As an eighth-grade civics teacher, I am about to start my unit of study on the Executive Branch. To be honest, I’m a little scared. Strike that. I am very scared. “Why are you scared, George?” you may ask. “If you stick to the facts, you’ll have nothing to worry about,” In normal times, I’d […]
Teacher Burnout
Posted inTeacher Self Care
A New Teacher’s Perspective: Ranting, Destressing, and Teacher Health
I suppose I should start off by saying that I love my job. It’s rewarding, fun, and, generally, awesome. However, some days, my job is also very frustrating. When my projector isn’t working, or when students are just not listening, I find myself feeling stressed out. In this, I know I am not alone. My […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
West Virginia Teachers Make History and Mandate a State-Wide Strike
Public school teachers in West Virginia have had enough. All 55 counties across the state of West Virginia have chosen to go on strike – together – to bring awareness and change to teacher’s health insurance benefits and salary. “The strike has put 20,000 teachers and 13,000 school service employees on the picket lines,” according […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Is the “Life-Long” Teacher Becoming Extinct?
Last week, a question was posted on The Educator’s Room Facebook page that got me thinking. The question asked about our goals as teachers and where we see our professional careers going. I scrolled through the comments and saw a lot of different responses. Many responded, but there were few who stated that their career […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
The Financial Trials and Tribulations of Teaching
The contents of this article may seem obvious, but when I was a new teacher fresh out of college, no one went over the basics of living as an adult with me. My parents passed away shortly after I started my teaching career, and I had to learn these financial survival skills from the school […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Extinguish the Flame and Stop Burning the Midnight Oil
Educators are notorious for arriving at school early and staying way past the end of the school day. Even the weekends aren’t off limits. Some work in their classrooms part of Saturday and return on Sunday. Many times these educators find themselves being asked to leave by the custodial staff. It’s time to blow out […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Is 2018 the Year for You to Teach at a New School?
Among education writers, I am most known for my piece, “Teachers Quit Principals, Not Schools.” Currently, this piece has been read more than 650,000 times. This piece struck a chord with educators around the country because the reality is many teachers are not happy working in their current school environment and although the principal has […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Staying Engaged and Motivated Around the Holidays
As teachers, we often talk about ways to keep our students engaged and motivated during the holiday season. With lengthy breaks just around the corner, it can be easy for them to lose steam. But what about for us as teachers? The reality is that teachers, just as much as students, look forward to time off. […]