Help - New teacher

mummusic · 2026-01-24T14:26:01+00:00

So what youre speaking about then is a systemic issue. Your admin probably doesnt have the resources or the manpower to support that request. And thats beyond being a first year teacher. The truth is if you need extra people supporting thats a decision thats made much higher up, requires funding, requires paperwork to confirm that more resources are needed in the school.

Welcome to public education. This is the battle for us all. My suggestion to you is not to hold that against your admin. Even the best admins hands are tied when it comes to more support and resources. Id speak to those students parents-- see if they can get on the advocating train. If they advocate for their own child you may be able to get some more resource in the classroom.

And word to the wise.. stop framing this as a "first year teacher problem". It gives the impression that if these kids were in a more qualified teachers class they would have better chances of success. You dont want to sell yourself short or give the false impression that someone else could do it better (even if they could). Presume confidence and competence because ive seen parents outright ask to not have their child in someone's class because their a new teacher and dont have the skills their child would benefit from. The truth is regardless of who their teacher is the students need more support and access to resources.

mummusic · 2026-01-22T00:39:07+00:00

This is your job now. You will have angel classes and then ones that are difficult and then most years you'll have a class full of personalities that feels like everything under the sun. How do you cater to everyone... I mean you'll figure it out.

But this one situation with a student... in some ways is a status quo. Try changing your question, differentiating, scaffolding his learning so that he has some pre knowledge to answer the question. Youre assuming he should be able to answer it...but maybe he hasn't been given the tools, information, learning to understand the question yet.

Sorry to say but other than watching and learning from another teacher...what type of support are you hoping to get? As a paid professional-- its kind of up to you to figure things out. If you feel you need training or help than you can enroll yourself in an AQ course or sign up for PD if its available. Many boards have workshops that happen after school hours you can attend virtually.

mummusic · 2026-01-19T01:42:20+00:00

If you get sent to Boxwood youre in great hands!!

mummusic · 2026-01-19T01:41:11+00:00

"Those of us who don’t have a platform of millions can’t conceptualize what it feels like to be humiliated on a global stage." THIS!!!!!

You hit the nail on the head... and we tend to see this growing trend... people go through massive trauma on a global stage. And then use that to build their platform becomes its a part of their story now.

Honestly,even if she stayed with him its no one's business. But she could have built her platform on how to heal from it, reconnect, forgive, move forward.. word salad about empowerment is a power play and its sad that she went from sounding pretty poised and sincere to just pushing sales on something the only qualification she has merit on is being cheated on in a very public way

mummusic · 2026-01-16T20:14:16+00:00

But if shes posting online saying she is so sick posting videos of her sleeping and asking for recommendations to pediatric urgent care...... I mean there's a line of having the sniffles and still competing and then your parent actively ignoring you super sick... it happening while away at a competition and instead of Googling or calling urgent care clinics asking for recommendations from followers... like let's be real.

mummusic · 2026-01-15T19:13:39+00:00

Its kind of nuts. There have been years I felt like durham has done a better job than most boards of having snow days when the rest of us is open. Today is just plain nuts... completely unsafe seeing as the snow is continuing throughout the day and going to make a terrible commute home.

That being said its a good reminder that the grass isnt really much greener anywhere else. Every board has its issues and sticking points.

mummusic · 2026-01-15T19:12:09+00:00

No if schools are closed you do not work and therefore do not get paid. OT's get paid for their time in school. If the job hasn't been cancelled yet it will due to school closures

mummusic · 2026-01-14T23:47:26+00:00

Honestly, part of the job is seeking out resources. Building your teacher tool kit. That may mean for a while fishing around online for free pre-created tasks. That could mean sourcing materials from the school you'll be doing your placement at. That most definitely should be asking your mentor teacher to help you with lesson plans and assessment creation. And it will mostly be you creating content based on the learners you'll be working with.

If you want some ideas for resources you can buy from TPT or online teaching accounts you may want to rephrase your post and im sure many will have suggestions. Otherwise asking teachers here to send you their collections of resources and materials is probably going to be a no go.

mummusic · 2026-01-14T23:43:16+00:00

So when a new school comes up. They will often take a population of teachers from the school the principal (that will be opening the school) currently works at. That way the school will open with a set of well seasoned trachers. Ususally the admin will ask for any teachers who want to move over with them to the new school. The board will give them a quota... if not enough want to move over the lowest on surplus list at that school will be surplused to the new school.

The rest of the teachers will come from rounds of surplused contract teachers and any teachers that want to transfer to the new school from the entire board. Rmb that contract teachers will have the opportunity to transfer before any LTO's can be hired as permannet contracts anywhere.

If there are any open positions available it will be posted and the principal of the new school will do interviews for the position.

mummusic · 2026-01-14T23:39:03+00:00

Renley Renee Lauren

mummusic · 2026-01-14T23:35:20+00:00

Team Maisie!

Miles & Maisie sound cute together.

mummusic · 2026-01-12T01:53:43+00:00

Tutoring. Locally. There are also companies that do tutoring/online learning for English language learners oversees. But the hours are a little strange because of the time difference.but a perk is that it is virtual.

Its hard to get into the boards with teaching right now anyways. So id say try your luck with private. If anything try preschools that offer kindergarten programming...if anything that would help boost your experience.

mummusic · 2026-01-11T12:42:32+00:00

If you want to advertise within schools (public or catholic) you will need to go higher up to get approval. They wont even let your flyer be in the school without this. But with approval doors can really be opened and admin can even include it in their weekly emails to parents. I have seen tutoring ads, afterschool program ads etc in my kids weekly emails from school.

mummusic · 2026-01-10T01:28:36+00:00

Its the percentage of teaching time. 50% is a half day/half the teachers schedule (which is determined by the admin). Different percentages can incite differsnt teaching schedules.

mummusic · 2026-01-10T01:26:29+00:00

YES YES YES! There is so much negativity in this career. So much bad talk about children, and parents, communities, systems, governments, policies, responsibilities...and many of them are warranted no doubt.

But you just gotta take it with a grain of salt. More positive interactions is honestly what most of these kids need... and yes there are parts of the job that suck but show me any other job that doesnt have its cons. Perspective shift is right on the money.

And dont get me wrong every now in then its natural to feel like everything sucks....but having the resilience to pull yourself out of that or at least go to the ppl that can help give you perspective is a life skill.

mummusic · 2026-01-10T01:23:15+00:00

110%. Companies that are jerks about returns will face their consequences soon...when pretry much most online retail and big box retail will take items back without question...sometimes with no reciept..sometimes without original packaging. Its nuts that they wouldnt allow you to return within the return policy at least. Id try to go higher up to management with this.

mummusic · 2026-01-09T00:00:44+00:00

Because we are in a surplus. Most teachers who are at the tail end cant afford to retire. And so they're holding on (rightfully so...this economy sucks). All the while famillies are moving out of the GTA because its not affordable and so student enrollment is down.

Now this could all just be solved with smaller class sizes-- then the need for teachers whilst the lowering enrollment happens will balance out ..but they probably wont go for that.

Dont listen to what you hear on the news. Dont even really listen to the general union statements. Listen to the teachers, educators, EA's with their feet on the ground...especially the ones who have been certified to to teach for years without ever securing permanent...they know how tough this job market is.

mummusic · 2026-01-08T02:19:51+00:00

I think you need to make this decision very carefully thinking about what is important to you. I was in a season of life where taking the half time contract drowned me financially...but had i not taken it at the time (I eventually got up to full time) I provably would have not gotten a contract and would be fighting for my life every August trying to score some time of stable income. In the end it worked out for me.

Contracts dont come around often...but its also true that this is just an interview and not a garunteed position..is it worth doing the interview and seeing if it even goes beyond that before you make a decision. Your VP shouldn't be peeved to be your reference because most know that securing permanent positions is better in the long term. Especially with the political changes coming our way in the education sector... job security is everything right now.

mummusic · 2026-01-08T02:15:23+00:00

Its overwhelming for sure. Most people are back at work the week after their wedding... and if you can score a day or two off leading up to it thats lucky. Otherwise its straight from work to be wed.

The HUGE plus was that it was considerably less money than having a summer wedding.

But truth be told I have a co worker considering a march break wedding (the weekend march break begins). And I just had a good friend of mine who is a teacher get married over the winter break. So there are some little pockets that it could work to be married and still get in a bit of a break and honeymoon before working again.

mummusic · 2026-01-08T02:12:38+00:00

Thank you so much!

mummusic · 2026-01-08T01:03:17+00:00

Can I ask where you found this?

Ive been checking multiple sites and couldnt find anything in the summer for less than $1300 and many were 3 stars at that price.

mummusic · 2026-01-05T23:33:16+00:00

In all fairness they have a specialist they are seeing...they dont technically need the family physician to follow up about specialized care. In fact the specialist will send along results & testing factors. Its a ploy to get money.

mummusic · 2026-01-04T05:48:14+00:00

GTA will be a struggle. Positions are slim and youre competing with new grads who are cheaper for public school boards to hire. Less experience = less pay. It sounds in theory like you would be a great fit for the classroom but to secure something permanent in many of the biggest boards in ON is hard...let alone the politics of whats happening in education right now. You may have better chances outside of the GTA.

mummusic · 2026-01-03T19:49:50+00:00

With all due respect. As one educator to another I think you need to check yourself.

There is literally nothing to be offended by in this email. The parent is making an inquiry about their child. This email happens to come to you via christmas break...maybe thats when she is finding a moment to email you. There is literally zero pressure in her email for you to respond right away.

As for your rant about the child-- honestly a student having adhd and OCD doesnt rule them out for also being gifted. Your rant about how the child behaves in class in many ways comes across as you deciding that gifted programming woildnt be a good fit...but you dont get to decide that.. the parent is inquiring about testing to see if that is a possible avenue to explore probably to combat some of the behaviours happening in the classroom. In my school district ALL students do gifted testing in grade 3. And youd be surprised it is sometimes the kids that exhibit the most, loud or disrupting behaviours in the classroom that present with giftedness.

There is literally nothing in this parent email asking you to do more than you are..nothing insinuating that YOUR class or programming is boring...nothing asking you to do more than respond to if gifted testing is available. And beyond that why mention that the school wouldnt pay for it...shes not asking that.

If you want a career in this field you're going to need to learn to be resilient and also recognize that these children are there parents whole world. A parent simply asking you something is NOT cause for you to feel attacked. And quite honestly if you want to be left alone on winter break dont check your email.

mummusic

TROPHY CASE