Named after the hundred-eyed watchman of Greek myth, Argus watches the education landscape: spotting new opportunities, pressure-testing the ventures we're building, and tracing every read back to the real-world signals behind it.
The evidence library: the raw signals the pipeline is watching across the education ecosystem. Every idea is built from these.
Tagging as humor so we can all just laugh in good fun at the end of the school year. But since my post asking about which admin buzzwords are most irritating to you was such a hit, I thought I would come back with a sequel! This time it’s: What is the most ridiculous and unnecessary admin job/job title you’ve seen in your district or elsewhere? As in, you look at their job and wonder, “WTF does this person do all day? And do we even need them? Did the superintendent create this job to hire friends?” I’ll go first. My district (which is RIFing teachers left and right) has two “assistant directors of curriculum and instruction” making $165k a year in addition to our main “director of curriculum and instruction.” They all also had administrative assistants who made more than several teachers in the building. I could not tell you what these people do all day, since most of what was in their job description was offloaded onto teachers for stipend positions. Also for reference, we only have
I am a high school teacher, and our student population has grown so much that that I am one of two of us do not have our own classrooms. I have a cart that works well enough, and I travel. The teachers who have their own classrooms have plan time while I am teaching in the room. Teachers leave the room and find someplace else to work. There is one teacher that stays in her classroom while I am teaching. We get along fine. She does not interrupt my class, engage or disrupt my students. She puts earbuds in. Sometimes I can see her trying to cover her ears or block her view of me in front of class as if she is struggling to concentrate. I don’t feel like I can turn off the lights for two minutes because I will be bothering her. I feel awkward when this happens. Once in a while I feel judged by a comment she makes over my lessons, but I have talked myself into getting over it. What is the common practice for this? Is she being inconsiderate? Any ideas how to approach this? submitted by /u/
Here are some of the quotes from residents today: Are you still doing okay in the heat honey? Take it easy kiddo! My son brought cherries from the market, take a break and have some :) Can you grab me a soda? And take one for yourself too! My daughter brought ice cream for everyone! And of course: 6. Can you grab me a blanket? Im cold 🤣 submitted by /u/keiko17 [link] [comments]
I’ve been a nurse for 10 years but remember feeling scared about mistakes when I was new. When you first start out, you don’t have a lot of context to be able to categorize how severe a mistake is. Using humor and poking fun is one thing but for fucks sake what’s with all the superiority complexesssssuhhh submitted by /u/Typhoid__Beaver [link] [comments]
Did anyone see this? About the woman who was caught taking teacher certification tests for others in Florida? Am I the only one that thinks that the teachers who paid her should be more in trouble than the woman taking the tests? Or at least in as much trouble.. submitted by /u/td663 [link] [comments]
I've finished my fourth year of teaching and realized that we generally allow disruptive and aggressive students to destroy the education of everyone else in the room. When did this start? Why do we allow this to happen? At what point do we allow schools broader authority to expel students who don't want to be there and actively disrupt the classroom. Every year, there is a student or two who is doesn't want to be there. It's frustrating for me and them. I try in the beginning, but around April or May I give up and just let them play games in the corner so they are quiet. Honestly, I'm getting more jaded about even trying. I know I'm supposed to try with every student, but after months of trying, I just quit. It's less effort and less stress. I know I'm not a saint. Why do we care so much about expulsions? I understand some of the history around expulsions. However, at some point we have to change the rules to accommodate the current situation. Some kids can't be in the classroom with
submitted by /u/UnlimitedBoxSpace [link] [comments]
I'm starting this school year as a Behavior Specialist after working for the past 5 years as a Behavior Tech in the school system. Before this role, I spent my days in classrooms directly supporting students, so I've seen firsthand what many teachers are dealing with. I've watched teachers get hit, bitten, spit on, have their classrooms evacuated, and still be expected to teach everyone else. In many of those situations, I honestly felt the teacher was doing everything they reasonably could. Now I'm moving into a role where I'll be consulting with teachers, and I'm struggling with something. I worry about being "that BS behavior specialist" who comes into a classroom, points out everything the teacher is doing wrong, and hands them a list of strategies that don't match the reality they're facing. :( Don't get me wrong, I think behavior strategies, classroom management, and proactive supports absolutely have their place. They can make a big difference in many situations. But I've also w
They come from low income crime related areas. I want real world effective techniques. submitted by /u/ElArteDePararte [link] [comments]
I completed my first Field Experience as a student teacher (I think some universities call it a stage) and I've noticed that there are some skills that I find myself needing to develop that haven't really been talked about in my classes. This includes, but is not limited to: Reading/Writing upside down (To help kids with math 1 on 1 at their desks) Using a smart board and just generally writing large but neatly. Creating a visual guide for my lecture while simultaneously lecturing that is easy to follow and aids comprehension instead of creating confusion. Admittedly even my uni math professors are awful at this, and I suspect math teachers that are good at this have experience with the specific topics at hand. Not so much a skill but just how much new teachers need to practice their lectures and lessons. I'm wondering what other skills you - and my future self for that matter - need to teach in your style as a seasoned teacher. I don't mean the obvious ones like patience, comprehensio
The school says I need to be there a week before school starts, what do teachers do that week before school? Thanks! submitted by /u/NewMirror828 [link] [comments]
So I verbally accepted my first teaching job… and now I want to back out. I thought I was interviewing to teach a traditional class but it turned out to be an inclusion class with like 50% SPED students, plus a good number of ELLs and a coteacher who splits her time between 3-4 rooms. Title I school. So kinda a pressure cooker of a first job for a newbie. I just got excited to even have a job offer and woke up the next day like what did I do?! It was a verbal yes that’s supposed to not be binding until I see the contract but HR immediately made a big deal about sending an email to the principal so I felt like I had to send an email back saying I was looking forward to it before reading the contract. It says I’m basically locked in for more than a year at that school so I haven’t signed yet and am kinda dragging my feet. The HR rep has been trying to pressure me to sign ASAP but I’m supposed to have a couple weeks to sign. Is it career suicide to go back and tell the principal and HR no
Hey everyone! The copy machine is down. We called Susan, and she said it won't be fixed until next week. Anyway, since it's Friday... What were some challenges that you faced recently? Anything that irked you? Maybe a co-worker is getting on your nerve? Class caught on fire because little Billy shoved a crayon into your pencil sharpener? Share all the vents and stories below! submitted by /u/AutoModerator [link] [comments]
we are both nurses at a hospital she works one side and I work the other. She is temporarily taking over someones position because they went to LOA. Anyways, I don't mind helping people. she looks like shes ready to give birth but thats until the end of August. Sometimes she has me do her wound dressings because she cannot bend her back. I have to go to her patients rooms who are infected because its deemed a risk to her and her baby. If there is a transfer the PCA's can't do themselves, she cannot assist them as it is deemed heavy lifting so she calls me. Any cancerous drugs, she has me administer them. long story short, I don't mind helping them, but isn't this the companies fault, I mean what so she gets a pass, she doesn't have to foot the bill and risk her life but I have too, while we both still get paid the same. submitted by /u/DribbleKing97_ [link] [comments]
There are so many things that can go wrong on report cards. Just wondering about the experience of others. Wrong name? Incorrect mark? Fail someone by accident? submitted by /u/Apprehensive_Fail871 [link] [comments]
I'm a new hire, teaching upper elementary next year. While working with that age is nothing new, setting up a classroom is. I have no idea what I'm teaching - because it hasn't been decided whether the team will be departmentalized this year or not. So it could be a little of everything, or it could be single subject. I don't know my classroom layout for sure, although I think I remember which side of the room the computer cables and things are from some sub jobs previously. I don't know if they have a spare desk or if I should be finding one this summer (nor do I know where I can keep it in my small house until I can move it in). I don't know when I'm have access to my classroom - will I have enough time to set things up between meetings and in-service and before open house night? Do I want to keep supplies in my desk or on it? Use my cubbies as a mailbox or to hold student supplies? Do I need a theme or is a general vibe/mood ok for decor? Have rules posted or have them help create t
Hey teachers! I am a longtime veteran (looking youthful as ever, of course) starting at a new school and district soon. What would be your kind morsels of advice to ensure a great entry/landing, mainly with adults? I look forward to hearing your suggestions!!! TIA! submitted by /u/Swimming-Leek8012 [link] [comments]
I absolutely love, love, love being off in the summer. 100% what I live for. submitted by /u/South-Lab-3991 [link] [comments]
Would you drive 40 min a day one way for $240 less a year but Admin that is better and less micromanaging and attitude about things or would you work 10 min from your house and stay where you know you are micromanaged and you are going to catch a lot of attitude form assistant AP all year? edited to clarify drive time submitted by /u/Any_Illustrator_2403 [link] [comments]
submitted by /u/neo_vengance [link] [comments]
If your school had an anthem, what would it be? Mine would be Crazy Train. submitted by /u/Joeybish [link] [comments]
25M, on mobile. I’m curious on track to get my degree and license in the state of Florida. But honestly… I feel so defeated to the point where I’m straight up second guessing everything. I was supposed to do my second internship at my current job (private school). My school let me know last minute that I couldn’t do my internship there and I can’t afford to do an unpaid internship, so this is pushing me back from graduation by a whole year. Coupled with me not landing any teaching spots at my job and possibly just being a teacher’s assistant. Even if I managed to graduate and finish .. teaching in FL is just a nightmare to me at the moment. I hate how the curriculum is being introduced to the students, the awful pay is really setting in. And even though people are eager to see me in the classroom, the journey had been anything but joyful, or even supportive. I try to hold my own in hopes because people time and time again say how needed I am in the classroom. But I think I just want to
I think that either MOST if not all elderly people should be DNR. Why are we shattering these elderly bones?? Like maybe code status should change automatically to DNR at a certain age, and if you want to, then you can change it back to full code. Like what is the mortality rate of CPR on an 80 year old? 85? 90? submitted by /u/su9arfiend [link] [comments]
submitted by /u/eyecupee [link] [comments]
Hi, I’m interested in getting a Masters in Curriculum and Education. I was looking at some online colleges and was considering WGU. Has anyone gotten their masters from WGU and how was it? I am also open to recommendations for other colleges that do online for masters in education. Thank you!! submitted by /u/aycre [link] [comments]
Here’s the thing. I’m an ELA teacher but a rarity: I also coach. Which means kids (mostly boys) love to talk to me about sports. Hockey, football, and UFC (up until recently) were my favorites. I’m not clutching my pearls on that. I teach high school and had to learn to either ignore or not freak out over stuff I used to do at their age (party, smoke, bet with friends, etc.), but I guess we were smart enough not to tell our teachers. But over the last few years, I noticed that many boys would make betting jokes. And this past school year, any question or comment about the latest boxing fight or football game was met with “yo Schadenfruedian, who’s in your parlay?” Sports gambling has become more and more virulent, and I no longer feel I can connect with some of these kids due to them making it inappropriate. It’s sad, because I would always manage to connect with even my most “I hate reading” kids, not via the subject but by at least talking about sports. It sucks. But I’m not going to
Does anyone else not need their blood pressure meds during the summer? Yes! My job is literally killing me 🫠 Which flare should I have used for this? I can't really see anyone that's appropriate. submitted by /u/opeboyal [link] [comments]
submitted by /u/ruggergrl13 [link] [comments]
I’ll start by saying I’m just an Ed tech. I work in a special needs classroom. There are 5 of us techs and our head teacher. In the fall I’ll start my 4th year in that room. I love my job. I love the kids. My fellow techs are awesome and head teacher is amazing. She’s kind and patient and does an incredible job. I have learned so much from her. Today she told us she won’t be back in the fall. We are devastated. It’s because of the SPED director. She’s just not supportive and all around dishonest and disrespectful person. The kids will be so sad in the fall. And I’m terrified of who will replace her. And I just can’t even picture our room without her. I would love to get her a going away gift, I’d love suggestions. Mostly just needed to say all this because nobody knows yet but us. submitted by /u/Mom-Wife-3 [link] [comments]
WWII is ass. The pop culture aspect sucks so bad. There’s some gems in the subject, but island hopping…..uuuuuuhhhhhaaaaggggg. I’ll take the Era of Good Feelings over which individual battle did what. And the Civil War battles. Gag. submitted by /u/ICUP01 [link] [comments]
I have an elementary student who as soon as he enters the room he has a question or comment. Through each lesson he has a question or comment. He is very literal thinking. It takes a lot of time to answer questions, but sometimes they are good questions. submitted by /u/Lingo2009 [link] [comments]
Its the 2nd to last day of school. Im not Streisand effecting that or anything. I just ignored it. Im so done. I feel awful for middle school teachers these days. I cant even imagine. Edit: For those of you mentioning abuse, report it, etc; this student has been on admins radar, the parent has been talked to a number of times, the parent is a whole other story as well. CPS has been involved. submitted by /u/Shadowtirs [link] [comments]
This was many years ago but it put a lot of things into focus. I was sitting around one summer absolutely bored out of my mind and I realized that I had put way too much of myself into work that I left no time to develop my interests and hobbies. It got me thinking about what I would be doing if I no longer had to work. What would my passions be? What would I be happily pursuing? This epiphany really woke me up to the fact that I wouldn't have any life to live if I kept giving myself all to work. I'd lose myself entirely. So now I demand significantly less of myself at work and use my free time for what I like to do. I also treat the summer like retirement where I invest in all the projects and volunteer work I love to do. Here's to hoping all my fellow teachers can use the summer to invest in themselves and chase the things that make life worth living! submitted by /u/mhgiantsfan [link] [comments]
I've had troubles in the past decompressing and getting into my evening on the weekdays. I used to do the classic happy hour drinks, weed or doomscrolling or just doing nothing and ruminate even if i am spending time with people. Basically just wasted my evenings and never really feeling present for actual life. Thankfully i've been fixing this for myself, but curious if teachers are having this problem too. How do you unwind? submitted by /u/Key_Intention_2546 [link] [comments]
So the legend that keeps getting rolled out every time a register is miss marked, is "One time a student was marked present and wern't, they committed a crime and used the register in court to try and say they were at school. The teacher got sent to prison for fraud, because it is a government document." We are sick of hearing it, and with a combined 100+ years of teaching as a faculty, no one has ever actually experienced this, or knows of this happening, but we have all heard this. Has anyone actually ever had this happen or similar? Tagged as humour as it is a winding down week, too hot and this is not a need for serious support. Have a good day everyone. submitted by /u/FilmSudden8635 [link] [comments]
How do you deal with personal/job stress after work? Do you exercise? Journal? Therapy? Cook? Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/LandofOz39 [link] [comments]
I had a student tell me that he comes to College for his ‘downtime’ as his external work is stressful. Excuse me, we’re here to learn not just socialise. I then have students who drag their feet and hand in work way beyond their deadlines yet are punctual and have high attendance 🤯 blows my mind! Anyone else experience this? submitted by /u/No-Matter-5656 [link] [comments]
Looking for opinions from fellow teachers on a situation that's come up a couple times this year (my first year): 5 teachers took our small high school on a hike last week up a local hill. It's about a ~25 min uphill walk with some different spots for views once you get there. Two teachers led, then all students, then me, then the last two teachers. The last two teachers fell behind the group, came to a subtle trail junction, and ended up taking the wrong trail a hundred yards or so. I noticed that they weren't behind me and after waiting a couple mins went back to find them heading up the wrong way. When I got them, one teacher was very upset at being left behind and getting 'lost.' They were quite angry and talked about the safety concern of the group being too spread out. But the students were all together with the first two teachers. Help me judge: This happened before with this particular teacher several times. Students are in a tight group, they fall behind, quickly get rattled a
Curious to hear what other teachers are changing for next year to address the problems they’ve had h the past. I’m looping up with my fourth graders for next year and I’ve decided to implement some new classroom rules to address some very specific issues we had. No Owalas. They are NOT leakproof. At least once a week, some kid was knocking theirs off their desk and then the top would pop open and the entire bottle’s worth would spill out of the spout. Even Stanleys made less of a mess. No assignments on the computer that can be done with pencil and paper. These kids are too dependent on technology for everything and it becomes one more thing to manage when they want to get off task. They cannot ask for help with a task if they haven’t tried on their own first. The learned helplessness is so fucking real. Similarly, I will not answer the question “what are we doing right now,” if the answer is on the board, in written directions on their paper, part of our regular classroom routine, or
Incoming high school teacher here hoping to borrow some classroom ideas from you folks. What are some favorite classroom strategies that you use? Could be classroom management, room set up, instructional, assessment, first week activities, etc...the sky's the limit. Brownie points if it can be implemented at the high school level submitted by /u/kdinhhh [link] [comments]
I’ve been thinking about how much knowledge about students never makes it into a cumulative file. A file can tell you grades, attendance, testing data, maybe behavior referrals. It can’t tell you things like: -who needs a little extra wait time before answering -which parent communication actually gets a response -what finally helped a reluctant reader gain confidence -who quietly avoids asking for help How much of that kind of knowledge gets lost when students move to the next grade? submitted by /u/NotesFromClass [link] [comments]
Hello all! I graduated May of 2025 planning on being a teacher the next school year. I have always dreamed of being a teacher and I remember getting made fun of growing up by my cousin’s because they told me I’d never make money that way. During my final year of student teaching, I had a really horrible time with my university to the point of extreme burnout and almost disdain for the profession. I felt I was being worked way harder than I should have, cohorts agreed, that everything we were doing in order to be in the teaching world was making us almost hate it. However, I loved my students and I loved the school I was interning at, it was probably the only thing really keeping me going. The worst part of it all was I failed the edTPA, and that made me feel like all of my time at the university wasn’t worth it, that I wasn’t meant for this job, and I should give up. I felt that I was too stupid to be a teacher and that if I did land a job as one, I’d only ruin the future generation. O
I work in sales and have for the last ten years, and before this I worked in other communications roles. Mostly in the publishing industry. I’m so completely burned out on corporate and can’t imagine doing this for another 20+ years. I have always been curious and interested in teaching (started the process of alternate route a decade ago, but did not complete because I moved out of state for awhile). I would want to go back for my masters and do that for as long as I could while also working my current job. I have family members who are in the school system and encourage me to go alternate route, but I really don’t love the idea. For context, I am in north New Jersey. I also know so many people burned out on teaching, who have been doing it their entire career. Is there any hope for someone who would want to make a career change? I know admin and bureaucracy can make the job unbearable, and honestly AI and the literacy crisis terrify me. But I also feel like if I could positively impa
All the department chairs were given the same budget for their supplies for the upcoming school year, and I got to be the bringer of great news explaining to my department how each of them has a generous $170 to pool and spend on lab supplies for an entire school year. Even better: none of the approved vendors are lab supply vendors. Guess students will be experimenting on supplies from Staples. submitted by /u/WinnowWings [link] [comments]
I’ve worked under 7 principals. Only really liked 1. The one principal i liked was very demanding but he never asked of us what he wouldn’t do himself. He worked hard and he even knew my content and the nuances. He was very structured but you could debate with him and sometimes he would concede the point and admit you were right. On the negative side, my “bad principals” run gamete. I had a narcissistic sexual harasser where the job was his playground. I had a lot of weird principals who were just liars and incompetent. For example, I had one principal tell me about a delivery of books. I stated I had no storage, she said to put it my closet. I said I had no closet. For the rest of the year that was a fight. I had no closet. It was weird. She came to my room to tell me where my closet was and when there wasn’t one she blamed me and the janitor somehow. And I really didn’t want to fight her but she kept escalating this closet thing. If you ever saw the Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns i
Title is honestly worded poorly but I’m just annoyed. So the last day in our division is just a scheduled cleaning day. No students. Just staff cleaning our rooms. Moving schools? Guess what you can go to your new school and clean there once you’re done cleaning here. Leaving the division or going to the sub list? That sucks but hey clean this school before ya go! Don’t you DARE leave though. My principal made that one clear. You stay bell to bell and you clean this damn building! Thank god my class did a shitty job cleaning today so I can use my whole day pretending I’m cleaning before I bounce. Off to a new school in a new division and I couldn’t happier! submitted by /u/lilbitch6699 [link] [comments]
Congrats to everyone finishing up their school years btw!! So this was my first year teaching, in a hellish middle school in a hellish district that I am very happy to report I will not be going back to next year. Yesterday was my last day of school and I decided I would take a few days to a week to unwind before I start prepping to teach at my new school in the fall. And god, am I bored. I worked out, cleaned, read about 100 pages of my book, went out, got my first massage ever, went to the store, went to a cafe, read some more, went for a walk, came home, made dinner, scrolled on my phone, and it’s now 8 pm and I am BORED. I genuinely don’t know what to do with myself. It’s not for a lack of hobbies or social circles , I have both, and intend to engage with them over this break, but I just feel like I have nothing to do and everything I am doing isn’t satisfying me. Is this a normal post school year teacher thing? Am I just still wound up from the year? For what it’s worth during the
Last year I posted about feeling burnt out, unappreciated, and being the recipient of an Eff U transfer. I cried, I ate all the pints of ice cream, I posted on Reddit… then I went into self-rescuing princess mode and redid my resume, started applying and interviewing. One job dismissed me out of hand. Several others apparently already had a candidate in mind. Another knew what they had in front of them, and hired me after only one interview!! Just finished my first year and am invited back for another! I’m actually looking forward to September! (After I go to the beach a few times, of course!) it was a wild scary ride, giving up the protections of tenure and taking a pay cut, but absolutely worth it. Tenure or seniority doesn’t have to be golden handcuffs. Find a district that sees your worth. No job is worth the cost of your health. I did it, you probably can, too. DM if you need a pep talk. submitted by /u/Leucotheasveils [link] [comments]
I'm a regular sub with lots of long term experience. As I continue into my 5th year, I'm starting to really lose the rose glasses that I saw the youth through my years. Im the type of sub who gets letters all the time from students, especially towards the end of a long term placement. I usually have received positive responses from the schools I've worked at and got preferred in multiple schools. So I hope I'm doing this job "right" as best as I can. I don't wanna trauma dump about the small minute incidents that are forming this opinion within me. But there's been so so many instances of blatant first world problems, false allegations (he said this to the class!) and retaliation from students whenever they get a grade they don't like, I am wearing out. I've noticed this issue across the board for almost every grade level, while retaliation isn't too much an issue with elementary, those kids do display alot of traits typical to spoiled children. Seriously teachers, how do y'all cope wi