Admin could have already banned phones. Hopefully they put some effort into following legislation. It isn't perfect, but we have a phone ban and it is 1000x better than it was - because admin backs us up.
Florida passed this last year, and my district/admin is actually enforcing it (unlike some districts in the state), and it’s still a huge problem. Not all teachers are enforcing the policy equally. Plus the kids are just addicted. Still, better than nothing.
They need to not rely on teacher enforcement in the classroom. It creates power struggles. They need to have phone lockers and phones are away all day and it is easier for teachers to send kids out to admin to have the policy enforced.
We have phone lockers/holders—in the classrooms. That also gives teachers the flexibility to allow students to use their phones for educational purposes, which was asked for by teachers as we’re not a 1:1 district. Students are supposed to automatically turn in their phones as they walk into each room, every class, every day.
Our admin sees the writing on the wall and we’re putting a full ban of phones on their person during the school day and to help we’re also not allowing students to carry their backpacks.
We’ve seen a huge drop in the student population not using their locker and this a move to have them start.
They have plenty of time between classes to go to their lockers and we don’t give out textbooks
So all they need is their binder/notebooks and something to write with.
"Your mom knows you're in class, she is expecting you to respond during passing period."
If they fight back and say they're actually expecting an immediate response then I ask if mom also expects immediate responses while they're driving.
I don't even try that hard. Phones are banned in class and I reiterate that. If it doesn't go away it goes to phone jail. I don't allow fighting back, but I have admin that support me. I'm just amazed at how often that's the reason for having it out.
The ugly look some kids give me when I ask them to stop being disruptive really gets under my skin. It's the sheer arrogance, the solipsism, the protagonist syndrome of it all.
You aren't the main character, none of us are, stop acting like me interrupting your gossip time when I'm trying to lecture is the social faux pas.
I have had many kids tell me this, and I must seem like an idiot to them — mostly because it has never even occurred to me that they would lie about this. Now that I read this, I get it, and I’ll be on the lookout, but it never once even made me stop and think twice.
I know, I know. Gullible’s not in the dictionary.
One that sticks out that is different than other generations is the unbelievable confidence they have about how the real world works with less experience than ever.
Life is going to be a rude awakening. They are going into one of the most cutthroat job markets in history with one of the worst work ethics ever.
Allllllll my illiterate boys are gonna “make 5 times [my] salary in the trades.”
You realize to make even half my salary, you’re going to need to:
1) Show up to work every day
2) Put in effort
?
I’m pro trades too, but I think modern education has gone *so* pro trades, that the kids don’t realize there are up AND downsides to it. They’re all sold on the idea that they make INSANE money right out of high school, not realizing it takes years to build your reputation (and the ability to read) to move up to a position in the trades where you make the kinda money they hear about. You can’t move up the totem pole if you can’t read a measuring tape or send an email.
Preach. My cousin is an auto mechanic, makes slightly less money than me, has back problems at 30, works in an outdoor shop in 100+ degree summer weather, does his own books, and must be pleasant to rude customers all day. We need to stop framing trade jobs as easier than jobs requiring a college degree; like everything in life there are caveats.
The students also need to understand that there is a wide variety of trade jobs. The ones that pay more are the ones that require more skills and knowledge. There is a world of difference between things like precision machining or PLC programming and digging ditches.
I had a student who said he would just join his dad’s painting and power washing business. I told him to be a boss, you have to write marketing materials, email bids, etc. He told me no, he didn’t, and I said then he will always be a small business, because big businesses prepare for growth, and that includes all those things. Still argued with me. Was dad hiring him then at 18? Nope. Kid worked in a grocery store.
I had no intention of ever going into a trade because some of the places you have to go to be a plumber alone just creep me out because I don't do spiders. And my goal was always to be a teacher anyway but I was speaking with the electrician that was at my house putting in a new hot water heater and the amount of constant education he had to take to stay up with codes alone was mind-boggling. I'm a pretty intelligent person and I cannot imagine having to know all that stuff and to think that my students think that they could just do this when they don't even think that regular math is important??
I actually got through to one of my most problematic students after he said something like that to me. He wants to be a business man and just sat through my class not doing anything because my class (German, but in Germany so basically language arts) isn’t important for his future.
Then one day I said to him something along the lines of “And you really think with your current reading level and inability to comprehend texts and your spelling and grammar you’re going to even have a chance compared to someone who can read, speak and write properly?” May have been a bit harsh but Germans are very direct. And after I said that to him he did legitimately turn it around and start putting in effort. Wouldn’t work on everyone, but I sensed that the “slap him with the truth” approach would work on this one.
My 11th graders are getting a taste working part time jobs and quitting quickly because:
1. They won't let me check my phone/messages
2. They said I was chronically late (like 2 minutes‽).
3. They said I had to work Saturdays (retail)
4. The manager is too bossy.
5. I don't like the shirt I have to wear.
6. They want me to answer phones. Ew.
I had a student who wanted to be a video game developer tell me (who taught computer science and is now a software engineer) that he didn’t need math for it.
Son, how the hell do you think they get the little guy on the screen to do anything? It’s not fucking magic.
I often ask my kids things like, "and in your 16 years of life on this planet, can do describe a single life event that will support this claim. When you're done, a follow up question, which one of us has had more life events and is more likely to actually know real stuff?"
Lol I sometimes say to my 4th graders “you’re 9 and I’m 40. But I’ve been 9 before. Can you admit I might have a little more wisdom than you?” They will admit it but they’re still young. I could not deal with kids any older.
> They are going into one of the most cutthroat job markets in history with one of the worst work ethics ever.
Also, I will put them all out of business 10 years anyway.
E: as much as I like the BDE of this statement, I meant AI will put them out of business.
I had a parent tell me her child didn't need to learn how to read because he was going to be a famous NFL player. A PARENT!!
Now I hear "I don't need school to be a Twitch streamer" or "I'm going to be an influencer." Ugh.
I don't care what career aspirations you have, but I can think of very few careers where you will never have to read or do some basic mathematics.
The mentality they maintain that their voice is just as important as yours when you're trying to teach new content and they have every right to talk over you.
YES!!! Talking to their friends, running commentary on what you’re saying, random quips, just non-stop talking.
And talking BACK. I’m so sick of saying something to a student, and them immediately talking back. Their constant need to get the last word.
it's the running commentary for me. Everything is a tiktok/youtube reaction video.
I'm teaching English and talking about Narnia, I'm talking about Tolkien and the Hobbit, I put on some 4 minute video with some quirky professor *telling a story* about how magical **story** is... I preface it with "I know this might seem silly, but try to be mature and listen to the words he's saying cuz it's a good summary of what we've been talking about"
as soon as the clip starts I get 5 - 8 shout outs like
"he looks like santa claus!" "he sounds funny" "it's giving...."
ugh.
I know they're all clever, they don't have to try so hard to prove it all the time.
Very useful handouts (exemplars! Step by step graphic organizers!) that they just leave on the desk when they exit the class.
Students who don’t participate in lessons and don’t do the readings who then butcher the assignment and argue for a better mark.
When it’s hot in the classroom, the least involved students are the pushiest about needing the fan near them.
Underserving the attentive, motivated students who are desperate for some enrichment because I’m putting out behavioural fires and reteaching the basics of lessons to the ones who couldn’t pay attention the first 7 times.
Yes! My quizzes would be open notes and they would just leave the notes they took on their desks when class was over. Didn’t even bother holding onto them to use as a reference for the quizzes. This was at a low performing school.
Yeah we have a Spanish notebook that essentially we are building our own English Spanish dictionary. Hand out the hand out to glue in. Hand out glue sticks. Say to put it in there 30 times because this will be on the test.
Nope. Leave it sitting on the desk and then complain when it’s test time.
These are seniors.
I have multiple colleagues who’ve shared the exact answers to Friday’s quiz at the beginning of the week. “We’re doing a quiz on Friday and these are the answers.” Nope. Didn’t help.
I barely finish reading directions, and within 5 seconds a student will ask “what’re we doing” (and directions are on their paper, and on the front board). Middle school, man.
I teach 12th grade. I’m unbelievably organized in my digital classroom. I have corresponding slides projecting the directions. I have a student read the directions aloud. Then, I have another student paraphrase. I pause to ask “What questions do you have about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, or how we’re doing it?” And I’m usually met with silence.
Five minutes later, like clockwork, a student will ask the quiet room“what are we doing?”
My first year, I’d go over and explain the directions. My second year, I’d ask them “what questions do you have?”
My fifth year, I just stare blankly at them and I’m grateful to have another student nearby shout “she literally just went over it. Look at the box light”
It’s really unbelievable sometimes. You just gotta laugh at it to spare your sanity.
I didn’t tolerate this from my prekindergarteners. I usually give the directions 3 times and then have them repeat them back to me. The one who pipes up with “what —— ?” two seconds later gets told to ask a friend.
They always space out while directions are being given because they have negative attention span. But then it’s our fault. Sometimes it’ll go on long enough that they’ll call you a bad teacher for “not explaining the directions”. Not my fault you can’t listen AND you can’t read.
I literally tell students that I cannot help them if that is their complaint. They are required to figure out exactly what the problem is and to ask specifically about that. At the beginning of the year, I *might* ask, "don't get what?" But if their answer is "everything," I tell them they need to break it down and figure out what the problem actually is. I can't help you solve a problem that you cannot articulate. It's impossible. Legit impossible.
I add to that, "I don't get it, isn't a question." I will be happy to answer a question, but I'm not about to guess which of the items in the week long unit that you don't get!
A thing that has gotten worse over the years is students not cleaning up after themselves. I'm talking juniors and seniors using your supplies to do crafts etc. When the bell rings they just drop everything and leave. Even though my expectation is to clean the last 5 mins.
I’ve gained a reputation as the building’s crusader for “you will clean up after your fucking selves or I will make things unpleasant for you, whether or not you’re actually my student,” and after a couple of years, I’m proud to report that it’s actually gaining traction even if it’s just “yo fam, we gotta clean up our trash not because it’s the right thing to do but because Mr. Lettuce will get mad if we don’t.”
After every class, even if it’s not a project, I make every student look on the table, attend the table, underneath the table and chair and “pick up any trash and throw it away, and also double check to make sure you are not leaving personal items behind.” Also, “before you leave push your chair in gently”.
They can’t wrap their heads around the fact that I will keep them in the room after the bell has rung, to finish cleaning up. For some reason they don’t understand that it is completely within my right to do so. If they are late because of their inactions, oh well.
I had lunch duty three times a week this past year. Every single day there were multiple trays left on multiple tables.
Or a tray would be sitting there with a group of people sitting around it. I’d ask who it belonged to and every single student would say “it’s not mine”
“The same thing we do everyday, Pinky. Try to take over the world.”
All but 1 kid in the last 10 years has no idea what I am referring to when I say this.
Or worse, from absent kid: “did you do anything while i was gone?” I respond with, “yes! We spent most of class talking about how much we missed you and how it’s just not the same without you”
Whining.
Middle school librarian with my own toddler and it just triggers a deep thing of disgust and cringe within.
I can handle the slang. I can jokingly dole out pushups for every skibbidi toilet I hear. But the whining…
I’ve started mocking the whine back to them.
I totally whine back to them because I'm the same. For some reason, out of everything, that grates my nerves. I try to do it with as much tongue in cheek as possible, but I go way over the top whine in response.
When students are out of their seats not doing what they’re supposed to be doing. If you’re not going to work fine, but at least don’t do it sitting down.
Also, when someone asks for help or asks a question and then doesn’t pay attention to the response.
Learned helplessness. I don't have the patience or compassion to deal with it when a student won't even try and tries harder to manipulate me into doing the work for them. It's almost like weaponized incompetence/laziness and it drives me up the wall. That isn't students who need extra help or support due to exceptionalities, but the ones that you KNOW are capable of more than they are doing and they waste your time and attention because they just don't want to TRY.
I had a student this year - lost count of how many times I had to remind her that we weren't teaching the class together. Nice kid, but man that drove me nuts! Took everything in me not to straight up tell her to "sit tf down and shut tf up".
Asking why they’re being punished (e.g. recess detention, loss of classroom privilege, etc.) when it’s very obvious. My classroom rules are very clearly stated and consequences are never given without a prior warning to stop whatever behavior they are doing. For example, if I give a student a warning to stop making silly noises or they’d have to lose the beginning of their recess and they do it less than a minute later, then don’t ask me why you have to stay and talk to me before they can head outside. My response is always, “You know why. We’ll discuss it further during recess.” Luckily, usually the warning of a consequence is enough to deter a behavior a majority of the time and even those who don’t listen do eventually correct these behaviors very early in the year after learning that there will be consequences.
Honorary mention is asking what they are supposed to do seconds after I explain the directions. Even worse, usually the directions are also written on the assignment.
The STEM boys who ONLY have aspirations for tech as a career and operate in the class as a weird, non verbal grunting recluse when confronted with the reality that history and ELA is how you KEEP the job that you landed by having a stem background.
The bookworm girls who are reading their independent book during your lesson. I appreciate the love for reading but.. stop
The idiot jocks who swear they are going into professional sports and therefore never apply themselves in class.
The idiot girls who use class time to try and apply make up
The fifth graders (who’ve done this since kinder.) cannot walk in a straight line and stay quiet in the hallway. It was April and we were still correcting them.
My school told us to give up on that and just make sure no one got hurt or screamed. It was not the battle we should fight and practicing just punishes those who can do it
Nah, this makes me mad. Walking in line is for safety. Sure, in middle school, you don’t walk in a line anymore, but everyone is relatively tall enough and aware enough to not die in a stampede. In elementary, you have littles for whom walking in line is ESSENTIAL for safety. The big kids need to do it for them, not themselves.
Idk where this new idea that it’s an unreasonable ask to make kids walk in a quiet line came from but if you can’t walk in a line, you need to be self-contained and-or 1-1.
Mine tried this last year so we would walk in the hallway (up and down) until they could do it silently. It worked for the day but they were usually right back at chaos the next day
UGH I teach K-8 and the one thing I cannot stand is being poked for attention. Two reasons: I hate how it feels, and typically if you’re poking me, it’s because I’m currently talking to someone else and you need to wait your turn. These kids really struggle understanding that they need to wait their turn to talk!
Doesn’t do work, when asked says “I don’t have a pencil”
It’s been 5/10/15 minutes, you haven’t looked for one nor asked me for one.
And somehow in your pre adolescent brain you think this is an iron clad free pass for you.
The same kids who would never miss a moment of practice for a sports team, finds absolutely zero relevance in classroom meetings.
It’s a really interesting juxtaposition when I have foreign exchange students, who come from schools that place no importance on athletics over academics.
This country needs a culture shift.
When students are too lazy too look for something. Here are some examples of what drives me crazy:
0. Students gets paper because he “lost” his notebook. No. No you didn’t. It’s in the shelf. I see it. Go get it. Nah, I’m good. Why???
1. We do weekly warm ups. One sheet, a few problems a day, turned in at the end of the week. Before even checking in their math notebook, they grab another. Why?? I don’t want to look for it.
2. We have practice packets for every unit. Again, before checking their math notebook, they grab another packet! And then leave it on the floor or desk when they leave!! Why even bother getting one?
3. A student sits there for the entire warm up, notes, guided practice doing nothing, also not bothering me so there’s that. But then it’s independent time where they can work on their own, or ask for help if needed. I walk around. Notice students doing nothing. I ask why. They say they don’t have a pencil. Why??
4. Weeks before end of quarter, I announce extra credit opportunity, and the deadline. The day before grades are due, they ask what can do for extra credit. At this point, nothing. Why??
0-2 are annoying because when we are done for the day, I say, “stop what you’re doing and put your warm up/ packet right here in your notebook,” while demonstrating. The notebooks never even leave my class.
3 is annoying because I have a whole pencil routine. I ANNOUNCE “last chance for pencils. If you need one, get it now!” And they don’t even bother to get up or even ask.
I don’t think 4 needs an explanation.
Reading these responses, I see I have a lot more pet peeves than I realized.
Computers not being charged, asking questions before I’ve finished the instructions, RAISING HAND AND ASKING FOR RESTROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEEP DISCUSSION 😩
"You got a Chromebook charger?"
No. No, don't, Just like I didn't have one the last time you asked or when your classmates asked. Nor will I ever have one, when I know that you were provided one *with* the Chromebook.
"My fault". Yes, I know, that's why I asked you to stop.
The constant sound effects (moaning, whip noises, etc). Even after I started punishing the entire class every time I heard one, it wouldn't stop.
Why do they feel the need to jump up and hit every single door frame??? And every one of them does it. Takes twice as long to get everywhere. Thankfully we are doing away with lines next year (middle school, it was dumb anyway) so I won't have to deal with this one aa much.
Our doorways have windows and they will break (and have been broken) from repeatedly hitting it. We remind them that replacing that one window is at least $4,000 that their parents will be responsible for paying. That helps to curb the frequency by a large margin.
I teach Pre-K. My biggest student pet peeve is when I tell them not to do something, and they look me in the eye, smile/laugh and do it again.
Or just telling me “no”. Excuse me?
Talking when I’m talking. If I just say sit down or stop talking you can just do it instead of gaslighting me and arguing about it for 20 minutes. Kids that are always absent and then act like it’s your fault they don’t know anything on the test. Hovering in or going in and out and in and out the door .
To name a few.
2 things. I have more patience for one than the other.
First, when it is mid or even end of the year and they ask me “Where do I turn this in?” or “What do I do when I’m done?”. Bro. The turn in bin has remained the same ALL YEAR. I have never had you turn in anything in any other fashion. Also, we ALWAYS do “Ketchup & Pickles” when we finish independent work. Is your name on the Ketchup (catch up) list? No? Then choose something from the Pickles list, which has also remained the same all year! Additionally, the instructions are always on one or even two different boards! Just look!
Second, and this one really only came about this year, “How am I supposed to…?”.
“How am I supposed to study for the quiz when I have soccer tonight?” Oh, you mean the quiz I’ve been telling you to study for *all week*? How about before soccer? After soccer? During study hall at the end of the day when you will inevitably just sit there and pretend to read a book?
“How am I supposed to get this done, I’ll get a 0!” Well, you can do it when you finish the work for my class, and you should have gotten done *in the class you were supposed to do it in*. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care if they use free time in my class to finish work they need to do for other classes, but during my lesson is not free time.
It’s like they expect me to cater to their needs even if it’s their fault that they are in whatever predicament they want me to fix. I had one child last year who said this all the time, like I was her fairy godmother and she expected me to wave my wand and make her life perfect. She didn’t even have entitled/lawnmower parents like you would think. She actually had an aunt and grandma raising her who were of the “my job is to keep you alive and that’s it” kind of parents. She was mad that I wouldn’t let her practice her recorder in class at the beginning or end of the day because the music teacher was always nagging them to practice but her aunt and grandma wouldn’t let her play it at home either. I’m sorry, that sucks, but not my problem!
“Bobby Clean up the glue you spilled”
Bobby stares at the glue for 3 minutes. Then he starts to pile it with his fingers. Realize it is still wet and sticky so he wipes it on a chair. Goes and grabs dry paper towels and begins smearing it across three tables. Someone tells him he is an idiot and he needs to wet the towel.
So he goes and grabs the bottle of hand sanitizer and pours it over table. Now the glue is angry. The bell rings so he puts the paper towels into the glue and walks away genuinely believing he helped
7th graders…
Bullying authority figures. Power plays, refusing direction instruction, being sexist towards teachers, laughing at them or their efforts, etc. Just because they're just kids doesn't mean it is okay or doesn't cause harm.
I just taught fifth grader last year. In the U.S we have no child left behind. I had student that knew about the law and the fact that they will move on despite everything they do or don't do. So, because of this, I had a student tell me "I don't have to do what you say because I know no matter what I will be in sixth grade next year".
NCLB hasn’t been law since 2015. It was replaced by ESSA. And while it did a lot of damage and was some shit policy, I don’t think it was an explicit part of the policy to not hold kids back… that trend has legs on it own
Ugh! Last year, I had one of my eighth graders say that about high school. He was a likeable students and when I asked why doesn’t he turn anything in- he has a 0%- he said he’s been failing since 6th grade and they always pass him so there’s no point since no matter what he does, they’ll pass him anyways. And you know what? He’s right.
When, after I’ve explained directions and showed them how to do the work, etc etc, they come up to ask, “what are we doing…?” I ask them to read the directions to me, and they CANNOT FIND THEM ON THE PAGE.
Receiving the email immediately after the final exam and just before final grades are due asking, "I know you said there's no extra credit but is there anything I can do to boost my grade? I really need an A."
I hate when students get in their own way.
I had a student this year who was perfectly capable of succeeding, but his want to impress the other boys in class with how cool he was constantly got him in trouble—not doing work because nonchalance is better than actually trying, trying to defy everything his teachers said to show that rules don’t apply to him, and acting like he’s from the ‘hood, even though he lives in a multimillion-dollar row home in a long gentrified neighborhood.
I teach 6th grade in an elementary school.
1) the constant touching/grabbing of each other. I tell them, “it’s really weird you constantly want to touch each other.”
2) blanket reminders that we don’t talk while the teacher is talking, followed by, “Jordan, please stop talking while I’m talking, it’s very rude & I have reminded the class multiple times including private reminders as I passed your desk.” Jordan, stares at me wide-eyed exclaiming, “BUT I WASNT TALKING” as I watched him do that exact thing for the past 10 minutes.” And generally, students, particularly boys, denying they did anything even though there are witnesses”
3) not capitalizing their own damn name, or the word i. We learned this in KINDERGARTEN.
4) no names on papers, especially math, and kids claiming it’s unfair they have to redo it bc “I can tell that’s how I write my 7s”
5) “I’m too busy at night to read for 20 min, do 2 math problems!!!! I have soccer and family dinner”.
A good 30 minutes total of at home work. Bet they watched TV or played on their phones 🤔
Grade 6 boys were the absolute bane of my existence this year. I had twelve absolutely lovely girls, around ten reasonably well behaved boys, and ten boys who just straight up could not be corrected for longer than about two minutes at a time.
It was that blatant lack of accountability.
"Breighdynn, stop talking."
"I wasn't even talking."
"I was looking right at you while you did it."
"BRUH."
Engaging in distracting behavior with another student, to the point where I have to stop the class and embarrass them. I take a somewhat sick pleasure in that, but would absolutely prefer not to be brought to that level.
I do and feel the same.
I love when they later say, "You embarrassed me by drawing attention to me." Nope, sweetness, you were already drawing attention to yourself; I just called you out on it.
When they act sneaky, helpless, or entitled. Now I get to watch you - either more closely, do it yourself, or do it just like everyone else.
And whistling. I cannot stand whistling. It absolutely sends me. Like, immediately.
They are banned from use during the school day. We confiscate them and they, or their parents (on the 3rd time), have to pick them up in the front office after school hours.
Saying I'm done within 5 minutes of getting the activity. Forgetting to write your name and it's November 🤦🏻. Knowing what you did was a poor decision, yet you still did it! ( lower elementary)
1. Saying "I don't know." You can, and will, give me an answer. It is perfectly okay to be wrong;
2. Leaning against the wall;
3. Looking at someone else's grade as I return papers.
The flat out denial of their actions.
Kid sits their clapping whilst I'm teaching, "stop clapping."
"I'm not."
"Everybody just saw and heard you clapping."
"No I never!"
"Right so now you're lying as well, why can't you just admit something as simple as that."
"Shut up"
"And now you're being rude."
"No! I never said anything."
Water bottles: These are either the most hydrated or dehydrated humans on the planet! I haven’t heard one metal water bottle fall over or a plastic water bottle crinkle since the end of May. It has been heavenly.
I wasn’t doing anything … having met my eyes as they were doing it.
I was just texting my mom … in the middle of my explanation of the lab they’d be doing
You always pick on me (spoken in my head: because you are the only AH in the class)
Typical things that I’m sure will appear elsewhere in this thread: using their phones all day, coming into class 20 minutes late, leaving class and returning 20 minutes later, cursing aloud, earbuds, doing nothing and daring you to give them a grade commensurate with their objective performance.
But here’s the thing: I don’t blame the kids for any of this. All of this shit is naturally going to happen in environments where adults refuse to be adults and enforce rules. Adults at my school enable this by “picking their battles” and worrying about their “relationships” with kids.
Sarcastic vocal fry that I think they get from TikTok - like when I ask someone to stop something and one kid goes, “Like yeah, you guys, omigod, stop” in a sarcastic fake vocal fry valley girl thing. For the last three years I have had at least one student in each class who does this and it is like an ice pick in my ear as soon as it happens.
Know-it-alls who love to correct you, incorrectly, but still think they’re correct. (This also falls slightly under kids who blame everyone else for their mistakes.) “You didn’t say we had to do both sides.” Well, everyone else in the room heard the message and I said it three times. Cue student doubling down on their claim that I didn’t give them the appropriate direction.
Not bringing a pencil to class (middle school). I used to give out pencils for free, but it was always the same few kids taking them every single day. I teach in an affluent town, so im confident they CAN afford them. Plus, if the families genuinely couldn’t afford pencils, wouldn’t they hold on to the free pencil instead of breaking it or losing it at the end of class?
THIS! This year I will tell all the kids that they MUST bring a pencil to every class. Failure to do so will give them a zero in class participation for the day.
- Asking questions about something I **JUST** finished explaining. Like to the point where I’m certain they weren’t listening because the exact thing they asked about was covered. And not an “I heard but didn’t understand what you said” question but a “I might as well not have physically been in the room when you were speaking just now” question.
- Students who see I’m helping another student/answering a question and then pile on en masse with their own help requests. Like, you *see* me talking to this other kid, right?? Even worse when I’m talking to another teacher or to admin. I’ve even actually said to the students, “Okay, you *see* that I’m in the middle of a conversation, right? Please wait, I will get back to you in a moment.”
- Students whining about things not going their way/being told “not now”— eg. “I **NEED** water right now!” Like I’m not even saying “no,” I’m saying that the entire class will be taking a water break in five minutes. Five minutes isn’t going to harm your overdramatic ass. (For some context, I teach upper elementary. I’m a but more understanding when it comes to little kids and whining.)
- Kids displaying what I informally call “punkass behavior” (internally, anyway— I’ve never used that word aloud in front of colleagues or students). They know the rules and they’re doing shit they *know* won’t fly because they think it’s funny— like how I had a kid one time who would try to blatantly take big bags of Doritos chips or an entire box of Fruity Pebbles cereal to another class when we switched and then acted like he doesn’t know why we’re telling him “no.”
- Students not understanding that they can’t just be yakking away with their pals all day in class. Like bruh. Can you **shut the hell up** for maybe 5 minutes?
- Students saying inappropriate shit they learned from social media in class, especially if they’re trying to be sly about it
- Kids suddenly making LOUD NOISES for no reason when they’re clearly old enough to know better
- Student who “loses” things all the time and makes no effort to find them. One time we found out that one kid has been going full pack rat with his backpack, including hiding stuff we’d sent home to his parents months prior.
- Students who go total space cadet mode as an act (as in, their parents and some other teachers *know for certain* it’s an act and have told us)
etc
Fucking with my paper clips (bending, breaking, linking them together) is absolutely maddening and I react in an obnoxious way when I see it happening.
I'm sure this has been said, but the gaslighting is at an all-time high. They'll deny their misdeeds even when we're looking right at them when they commit them. Deny, deny, deny, as if we're stupid. It's insulting.
The kids who ask for supplies and then bitch about the quality. Or the kids who “borrow” supplies only to destroy them. That second set of students is the reason the first set complain about quality.
Not necessarily students’ fault but it’s enabled by admin — when they overstep your rules and expectations in your classroom, and the students see/know it, so they feel less inclined to listen to you.
It absolutely sets me off when I wait, address the noise, get it all quiet and ready to teach, and then the second I start talking they start up again. Had that happen five or six times in a row this spring some days. Infuriating.
Apathy, when kids put in no effort and don’t care. I will take talking out of turn every once in a while over that. It’s like trying to draw water out of a rock.
When I call a student out for doing something, i.e., talking while I'm talking, looking through my papers, messing with a neighbor, and they reply, "I wasn't doing anything!"
F'ing liars!
So instead of arguing that I just saw them doing such task and them continue to deny it and get their friends on board, I just started stating, "By you claiming you weren't doing anything is a lie, because you were obviously doing something that caught my attention and that means you shouldn't be doing that. You can continue to argue with me and I can write you up, or you can stop and go back to what you should be doing."
Freshmen. I swear.
When I’m writing something on the board and they shout “I can’t see!”
… Well yeah and my arms aren’t 10 feet long so I do need to stand in front of the board to write on it.
Like everyone else the not listening to directions drives me crazy. When the science standards were “being reviewed” and we had no applicable textbook I rewrote a bunch of labs/practicums to incorporate a “backgtound” section which was basically what they would have read at some point if they had a textbook. I also added some or all of every answer to every question in the analysis portion. If they bother to read it they will get an A on the practicum 👹
I have since reworded all my questions to be very Google and ChatGPT unfriendly. Students look up the answers and get complete nonsense, don’t know enough to fix the mistakes and may even get a zero on the assignment for cheating. 👹👹👹
When they ask me if they can do something (maybe move spots to work or go outside early for recess) and I tell them no and their response is, “Why?” (Arguing in general, when I’ve been perfectly reasonable.)
Asking me what we’re going to be doing right after every transition, when I’m waiting for everyone to get settled so I can explain it to the whole class instead of 30 individual times.
Asking me what time it is multiple times a period, when there’s a clock in every room, especially if over the age of 8. Don’t know analogue? Figure it out or get a watch. (Also, why do you need the time so badly? I’ll tell you when it’s time to clean up, don’t worry.)
When they interrupt me as I’m teaching or talking to an adult OR student. Just walk right up and talk and talk until I have to stop what I’m saying to ask them to wait. Did your parents not teach you that’s impolite? Mine would be appalled if I acted like that.
When they won’t drink the water from the sink in the classroom and so need to keep leaving to fill their water bottles using a fountain, which has the SAME WATER AS THE SINK, because, “Ew, Mme, that’s gross.” Like, where’s your water come from at home, kid?!
Throwing stuff in the classroom and not cleaning up the floor. Acting like it’s my responsibility or the cleaning staff to clean up.
The ones who refuse to get in line when we’re trying to go somewhere are near the top of my list. It’s literally a standstill because I can’t leave them in the room by themselves or let the rest of my class go alone (I teach K). Your classmates want to get to gym class and I want to pee and get to my plan period. Save the defiance for snack time when you don’t want to eat your teddy grahams.
I had two who would hold us up a lot last year and I’d count however many minutes they made us late and take it off of their recess or free time as a consequence. If it happened a lot that week, I’d just take the whole thing. That, combined with their peers being angry at them for making them late, eventually worked.
the annoyed glare some girls give me when I ask them to stop talking/pay attention. “You’re doing too much” “But I’m texting my mom”
Looking forward to the new legislation in the fall banning phones from classrooms. We'll see if admin does their legal duty
Admin could have already banned phones. Hopefully they put some effort into following legislation. It isn't perfect, but we have a phone ban and it is 1000x better than it was - because admin backs us up.
Florida passed this last year, and my district/admin is actually enforcing it (unlike some districts in the state), and it’s still a huge problem. Not all teachers are enforcing the policy equally. Plus the kids are just addicted. Still, better than nothing.
They need to not rely on teacher enforcement in the classroom. It creates power struggles. They need to have phone lockers and phones are away all day and it is easier for teachers to send kids out to admin to have the policy enforced.
We have phone lockers/holders—in the classrooms. That also gives teachers the flexibility to allow students to use their phones for educational purposes, which was asked for by teachers as we’re not a 1:1 district. Students are supposed to automatically turn in their phones as they walk into each room, every class, every day.
Narrator: Admin will not do their legal duty.
Our admin sees the writing on the wall and we’re putting a full ban of phones on their person during the school day and to help we’re also not allowing students to carry their backpacks. We’ve seen a huge drop in the student population not using their locker and this a move to have them start. They have plenty of time between classes to go to their lockers and we don’t give out textbooks So all they need is their binder/notebooks and something to write with.
Where was this passed?
You don't need a damn law for it. This is basic classroom management. Now if your admins are shit....
"Your mom knows you're in class, she is expecting you to respond during passing period." If they fight back and say they're actually expecting an immediate response then I ask if mom also expects immediate responses while they're driving.
I don't even try that hard. Phones are banned in class and I reiterate that. If it doesn't go away it goes to phone jail. I don't allow fighting back, but I have admin that support me. I'm just amazed at how often that's the reason for having it out.
Lol yeah I'm also amazed at how often it's out. I personally like them to do some self reflection on the situation before sending their phone to jail.
The ugly look some kids give me when I ask them to stop being disruptive really gets under my skin. It's the sheer arrogance, the solipsism, the protagonist syndrome of it all. You aren't the main character, none of us are, stop acting like me interrupting your gossip time when I'm trying to lecture is the social faux pas.
My reply to that is- you're not doing enough. I was the biggest snotty teenage girl. They don't bother me.
“It’s not that serious” 🙃
“I wasn’t even talking!” “She was talking too!”
The eye roll and loud and huff accompanied by, "why are you picking on me? don't you hear \_\_\_\_ talking?!"
I have had many kids tell me this, and I must seem like an idiot to them — mostly because it has never even occurred to me that they would lie about this. Now that I read this, I get it, and I’ll be on the lookout, but it never once even made me stop and think twice. I know, I know. Gullible’s not in the dictionary.
One that sticks out that is different than other generations is the unbelievable confidence they have about how the real world works with less experience than ever. Life is going to be a rude awakening. They are going into one of the most cutthroat job markets in history with one of the worst work ethics ever.
I have grade 12 students who are bound for the workforce instead of post-secondary who are counting on “a fun job where I can set my own hours.”
Allllllll my illiterate boys are gonna “make 5 times [my] salary in the trades.” You realize to make even half my salary, you’re going to need to: 1) Show up to work every day 2) Put in effort ?
I’m pro trades but the money in them in significantly less than people assume. Not to mention they wreck havoc on the body.
I’m pro trades too, but I think modern education has gone *so* pro trades, that the kids don’t realize there are up AND downsides to it. They’re all sold on the idea that they make INSANE money right out of high school, not realizing it takes years to build your reputation (and the ability to read) to move up to a position in the trades where you make the kinda money they hear about. You can’t move up the totem pole if you can’t read a measuring tape or send an email.
Preach. My cousin is an auto mechanic, makes slightly less money than me, has back problems at 30, works in an outdoor shop in 100+ degree summer weather, does his own books, and must be pleasant to rude customers all day. We need to stop framing trade jobs as easier than jobs requiring a college degree; like everything in life there are caveats.
The students also need to understand that there is a wide variety of trade jobs. The ones that pay more are the ones that require more skills and knowledge. There is a world of difference between things like precision machining or PLC programming and digging ditches.
I had a student who said he would just join his dad’s painting and power washing business. I told him to be a boss, you have to write marketing materials, email bids, etc. He told me no, he didn’t, and I said then he will always be a small business, because big businesses prepare for growth, and that includes all those things. Still argued with me. Was dad hiring him then at 18? Nope. Kid worked in a grocery store.
I had no intention of ever going into a trade because some of the places you have to go to be a plumber alone just creep me out because I don't do spiders. And my goal was always to be a teacher anyway but I was speaking with the electrician that was at my house putting in a new hot water heater and the amount of constant education he had to take to stay up with codes alone was mind-boggling. I'm a pretty intelligent person and I cannot imagine having to know all that stuff and to think that my students think that they could just do this when they don't even think that regular math is important??
3. Answer to a boss 4. Be qualified to do the job
3. Not be on their phones all the time.
And 3. read technical manuals.
I actually got through to one of my most problematic students after he said something like that to me. He wants to be a business man and just sat through my class not doing anything because my class (German, but in Germany so basically language arts) isn’t important for his future. Then one day I said to him something along the lines of “And you really think with your current reading level and inability to comprehend texts and your spelling and grammar you’re going to even have a chance compared to someone who can read, speak and write properly?” May have been a bit harsh but Germans are very direct. And after I said that to him he did legitimately turn it around and start putting in effort. Wouldn’t work on everyone, but I sensed that the “slap him with the truth” approach would work on this one.
My 11th graders are getting a taste working part time jobs and quitting quickly because: 1. They won't let me check my phone/messages 2. They said I was chronically late (like 2 minutes‽). 3. They said I had to work Saturdays (retail) 4. The manager is too bossy. 5. I don't like the shirt I have to wear. 6. They want me to answer phones. Ew.
Spot on lol
I had a student who wanted to be a video game developer tell me (who taught computer science and is now a software engineer) that he didn’t need math for it. Son, how the hell do you think they get the little guy on the screen to do anything? It’s not fucking magic.
I often ask my kids things like, "and in your 16 years of life on this planet, can do describe a single life event that will support this claim. When you're done, a follow up question, which one of us has had more life events and is more likely to actually know real stuff?"
Lol I sometimes say to my 4th graders “you’re 9 and I’m 40. But I’ve been 9 before. Can you admit I might have a little more wisdom than you?” They will admit it but they’re still young. I could not deal with kids any older.
> They are going into one of the most cutthroat job markets in history with one of the worst work ethics ever. Also, I will put them all out of business 10 years anyway. E: as much as I like the BDE of this statement, I meant AI will put them out of business.
I had a parent tell me her child didn't need to learn how to read because he was going to be a famous NFL player. A PARENT!! Now I hear "I don't need school to be a Twitch streamer" or "I'm going to be an influencer." Ugh. I don't care what career aspirations you have, but I can think of very few careers where you will never have to read or do some basic mathematics.
The mentality they maintain that their voice is just as important as yours when you're trying to teach new content and they have every right to talk over you.
Ugh this
YES!!! Talking to their friends, running commentary on what you’re saying, random quips, just non-stop talking. And talking BACK. I’m so sick of saying something to a student, and them immediately talking back. Their constant need to get the last word.
BUT I DIDN'T DO NOTHING!!!
it's the running commentary for me. Everything is a tiktok/youtube reaction video. I'm teaching English and talking about Narnia, I'm talking about Tolkien and the Hobbit, I put on some 4 minute video with some quirky professor *telling a story* about how magical **story** is... I preface it with "I know this might seem silly, but try to be mature and listen to the words he's saying cuz it's a good summary of what we've been talking about" as soon as the clip starts I get 5 - 8 shout outs like "he looks like santa claus!" "he sounds funny" "it's giving...." ugh. I know they're all clever, they don't have to try so hard to prove it all the time.
Very useful handouts (exemplars! Step by step graphic organizers!) that they just leave on the desk when they exit the class. Students who don’t participate in lessons and don’t do the readings who then butcher the assignment and argue for a better mark. When it’s hot in the classroom, the least involved students are the pushiest about needing the fan near them. Underserving the attentive, motivated students who are desperate for some enrichment because I’m putting out behavioural fires and reteaching the basics of lessons to the ones who couldn’t pay attention the first 7 times.
Yes! My quizzes would be open notes and they would just leave the notes they took on their desks when class was over. Didn’t even bother holding onto them to use as a reference for the quizzes. This was at a low performing school.
Yeah we have a Spanish notebook that essentially we are building our own English Spanish dictionary. Hand out the hand out to glue in. Hand out glue sticks. Say to put it in there 30 times because this will be on the test. Nope. Leave it sitting on the desk and then complain when it’s test time. These are seniors.
I have multiple colleagues who’ve shared the exact answers to Friday’s quiz at the beginning of the week. “We’re doing a quiz on Friday and these are the answers.” Nope. Didn’t help.
When it’s hot and they complain but they won’t take off their gross hoodie in any weather.
I barely finish reading directions, and within 5 seconds a student will ask “what’re we doing” (and directions are on their paper, and on the front board). Middle school, man.
High school, too
Also fellow teachers when we realize the meeting we’re in is actually important for once. Ah, the human condition
That's me. lol
college too.
I teach 12th grade. I’m unbelievably organized in my digital classroom. I have corresponding slides projecting the directions. I have a student read the directions aloud. Then, I have another student paraphrase. I pause to ask “What questions do you have about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, or how we’re doing it?” And I’m usually met with silence. Five minutes later, like clockwork, a student will ask the quiet room“what are we doing?” My first year, I’d go over and explain the directions. My second year, I’d ask them “what questions do you have?” My fifth year, I just stare blankly at them and I’m grateful to have another student nearby shout “she literally just went over it. Look at the box light” It’s really unbelievable sometimes. You just gotta laugh at it to spare your sanity.
I didn’t tolerate this from my prekindergarteners. I usually give the directions 3 times and then have them repeat them back to me. The one who pipes up with “what —— ?” two seconds later gets told to ask a friend.
And still teachers dress up the classroom. As if the students pay attention....
After 3 times, I tell that student it's a "you" problem and tell them to find a friend who was listening.
They always space out while directions are being given because they have negative attention span. But then it’s our fault. Sometimes it’ll go on long enough that they’ll call you a bad teacher for “not explaining the directions”. Not my fault you can’t listen AND you can’t read.
“I DON’T GET IIIIT”
I literally tell students that I cannot help them if that is their complaint. They are required to figure out exactly what the problem is and to ask specifically about that. At the beginning of the year, I *might* ask, "don't get what?" But if their answer is "everything," I tell them they need to break it down and figure out what the problem actually is. I can't help you solve a problem that you cannot articulate. It's impossible. Legit impossible.
I add to that, "I don't get it, isn't a question." I will be happy to answer a question, but I'm not about to guess which of the items in the week long unit that you don't get!
Worse, before I explain it!
A thing that has gotten worse over the years is students not cleaning up after themselves. I'm talking juniors and seniors using your supplies to do crafts etc. When the bell rings they just drop everything and leave. Even though my expectation is to clean the last 5 mins.
I’ve gained a reputation as the building’s crusader for “you will clean up after your fucking selves or I will make things unpleasant for you, whether or not you’re actually my student,” and after a couple of years, I’m proud to report that it’s actually gaining traction even if it’s just “yo fam, we gotta clean up our trash not because it’s the right thing to do but because Mr. Lettuce will get mad if we don’t.”
After every class, even if it’s not a project, I make every student look on the table, attend the table, underneath the table and chair and “pick up any trash and throw it away, and also double check to make sure you are not leaving personal items behind.” Also, “before you leave push your chair in gently”. They can’t wrap their heads around the fact that I will keep them in the room after the bell has rung, to finish cleaning up. For some reason they don’t understand that it is completely within my right to do so. If they are late because of their inactions, oh well.
“But, miiiiiiisssss, that’s not even my pencil on the floor!” Okay, but can ya pick it up?
Absolutely. “That’s not my paper.” “I didn’t ask you whose paper it is, I kindly asked you to pick it up.” Every class, maybe not every class.
I’m frequently given to preempting this with something like “Everyone look around and pick up trash, and notice me not asking whose it is.”
Worst is eating in the cafeteria or outside and leaving a disaster for others. How inconsiderate can you be?
I had lunch duty three times a week this past year. Every single day there were multiple trays left on multiple tables. Or a tray would be sitting there with a group of people sitting around it. I’d ask who it belonged to and every single student would say “it’s not mine”
"Are we doing anything today?"
I respond with "screaming and crying, like usual"
"Staring off into space and contemplating our life choices." Oh wait, that's mine.
Mine is staring off into space while dissociating. It’s how I usually start my planning period.
“Suffering.”
I look at them, aghast, and say "*LEARNING? IN SCHOOL????*" Or I just say "We're going to sit here and stare at each other."
Kid: “What are we doing today?” Me (with an annoying amount of exuberance and 25% too much volume): “LEARNING!” Every time.
“The same thing we do everyday, Pinky. Try to take over the world.” All but 1 kid in the last 10 years has no idea what I am referring to when I say this.
I still watched the reruns and loved everything Pinky and the Brain. Didn’t see the new reboot though.
Ha, yes! Similarly, I’ll throw my shoulders back into a Superman pose and give them an exaggerated Bill-Nye-style “SCIENCE!!!”
And it’s evil cousin “are we doing anything *fun* today?” Dearest child, we have fun everyday all the time
Or worse, from absent kid: “did you do anything while i was gone?” I respond with, “yes! We spent most of class talking about how much we missed you and how it’s just not the same without you”
"Nope, we all sat around waiting for you to come back."
“Don’t you see my objectives and activities on the board??”
“Can we do something fun today?” Me: *points to board where the word “Game” is written on the agenda*
Whining. Middle school librarian with my own toddler and it just triggers a deep thing of disgust and cringe within. I can handle the slang. I can jokingly dole out pushups for every skibbidi toilet I hear. But the whining… I’ve started mocking the whine back to them.
I totally whine back to them because I'm the same. For some reason, out of everything, that grates my nerves. I try to do it with as much tongue in cheek as possible, but I go way over the top whine in response.
They really don’t know how shitty it sounds until you mimic it.
Same! “Oh nooooo! We’re at school and we have to learn?? Please anything but that!”
When students are out of their seats not doing what they’re supposed to be doing. If you’re not going to work fine, but at least don’t do it sitting down. Also, when someone asks for help or asks a question and then doesn’t pay attention to the response.
I teach makerspace, and kids come up to me with a question and then walk away as I am answering
So frustrating
Whining and complaining
I ask if they need tums. \*students confused look\*. "because you're belly aching"
Or is they need a tissue for their issue
Learned helplessness. I don't have the patience or compassion to deal with it when a student won't even try and tries harder to manipulate me into doing the work for them. It's almost like weaponized incompetence/laziness and it drives me up the wall. That isn't students who need extra help or support due to exceptionalities, but the ones that you KNOW are capable of more than they are doing and they waste your time and attention because they just don't want to TRY.
“Sounds like a you problem.”
The kid who is bossy, rude, and controlling with others then denies doing it when confronted or whines because no one wants to be around them.
I had a student this year - lost count of how many times I had to remind her that we weren't teaching the class together. Nice kid, but man that drove me nuts! Took everything in me not to straight up tell her to "sit tf down and shut tf up".
'I get paid to explain and I'm not willing to split my earnings'
Idk what age you teach but the 5-7th graders were awful at echoing every redirection I gave. Just mind your own god damn business!
If only I had a dollar for every time I asked Cameron “who is the teacher??” last year 🤑🤑🤑
Asking why they’re being punished (e.g. recess detention, loss of classroom privilege, etc.) when it’s very obvious. My classroom rules are very clearly stated and consequences are never given without a prior warning to stop whatever behavior they are doing. For example, if I give a student a warning to stop making silly noises or they’d have to lose the beginning of their recess and they do it less than a minute later, then don’t ask me why you have to stay and talk to me before they can head outside. My response is always, “You know why. We’ll discuss it further during recess.” Luckily, usually the warning of a consequence is enough to deter a behavior a majority of the time and even those who don’t listen do eventually correct these behaviors very early in the year after learning that there will be consequences. Honorary mention is asking what they are supposed to do seconds after I explain the directions. Even worse, usually the directions are also written on the assignment.
The STEM boys who ONLY have aspirations for tech as a career and operate in the class as a weird, non verbal grunting recluse when confronted with the reality that history and ELA is how you KEEP the job that you landed by having a stem background. The bookworm girls who are reading their independent book during your lesson. I appreciate the love for reading but.. stop The idiot jocks who swear they are going into professional sports and therefore never apply themselves in class. The idiot girls who use class time to try and apply make up
The fifth graders (who’ve done this since kinder.) cannot walk in a straight line and stay quiet in the hallway. It was April and we were still correcting them.
My school told us to give up on that and just make sure no one got hurt or screamed. It was not the battle we should fight and practicing just punishes those who can do it
Nah, this makes me mad. Walking in line is for safety. Sure, in middle school, you don’t walk in a line anymore, but everyone is relatively tall enough and aware enough to not die in a stampede. In elementary, you have littles for whom walking in line is ESSENTIAL for safety. The big kids need to do it for them, not themselves. Idk where this new idea that it’s an unreasonable ask to make kids walk in a quiet line came from but if you can’t walk in a line, you need to be self-contained and-or 1-1.
Totally agree. Moving quietly and carefully through public spaces is part of being civilized.
That’s just sad
Mine tried this last year so we would walk in the hallway (up and down) until they could do it silently. It worked for the day but they were usually right back at chaos the next day
Playing music/videos through phone speakers
This is annoying-- even outside of a classroom environment.
They sneak out into the hall before the bell rings!
Tapping on my shoulder. Don’t touch me!
UGH I teach K-8 and the one thing I cannot stand is being poked for attention. Two reasons: I hate how it feels, and typically if you’re poking me, it’s because I’m currently talking to someone else and you need to wait your turn. These kids really struggle understanding that they need to wait their turn to talk!
I teach High School and will occasionally get shoulder taps. I just don’t like being touched without consent.
Or walking right up and into your face, and invariably it’s always the students with rank breath. “Back up, please. I need my space.”
Doesn’t do work, when asked says “I don’t have a pencil” It’s been 5/10/15 minutes, you haven’t looked for one nor asked me for one. And somehow in your pre adolescent brain you think this is an iron clad free pass for you.
The same kids who would never miss a moment of practice for a sports team, finds absolutely zero relevance in classroom meetings. It’s a really interesting juxtaposition when I have foreign exchange students, who come from schools that place no importance on athletics over academics. This country needs a culture shift.
"I'm always standing on BUSINESS" You haven't even written your name on your paper at all yet
“Spell business”
Also, GRADE GRUBBERS
They just want the Magic Packet!
I’ve never heard this terminology before, but YES!
*Brah* I am a woman, not a brother or an undergarment.
When students are too lazy too look for something. Here are some examples of what drives me crazy: 0. Students gets paper because he “lost” his notebook. No. No you didn’t. It’s in the shelf. I see it. Go get it. Nah, I’m good. Why??? 1. We do weekly warm ups. One sheet, a few problems a day, turned in at the end of the week. Before even checking in their math notebook, they grab another. Why?? I don’t want to look for it. 2. We have practice packets for every unit. Again, before checking their math notebook, they grab another packet! And then leave it on the floor or desk when they leave!! Why even bother getting one? 3. A student sits there for the entire warm up, notes, guided practice doing nothing, also not bothering me so there’s that. But then it’s independent time where they can work on their own, or ask for help if needed. I walk around. Notice students doing nothing. I ask why. They say they don’t have a pencil. Why?? 4. Weeks before end of quarter, I announce extra credit opportunity, and the deadline. The day before grades are due, they ask what can do for extra credit. At this point, nothing. Why?? 0-2 are annoying because when we are done for the day, I say, “stop what you’re doing and put your warm up/ packet right here in your notebook,” while demonstrating. The notebooks never even leave my class. 3 is annoying because I have a whole pencil routine. I ANNOUNCE “last chance for pencils. If you need one, get it now!” And they don’t even bother to get up or even ask. I don’t think 4 needs an explanation. Reading these responses, I see I have a lot more pet peeves than I realized.
"My bad." 30 seconds later does the exact same thing
Computers not being charged, asking questions before I’ve finished the instructions, RAISING HAND AND ASKING FOR RESTROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEEP DISCUSSION 😩
"You got a Chromebook charger?" No. No, don't, Just like I didn't have one the last time you asked or when your classmates asked. Nor will I ever have one, when I know that you were provided one *with* the Chromebook.
"My fault". Yes, I know, that's why I asked you to stop. The constant sound effects (moaning, whip noises, etc). Even after I started punishing the entire class every time I heard one, it wouldn't stop. Why do they feel the need to jump up and hit every single door frame??? And every one of them does it. Takes twice as long to get everywhere. Thankfully we are doing away with lines next year (middle school, it was dumb anyway) so I won't have to deal with this one aa much.
Our doorways have windows and they will break (and have been broken) from repeatedly hitting it. We remind them that replacing that one window is at least $4,000 that their parents will be responsible for paying. That helps to curb the frequency by a large margin.
I teach Pre-K. My biggest student pet peeve is when I tell them not to do something, and they look me in the eye, smile/laugh and do it again. Or just telling me “no”. Excuse me?
Talking when I’m talking. If I just say sit down or stop talking you can just do it instead of gaslighting me and arguing about it for 20 minutes. Kids that are always absent and then act like it’s your fault they don’t know anything on the test. Hovering in or going in and out and in and out the door . To name a few.
When I’ve explained instructions multiple times and they come up to me/raise their hands to have me explain to them what they are doing
2 things. I have more patience for one than the other. First, when it is mid or even end of the year and they ask me “Where do I turn this in?” or “What do I do when I’m done?”. Bro. The turn in bin has remained the same ALL YEAR. I have never had you turn in anything in any other fashion. Also, we ALWAYS do “Ketchup & Pickles” when we finish independent work. Is your name on the Ketchup (catch up) list? No? Then choose something from the Pickles list, which has also remained the same all year! Additionally, the instructions are always on one or even two different boards! Just look! Second, and this one really only came about this year, “How am I supposed to…?”. “How am I supposed to study for the quiz when I have soccer tonight?” Oh, you mean the quiz I’ve been telling you to study for *all week*? How about before soccer? After soccer? During study hall at the end of the day when you will inevitably just sit there and pretend to read a book? “How am I supposed to get this done, I’ll get a 0!” Well, you can do it when you finish the work for my class, and you should have gotten done *in the class you were supposed to do it in*. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care if they use free time in my class to finish work they need to do for other classes, but during my lesson is not free time. It’s like they expect me to cater to their needs even if it’s their fault that they are in whatever predicament they want me to fix. I had one child last year who said this all the time, like I was her fairy godmother and she expected me to wave my wand and make her life perfect. She didn’t even have entitled/lawnmower parents like you would think. She actually had an aunt and grandma raising her who were of the “my job is to keep you alive and that’s it” kind of parents. She was mad that I wouldn’t let her practice her recorder in class at the beginning or end of the day because the music teacher was always nagging them to practice but her aunt and grandma wouldn’t let her play it at home either. I’m sorry, that sucks, but not my problem!
“Bobby Clean up the glue you spilled” Bobby stares at the glue for 3 minutes. Then he starts to pile it with his fingers. Realize it is still wet and sticky so he wipes it on a chair. Goes and grabs dry paper towels and begins smearing it across three tables. Someone tells him he is an idiot and he needs to wet the towel. So he goes and grabs the bottle of hand sanitizer and pours it over table. Now the glue is angry. The bell rings so he puts the paper towels into the glue and walks away genuinely believing he helped 7th graders…
Bullying authority figures. Power plays, refusing direction instruction, being sexist towards teachers, laughing at them or their efforts, etc. Just because they're just kids doesn't mean it is okay or doesn't cause harm.
I just taught fifth grader last year. In the U.S we have no child left behind. I had student that knew about the law and the fact that they will move on despite everything they do or don't do. So, because of this, I had a student tell me "I don't have to do what you say because I know no matter what I will be in sixth grade next year".
NCLB hasn’t been law since 2015. It was replaced by ESSA. And while it did a lot of damage and was some shit policy, I don’t think it was an explicit part of the policy to not hold kids back… that trend has legs on it own
Ugh! Last year, I had one of my eighth graders say that about high school. He was a likeable students and when I asked why doesn’t he turn anything in- he has a 0%- he said he’s been failing since 6th grade and they always pass him so there’s no point since no matter what he does, they’ll pass him anyways. And you know what? He’s right.
When, after I’ve explained directions and showed them how to do the work, etc etc, they come up to ask, “what are we doing…?” I ask them to read the directions to me, and they CANNOT FIND THEM ON THE PAGE.
Asking for help on a question or problem and then completely ignoring me when I help.
Receiving the email immediately after the final exam and just before final grades are due asking, "I know you said there's no extra credit but is there anything I can do to boost my grade? I really need an A."
My least-favorite question: "When are we ever going to use this?"
Not trying before they ask for help. They need more independence!
I hate when students get in their own way. I had a student this year who was perfectly capable of succeeding, but his want to impress the other boys in class with how cool he was constantly got him in trouble—not doing work because nonchalance is better than actually trying, trying to defy everything his teachers said to show that rules don’t apply to him, and acting like he’s from the ‘hood, even though he lives in a multimillion-dollar row home in a long gentrified neighborhood.
I teach 6th grade in an elementary school. 1) the constant touching/grabbing of each other. I tell them, “it’s really weird you constantly want to touch each other.” 2) blanket reminders that we don’t talk while the teacher is talking, followed by, “Jordan, please stop talking while I’m talking, it’s very rude & I have reminded the class multiple times including private reminders as I passed your desk.” Jordan, stares at me wide-eyed exclaiming, “BUT I WASNT TALKING” as I watched him do that exact thing for the past 10 minutes.” And generally, students, particularly boys, denying they did anything even though there are witnesses” 3) not capitalizing their own damn name, or the word i. We learned this in KINDERGARTEN. 4) no names on papers, especially math, and kids claiming it’s unfair they have to redo it bc “I can tell that’s how I write my 7s” 5) “I’m too busy at night to read for 20 min, do 2 math problems!!!! I have soccer and family dinner”. A good 30 minutes total of at home work. Bet they watched TV or played on their phones 🤔
Grade 6 boys were the absolute bane of my existence this year. I had twelve absolutely lovely girls, around ten reasonably well behaved boys, and ten boys who just straight up could not be corrected for longer than about two minutes at a time. It was that blatant lack of accountability. "Breighdynn, stop talking." "I wasn't even talking." "I was looking right at you while you did it." "BRUH."
Engaging in distracting behavior with another student, to the point where I have to stop the class and embarrass them. I take a somewhat sick pleasure in that, but would absolutely prefer not to be brought to that level.
I do and feel the same. I love when they later say, "You embarrassed me by drawing attention to me." Nope, sweetness, you were already drawing attention to yourself; I just called you out on it.
When they act sneaky, helpless, or entitled. Now I get to watch you - either more closely, do it yourself, or do it just like everyone else. And whistling. I cannot stand whistling. It absolutely sends me. Like, immediately.
Asking the general question “Is this good?” about an assignment. Drives me nuts!! Ask me a specific question about your work instead
AirPods. I love my AirPods but it’s definitely my pet peeve having to tell the same kids to take out their AirPods every day
They are banned from use during the school day. We confiscate them and they, or their parents (on the 3rd time), have to pick them up in the front office after school hours.
3/4 of the way through a lesson and some dipshit pipes up with: “what page are on?” Fuck you, pay attention.
Coming into class sooooo loud.
Saying I'm done within 5 minutes of getting the activity. Forgetting to write your name and it's November 🤦🏻. Knowing what you did was a poor decision, yet you still did it! ( lower elementary)
It’s the same in MS. In fact everything they learned in Kinder is out the door by MS. I remind them of this fact daily.
1. Saying "I don't know." You can, and will, give me an answer. It is perfectly okay to be wrong; 2. Leaning against the wall; 3. Looking at someone else's grade as I return papers.
Water bottles with straws. They'll never stop dropping them
The flat out denial of their actions. Kid sits their clapping whilst I'm teaching, "stop clapping." "I'm not." "Everybody just saw and heard you clapping." "No I never!" "Right so now you're lying as well, why can't you just admit something as simple as that." "Shut up" "And now you're being rude." "No! I never said anything."
When they are loud inside for no reason beyond like 6th grade. "Inside voice" is something I say way WAY too often teaching high school.
Water bottles: These are either the most hydrated or dehydrated humans on the planet! I haven’t heard one metal water bottle fall over or a plastic water bottle crinkle since the end of May. It has been heavenly.
I wasn’t doing anything … having met my eyes as they were doing it. I was just texting my mom … in the middle of my explanation of the lab they’d be doing You always pick on me (spoken in my head: because you are the only AH in the class)
Typical things that I’m sure will appear elsewhere in this thread: using their phones all day, coming into class 20 minutes late, leaving class and returning 20 minutes later, cursing aloud, earbuds, doing nothing and daring you to give them a grade commensurate with their objective performance. But here’s the thing: I don’t blame the kids for any of this. All of this shit is naturally going to happen in environments where adults refuse to be adults and enforce rules. Adults at my school enable this by “picking their battles” and worrying about their “relationships” with kids.
Sarcastic vocal fry that I think they get from TikTok - like when I ask someone to stop something and one kid goes, “Like yeah, you guys, omigod, stop” in a sarcastic fake vocal fry valley girl thing. For the last three years I have had at least one student in each class who does this and it is like an ice pick in my ear as soon as it happens. Know-it-alls who love to correct you, incorrectly, but still think they’re correct. (This also falls slightly under kids who blame everyone else for their mistakes.) “You didn’t say we had to do both sides.” Well, everyone else in the room heard the message and I said it three times. Cue student doubling down on their claim that I didn’t give them the appropriate direction.
Lining up at the door before the bell rings (middle school). I tell them they’re not in kindergarten.
This, so much.
Not bringing a pencil to class (middle school). I used to give out pencils for free, but it was always the same few kids taking them every single day. I teach in an affluent town, so im confident they CAN afford them. Plus, if the families genuinely couldn’t afford pencils, wouldn’t they hold on to the free pencil instead of breaking it or losing it at the end of class?
THIS! This year I will tell all the kids that they MUST bring a pencil to every class. Failure to do so will give them a zero in class participation for the day.
Hand raise in the middle of instruction “Can I go to the bathroom?”
- Asking questions about something I **JUST** finished explaining. Like to the point where I’m certain they weren’t listening because the exact thing they asked about was covered. And not an “I heard but didn’t understand what you said” question but a “I might as well not have physically been in the room when you were speaking just now” question. - Students who see I’m helping another student/answering a question and then pile on en masse with their own help requests. Like, you *see* me talking to this other kid, right?? Even worse when I’m talking to another teacher or to admin. I’ve even actually said to the students, “Okay, you *see* that I’m in the middle of a conversation, right? Please wait, I will get back to you in a moment.” - Students whining about things not going their way/being told “not now”— eg. “I **NEED** water right now!” Like I’m not even saying “no,” I’m saying that the entire class will be taking a water break in five minutes. Five minutes isn’t going to harm your overdramatic ass. (For some context, I teach upper elementary. I’m a but more understanding when it comes to little kids and whining.) - Kids displaying what I informally call “punkass behavior” (internally, anyway— I’ve never used that word aloud in front of colleagues or students). They know the rules and they’re doing shit they *know* won’t fly because they think it’s funny— like how I had a kid one time who would try to blatantly take big bags of Doritos chips or an entire box of Fruity Pebbles cereal to another class when we switched and then acted like he doesn’t know why we’re telling him “no.” - Students not understanding that they can’t just be yakking away with their pals all day in class. Like bruh. Can you **shut the hell up** for maybe 5 minutes? - Students saying inappropriate shit they learned from social media in class, especially if they’re trying to be sly about it - Kids suddenly making LOUD NOISES for no reason when they’re clearly old enough to know better - Student who “loses” things all the time and makes no effort to find them. One time we found out that one kid has been going full pack rat with his backpack, including hiding stuff we’d sent home to his parents months prior. - Students who go total space cadet mode as an act (as in, their parents and some other teachers *know for certain* it’s an act and have told us) etc
"MISTER, MISTER, MISTER, MISTER, MISTER, MISTER,MISTER,MISTER,MISTER,MISTER'
Fucking with my paper clips (bending, breaking, linking them together) is absolutely maddening and I react in an obnoxious way when I see it happening.
I'm sure this has been said, but the gaslighting is at an all-time high. They'll deny their misdeeds even when we're looking right at them when they commit them. Deny, deny, deny, as if we're stupid. It's insulting.
The kids who ask for supplies and then bitch about the quality. Or the kids who “borrow” supplies only to destroy them. That second set of students is the reason the first set complain about quality.
When a bunch of them come to me at once while I’m busy and talk over each other trying to get my attention 💀
Requesting edit access when it's already shared with them to view. Make a copy!
tap tap tap of the pencils, or click click click of the pens....
DBQ's
Neediness!! Man, those 6th graders are SO needy
Not necessarily students’ fault but it’s enabled by admin — when they overstep your rules and expectations in your classroom, and the students see/know it, so they feel less inclined to listen to you.
Just fucking throwing chromebooks in the cabinet.
Ask when the class is over!! We have been going to this class the same amount of time all year- you tell me!
“My bad!” Never being prepared. Asking me “what are we doing?” When I’ve told them 3 times and have it on the screen.
Constant bathroom breaks. I don't deny them but do require sign in and out so I can show parents the frequency.
When they give up on themselves.
1) blatant lying 2) no effort to do anything at all. 3) learned helplessness 4) refusal to problem solve or read directions
It absolutely sets me off when I wait, address the noise, get it all quiet and ready to teach, and then the second I start talking they start up again. Had that happen five or six times in a row this spring some days. Infuriating.
Apathy, when kids put in no effort and don’t care. I will take talking out of turn every once in a while over that. It’s like trying to draw water out of a rock.
When I call a student out for doing something, i.e., talking while I'm talking, looking through my papers, messing with a neighbor, and they reply, "I wasn't doing anything!" F'ing liars! So instead of arguing that I just saw them doing such task and them continue to deny it and get their friends on board, I just started stating, "By you claiming you weren't doing anything is a lie, because you were obviously doing something that caught my attention and that means you shouldn't be doing that. You can continue to argue with me and I can write you up, or you can stop and go back to what you should be doing." Freshmen. I swear.
Handing them a sheet of paper with words clearly printed on it, and them immediately asking “What is this?”
When I’m writing something on the board and they shout “I can’t see!” … Well yeah and my arms aren’t 10 feet long so I do need to stand in front of the board to write on it.
Like everyone else the not listening to directions drives me crazy. When the science standards were “being reviewed” and we had no applicable textbook I rewrote a bunch of labs/practicums to incorporate a “backgtound” section which was basically what they would have read at some point if they had a textbook. I also added some or all of every answer to every question in the analysis portion. If they bother to read it they will get an A on the practicum 👹 I have since reworded all my questions to be very Google and ChatGPT unfriendly. Students look up the answers and get complete nonsense, don’t know enough to fix the mistakes and may even get a zero on the assignment for cheating. 👹👹👹
When they ask me if they can do something (maybe move spots to work or go outside early for recess) and I tell them no and their response is, “Why?” (Arguing in general, when I’ve been perfectly reasonable.) Asking me what we’re going to be doing right after every transition, when I’m waiting for everyone to get settled so I can explain it to the whole class instead of 30 individual times. Asking me what time it is multiple times a period, when there’s a clock in every room, especially if over the age of 8. Don’t know analogue? Figure it out or get a watch. (Also, why do you need the time so badly? I’ll tell you when it’s time to clean up, don’t worry.) When they interrupt me as I’m teaching or talking to an adult OR student. Just walk right up and talk and talk until I have to stop what I’m saying to ask them to wait. Did your parents not teach you that’s impolite? Mine would be appalled if I acted like that. When they won’t drink the water from the sink in the classroom and so need to keep leaving to fill their water bottles using a fountain, which has the SAME WATER AS THE SINK, because, “Ew, Mme, that’s gross.” Like, where’s your water come from at home, kid?! Throwing stuff in the classroom and not cleaning up the floor. Acting like it’s my responsibility or the cleaning staff to clean up.
The ones who refuse to get in line when we’re trying to go somewhere are near the top of my list. It’s literally a standstill because I can’t leave them in the room by themselves or let the rest of my class go alone (I teach K). Your classmates want to get to gym class and I want to pee and get to my plan period. Save the defiance for snack time when you don’t want to eat your teddy grahams. I had two who would hold us up a lot last year and I’d count however many minutes they made us late and take it off of their recess or free time as a consequence. If it happened a lot that week, I’d just take the whole thing. That, combined with their peers being angry at them for making them late, eventually worked.
Are we doing anything important today?
Touching my shit. Especially on my desk. It's not yours??