Dear We Are Teachers,
I finished my 15th year of teaching in June and finally decided to leave the toxic school I’ve been working at my whole career. I interviewed at a school that seems like my literal dream school, but it would be a huge pay cut to teach there—about $20K. It would make our finances tighter, certainly, but wouldn’t put us in poverty. What would you do?
—Which road?
Dear W.R.,
This is a tough choice. I can’t tell you what to do (awful, I know!). But I can give you this advice:
- Remember that nothing in teaching is forever. We sign year-long contracts. If you try something new and are miserable, you can always go back. If you stick it out and realize you should have switched, there’s always next year to look elsewhere. Your dream school might not have an opening next year, but maybe there’s another dream school waiting for you to discover it.
- Picture both options. Imagine yourself in November of this school year at both of your different options. Really imagine hard—pulling into the school parking lot, entering the building, etc. If you select the new school, how might you be feeling about leaving your old school? If you stay at your current school, how might you be feeling about not taking the other position? (BTW, I’m embarrassed to admit this advice came from watching advice given to a Bachelor lead about who of his remaining two contestants to pick. But I still think, “Which would you rather not miss out on?” is solid advice!)
- Listen to your gut. This advice has been repeated so often that I know it sounds trite. But I believe we often have the answers inside us all along. Tune in and trust that you already know what the best decision is for you and your family.
Dear We Are Teachers,
My school has finally decided to ban phones this year. Yay! Unfortunately, my principal has decided that if we’re going to ban devices for teenagers, we must also ban them for teachers—he doesn’t want to see us on phones at any point during the school day hours instruction. This feels insulting and condescending, but I feel like my coworkers and I need to be strategic about approaching him about it. What advice do you have?
—Are you kidding me?
Dear A.Y.K.M.,
LOL, wow. This reminds me of the principal who wouldn’t let teachers have coffee so students wouldn’t feel sad.
I agree that you need to be strategic. Here’s your best bet:
1. Wait on it a little bit.
When principals come up with new rules, they are often very proud of themselves and not in a mood for debate. There will definitely be some teachers immediately storming his office. Don’t be one of them.
2. Acknowledge his reasoning for this rule.
This rule is bonkers, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. I’m betting your principal has received a few complaints from families of teachers being on their phones (whether or not they were justified). After all, plenty of people made sure to tell me that my maternity leave sub made nail appointments on speakerphone during class and never turned the sound off on her Candy Crush. 😳
A little pressure from families can go a long way. Your principal was probably just thinking, “I will eliminate two problems at once! Hurrah!” Even if he didn’t consider the reasons a grown adult with a college degree and dependents might need access to their phone during a school day.
Anyway. Starting from common ground can go a long way. “I understand where you’re coming from. If we’re asking this of students because it disrupts instructional time, it makes sense to ask the same of teachers.”
3. Bring up your points as questions.
Gather your thoughts ahead of time (ideally, collaborating with coworkers). Then, phrase these points as questions.
For example, instead of “We need our phones in case of emergencies,” say, “I’m wondering about emergencies, like daycare or first responders needing immediate contact. How can we guarantee the communication will come through on time when rerouted through the main office?”
Make sure to throw in a point or two about legal ramifications. “I’m concerned about the possibility that a teacher could cite this rule as a reason for a lack of communication during an emergency, like a fire or active shooter. Do you think the school could be held liable if a teacher doesn’t have access to their phone?”
My suspicion is that even if you don’t talk to your principal about this, the reality will very quickly unfold that teachers need access to their phones during the day for very different reasons than kids do.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’ll admit it—I lost my cool a lot last year with my 8th graders. I don’t want this year to be the same way, but I can already feel my blood pressure rise when I think about the approaching school year. Do you have any tips on maintaining your chill when teaching teenagers?
—calm over conniption fits
Dear C.O.C.F.,
I think awareness is a great first step! You’re acknowledging that you have the responsibility to change—for yourself and your students. I want you to also acknowledge that teaching in 2024 is one of the most stress-inducing activities you can possibly sign up for, so be gentle on yourself too.
One of our most valuable articles in my opinion is this collection of advice from principals on how they keep their cool in the most trying moments. Think about it: They can’t afford to have a weak moment of yelling or losing their temper. And the worst parents are way meaner and more degrading than anything a 7th grader can dream up.
Take their advice, but also consider talking to a mental health professional. They can help you with strategies to use in the classroom, but also help you evaluate whether that anger is impacting other areas of your life and health.
Do you have a burning question? Email us at askweareteachers@weareteachers.com.
Dear We Are Teachers
My principal called earlier this summer asking if I would teach a freshmen survival course. He promised the curriculum and resources would be provided, so I said yes. However, at in-service yesterday, he told me he “must have told me that by mistake.” I have to create the whole thing from scratch in six days! I am absolutely freaking out. This class is in addition to the course I already teach (Geometry), and I’m completely panicking. What should I do?
—It’s the final countdown
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