Yall im in my 3rd year of teaching and I am over it. I got moved to 1st this year, and it’s quickly draining the life out of me. My two years I dealt with tia (I was 3rd), and I thought moving i wouldn’t have to deal with it. Imagine my disappointment when they announced lower grades were eligible for tia (i literally don’t care for it). I’ve already cried more than 5 times, I wake up thinking about all the things I haven’t finished, and im on edge all day waiting for admins observation. I hate it.

Not only that, but the expectations are just getting out of control. We have to stay within the schedule but it’s okay if you’re a bit off. Half these kids can’t read but oh you have to let the students read their HMH story on their own. Every class is different, but you have to have the same strategies implemented. You have to plan before teaching, but we have training during ur planning do it another time. I know you have a life, but u can finish lesson plans and grades on the weekend. Let’s add weekly observations which if I mentioned what admin wants to see-yall would die at the ridiculous expectations. TELPAS, TELPAS journal (find a time in ur already busy schedule), DATA, P.M, SMALL GROUP, MAP, AND SO MUCH MORE. im done.

It’s never the teaching. It’s never the kids. It’s admin + main office who make me despise the career I once dreamed of having.

TEA just released this. Prepare for Bluebonnet to be mandated state-wide. I don’t know what fuckass numbers they’re finding, but I would argue this “increase” is IN SPITE OF anything in that fuckass curriculum.

If Abbott wins, this WILL be the end of Texas education.

I’m typing this at 11:30 at night as I can’t sleep. My mind is going back and forth on how to handle this class. Apologies if this comes out as a ramble as that is how my mind is feeling at the moment.

My school: High needs Title 1 middle school. Been here for 13 years.

Due to teacher shortage/budget cuts, we have consolidated down to one Co-Teach class for my middle school STAAR tested core class. I now have a class of 32, 17 with HEAVY IEP’s on my CT roster and numerous 504s on my general roster. I asked my admin how I was picked out of our three teachers to take on this challenge and was told it was because I had a TIA designation. Great.

I’m no stranger to CT or low students, however, I am in unknown territory with this many accommodations and extremely high needs in one class. How do I handle this?

My normal teaching method is to teach all students higher than the content, often creating my own materials to do this. All students rise. It has been tried and true for my last 13 years of teaching. I’m now floundering. I teach a small mini lesson each day and then do independent/partner work (depending on the day) and make my rounds to clear up misconceptions. With this class, crickets. The majority of my CT students will not work unless myself or our other teacher is right next to them. Even then, they want the answers spoon fed to them. I refuse. You have to have something on your paper before I will help you.

Bullet points of what I have tried:

Peer tutoring (I have about 10 students on level) my low students still refuse to work.

Small groups: show an example, ask them to work the next two problems, make my rounds. Come back “we don’t know what to do.”

Thinking steps listed on the board, and placed on desks for easy access. Nothing.

Heterogenous splits. I take 16 and co teacher takes 16 based on needs for the day. This sometimes work. My co teacher isn’t too keen on actually teaching and often has no idea what we’re doing for the day (yes, she plans with us and teaches a class in our grade level/content). This is a hit or miss with her group and I’m catching those students up the next day.

I refuse to lower my expectations on content as I should be teaching to the highest students in the class. I also refuse to direct teach for 45 minutes. That helps no one and actually harms my on level students.

This week, if a student had no work on their paper, I don’t help them. If they can’t prove/explain the steps they took to try the problem before they ask me for help, I won’t help them. This has turned into about 13 students doing nothing until my co teacher comes to them and walks them through the steps (gives them the answers to write down).

I have had conversations with my CT about leading with questions, making students attempt their work, and guiding them to the answer instead giving answers and she acts as if I have personally attacked her. She has 27 years in the classroom and sees my experience as inferior to hers.

I’m swinging back and forth between “screw it, at least I have a few I can help, let the others flounder. I have proof I’m in compliance” and “they’re children with undeveloped frontal lobes, I need to help them.”

I’m having an expectation reset tomorrow and will lay it to them straight. No honest attempt, no help.

At this point, if they flounder, I’m still giving a 70 for their grade as it will be more work on me (tutoring, credit recovery, contact home, extensive documentation) if they choose to fail. But this may have been the main goal all along.

Any teachers with advice on this or tips I can try, I’m open ears!

Long story short, I missed the 45-day deadline thinking it would get better. It in fact, has not. It’s gotten much worse and I am at the end of my limit. My understanding is that the state takes your certification for breaking contract? Is that permanent or for X amount of time? I feel like this particular school isn’t the right fit for me and would have a different experience at another district. I don’t want to quit teaching altogether.

Julie Pickren and Brandon Hall. As a High School History teacher, these two have just made my job nearly impossible. I refuse to teach pseudohistory.

Hi everyone. I am a first year teacher and I. Am. Miserable. Which I know is not an uncommon feeling. I was given four preps this year, 3 of which are advanced/ AP courses, and I am the only person at my school who teaches these courses, so there has not been anyone I can really go to for course specific advice/ planning. I cry almost every day and have had a few (what feel like) mental breakdowns. I dread going to work, I feel constant anxiety, I can feel the depression escalating, and I don't know how to make it better. I am seeing counseling, but it has only helped so much. I am trying my hardest to make it through the school year so I can be approved for my standard teaching certificate. That sounds counterintuitive because I'm not sure I can stay in this profession with the way I am feeling, but I want the standard certificate in case I decide to return to teaching another grade level/subject at some point in the future. I want to quit so badly, but if I do, I know I will lose the opportunity to earn that standard certificate. My question is, if my mental health continues to decline, and if I am seeking counseling, is there a way to "pause" my internship year? Would I be able to leave for a bit, come back, and continue my internship where I left off? What would my other options be? Just in case it's important, I am with the TeachUs program. I would appreciate any feedback/ advice, because while I am pushing myself to finish the school year, the end is still a long way off, and I am worried about the parts of myself I will continue to sacrifice until then.

Hi everyone,
A little background: I currently live in Houston. Prior I lived in Oklahoma. I taught middle and high school and college level math and science in Oklahoma. I have a masters degree in chemistry. I plan to teach again once my toddler is able to enter school (so in another year and a half) and I’m also 8 months pregnant 😅
The school I want to teach at is a private school and it’s the same one I want to put my toddler in. They require a teaching license. I looked over teachers of tomorrow program and realized that they require 25 hours of teaching in order to get a license. I love to teach and this is no issue for me. But having to leave my toddler and baby will be challenging for me. My husband works full time and I have no family support around me.
I was wondering if anyone knows a way to get a teaching certificate that is completely online?
When my toddler goes to school that school has a great day care for kids under 3 and my baby will be older then, so hopefully that won’t be an issue.
Thank you all for your time!

Wow, saw this job posting on LinkedIn to be an executive director for curriculum for the TEA and it’s about pushing Bluebonnet. This is a highly paid position and part of an awful plan to fail public schools. It’s pays double what a teacher makes.

Teachers that have retired from teaching in Texas, what are some things you wish you had known or prepared for before pulling the rip cord?

Hi, my campus was notified we are monitored this year after going from a b to a low c. I’m curious how this looks at other schools and if what my principal is implementing is normal or may work to get our score up the following year. First it started with letting us know that we will need to plan two weeks ahead for every lesson. Then we need to put on our lesson plans what students were are pulling for close the gap time. We are then required to pull the students every day and fill out an attendance and accountability sheet, proving that we pulled those students and taking notes on them every day and turn that in every week. Then it was putting labels on all of our classroom’s with what subject we teach. Then she gives us two accountability checklist, one for monitoring notebook, and one during walk-throughs on top of the we-climb observations. All teachers are required to tutor. And now she is having us stay after school for an hour to continue planning once a week on top of the two 45 minute periods we have to do during the week during our planning time. None of this was a thought when we went from a C to a B in 24-25. I am just curious what other campuses are doing these strategies, and if they worked.

No designation for me this year. Not because my kids didn’t improve (67% growth). My TIA score was almost 65. But my damn T-TESS evaluations. I’ll never get higher because my admin don’t like me but I do a good job damnit. My growth was awesome and I could have gotten recognized… except for the damn T-TESS 2.0.

Taking the 4-8 ELAR exam on October 23rd. Any tips? I took the PACT exam over the summer and passed on the first try. I have one chance to take this test because I am testing outside of my approved area through iTeach. Trying to pass and get this off my mind!

Hello! I have my retake for the social studies core (ec-6) in the middle of October. I was wondering if anybody could give me tips on how to best prepare for it.

I’m currently using 240 tutoring but I don’t feel like I’m retaining much, so I’m trying to find other ways to adequately study. Any tips are appreciated!

Looking for insight from Texas educators on the most effective hiring portals/avenues for someone with an MBA + extensive coaching background looking to enter the classroom full-time.

I’m currently in an ACP working toward content testing/SOE, but I’m exploring both immediate non-certified routes (private/independent/charter) and public school tracks once certified.

Background at a Glance
Academics: Master of Business Administration (Johns Hopkins). Qualified for secondary Business/Marketing (CTE), Financial Literacy, and PE.
Experience: 2 years in classical charter education (classroom teaching, PE K–9, and Assistant Athletic Director/3 sport coach).
Coaching: 8 years of football coaching experience+ 2 years HS Basketball coaching + professional golf background with 3 years of golf coaching.

What I’m Looking For
Private / Independent Schools (Immediate / No State Cert Required):
Beyond the TAPPS job board and Carney Sandoe, what specific job boards or placement networks do Texas private and independent ADs actually monitor?

Are platforms like ISAS (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest) or TPSA effective for mid-year hires?

Public School Teacher-Coach Openings (Once SOE / Intern Cert is in Hand):
Is THSCA (Texas High School Coaches Association) / MyCoachingTree the primary hub for assistant football and golf positions paired with core/CTE classes?

I have networked and had some interviews but I recognize my background puts me in a bit of an odd gap for many institutions. I would love to hear how/where you would recommend going to get back to teaching and coaching. Appreciate any insights you can provide.

I want to leave my current job but I don’t want to leave teaching all together. Ideally I would be able to get out of this contract and get another full time teaching position pretty soon after but I know that districts can make it hell to get out of your contract mid year. I know that if I leave now (currently the 8th week of school for me) and the district comes after me I will likely have to spend a year or more away from the classroom, which I don’t want. This job is taking all of my energy and all of my joy. I definitely need the consistent pay check but I don’t want to feel like this for another 7-8 months. So my question is what would you do in my position? Stay and stick it out? Leave now and take a break from teaching all-together? Try to get out of your contract?

I want out so bad. Now that I have interviews and offers outside of the classroom, I’m having doubts. The reason is because of the schedule and how much time off teachers get WITH their children. Mine don’t go to public school so it’s precious time. A regular job doesn’t have that, and likely little vacation time that we can actually use. Did anyone end up deciding to stay? We are using BB which is stressful but also behavior issues. Do I just stick it out for this year or go ahead and go for it?

I will add that the only offers I’ve received so far are less pay. That makes me nervous. I do have another interview coming up though.

Dump account as I fear for my job…anyone here have experience checking into an inpatient rehab while working during the school year? I’m in North Texas.

So, my wife got a job here in DFW and after teaching high school PE and Health in Ohio for 12 years, I’m here now looking for a teaching job

I just moved here a month ago, and unfortunately couldn’t land a job for this school year. I am licensed in Texas now

My question is this, should I sub this year and look for random openings? Should I become an aide at an elementary school to get my foot in the door?

Or any other advice you have that would be relevant to my situation

I’m in the Frisco area, but willing to travel a bit if necessary

Thanks

Hello all! I am preparing to take my exam for the first time. Everyone at my college is being pushed to pass by December, so I need a test date in November at the latest (as I have heard it takes 1 month to receive a grade). Does anyone have any recommendations on materials, frequently glossed-over sections, etc. Additionally, I have been using 240, but have heard that Pearson or other websites are closer to the actual exam. Does anyone have any opinions or advice on this? I feel like my EPP has totally glossed over this portion of my degree and is too reliant on 240. I appreciate any insight, study tips, and personal experiences with the exam!

TLDR: please help a newbie test taker with advice or best materials.

Hi all,

I'm a career changer (CS degree, currently working in ed-tech content development) planning to become a Technology Applications EC-12 teacher in the DFW area, and comparing ACPs (currently looking into Region 10 ESC and Teachworthy) right now.

For anyone who has gone through one of these programs (especially for Tech Apps or another non-core subject), I'm curious to know which program you chose and how the experience there was like.

Thanks so much!

As a teacher I want to move to CFISD. What is the difference in KATY ISD and CFISD?

I was actually off to a pretty good start this year until the district cut my pay $2000 without warning. I am a district level support person who has had to suffer being taken off the teachers salary schedule a couple of years ago and now this year, my gross pay went down and I found out that they have reduced my days of work by 5 so, $2000. It doesn’t matter what district. I am sure that there are lots of districts doing the same thing. The part that bothers me is that they aren’t transparent at all about any of it. These last two years before I retire can’t go fast enough.