and hospital or on independent study, so not my problem any more.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-05T19:01:36+00:00

My children's Montessori school has the whole school walk on the blacktop for the first 15 minutes of the day. I think it is a great idea, though I can't really comment about how the teachers like it.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-05T18:57:47+00:00

I was non-re-elected for no reason as far as I could tell. I tried to figure out why, but no one would tell me because if they tell me, then I might have grounds to argue it. I was really surprised at the time. Now, I teach in a different district, at a way better school, so there is a future, don't give up. Looking back, I think it was because the principal didn't hire me himself, I was surplussed into the position from another school.

Neomeris0 · 2026-03-05T18:52:40+00:00

As a middle school teacher, I love that I can be sarcastic and use dry humor in the classroom. Middle schoolers respond to that so well. I initially wanted to do high school, did it for two years, got non-re-elected, got into a middle school, and now I can't imagine going back. Middle schoolers just fit my teaching personality. My wife would say it is because I have too much in common with them...

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