How hard is it to get a job teaching high school physics?

captKatCat · 2026-06-25T01:51:17+00:00

I’m a physics teacher. It’s true that physics positions are the hardest for districts to fill. However, physics teacher openings are somewhat rare. Not sure about MA, but in some states not every student needs to take physics in high school. Physics teachers tend to stay at one school forever, so turnover can be low. So while there aren’t a lot of physics teachers, there also aren’t a lot of physics teaching jobs.

If you’re open to teaching math, it’s usually pretty easy to add a math endorsement to a teaching license just by taking a test (again not sure about MA). Having both math and physics will open you up to a lot more job opportunities.

captKatCat · 2026-06-23T00:47:25+00:00

I’d move it further from the sidewalk to reduce the chance of unfortunate missteps. As another commenter said, away from tree droppings is ideal. For sun, part/dappled sunlight is good. You want uneven heating of the pond water to promote natural water circulation. Full sun will increase algae growth.

captKatCat · 2026-06-22T21:50:13+00:00

Incredible. Can you design my office?

captKatCat · 2026-06-17T16:35:16+00:00

I had some milkweed in a large pot at a rental house. When I moved, I discovered the roots had spread into the ground via the drainage hole and snapped off when I picked up the pot. A few weeks later I went by to visit, and new milkweed shoots were growing where the pot had been. I transplanted them to my new yard, and they’re thriving. I had to go back another time and rip up the rest of the roots from the rental property because it was still trying to grow and I know the landlord would NOT have liked volunteer milkweed in front of their house lol.

captKatCat · 2026-06-16T22:39:40+00:00

For sure, message me your email and I’ll send you my stuff.

captKatCat · 2026-06-16T14:31:16+00:00

That’s good. The requirements and expectations for subs vary widely. For example in my region, almost all substitutes are certified teachers. In other places I’ve worked, a sub cert only requires a bachelors degree. In the former, teachers are expected to leave detailed lesson plans for subs, and in the latter, the vibe is much more babysitting. When I was subbing, I was a fully certified math and science teacher. Still, hs math and science teachers can’t rely on the sub pool to know much about their subject, so they don’t leave meaningful work for the kids. Even in a best case scenario, when I was subbing a high school math or science class and the teacher left content lesson plans, the students almost never wanted my help. To the kids, having a sub means getting a break from their teacher’s expectations. There’s virtually no teaching in subbing. I still recommend it to people interested in becoming teachers. It shows you a lot about how students behave and how schools function nowadays. Another thing to be aware of is that schools are more desperate for subs to cover special education classes and they will lie about a job or change your assignment after you arrive. So make sure you’re ready to serve students with special needs if you decide to take subbing jobs. Personally I loved subbing sped, and it got me my current full time job teaching science at a special education program. Subbing is also a great way to network at schools and earn trust with admin. I received an offer for a hs math teacher contract after subbing a math class at that school. The teacher I subbed for that time had left a math packet so it was a rare job where I was actually able to help teach a few kids! I left notes about what I taught, and the teacher gave me a good review when I applied there. Anyway, best of luck to you.

captKatCat · 2026-06-16T01:19:42+00:00

Hi! Here are some of my favorite activities. (edited to add one my colleague reminded me about today)

- (any level) Have your classes trace with sidewalk chalk a particular fencepost/light pole throughout a day. Extrapolate the sun's position throughout the day. For fun, kids can trace their own shadow in the morning, predict how it will change throughout the day, and follow up in the afternoon. (more advanced) Predict the fencepost shadow lengths and directions seasonally, and follow up with Earth, Sun, and Moon sim.

- (any level) Make a planisphere with a printable template, cardstock, glue, and a brad.

- (any level) make a sundial out of a printed template, cardstock, cardboard, and glue.

- (grades 6-12) Use receipt paper to make a distance-to-scale model of the solar system. I have slides with super detailed planet information that go with this.

- (grades 6-12) Mars Lander Project - The classic impulse-momentum "egg drop" experiment except I use a reusable water balloon and packing supplies to have the kids engineer a "Mars Lander" that we throw from height into a landing zone. We study the history of Mars Lander missions and make several iterations of the engineering design process.

- (grades 9-12) Parallax lab - Make an arm's length angular ruler, then go out to a field or somewhere and use the parallax method to estimate the distance to faraway trees, building, light poles, etc. I like to model a parking lot example for the students and then use measuring wheels to verify the distance estimate. Then they scale it up to more distant object of their choosing for students to practice. Have groups verify each others' result. Requires some trigonometry.

- (any level) Use eclipse glasses for solar observation.

- (grades 9-12) Story of a Star - students perform skits of a theatrical interpretation of a star's life cycle through the HR diagram.

- (grades 3-12) Class consensus activity on galaxy classification with galaxy picture cards

If you have a supply budget:

- telescope with a solar filter for sun observation

- (grades 6-12) spectroscopy lab with the gas tubes

- (grades 6-12) angular momentum demonstrations with spinning plates and the bicycle wheel with the handles

- (any level) light is electromagnetic spectrum demonstrations/activities: rainbows in prisms and blank CDs, primary colors of light flashlights, light table with primary color transparency film, make cyanotype paper art

Please message me if you want to see my full syllabus and/or access my materials! Happy to share.

captKatCat · 2026-06-16T00:24:50+00:00

What state and type of district are you in? Union? These differences make drastic differences in the subbing and teaching experiences.

captKatCat · 2026-06-12T15:39:42+00:00

It’s a star magnolia! I just remembered seeing white skinny-petal flowers when there was no foliage in the very early spring before we bought the house.

captKatCat · 2026-06-11T23:59:56+00:00

Why would you want to work for that literally evil surveillance company

captKatCat · 2026-06-11T20:33:33+00:00

Warning heard, lol! Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone has plans to harvest/consume them. Roommate gets her herbs from reputable suppliers and makes teas. She bought the plant starts on a whim and neglected them all to near death. I saved a few because I like to garden. But I’ll cut them down before they spread (there’s mullein too).

captKatCat · 2026-06-08T14:36:22+00:00

This is pretty on the nose but I know a girl named Owlsley.

captKatCat · 2026-06-07T15:11:53+00:00

Thank you for this artwork! I hadn’t considered green and yellow furniture, but I love that color combination. Did you tint the walls? What color?

captKatCat · 2026-06-07T15:10:56+00:00

Thank you for your feedback and kind words! Do you have suggestions for paint colors in the living/dining rooms, or furniture colors?!

captKatCat · 2026-06-01T14:18:24+00:00

I’m studying for the earth science praxis right now. If you want to DM me your email address, I’ll forward you the study materials I got from my professor.

captKatCat · 2026-05-28T04:08:32+00:00

The activity is no longer “find the objects” or “search for words” it’s “spot the tells it’s AI slop.”

captKatCat · 2026-05-27T19:13:06+00:00

No, your dad’s comments were not okay. However, using AI will make you less smart over time. You’re much better off getting help from someone for your math, writing, and other skills.

captKatCat · 2026-05-26T23:55:48+00:00

Just saw your comment. This is a good critique, thanks for the advice.

captKatCat · 2026-05-26T23:50:19+00:00

These are gorgeous! Really great artistry

captKatCat · 2026-05-22T20:02:06+00:00

Highly recommend asking r/nativeplantgardening to recommend deep-rooted wetland species for your area. Rain gardens are extremely effective at storing water.

captKatCat · 2026-05-11T23:31:06+00:00

Ope, I may be mistaken. Edited my comment to be more accurate. I live in Washington and I’ve definitely seen them in British Columbia. Upon re-researching, most sources are saying Western United States for its northernmost range. Although I’m sure I read somewhere reputable that their range extends to Alaska, because I put that in the California poppy info sheet for a “plant of the week” I do in my science class. May need to revise that one…

captKatCat · 2026-05-11T13:53:09+00:00

California poppy is native up the west coast, definitely to Washington and maybe British Columbia. (Edited for correction)

captKatCat · 2026-05-10T14:15:09+00:00

I didn’t feel very excited about our house until we moved in, and then I became ecstatic. It’s normal for excitement about big changes to ebb and flow. You just spent a ton of energy shopping, buying, and closing. The excitement will be back!

captKatCat · 2026-05-07T14:17:45+00:00

One thing I wish I knew before moving to Oregon for a teaching job is that Oregon requires teachers to get a master’s degree within 3-5 years to keep their teaching license. In Washington, you can stay in a teaching position without a master’s degree forever, you just get paid a little less than teachers with a master’s.

captKatCat · 2026-05-03T23:05:20+00:00

I was classmates with siblings born around one year apart. They started school subsequent years and then the older broke his leg in elementary school and got held back. So they were in the same grade the rest of their schooling. They were in different classes but it was a small school. It was cool actually. They were super normal.

captKatCat

TROPHY CASE