First post here. I’m a former public high school teacher and current undergrad professor. I went from teaching what I viewed as middle school writing to my high school sophomores in the 2010s to now teaching college students who seem to be at the same level my high schoolers were ten years ago, who at the time seemed to be at the level my peers and I were expected to be at in middle school about ten years before.

Why can’t students write anymore? I teach at a relatively prestigious university. Not an Ivy but a university whose name you’d recognize. It’s more prestigious than where I went to undergrad. But I just graded a senior poli sci major’s paper and…I’m shocked that a college senior at a more prestigious university in 2026 is producing work I would’ve got read the riot act for in middle school. My own undergrad experience was at a non-name brand, less prestigious, small school. I feel like my peers and I were overall better writers than I’m seeing now. What happened? Why are basic essay structures not working for these students?

Hi everyone. I’m a fresh graduate and I recently got hired as an IT Teacher at a school. I wanted to share my experience because I feel like I’m drowning and I need some honest perspective.

When I interviewed, I was told I’d be teaching IT. What I didn't realize was that I would be doing the job of three people.

Here is my current reality:
• I teach 3 different grades (8, 9, and 10) with completely different platforms (including Microsoft Access, which I have zero experience in).
• I have 5 out of 7 periods a day, plus break duties, so I literally can't sit down or eat.
• I am expected to do lesson plans, PLPs, PPTs for next quarter, grade everything, and answer parent messages on the app.
• I am a fresh grad. I received zero training, zero shadowing, and no curriculum guide.
• When I asked for help, I was basically told to "just do my best" and figure it out.
I am staying up until 2 AM just trying to make answer keys and presentations because I don't have time during the day. My voice is gone, my shoulders are locked from stress, and I can't even eat.

My family keeps telling me "every job is hard" and to stop complaining, but I feel like this isn't normal. I wanted a regular job where I work my hours and go home, not a job that consumes my entire life.

To the teachers or anyone who has been in a similar situation: Is this actually normal for a first-year teacher, or am I just being overworked? And how do I survive until I find another job without completely burning out?

Pretty much what the title says. I messed up at work early on and made moves to improve. Without going into it, it was a misstep on how I was interacting with students that was talked about by them when they were asked for feedback on teachers. It was my fault and I owned up to it and made proven efforts to correct it. The meeting about it was not with HR and framed as a discussion without any discipline involved. I got sick twice (3 days total) and was late once due to traffic that was unprecedented. I was on course to be early with traffic factored in and hit an amount that I never have before. I live an hour away. I immediately called the moment it was happening and got coverage, but it was mortifying. My boss called me in for a meeting about my absences. He scheduled it without HR knowing and told me that even though he knew these things weren’t under my control, it wasn’t a good look. He also told me that my students aren’t bonded enough with me and that they “notice when you aren’t here.” I came in before getting better (used a mask and buckets of hand sanitizer). This man is also my teacher coach and every check in we’ve had is just him smacking down any improvement I make, even to the point where he contradicts his own recommendations. This is a brand new school where everyone is new. I have heard from others that he has been unfair and overly critical with them too (saying they aren’t “present” enough for the students). He even said I need to bond more with my male students specifically. It’s a weird thing to hear as a female teacher.

I work hard at my job. I have implemented feedback and do put in extra effort to improve my performance. I’ve made strides this year at this particular school. My students have reported at their regular meetings with deans that they feel closer to me now, but none of this is acknowledged by my boss. My boss’s boss just ran into me. He is normally upbeat and friendly but acted very awkwardly with me. Maybe I am reading into it, but it seriously worries me. I know that I have a giant target on my back at the moment after mistakes early on and stuff later that was out of my control. I am terrified of losing my job. I have been sick with stress for the past month and change. It feels like I am being led to a PIP or firing. I don’t know how to handle the anxiety of this. I am essentially in fight or flight and have been for weeks since something would happen every time I had a chance to exhale. Every win I have is not only disregarded, but criticized somehow by him. The rest of the workplace is, for the most part, wonderful. It’s pretty much him.

How do I handle this stress? I know that I can’t predict the future or change the past, but I have felt miserable due to this dread.

Tldr- My boss has decided on his opinion of me after an early mess up and I don’t know if I am being pushed out. How do I deal with the stress of not knowing?

Update: Found out 2 important things. 1. They have to find enough cause to fire me. If they don’t, they have to pay me my full salary for the year. I haven’t even been formally written up. 2. One of our deans quit today. That was why my boss’s boss was weird. My coworker said he looked off to her too.

Look, I get it. We NEED the vent. But I need to
Open this thread once in a while and see the love for what we do… please!

I am in year 7 of teaching and I feel so physically sick before going in to work or even before picking the kids up in the mornings. I feel like it’s just gotten worse and I am constantly doubting myself and if the parents, staff, or kids like me. I feel like I am under a microscope in this profession. I want to change careers but I have no idea what to do. Do any of you feel this way? And what do you do to cope? I feel like quitting mid year just because I am crying nearly every day due to this job.

Hello everyone! I’m a first year teacher and uncertified. I’m in a certification program and despite my school’s near failing rating, I’m doing great! My coworkers….eh. We’re all new, but everyone on my team is either certified or has had wayyy more teaching experience than I have. I’m just some goofy 24 year old who loves books. The kids can be a jump-scare for sure, but for the most part, I like them all.

Today, I got a message along with other team leads and department chairs telling us that we were to prepare for some super important meeting, with lesson plans and data.

This was my face reading it: 👁️👄👁️

No one told me I was suddenly a team leader or whatever and so I thought the email was a mistake, wrong! Apparently, I am considered the team lead and I have to inform my team of my new role and prepare for this meeting that I barely understand…brother what?! And I didn’t ask, but all of this sounds for free which is not ideal….and yall look, out of all of my team members I have 30+ more students than they have….throughout these first nine weeks, they’ve just been jamming students in and my room is always packed.

My coworkers have struggle and I can see where they might consider me competent enough for this role, but I really feel like being uncertified and brand freaking new! is enough of a learning curve right now.

I’m trying not to be discouraged at the lack of acknowledgment or the sudden responsibility that was just piled on, but I want some advice. Should I push back on this? (Thank you in advance for the help, please don’t be too harsh 🥹)

I just started a teaching job, so I just wanted to ask other teachers what kind of things kids are interested in and whats considered outdated to them. I know it will vary, but in general! My kids are K-6.

the kids so far LOVE sonic the hedgehog, which I was surprised about, but I like Sonic enough to get it.

the other things I kind of know are Roblox? Five nights at Freddy’s? do they still like FNAF?

Because all teachers and professors have experience seeing kids who study all day, ask questions during class, do all the practice problems, and seek tutoring only to still fail exams. Most teachers would just say they just assign grades without much emotions or that some people just aren’t meant for academics. And it’s frustrating because so many adults now blame the lack of hard work for lack of success, but they don’t bother to think more deeply than that. It makes me feel that school isn’t a meritocracy because it isn’t just your decisions and choices and determine success. No one really knows what separates the A students from the B students sadly

I’m looking to go back to school for a masters in childhood and special education grades 1-6. I was accepted to Touro university but I’m also looking at Mount Saint Vincent’s Childhood education 1-6 and special education all grades program. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences? What are the classes like? How demanding is the program? Any information is appreciated.

I literally just started the first day of my six-week practicum, and I'm teaching in a middle school, and I hate it already. There's so much shit I need to do, like extensive lesson plans and doing shit from the university, and leading the classroom is so tiring, and the kids don't treat the subject with respect. The school has a lot of entitled kids.

I worked at a different international school for a while as a support role, and I felt like that, and I actually really liked it because I'm teaching something in the performance arts, and that school had older kids, so they really liked the subject, which made it easier for me to help them. The younger kids were also kind of crazy in that school as well

But the school that I'm doing my practicum in is straight up middle school, so I feel like the kids are crazy, they talk over me, and I'm not really enjoying it. Like this is my first day of my practicum, and I already want to quit 😭😭😭

I recently graduated (with an art degree) and am looking into becoming an art teacher. My state lets you apply without certifications. I can take the needed tests and pass. Is there any recommendations or advice on how my resume or cover letter should be laid out as someone who did not go the education route of school? I am just looking for advice on the steps I can take to become a teacher. Thank you!

Hi, I just started teaching with no prior tutoring experience. On my first day i came across as mean and serious but also a bit clumsy. I should admit I have social anxiety and sometimes i make mistake doing the simplest task. So i am asking for: 1. How do i engage with the students? 2. What can be useful to handle difficult students? 3. What can i do to be taken seriously without being stern? 4. How do i make students understand my lectures? I'm teaching literature 5. Does the anxiety go away?

Thanks in advance :-)

Either talk me into it, or out of it! I can’t decide if I should go back to the classroom. Parents who are teachers - your input would be invaluable!

I taught for 2 years, then covid hit, and I left the classroom because of how strenuous it was at that time. I taught High School English.

I transitioned to an HR role but after 5 years of that I had my baby and left.

I’m trying to get back into the workforce, and want to have a schedule that revolves around my toddler.

For those teachers who are parents here, does the school schedule work for you and your family? Pros? Cons?

Pay wouldn’t be great (it would be mid where I live in Florida), but it would be doable. I refuse to teach English - I’m looking into Business Education (for older kids) or Kindergarten and Elementary certification.

I am currently applying for teaching credential (single subject - biology)programs that also earn me a masters in education or teaching. I have a B.S. in biology and 3 years of work in research as well as 2 years working with children. I believe I will enjoy teaching this subject, particularly in high school because of the subject content like anatomy, genetics, and epidemiology. Cell biology isn’t really my thing.

I have been thinking about adding on additional certification in either ELA or social science. This is because, while I feel I will enjoy teaching biology, I think I would really love teaching ELA or history. That being said, I’ve heard that the competition is fierce as positions are few and far between in both subjects.

So my question is, is it really realistic for me to think that I could get a job (after say 3 years as a biology teacher) as either an ELA or history teacher, with only the necessary courses completed and CSET passed? Or because my degree is not in either subject would I be overlooked? Should I pursue some sort of online bachelors in ELA or history in order to compete?

I’m curious how teachers feel about using AI for planning. I know about the environmental factors so don’t worry about mentioning those I am more curious about the actual planning process.

I am a first year high school teacher and I use AI a lot. Let me explain. I don’t have any other teachers teaching the same content as me and I was given a class with no previous content. So whenever I need to question something or come up with ideas I go to Gemini notebook, it only uses the resources I give it and won’t give me random crap off Wikipedia. It helps me plan my sequence and give ideas for what each block period could look like. It has made assignments for me but I always reformat them and delete/add any questions it needs to change. In total it has made about 8 assignments for me all year. I would never use something from AI without looking at it first or even trying it myself first. Again I mostly use it to keep track of my scope and my plan for the next day.

My district has encouraged me to use AI but not let it replace my human connection with the students. I don’t let it run my room I control everything it makes and give it exactly what I want to do but can’t put into words well. I just wanna know how much is too much. I mean as a first year teacher I am drowning and I have a content area where scope and sequence looks different in every classroom.

TLDR:
I am a first year teacher wondering if I am using AI to plan too much. I don’t let it run my classroom and I mainly use it to gather my own thoughts and create better questions.