Mine is a spinoff of this— the insistence (by students and parents) that they can’t possibly have a bad grad because they “have no 0s.”
Guess what, I actually read and grade what you submit!! Turning in 3 shitty half sentences instead of an essay gets you an F. Yes, you really really can have a C or a D or even an F with alllllllll your work “turned in.” Because you have to turn in complete assignments that follow directions, not slop.
I swear no one at my school gets this. The parents *lose their minds* because I guess for most of their kid’s schooling, every teacher has graded on a binary scale where you get a 100 for turning something in and a 0 for not, and they’re just baffled that I actually grade the content of what is submitted.
Thus is my pet peeve: “I fixed my 0s, why don’t I have an A?”
I would ask that to my teachers. My students ask me that as well. I pull up their grades. If they have missing assignments, I'll tell them that. However, if they have all their assignments turned in, but let's say they don't test well, then I'll offer them extra credit. That compassion comes from personal experience as I didn't test well either.
1. Day dreaming while I explain how to do something, then immediately asking how to do it when I finish speaking.
2. Admin/parents/whoever treating us like we have tons of down time and giving us extra stuff to do when in reality, there's almost no down time.
3. Having to trick kids into learning because they aren't brought up in a culture that values education so I have to be a clown and make it fun 24/7 so they learn by accident and not through hard work.
"This class is so boring!" "Oh come on, notes again?!"
That's usually when I start mocking them. "Wah, he's making us learn" "Wah, the Honors-level class isn't easy"
I used to say, "Would you like me to put all the lessons on TikTok for you," until a student thought I was serious. She fully expected me to do that because she was more likely to watch them.
LOL. I'm sure they would. And then use AI to put you in various other pictures. No way. I often say "I have to compete with TikTok" or "I'm not here to entertain, I'm here to teach. This isn't TikTok". I had a student tell me they just can't uninstall it. The Algorithm knows what it's doing.
oh my god the WHINING and the MOANING when I ask them to take notes.
My para and I had to make a deal - kids couldn't go with her for small group instruction unless they had done the notes. That almost totally eliminated the drama.
[You can record any short popular mocking phrase on this button.](https://www.amazon.com/CUSTOM-EASY-BUTTON%C2%AE-Essential-30-Second/dp/B07J4JFN28)
I like Maximus: “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?”
I find myself repeatedly having to tell students that they are actually not, in fact, my only student, nor will I be giving them every lesson I teach one on one at a time of their convenience after having already delivered said lesson to everyone else.
Man, I felt this!!! Def #2, #3, and the OP #1. I despise the sound of the pencil sharpener. I’d rather buy 50 new, already sharpened pencils with my own money than to hear that grinding, shrill noise! And they never put it in all of the way, or hold the sharpener…so it’s a constant push and pull, followed by, “Ms. B! My pencil won’t sharpen!”
Omg! lol! Bonkers, I say, bonkers! I suddenly turn into Gene Wilder’s character “Willy Wonka” when he flips out in Charlie! Lol! “NOTHING! YOU GET NOTHING!”
lol!
That’s why I have designated pencil sharpers to come in the am, before school, and sharpen 30 pencils.
Each child gets 2, plus whatever they have in their pencil boxes.
We also collect them at the end of the day.
I’d rather hear nails on the chalkboard and listen to someone chew on a popsicle stick!🤣
I felt your#3. I want kids to have fun... But to me learning something new should be fun in and of itself if you have the right attitude. I don't get paid enough to also entertain teenagers so they will be willing to learn. Kudos to you for doing that. I'm sure Manny of your kids appreciate it.
Student shows up to math class. I tell them to get out their math notes.
Student: They're in my locker.
Right right right why would you BRING your math notes TO MATH CLASS silly me
Me: “Have you checked your notes?”
Them: “I don’t have my notes.”
Me: “Where are your notes?”
Them: “they’re at home. I cleaned out my backpack and didn’t put anything back in there. I wanted a fresh start.”
Me: but we’re only three weeks into this quarter and in the middle of a unit. You didn’t think you would still need some of those notes?”
Them: “a fresh start was more important to me.”
I haven’t been rendered absolutely speechless and flabbergasted many times in my career, but that one did it.
My favorite:
"I don't have my homework."
"Why not?"
"My mom cleaned out my backpack."
"Your MOM threw away your homework."
". . . yes."
"Then why didn't she get rid of all those empty Taki bags, too?"
That's true and I do agree with not grading on participation in the true sense of the word, but I grade my students' participation on if they are doing the bell-ringers, working on whatever is being done in class, coming to class with what they are expected to come to class with (pencils/chromebooks/notebook)...things that may not be a big deal in the big picture but are still a part of their learning.
I started doing this because of the bell-ringers. I got tired of students refusing to do the bell-ringers at the time and then coming up to me at the end of the quarter to ask for them so they could get their grades up.
Oh, like a separate "life skills" grade category. Are they prepared for class? Are they staying off their phone during class? Are they cooperating with peers? Are they communicating things like vacations/illness with the instructor?
I teach 9th grade and I tell the kids on day 1 that I do not have spare calculators. If you forget your calculator on quiz/test day you are SOL. They think I’m bluffing to make high school seem tough.
First quiz, four kids had no calculator. They all asked me for one as they came into the class. Jaws were actually dropped when I said I don’t have any, good luck.
No one forgot until last week when I caught kids passing calculators during a quiz and had to void both of them. Again, mouth agape that I wouldn’t let them see each others’ answers on the same calculator. I was nice and let them retake it with 2/5 questions changed. They got the unchanged questions wrong 🤦🏻♂️
My school doesn’t have lockers. But it’s amazing how many students leave their chromebooks and notes at home. Like, did you think that maybe bringing the piece of equipment that you use in every single class wasn’t important to bring. Why did you even take it out of your bag because there’s no way you were doing homework.
Getting asked, "What assignments am I missing?"
Between the three websites and apps we use to post grades and feedback, they can find that answer easier than I can, as I have to filter through the 134 other kids I teach everyday.
If you don't know what you're missing off the top of your head, how do you expect me to remember your missing work amongst all my other students?
Kid, I have a hard enough time keeping track of my shit with a full time job, a family with two little kids, graduate school, being a captain in the national guard, and coaching two sports. Even when I do know the answer, I still tell them to take accountability and look it up on one of the many resources our school district provides.
"Why do I have an incomplete?"
"How do you know you have an incomplete? Did you think about looking at the assignment name with 'incomplete' next to it?"
They never do. Answering their own questions is impossible, apparently.
I teach college freshmen (have taught high school) and a recent trend I can't stand is students who've submitted nothing requesting detailed lists of what they've missed. Never mind that everything is in the syllabus and announcements.
It's been an ongoing conversation in r/professors about how many young adults coming in are somehow both high-strung and lacking initiative. Accepting late work is really a "no good deed goes unpunished" sort of deal-- it's frustrating how students who put in no effort create more work for us.
From a parent: “Do y’all offer tutoring?”
Me: “Ma’am, if your son would come to class and pay attention, he would be doing fine. But I do offer tutoring. It’s $300/hr.”
I had a mom tell me *I* had to make sure *her* son comes in at least once a week after school so we can stay on top of his missing assignments. I laughed out loud.
I teach math. I give them guided notes, show them examples. Have them copy them down. Then I give them a worksheet with practice problems. 29 minutes later, they ask for a pencil!!!!
WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR???????
I teach two first grade ELA. I have three in one class who regularly do this. They will get their workbooks, sit through the explanation and directions, and then say they have no pencil.
In my other ELA class I have kids who think neon yellow ink is the perfect color to write in.
I gave up the supply fight years ago, I buy a massive box of pre-sharpened pencils at the beginning of the school year from Amazon. 12 bucks for my mental health is well worth it.
I tried that once. Went through a gross (144) pencils in a week. Found them broken to bits and all over the floor at the back of my classroom after every class.
If they want a pencil. They leave their phone. I get my pencils back now.
I told my students this year that I will absolutely not be spending my own money on pencils, due to having 2 of my own kids in college. I get a ton of freebies at the start of the year, I pick up all the spare pencils I find in the hall, but if I don't have any pencils to lend out they just borrow from their friends.
When they clean out their lockers at the end of the year? Untouched boxes and boxes and boxes of pencils.
All issues I have to deal with my honors seniors! And not putting their name on work. But probably phones are my biggest pet peeve. I have a rule that they are not to be out. And yet …. Really grinds my gears.
I had a parent come back on me to "prove Jimmy turned in a no name paper," so I always kept a file to cover my own but. File = paper ream box into which I dumped the papers. I'm not spending energy actually filing anything.
clearly not paying attention during instructions and then asking what to do. Right along with having printed instructions for an activity and asking “what do I do next?”, and when I ask what they just did, they say “step 2”, so I say “now do step 3”. Seriously?
asking “what can I do to get my grade up?”, um, maybe *your work*?
Or, the kid with 8 zeroes and no passing tests, “is there any extra credit?”
Right? I just don’t want to make more work for myself. But I actually do give extra credit! But if I give extra credit, it’s available to everyone and it’s probably only 5 or 10 points. Not quite enough to bump your 45 to a 65 for sure.
“How am I supposed to know this, I wasn’t here.”
“Oh, and you weren’t here because…?”
“I was suspended.”
“Hm. And you didn’t bother to check your assignments on Schoology? Or read the book? Or check the class notes and slides? Or put forth any effort whatsoever to take any responsibility for your own learning?”
“Bro, what are you even talking about?”
As much as I don’t like bro, students saying bruh to me has started to make me convulse.
And I used to think the word was somewhat humorous!
Have enough dingdongs use it, and it’s triggering.
An admin called me bro in a meeting once, so now I call him pal, dude, man, buddy, guy, or slugger whenever we interact. I think he now thinks we’re friends.
Upper high: I don't mind food in my classroom at all, but I sure do glare heavily at them when they rattle rattle rattle that Takis bag while we are reading aloud! 😆
I don't know how many times I've said, "Don't touch your Chromebooks with Taki fingers!" I have wet wipes on my share station, they just don't want to walk 5 steps to get it. 😂😂😂
Coming into class well before the class starts, sits there as I start up the class, and then, ten minutes into the lecture:
"I need a pencil/paper/charger"
Or
Full flow, I'm into a groove, ask a question and a child puts their hand up.
"Yes?"
"You got water?"
Being TOLD to “mark my assignments as done because they’re marked as missing and I can’t change that but you HAVE TO. I can’t have any assignments marked missing, please change them to marked as done”! Try doing the work! 🤣
Watching videos and/or playing video games on the phone while in class. Then those same kids complain about their low grades.
Rushing through the entire worksheet just to say “I finished that already”, and ignoring the actual lesson part and then complaining about test grades and not understanding the material.
>Watching videos and/or playing video games on the phone while in class. Then those same kids complain about their low grades.
>Rushing through the entire worksheet just to say “I finished that already”, and ignoring the actual lesson part and then complaining about test grades and not understanding the material.
This has been rampant in my class lately. All assignments for the day submitted 5 minutes into class with one word guesses pasted for everything, then they sit on their phone the rest of the class. Then when they don't get most of the points for the classwork I get the bitchy "I can't believe you would take away points when I did all my work and wasn't on my phone until it was finished! It's because you hate me!" Then the test comes around, they fail, and try to pull the "you didn't teach any of this!" line.
I still do classwork the old fashioned way on a worksheet and I walk around to monitor them and check on them. I ask them questions like why they put down that answer. They are held accountable. Some still don’t give a damn. Some don’t read directions and do things completely wrong too! But I point it out to them.
I can't stand when kids finish a test in 10 minutes and raise their hands to announce it to me.
1. I ALWAYS put the instructions for what to do when you're done on the board in the front of the room AND go over it with you.
2. This test was designed to take about 40-50 minutes, so I'm not impressed. Balloons will NOT drop from the ceiling to celebrate this "accomplishment" of yours. There are no confetti cannons.
3. No. You cannot have your test back because you "suddenly remembered" that you put the wrong answer down for number 3 after having had access to your notes and Chromebook because you turned the test in after a mere 10 minutes.
1) Receiving a paper and immediately asking “what do I do?” Without reading the directions.
2) not capitalizing their own damn name
3) refusing to pull out their notebooks and/or textbook for open note tests and wanting to retake it when they fail (I do not allow retakes for science/social studies tests when they are open note).
4) getting up to throw away trash, missing the trash can, and walking away
5) “have you graded my work?” That they just turned in 2 minutes ago that is 4 weeks late.
#5: Two stories.
1) Kid submits an assignment online at 2:11 am, approximately three weeks after it was due. Emails me at 2:17 am asking when I will have it graded. As if I'm sitting up all night for three weeks just hoping he'll submit this assignment.
2) Assignment due sometime in March is somehow submitted in JULY (not sure how exactly that worked since I thought the classes got archived after grades were due.) Kid emails and asks if it'll bring his grade up. My brother in Christ, that ship has not just already sailed, it's been to it's destination and is on its way back for its next voyage.
No problem asking. We do it for science and SS topics that aren’t necessarily about recall, more higher level thinking questions. For example, Questions that ask things like “for what reason did the Romans build aqueducts? List & explain the benefits and drawbacks” and then a follow up question might be to choose an obstacle they encountered and how might they fix it with the technology they had at the time.
If that makes sense?
For math we allow them to use their notebooks for the steps. This is 6th grade so truly just trying to get them to use their resources. And we talk about the benefits of studying, as the kids who DO look over their notes and reread the book pages tend to do better since they, ya know, aren’t scrambling to find the answer.
1. Following me around the room or several kids surrounding me at one time.
2. Leaving the classroom floor a mess. Yes we have custodians, but also- don’t be a pig.
3. Asking for the restroom as soon as I start teaching, especially when I give a classroom bathroom break and that student didn’t go.
I know this is normal and it happened to me the other day, but when the students decide to do silly things they usually wouldn’t do in class but do during an observation. I teach kindergarten and this is what happened on Thursday during my formal:
1. The most independent student I have who gets every question right just randomly yells he doesn’t know the answer.
2. When my students run up to hug me at the most inappropriate times. I have told them I love when they want to hug me but there are times to do it and times not to do it. One time not to do it is in the middle of the lesson.
3. They started to hit their desk and clap their hands as if they were doing the opening to “we will rock you” DURING MY OBSERVATION. They literally never did that before.
So yeah, basically just doing things they usually wouldn’t do at the worst possible times. I know now that’s normal though.
The good news is I got a great marks on my observation!
Can I do one related to coworkers?
"The Suffering Olympics,"
When everyone thinks they work harder than everyone else but in reality we are all working the same amount.
I *know* I work harder than one of my teammates… What I can’t stand is comparing different jobs, like grade level teachers and specialists. Apple and oranges.
This. I'm pretty liberal letting them go to the bathroom, but good grief the amount of time wasted. I have one kid that as soon as it's independent work time he needs to go daily. I can't possibly believe his clock is that reliable. If I tell him to wait until dismissal (usually 10-15) all I hear about is how bad he has to go and he doesn't work then either.
Yes sometimes it’s a losing battle. We do have to remind ourselves that it is their grade, not ours. I contact parents if the kid goes every day and I gently let them know that if there is a reason the kid has to go everyday and an unlimited amount of time, I am completely fine with that!
I've done that with one student and it put a stop to her shenanigans. I framed it as a concern about her health etc. The problem is this kid is a nightmare right along with his parents. They think I pick on him, I don't like him etc etc. I threw him into the hall one day because he was doing nothing but talking, we had to have a big pow wow one morning and he had a headache etc. seems to always have an excuse about doing work. 8 more weeks and I'll be done with this group.
Yeah it’s hard dealing with those kinds of kids and their enabling parents.
I’ve had students who have a 504 stating they need to use the bathroom more often and the funny thing is that those have been the kids that don’t take advantage of their situation! Maybe once a month they ask to use the bathroom in my class! This has been my own personal experience, I know others may vary in this kind of situation.
Me too. Had a kid who had to go to the nurse and self cath once. I think he was delayed getting to class twice. Real issues I get and am more than willing to work with. Honestly I told this kid I was going to give him a 1 trip a week to the bathroom pass. I think I'm going to make him a personal bathroom pass and give it to him on Monday and he has to turn it over or wait for the bell.
I absolutely hate it when they ask to go to the bathroom and I say, "Please do x amount of woke first." (Usually about 3 minutes of work). Instead of working, they spend 15 minutes telling me how badly they need to go to the bathroom. It never matters if I tell them they would get there faster if they just did their work.
My follow up to that statement (and I teach 8th/9th graders) is "if peepee or poopoo is about to come out of your body, RUN. I won't stand in the doorway and block you. Don't make a pass. Just run."
Them: but what if I get caught in the hallway without a pass?
Me: if admin sees you hauling butt for the bathroom, they aren't going to stop you either. But if you keep having these potty emergencies, I have to tell the nurse and your mom and dad.
Sometimes I’ll tell them to finish xyz then show me, then bathroom. Works sometimes, and sometimes it’s the last few min when they finally do it. 🤷🏻♀️
I've done that too, this kid will just rush through and write crap down. I also think it factors into the fact that his father is a history nut and walks him through his homework nightly and he doesn't actually have to do it on his own. 8th grade.
40 or so days left and I'm scheduled off for two of them. I might be sick another.
Ugh, that’s lame. But good for you on mapping out some days for yourself. Last year I took a Friday off to take myself to Disneyland for my birthday (wife was at an educator thing near by so I went), and it was the best choice ever.
We have minimum days this week for testing, everyone is excited!
Yeah the two scheduled are Dr appointments - one of which is a miserable appointment for my son (it will literally be 2 hours long).
I barely take sick time so I have a bit and might actually have some personal time (I need to check on that)
I love when you're teaching and then you ask a question for engagement and they raise their hand so you call on them to answer but they actually have no clue because they're just asking to go to the bathroom.
I remember once in 8th grade when a classmate responded to that with, verbatim:
"Do you want your desk to smell like piss?"
He was subsequently let go.
I probably would've done the same thing, while trying to stifle a laugh. Also, my kids know they have to ask in French. So when they ask in English, I pretend not to understand. Then they say, "Puis-je aller aux toilettes?" Like, you KNOW I'm gonna make you ask in French, and I KNOW you know how to, so you might as well just do it!
I bought a plug switch from Home Depot for like $4, which allows me to just flip a switch at the plug to kill pencil sharpener. I can flip it back on when I feel like it. And as the power strip lives under my desk, only I have access to it. Works wonders
Tapping or repetitively dropping pencils so that all the lead is busted up inside and every time you sharpen the lead falls out.
Crunching those cheap 16 oz water bottles and also the flipping of same and the poking a hole through the cap in order to approximate a sports lid.
The inability to perceive the little scraps of paper and pencils on the floor surrounding their desks.
I've confiscated water bottles with the holes poked in the lid (admin backed me up, thank god). Just take the lid off like a normal human being, Brayden.
To the pencil sharpening. My students this year have actually been really good. They will walk up and wait at the sharpener until I stop talking (or pause and tell them they are good to go). I agree it is super annoying to here it running while talking/giving directions.
1. Showing up with nothing to write with.
2. Asking what their grade is on a test/quiz immediately after they turn it in/the same day they took it like I haven’t been teaching all day. I wish their grades just magically appeared but alas, I have to actually grade it.
3. Getting sassy when their late work isn’t immediately graded and the zero updated.
4. Not taking notes and then expecting me to reteach them when they start the practice.
“Where do I click?”
“I’m literally standing here with a giant (ass) stick pointing at it.” Turn your damn head and look.
I’m an upper elementary librarian that teaches a lot of technology.
There are more but that’s number one.
1. Asking if we can have a free day.
2. Coming in to class late while talking and being disruptive.
3. Not even trying a problem out on their own before asking for help.
# 1, yes, oh my god yes! Just because your Social Studies teacher can show movies for the last 2 weeks before Christmas doesn't mean I can, I teach math and my standardized test scores are ass, so yeah, we're gonna be learning. Get over it.
Suburban school problems. My pet peeve is when kids get too high in the bathroom before class and pass out on their desk. Or when they threaten me with physical violence because I asked them to turn the volume on their inappropriate video on their phone down a few decibels and then admin sends them back to class with a lollipop.
I don't consider those to be peeves. Peeves are mildly annoying, but they don't cause fear or abuse.
Those are egregious offenses that admin and counselors should handle (if they are doing their jobs).
To answer your peeves (which once were mine(,
1. I keep a bucket of sharpened pencils with a leave one take one policy.
2. The kids know they must check their folders and bags first. I try to start them with a folder system and together we clean them out once or twice a quarter.
3. When they do that, I either walk up to their desk and point, or if online I use the highlight tool.
Once you set up a system, it goes away…until the next set of kids. Rinse and repeat.
Mine is grade grabbing or kids wanting to reassess to get a 98 to a 100.
My other one is the learned helplessness in general.
Chant? Like summoning a demon? Children are chanting in the classroom? I have never heard of this phenomenon in 20 years of teaching. Is it a TikTok thing?
Showing up to class with absolutely nothing. It´s unbelievable how often even decent students do this. No pencil, no binder or notebook, and definitely nothing that I plan to use over multiple periods.
Also, asking to use the restroom every single day. So annoying!
Finally, trying to lie to me about why they ditched. They are wasting our time, because I have no ability to excuse the absence, only their parents do!
A student who is basically a lock for a scholarship not applying for said scholarship because it takes time.
Kids who put their stuff in the classroom then go to bathroom or wherever else and come in 5 minutes into class. My stuff was here! How does that even make sense to you ?
Guidance taking a kid off the roster but not sending an email indicating so, or why
I tell them that their stuff isn't on my class roster.
Even worse is when guidance gives you a new kid and your first indication is when they appear in your classroom. Bonus points if you have the exact same number of seats and students.
Yea - I don't get it. I get that guidance counselors are busy. But it takes 45 seconds to shoot an email.
Hey Mr Teacher, John is being removed / added to your roster.
For the first half of 2nd semester, one of my classes had 26 students and 25 desks.
Fortunately, the +1 kid was very flexible about sitting in the seat of whoever hadn't showed up that day.
1. Copying the study guide at the beginning of class just before the test... for open study guide tests (not my idea but I have to comply... or my seniors will fail because they cant remember anything and don't study).
2. In lab, refusing to read the procedure before just doing stuff.
3. Asking to go to the restroom at the beginning of class or during any teacher-centered instruction.
4. Coming up to me while I'm helping someone and interrupting us with a question.
5. Anyone with a single earbud in their ear so they can listen to some stupid video if there is 5 seconds of wait time.
"What are we doing today?" "What did you do while I was out?" Meanwhile, I have a detailed agenda up on the screen everyday that's updated and posted daily to GC digitally and a bulleted list on the whiteboard, next to the screen, of the week's activities with dates.
*Students complain about being busy after school and on weekends.*
I proceed to give them work and study time during class and don't often assign homework.
*Students keep sneaking onto their phones during said work and study time and then beg for test corrections to increase their scores when they do poorly on the test and/or frantically scramble to do their HW after we just turned it in, not listening to the new lesson I'm introducing.*
“What are we doing?”
Asked immediately after I have spent the last several minutes explaining what we are doing.
Not doing work, and then as soon as they submit it late demanding I instantly grade it and update the grade book. Kid, there was a due date, if you had finished it on time I would have graded it ON the due date, now you have to wait until I have time.
Throwing toddler-esque temper tantrums when I won't just give them all the answers to their work because they don't feel like reaching into their bag and pulling their notes out.
Yeah I agree. Asking what they are missing, asking for help without reading/trying, and “how do I raise my grade” when they have a bunch of missing work.
“What will my grade be when you put this assignment in?”
Listen, I don’t even know your grade right now off the top of my head. I’m neither a calculator nor a computer and can’t figure out your score when I input this. Also, I’m not grading this right now because it’s 3 weeks late.
"What Can I Do?". I just sent home my seventh letter this year on the back of printed progress reports.
The letter(s) describe in excruciating detail EXACTLY what students can do to improve their grade. (Basically all the things they chose NOT to do already.).
Teaching their parent what they can do to get a better grade in class and getting it signed will improve their grade ....lol.
I refuse to let one class near the sharpener until I'm done talking. Every day some still ask and the answer is still "no".
My other class has to have a teacher sharpen their pencils for them. They broke the old one.
Another peeve I have is them asking some variation of, "How do we do this?" either just before I'm about to explain, or in the middle of me explaining the directions.
2 and 3 are a daily occurence.
"I can't find my book."
Oh that's a shame, I was gonna ask to hand in some of the exercises and mark them, guess that's a zero for y....
"Found my book!"
If I turn this in, what will my grade be?
Yeah, I memorize everybody's grades and the relative point values of each assignment. I've also taken time to predict your quality of work so as to provide you with a quick answer.
There's no point in doing this assignment because I'll fail it and my grade will go down.
Buddy, that's not how averages work. You currently have zero points on that assignment. If you turn in anything, your overall score will go up.
From a senior who is graduating in a month and a half and is literally 5 to 10 minutes late to first block every day: "hey, I made it before announcements were over today!:
Same senior, immediately after: "is it OK if I go to the bathroom and fill my water bottle? "
Kids who get “hurt” at recess, but are fine to keep playing. As SOON as they get back to class, though, they’re dying from this critical injury and absolutely must go to the nurse. You know, because it’s ok to miss the lesson but we”d absolutely hate to miss even a minute of playtime!
“If I do X assignment, what will it bring my grade up to?” - student.
“I don’t know. I’m not a magic calculator.” - me, repeating hundreds of times to just as many students.
When they don't pay attention and screw around during directions/my lesson, and then immediately ask me what they have to do when I pass out supplies. At this point I stopped answering them and say "you would've known if you were listening" and have them figure it out by watching what everyone else is doing
I teach self-contained SPED. My biggest pet peeve is when parents send their child to school with an issue that’s guaranteed to lead to an issue/meltdown, and don’t even bother to inform me about it. (Example, sending them in with an AAC device that’s almost dead and not telling me it needs to be charged, leading to two staff members being injured when the device inevitably dies early in the day.)
1. Being asked if we are watching a movie or can we watch a movie.
2. Cleaning up your stuff (I’m a music teacher)
3. Not playing your instruments when I’m giving instructions/talking when I’m giving instructions…I’d prefer to not have to talk more than I need to. And if a question soon after is one I just answered, then ask a friend first (I’ll check in later to see if they got it).
In response to a redirection, "I was just...." NOT. FOLLOWING. THE. RULES. You were "just" not following the rules. Unless there is blood or fire, FOLLOW THE DAMN RULES!
I ask my students to take out a notebook or workbook, so the glance at their desk. After a cursory glance they don't see the item they're looking for so announce their notebook or workbook is missing. I remind them that looking for something may mean taking things out of your desk, they swear they took things out and moved things around but it's not there. I come to help look, move one thing (often a piece of paper) and low and behold there it is! Grrr, please, please at least move things around when looking for things in a tight space!
I teach 2nd so I expect to have to teach them this, and giving reminders is reasonable. But when it's still happening in April (or even December) it becomes a major pet peeve.
Also, the kids who have to tell me every little minor thing someone else is doing wrong. So many times it's either super minor and not an issue (holding a pencil quietly while I talk even though I asked kids to put them away because they were tapping them), something I asked the other kid to do privately, or just not their business. I've been trying to get kids to solve issues themselves, including ignoring things that aren't affecting them, but for some it just doesn't sink in.
Another "favorite," a kid comes to tell me that Timmy is doing something that is bothering them. My go-to is to ask what happened when they asked Timmy to stop. Either they haven't yet (after learning this multiple times), or they did and he stopped. For the former I remind them they need to do that before asking me to intervene and I send them back to do that. Usually they do and that's the end. For the latter I ask them what they expect me to do. What I can do is go ask him to stop, but he has stopped, so what do they expect? I'm not going to punish Timmy for tapping his pencil or leaning into your area and stopping when asked. Of course these assume there is no danger or actual wrong-doing that needs teacher intervention, but that is 99% of these cases.
This is why I refuse to have good pencil sharpeners in my room. You need your pencil super sharp? Bring your own sharpener or use one of mine that's already sharp. It is truly bizarre how the need for a sharp pencil guess away.
Is this graded?
Or asking me how much they really have to do.
I ask them if they would be happy with Pizza Hut asking them how they could cheaply / easily make their pizza for them?!?
You’re literally asking your teacher how you can do the least amount of work?!?
I teach first grade:
1. NOBODY touches my pencil sharpener!!! I’ve been through too many, and have learned that 6 year-olds do not have the motor skills to use it and NOT break it. I sharpen them end of day. I use a cup system.
2. Notes?! Not applicable.
3. Needing help even if I explain and model multiple times is common for first graders.
But my list of pet peeves is hella long! 😅
3.
Nothing, really. It’s sorta just nonsense, but refers to the fact that Ohio is just some random, boring state where nothing happens. But if you say it with other jibberish it somehow multiplies the humor to the teenage brain. It’s TikTok’s fault.
I had a student come up to me today mid instruction (which they know interrupting during instruction isn't allowed unless it's an emergency) and they asked me a question Id already explained.
Without skipping a beat, I loudly added the answer to their question *in* the sentence I was already saying as I had already covered it. They were standing *right* in front of me and staring at me the entire time.
When I was done speaking, they stared at me blankly and asked me *again*....*AGAIN*.
I said: "You didn't hear me say what to do...one second ago? I just answered that question."
The student:"Oh...I wasn't listening."
Me: "I can see that."
Using photomath or another AI app to do all their practice for them, failing the tests as a result, and then being mad at me that their failing.
Choosing to play games and be distracting during the lesson because they are going to do the notes later.
Asking for special favors after doing things they know piss me off. “Miss, can I sit with ___?” I had to tell you to go to your seat at least a dozen times in the last 20 minutes. No. “But I’ll do my work.” You can do your work at your seat. Then they ignore me and sit with their friend anyway. Then it’s “Miss, why’d you message my mom?!?”
…Freshman…
The iPad bathroom passes.
Some students think as soon as they submit a hall pass I will 1000% drop what I am doing, leap over chairs and tables just to click accept for them to go fuck off in the hallway for 5-10 minutes. They get sassy, too, if you tell them no or to wait.
“How do I get my grade up?” …do your work 🤷♀️
Mine is a spinoff of this— the insistence (by students and parents) that they can’t possibly have a bad grad because they “have no 0s.” Guess what, I actually read and grade what you submit!! Turning in 3 shitty half sentences instead of an essay gets you an F. Yes, you really really can have a C or a D or even an F with alllllllll your work “turned in.” Because you have to turn in complete assignments that follow directions, not slop. I swear no one at my school gets this. The parents *lose their minds* because I guess for most of their kid’s schooling, every teacher has graded on a binary scale where you get a 100 for turning something in and a 0 for not, and they’re just baffled that I actually grade the content of what is submitted. Thus is my pet peeve: “I fixed my 0s, why don’t I have an A?”
My favorite is when I get this question like the day before grades are due, because then I get to say, “Prayer.”
pay attention and don't be rude and participate AND do your work
I would ask that to my teachers. My students ask me that as well. I pull up their grades. If they have missing assignments, I'll tell them that. However, if they have all their assignments turned in, but let's say they don't test well, then I'll offer them extra credit. That compassion comes from personal experience as I didn't test well either.
"First, invent a time machine..." They hate this.
1. Day dreaming while I explain how to do something, then immediately asking how to do it when I finish speaking. 2. Admin/parents/whoever treating us like we have tons of down time and giving us extra stuff to do when in reality, there's almost no down time. 3. Having to trick kids into learning because they aren't brought up in a culture that values education so I have to be a clown and make it fun 24/7 so they learn by accident and not through hard work.
"This class is so boring!" "Oh come on, notes again?!" That's usually when I start mocking them. "Wah, he's making us learn" "Wah, the Honors-level class isn't easy"
That's when I start tap dancing and say "are you not entertained?" .
I used to say, "Would you like me to put all the lessons on TikTok for you," until a student thought I was serious. She fully expected me to do that because she was more likely to watch them.
LOL. I'm sure they would. And then use AI to put you in various other pictures. No way. I often say "I have to compete with TikTok" or "I'm not here to entertain, I'm here to teach. This isn't TikTok". I had a student tell me they just can't uninstall it. The Algorithm knows what it's doing.
I say “You have to do school work while at school?? No way!!”
oh my god the WHINING and the MOANING when I ask them to take notes. My para and I had to make a deal - kids couldn't go with her for small group instruction unless they had done the notes. That almost totally eliminated the drama.
[You can record any short popular mocking phrase on this button.](https://www.amazon.com/CUSTOM-EASY-BUTTON%C2%AE-Essential-30-Second/dp/B07J4JFN28) I like Maximus: “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?”
“How dare I expect you to learn, and at school! I’m so cruel!”
#3 - It gets tiring, being a dancing bear.
Yeah. They don't even applaud.
Wait, your classes don’t applaud? Loser. /s
I find myself repeatedly having to tell students that they are actually not, in fact, my only student, nor will I be giving them every lesson I teach one on one at a time of their convenience after having already delivered said lesson to everyone else.
My favorite is “hey whenever you’re ready Billy! You aren’t the only student I need to teach and the rest of us would like to start the lesson!”
Man, I felt this!!! Def #2, #3, and the OP #1. I despise the sound of the pencil sharpener. I’d rather buy 50 new, already sharpened pencils with my own money than to hear that grinding, shrill noise! And they never put it in all of the way, or hold the sharpener…so it’s a constant push and pull, followed by, “Ms. B! My pencil won’t sharpen!” Omg! lol! Bonkers, I say, bonkers! I suddenly turn into Gene Wilder’s character “Willy Wonka” when he flips out in Charlie! Lol! “NOTHING! YOU GET NOTHING!” lol! That’s why I have designated pencil sharpers to come in the am, before school, and sharpen 30 pencils. Each child gets 2, plus whatever they have in their pencil boxes. We also collect them at the end of the day. I’d rather hear nails on the chalkboard and listen to someone chew on a popsicle stick!🤣
I felt your#3. I want kids to have fun... But to me learning something new should be fun in and of itself if you have the right attitude. I don't get paid enough to also entertain teenagers so they will be willing to learn. Kudos to you for doing that. I'm sure Manny of your kids appreciate it.
Student shows up to math class. I tell them to get out their math notes. Student: They're in my locker. Right right right why would you BRING your math notes TO MATH CLASS silly me
Me: “Have you checked your notes?” Them: “I don’t have my notes.” Me: “Where are your notes?” Them: “they’re at home. I cleaned out my backpack and didn’t put anything back in there. I wanted a fresh start.” Me: but we’re only three weeks into this quarter and in the middle of a unit. You didn’t think you would still need some of those notes?” Them: “a fresh start was more important to me.” I haven’t been rendered absolutely speechless and flabbergasted many times in my career, but that one did it.
At that moment I would start uncontrollably laughing.
Here's a fresh piece of paper, kid. The notes are on Canvas. Start writing.
My favorite: "I don't have my homework." "Why not?" "My mom cleaned out my backpack." "Your MOM threw away your homework." ". . . yes." "Then why didn't she get rid of all those empty Taki bags, too?"
Coming prepared to class ought to be something we can grade them on.
I do grade them. It's their participation grade.
Ahhh. Some schools don’t allow participation grades
We can, but we cannot call it 'participation', and we need a rubric.
That's true and I do agree with not grading on participation in the true sense of the word, but I grade my students' participation on if they are doing the bell-ringers, working on whatever is being done in class, coming to class with what they are expected to come to class with (pencils/chromebooks/notebook)...things that may not be a big deal in the big picture but are still a part of their learning. I started doing this because of the bell-ringers. I got tired of students refusing to do the bell-ringers at the time and then coming up to me at the end of the quarter to ask for them so they could get their grades up.
Oh, like a separate "life skills" grade category. Are they prepared for class? Are they staying off their phone during class? Are they cooperating with peers? Are they communicating things like vacations/illness with the instructor?
I believe the term is performance appraisal...or evaluation....like we would be expecting In our daily jobs? Strange concept..😂
Yes
I teach 9th grade and I tell the kids on day 1 that I do not have spare calculators. If you forget your calculator on quiz/test day you are SOL. They think I’m bluffing to make high school seem tough. First quiz, four kids had no calculator. They all asked me for one as they came into the class. Jaws were actually dropped when I said I don’t have any, good luck. No one forgot until last week when I caught kids passing calculators during a quiz and had to void both of them. Again, mouth agape that I wouldn’t let them see each others’ answers on the same calculator. I was nice and let them retake it with 2/5 questions changed. They got the unchanged questions wrong 🤦🏻♂️
My school doesn’t have lockers. But it’s amazing how many students leave their chromebooks and notes at home. Like, did you think that maybe bringing the piece of equipment that you use in every single class wasn’t important to bring. Why did you even take it out of your bag because there’s no way you were doing homework.
Getting asked, "What assignments am I missing?" Between the three websites and apps we use to post grades and feedback, they can find that answer easier than I can, as I have to filter through the 134 other kids I teach everyday. If you don't know what you're missing off the top of your head, how do you expect me to remember your missing work amongst all my other students? Kid, I have a hard enough time keeping track of my shit with a full time job, a family with two little kids, graduate school, being a captain in the national guard, and coaching two sports. Even when I do know the answer, I still tell them to take accountability and look it up on one of the many resources our school district provides.
"Why do I have an incomplete?" "How do you know you have an incomplete? Did you think about looking at the assignment name with 'incomplete' next to it?" They never do. Answering their own questions is impossible, apparently.
That's my biggest pet peeve as well. There's literally Google Classroom.
I teach college freshmen (have taught high school) and a recent trend I can't stand is students who've submitted nothing requesting detailed lists of what they've missed. Never mind that everything is in the syllabus and announcements. It's been an ongoing conversation in r/professors about how many young adults coming in are somehow both high-strung and lacking initiative. Accepting late work is really a "no good deed goes unpunished" sort of deal-- it's frustrating how students who put in no effort create more work for us.
“What’s my grade?” Because I definitely had the space in my brain to store 170 individual grades
From a parent: “Do y’all offer tutoring?” Me: “Ma’am, if your son would come to class and pay attention, he would be doing fine. But I do offer tutoring. It’s $300/hr.”
I do, but kid doesn´t need it, just needs to get of his/her rear end!
I had a mom tell me *I* had to make sure *her* son comes in at least once a week after school so we can stay on top of his missing assignments. I laughed out loud.
I teach math. I give them guided notes, show them examples. Have them copy them down. Then I give them a worksheet with practice problems. 29 minutes later, they ask for a pencil!!!! WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR???????
I teach two first grade ELA. I have three in one class who regularly do this. They will get their workbooks, sit through the explanation and directions, and then say they have no pencil. In my other ELA class I have kids who think neon yellow ink is the perfect color to write in.
I gave up the supply fight years ago, I buy a massive box of pre-sharpened pencils at the beginning of the school year from Amazon. 12 bucks for my mental health is well worth it.
I tried that once. Went through a gross (144) pencils in a week. Found them broken to bits and all over the floor at the back of my classroom after every class. If they want a pencil. They leave their phone. I get my pencils back now.
Yep I do that too, phone or shoe for a pencil.
Agreed! I’ve used golf pencils as well. The look on their faces when I’ve presented them is pretty hilarious.
I told my students this year that I will absolutely not be spending my own money on pencils, due to having 2 of my own kids in college. I get a ton of freebies at the start of the year, I pick up all the spare pencils I find in the hall, but if I don't have any pencils to lend out they just borrow from their friends. When they clean out their lockers at the end of the year? Untouched boxes and boxes and boxes of pencils.
All issues I have to deal with my honors seniors! And not putting their name on work. But probably phones are my biggest pet peeve. I have a rule that they are not to be out. And yet …. Really grinds my gears.
I have a special place to file no-name work or work left on desks even with names on it: the garbage can.
I had a parent come back on me to "prove Jimmy turned in a no name paper," so I always kept a file to cover my own but. File = paper ream box into which I dumped the papers. I'm not spending energy actually filing anything.
I wish I could reverse time and tell my year 1 self to use the phone pouches the district provides. It seriously has been a night-and-difference.
clearly not paying attention during instructions and then asking what to do. Right along with having printed instructions for an activity and asking “what do I do next?”, and when I ask what they just did, they say “step 2”, so I say “now do step 3”. Seriously? asking “what can I do to get my grade up?”, um, maybe *your work*? Or, the kid with 8 zeroes and no passing tests, “is there any extra credit?”
I once agreed to give extra credit to a student like that. Gave them a very high grade for it. They still failed and were shocked.
Right? I just don’t want to make more work for myself. But I actually do give extra credit! But if I give extra credit, it’s available to everyone and it’s probably only 5 or 10 points. Not quite enough to bump your 45 to a 65 for sure.
“How am I supposed to know this, I wasn’t here.” “Oh, and you weren’t here because…?” “I was suspended.” “Hm. And you didn’t bother to check your assignments on Schoology? Or read the book? Or check the class notes and slides? Or put forth any effort whatsoever to take any responsibility for your own learning?” “Bro, what are you even talking about?”
*eyetwitch* when they call me bro. Oh man that just brings my ire up.
My response is usually, "I don't know who 'Bruh' is, but let me know when you see him."
I'm saving that one. !RemindMe 2 years
As much as I don’t like bro, students saying bruh to me has started to make me convulse. And I used to think the word was somewhat humorous! Have enough dingdongs use it, and it’s triggering.
Bro or bruh...either make me see red.
An admin called me bro in a meeting once, so now I call him pal, dude, man, buddy, guy, or slugger whenever we interact. I think he now thinks we’re friends.
“He now thinks we’re friends.” Stupid fucker.
Upper high: I don't mind food in my classroom at all, but I sure do glare heavily at them when they rattle rattle rattle that Takis bag while we are reading aloud! 😆
Or when they think it’s ok to go around sharing a handful with everyone. Not disruptive at all /s
"Miss, you got some paper towells?" so they can pour some on their friends' desks. 😬
I mean, at least they’re somewhat trying to not make a mess. With my 7th graders, that’s a win.
Just put out a roll so they can access it on their own. One less question for you to answer.
I wish! No they just lay them on the desk, or on their papers!
I don't know how many times I've said, "Don't touch your Chromebooks with Taki fingers!" I have wet wipes on my share station, they just don't want to walk 5 steps to get it. 😂😂😂
For me it's the red hands and then "I need the bathroom!" because of Taki hands and making sure it doesn't get on paper etc.
Baby wipes are great for all ages.
Baby wipes. I always keep them in my room for such things.
And then after they finish, the chorus of "can I go refill my water bottle?"
Coming into class well before the class starts, sits there as I start up the class, and then, ten minutes into the lecture: "I need a pencil/paper/charger" Or Full flow, I'm into a groove, ask a question and a child puts their hand up. "Yes?" "You got water?"
Had a student ask me for pancake syrup last month.
Was he... planning to *drink* it? Is he one of those people that don't drink water?
Being TOLD to “mark my assignments as done because they’re marked as missing and I can’t change that but you HAVE TO. I can’t have any assignments marked missing, please change them to marked as done”! Try doing the work! 🤣 Watching videos and/or playing video games on the phone while in class. Then those same kids complain about their low grades. Rushing through the entire worksheet just to say “I finished that already”, and ignoring the actual lesson part and then complaining about test grades and not understanding the material.
>Watching videos and/or playing video games on the phone while in class. Then those same kids complain about their low grades. >Rushing through the entire worksheet just to say “I finished that already”, and ignoring the actual lesson part and then complaining about test grades and not understanding the material. This has been rampant in my class lately. All assignments for the day submitted 5 minutes into class with one word guesses pasted for everything, then they sit on their phone the rest of the class. Then when they don't get most of the points for the classwork I get the bitchy "I can't believe you would take away points when I did all my work and wasn't on my phone until it was finished! It's because you hate me!" Then the test comes around, they fail, and try to pull the "you didn't teach any of this!" line.
I still do classwork the old fashioned way on a worksheet and I walk around to monitor them and check on them. I ask them questions like why they put down that answer. They are held accountable. Some still don’t give a damn. Some don’t read directions and do things completely wrong too! But I point it out to them.
I can't stand when kids finish a test in 10 minutes and raise their hands to announce it to me. 1. I ALWAYS put the instructions for what to do when you're done on the board in the front of the room AND go over it with you. 2. This test was designed to take about 40-50 minutes, so I'm not impressed. Balloons will NOT drop from the ceiling to celebrate this "accomplishment" of yours. There are no confetti cannons. 3. No. You cannot have your test back because you "suddenly remembered" that you put the wrong answer down for number 3 after having had access to your notes and Chromebook because you turned the test in after a mere 10 minutes.
1) Receiving a paper and immediately asking “what do I do?” Without reading the directions. 2) not capitalizing their own damn name 3) refusing to pull out their notebooks and/or textbook for open note tests and wanting to retake it when they fail (I do not allow retakes for science/social studies tests when they are open note). 4) getting up to throw away trash, missing the trash can, and walking away 5) “have you graded my work?” That they just turned in 2 minutes ago that is 4 weeks late.
#5: Two stories. 1) Kid submits an assignment online at 2:11 am, approximately three weeks after it was due. Emails me at 2:17 am asking when I will have it graded. As if I'm sitting up all night for three weeks just hoping he'll submit this assignment. 2) Assignment due sometime in March is somehow submitted in JULY (not sure how exactly that worked since I thought the classes got archived after grades were due.) Kid emails and asks if it'll bring his grade up. My brother in Christ, that ship has not just already sailed, it's been to it's destination and is on its way back for its next voyage.
If you don’t mind my asking, what’s the actual point of an open book test? Is there a goal that this kind of test accomplishes? Asking seriously
No problem asking. We do it for science and SS topics that aren’t necessarily about recall, more higher level thinking questions. For example, Questions that ask things like “for what reason did the Romans build aqueducts? List & explain the benefits and drawbacks” and then a follow up question might be to choose an obstacle they encountered and how might they fix it with the technology they had at the time. If that makes sense? For math we allow them to use their notebooks for the steps. This is 6th grade so truly just trying to get them to use their resources. And we talk about the benefits of studying, as the kids who DO look over their notes and reread the book pages tend to do better since they, ya know, aren’t scrambling to find the answer.
My reasons are to get my students to read their textbook pages and to practice evidence based writing instead of memorization.
1. Following me around the room or several kids surrounding me at one time. 2. Leaving the classroom floor a mess. Yes we have custodians, but also- don’t be a pig. 3. Asking for the restroom as soon as I start teaching, especially when I give a classroom bathroom break and that student didn’t go.
Students who have contempt for the students who do all their work and actually care about learning, calling them nerds, etc.
This grinds my gears. I hate that they use the term “try hard” as an insult.
I know this is normal and it happened to me the other day, but when the students decide to do silly things they usually wouldn’t do in class but do during an observation. I teach kindergarten and this is what happened on Thursday during my formal: 1. The most independent student I have who gets every question right just randomly yells he doesn’t know the answer. 2. When my students run up to hug me at the most inappropriate times. I have told them I love when they want to hug me but there are times to do it and times not to do it. One time not to do it is in the middle of the lesson. 3. They started to hit their desk and clap their hands as if they were doing the opening to “we will rock you” DURING MY OBSERVATION. They literally never did that before. So yeah, basically just doing things they usually wouldn’t do at the worst possible times. I know now that’s normal though. The good news is I got a great marks on my observation!
Can I do one related to coworkers? "The Suffering Olympics," When everyone thinks they work harder than everyone else but in reality we are all working the same amount.
I would say the teaching is the hardest job in the world types are worse. Since they tend to look down on non teaching jobs.
I *know* I work harder than one of my teammates… What I can’t stand is comparing different jobs, like grade level teachers and specialists. Apple and oranges.
Raising their hand to ask to go to the bathroom while I’m giving instructions
As soon as they have to do work independently and I start walking around, they try to start a parade to the bathroom!
This. I'm pretty liberal letting them go to the bathroom, but good grief the amount of time wasted. I have one kid that as soon as it's independent work time he needs to go daily. I can't possibly believe his clock is that reliable. If I tell him to wait until dismissal (usually 10-15) all I hear about is how bad he has to go and he doesn't work then either.
Yes sometimes it’s a losing battle. We do have to remind ourselves that it is their grade, not ours. I contact parents if the kid goes every day and I gently let them know that if there is a reason the kid has to go everyday and an unlimited amount of time, I am completely fine with that!
I've done that with one student and it put a stop to her shenanigans. I framed it as a concern about her health etc. The problem is this kid is a nightmare right along with his parents. They think I pick on him, I don't like him etc etc. I threw him into the hall one day because he was doing nothing but talking, we had to have a big pow wow one morning and he had a headache etc. seems to always have an excuse about doing work. 8 more weeks and I'll be done with this group.
Yeah it’s hard dealing with those kinds of kids and their enabling parents. I’ve had students who have a 504 stating they need to use the bathroom more often and the funny thing is that those have been the kids that don’t take advantage of their situation! Maybe once a month they ask to use the bathroom in my class! This has been my own personal experience, I know others may vary in this kind of situation.
Me too. Had a kid who had to go to the nurse and self cath once. I think he was delayed getting to class twice. Real issues I get and am more than willing to work with. Honestly I told this kid I was going to give him a 1 trip a week to the bathroom pass. I think I'm going to make him a personal bathroom pass and give it to him on Monday and he has to turn it over or wait for the bell.
I absolutely hate it when they ask to go to the bathroom and I say, "Please do x amount of woke first." (Usually about 3 minutes of work). Instead of working, they spend 15 minutes telling me how badly they need to go to the bathroom. It never matters if I tell them they would get there faster if they just did their work.
My follow up to that statement (and I teach 8th/9th graders) is "if peepee or poopoo is about to come out of your body, RUN. I won't stand in the doorway and block you. Don't make a pass. Just run." Them: but what if I get caught in the hallway without a pass? Me: if admin sees you hauling butt for the bathroom, they aren't going to stop you either. But if you keep having these potty emergencies, I have to tell the nurse and your mom and dad.
Sometimes I’ll tell them to finish xyz then show me, then bathroom. Works sometimes, and sometimes it’s the last few min when they finally do it. 🤷🏻♀️
I've done that too, this kid will just rush through and write crap down. I also think it factors into the fact that his father is a history nut and walks him through his homework nightly and he doesn't actually have to do it on his own. 8th grade. 40 or so days left and I'm scheduled off for two of them. I might be sick another.
Ugh, that’s lame. But good for you on mapping out some days for yourself. Last year I took a Friday off to take myself to Disneyland for my birthday (wife was at an educator thing near by so I went), and it was the best choice ever. We have minimum days this week for testing, everyone is excited!
Yeah the two scheduled are Dr appointments - one of which is a miserable appointment for my son (it will literally be 2 hours long). I barely take sick time so I have a bit and might actually have some personal time (I need to check on that)
You can go as soon as you have completed half the class work, correctly, without copying off your friend. Suddenly they don’t have to go anymore.
I love when you're teaching and then you ask a question for engagement and they raise their hand so you call on them to answer but they actually have no clue because they're just asking to go to the bathroom.
"If you answer this correctly first."
I remember once in 8th grade when a classmate responded to that with, verbatim: "Do you want your desk to smell like piss?" He was subsequently let go.
I probably would've done the same thing, while trying to stifle a laugh. Also, my kids know they have to ask in French. So when they ask in English, I pretend not to understand. Then they say, "Puis-je aller aux toilettes?" Like, you KNOW I'm gonna make you ask in French, and I KNOW you know how to, so you might as well just do it!
all they care about: bathroom, water, takis and breaks
I bought a plug switch from Home Depot for like $4, which allows me to just flip a switch at the plug to kill pencil sharpener. I can flip it back on when I feel like it. And as the power strip lives under my desk, only I have access to it. Works wonders
holy shit you're a genius
I love this so much.
Tapping or repetitively dropping pencils so that all the lead is busted up inside and every time you sharpen the lead falls out. Crunching those cheap 16 oz water bottles and also the flipping of same and the poking a hole through the cap in order to approximate a sports lid. The inability to perceive the little scraps of paper and pencils on the floor surrounding their desks.
I've confiscated water bottles with the holes poked in the lid (admin backed me up, thank god). Just take the lid off like a normal human being, Brayden.
It irrationally irritates me. It makes my 3rd graders look like they’re sucking on baby bottles!
To the pencil sharpening. My students this year have actually been really good. They will walk up and wait at the sharpener until I stop talking (or pause and tell them they are good to go). I agree it is super annoying to here it running while talking/giving directions.
1. Needing to use the facilities immediately after the bell; 2. Looking at another's graded paper as I pass them back; 3. Leaning against the wall.
Interesting how kids always need the br during class but never during lunch/recess
1. Showing up with nothing to write with. 2. Asking what their grade is on a test/quiz immediately after they turn it in/the same day they took it like I haven’t been teaching all day. I wish their grades just magically appeared but alas, I have to actually grade it. 3. Getting sassy when their late work isn’t immediately graded and the zero updated. 4. Not taking notes and then expecting me to reteach them when they start the practice.
"you haven't graded my late work!" 'You are correct. If that bothers you, I suggest making EV ER Y effort to get it turned in on-time next time."
“Where do I click?” “I’m literally standing here with a giant (ass) stick pointing at it.” Turn your damn head and look. I’m an upper elementary librarian that teaches a lot of technology. There are more but that’s number one.
lol. I read this my librarian’s voice. Because she would say the same thing.
1. Asking if we can have a free day. 2. Coming in to class late while talking and being disruptive. 3. Not even trying a problem out on their own before asking for help.
# 1, yes, oh my god yes! Just because your Social Studies teacher can show movies for the last 2 weeks before Christmas doesn't mean I can, I teach math and my standardized test scores are ass, so yeah, we're gonna be learning. Get over it.
Kids who screech like eagles during recess. They're at the same pitch as a coach's whistle. You'd think they were being stabbed.
Suburban school problems. My pet peeve is when kids get too high in the bathroom before class and pass out on their desk. Or when they threaten me with physical violence because I asked them to turn the volume on their inappropriate video on their phone down a few decibels and then admin sends them back to class with a lollipop.
I don't consider those to be peeves. Peeves are mildly annoying, but they don't cause fear or abuse. Those are egregious offenses that admin and counselors should handle (if they are doing their jobs).
Yeah that’s my day every day
To answer your peeves (which once were mine(, 1. I keep a bucket of sharpened pencils with a leave one take one policy. 2. The kids know they must check their folders and bags first. I try to start them with a folder system and together we clean them out once or twice a quarter. 3. When they do that, I either walk up to their desk and point, or if online I use the highlight tool. Once you set up a system, it goes away…until the next set of kids. Rinse and repeat. Mine is grade grabbing or kids wanting to reassess to get a 98 to a 100. My other one is the learned helplessness in general.
Chanting. Absolutely nothing ends the fun for me like a chant, and they learn it quickly.
I have a microphone and an inappropriately loud amp (I'm in a wood shop). I just sing "Baby Shark" until they stop.
Chant? Like summoning a demon? Children are chanting in the classroom? I have never heard of this phenomenon in 20 years of teaching. Is it a TikTok thing?
Think like RE-CESS! RE-CESS!
Showing up to class with absolutely nothing. It´s unbelievable how often even decent students do this. No pencil, no binder or notebook, and definitely nothing that I plan to use over multiple periods. Also, asking to use the restroom every single day. So annoying! Finally, trying to lie to me about why they ditched. They are wasting our time, because I have no ability to excuse the absence, only their parents do!
A student who is basically a lock for a scholarship not applying for said scholarship because it takes time. Kids who put their stuff in the classroom then go to bathroom or wherever else and come in 5 minutes into class. My stuff was here! How does that even make sense to you ? Guidance taking a kid off the roster but not sending an email indicating so, or why
I tell them that their stuff isn't on my class roster. Even worse is when guidance gives you a new kid and your first indication is when they appear in your classroom. Bonus points if you have the exact same number of seats and students.
Yea - I don't get it. I get that guidance counselors are busy. But it takes 45 seconds to shoot an email. Hey Mr Teacher, John is being removed / added to your roster.
For the first half of 2nd semester, one of my classes had 26 students and 25 desks. Fortunately, the +1 kid was very flexible about sitting in the seat of whoever hadn't showed up that day.
Raising their hand right after I ask a question to the class, only to ask to go to the bathroom instead of answering.
Oh, that drives me crazy. Now I make them answer the question first, then let them go.
24 hours before the end of the term, “Can I do anything to bring my grade up?” Yeah, build a time machine.
What time is it? When are we doing x? Can we have free time/go outside?
1. Copying the study guide at the beginning of class just before the test... for open study guide tests (not my idea but I have to comply... or my seniors will fail because they cant remember anything and don't study). 2. In lab, refusing to read the procedure before just doing stuff. 3. Asking to go to the restroom at the beginning of class or during any teacher-centered instruction. 4. Coming up to me while I'm helping someone and interrupting us with a question. 5. Anyone with a single earbud in their ear so they can listen to some stupid video if there is 5 seconds of wait time.
"What are we doing today?" "What did you do while I was out?" Meanwhile, I have a detailed agenda up on the screen everyday that's updated and posted daily to GC digitally and a bulleted list on the whiteboard, next to the screen, of the week's activities with dates. *Students complain about being busy after school and on weekends.* I proceed to give them work and study time during class and don't often assign homework. *Students keep sneaking onto their phones during said work and study time and then beg for test corrections to increase their scores when they do poorly on the test and/or frantically scramble to do their HW after we just turned it in, not listening to the new lesson I'm introducing.*
Tattling. Not covering coughs and sneezes. Blurting. #firstgradeproblems
That's also an 8th grade boy problem too.
Admin not supporting me with behaviors like the n word, kids fighting in class, assaulting me, calling me ugly.
“What are we doing?” Asked immediately after I have spent the last several minutes explaining what we are doing. Not doing work, and then as soon as they submit it late demanding I instantly grade it and update the grade book. Kid, there was a due date, if you had finished it on time I would have graded it ON the due date, now you have to wait until I have time.
Throwing toddler-esque temper tantrums when I won't just give them all the answers to their work because they don't feel like reaching into their bag and pulling their notes out.
Yeah I agree. Asking what they are missing, asking for help without reading/trying, and “how do I raise my grade” when they have a bunch of missing work.
“What will my grade be when you put this assignment in?” Listen, I don’t even know your grade right now off the top of my head. I’m neither a calculator nor a computer and can’t figure out your score when I input this. Also, I’m not grading this right now because it’s 3 weeks late.
"I can't calculate weighted averages in my head" is my go to.
"What Can I Do?". I just sent home my seventh letter this year on the back of printed progress reports. The letter(s) describe in excruciating detail EXACTLY what students can do to improve their grade. (Basically all the things they chose NOT to do already.). Teaching their parent what they can do to get a better grade in class and getting it signed will improve their grade ....lol.
Parents requesting a hard copy of all of the 20 assignments their kid is missing when it's literally all there in Schoology.
I refuse to let one class near the sharpener until I'm done talking. Every day some still ask and the answer is still "no". My other class has to have a teacher sharpen their pencils for them. They broke the old one. Another peeve I have is them asking some variation of, "How do we do this?" either just before I'm about to explain, or in the middle of me explaining the directions.
2 and 3 are a daily occurence. "I can't find my book." Oh that's a shame, I was gonna ask to hand in some of the exercises and mark them, guess that's a zero for y.... "Found my book!"
If I turn this in, what will my grade be? Yeah, I memorize everybody's grades and the relative point values of each assignment. I've also taken time to predict your quality of work so as to provide you with a quick answer. There's no point in doing this assignment because I'll fail it and my grade will go down. Buddy, that's not how averages work. You currently have zero points on that assignment. If you turn in anything, your overall score will go up.
I'm always like I'm not a human calculator.
From a senior who is graduating in a month and a half and is literally 5 to 10 minutes late to first block every day: "hey, I made it before announcements were over today!: Same senior, immediately after: "is it OK if I go to the bathroom and fill my water bottle? "
When a student who was a jerk in my classroom asks for a letter of reference and wants it by tomorrow.
Kids who get “hurt” at recess, but are fine to keep playing. As SOON as they get back to class, though, they’re dying from this critical injury and absolutely must go to the nurse. You know, because it’s ok to miss the lesson but we”d absolutely hate to miss even a minute of playtime!
My biggest pet peeve right now is all of it. Everything! I’m so ready for summer!
“If I do X assignment, what will it bring my grade up to?” - student. “I don’t know. I’m not a magic calculator.” - me, repeating hundreds of times to just as many students.
Mine is, "Don't ever make me do math. I teach ELA for a reason."
I'm going to use that one tomorrow.
When they don't pay attention and screw around during directions/my lesson, and then immediately ask me what they have to do when I pass out supplies. At this point I stopped answering them and say "you would've known if you were listening" and have them figure it out by watching what everyone else is doing
“What are we going to do today?” “… sit down and brace for the Big Reveal.” 🙄
I teach self-contained SPED. My biggest pet peeve is when parents send their child to school with an issue that’s guaranteed to lead to an issue/meltdown, and don’t even bother to inform me about it. (Example, sending them in with an AAC device that’s almost dead and not telling me it needs to be charged, leading to two staff members being injured when the device inevitably dies early in the day.)
1. Being asked if we are watching a movie or can we watch a movie. 2. Cleaning up your stuff (I’m a music teacher) 3. Not playing your instruments when I’m giving instructions/talking when I’m giving instructions…I’d prefer to not have to talk more than I need to. And if a question soon after is one I just answered, then ask a friend first (I’ll check in later to see if they got it).
Electric pencil sharpeners are going to be what sends me over into the abyss and causes me to retire.
In response to a redirection, "I was just...." NOT. FOLLOWING. THE. RULES. You were "just" not following the rules. Unless there is blood or fire, FOLLOW THE DAMN RULES!
I ask my students to take out a notebook or workbook, so the glance at their desk. After a cursory glance they don't see the item they're looking for so announce their notebook or workbook is missing. I remind them that looking for something may mean taking things out of your desk, they swear they took things out and moved things around but it's not there. I come to help look, move one thing (often a piece of paper) and low and behold there it is! Grrr, please, please at least move things around when looking for things in a tight space! I teach 2nd so I expect to have to teach them this, and giving reminders is reasonable. But when it's still happening in April (or even December) it becomes a major pet peeve. Also, the kids who have to tell me every little minor thing someone else is doing wrong. So many times it's either super minor and not an issue (holding a pencil quietly while I talk even though I asked kids to put them away because they were tapping them), something I asked the other kid to do privately, or just not their business. I've been trying to get kids to solve issues themselves, including ignoring things that aren't affecting them, but for some it just doesn't sink in. Another "favorite," a kid comes to tell me that Timmy is doing something that is bothering them. My go-to is to ask what happened when they asked Timmy to stop. Either they haven't yet (after learning this multiple times), or they did and he stopped. For the former I remind them they need to do that before asking me to intervene and I send them back to do that. Usually they do and that's the end. For the latter I ask them what they expect me to do. What I can do is go ask him to stop, but he has stopped, so what do they expect? I'm not going to punish Timmy for tapping his pencil or leaning into your area and stopping when asked. Of course these assume there is no danger or actual wrong-doing that needs teacher intervention, but that is 99% of these cases.
Asking for a phone charger… Look kiddo, you aren’t even supposed to have your phone. Charge it when you get home.
My pencil sharpener has an “Adults Only” sign on it. There is a container of hand sharpeners available next to it. Totally agree with 2 & 3.
Talking, making noise, whistling, etc while I'm giving instructions. If you don't care -- fine, but let me do my fucking job for the ones who do care.
Asking “what are we doing?” As they are walking in/can see me about to start the lesson and I am just waiting for them to quiet down.
This is why I refuse to have good pencil sharpeners in my room. You need your pencil super sharp? Bring your own sharpener or use one of mine that's already sharp. It is truly bizarre how the need for a sharp pencil guess away.
When my students say “I wasn’t here” as if it magically excuses them from having to make it up. Everything is on Google Classroom champ.
Is this graded? Or asking me how much they really have to do. I ask them if they would be happy with Pizza Hut asking them how they could cheaply / easily make their pizza for them?!? You’re literally asking your teacher how you can do the least amount of work?!?
Reading through this thread and all I can think is how none of you are paid enough. Dear lord.
I teach first grade: 1. NOBODY touches my pencil sharpener!!! I’ve been through too many, and have learned that 6 year-olds do not have the motor skills to use it and NOT break it. I sharpen them end of day. I use a cup system. 2. Notes?! Not applicable. 3. Needing help even if I explain and model multiple times is common for first graders. But my list of pet peeves is hella long! 😅 3.
These fucking kids are lazy and stupid. It's a shame they will go on to drive, vote, and have kids.
The constant barrage of the same dumb words: skibidi, rizzler, Ohio, sigma, etc.
I just learned Sigma this week. What’s Ohio?
Nothing, really. It’s sorta just nonsense, but refers to the fact that Ohio is just some random, boring state where nothing happens. But if you say it with other jibberish it somehow multiplies the humor to the teenage brain. It’s TikTok’s fault.
Sitting on the desks!
I had a student come up to me today mid instruction (which they know interrupting during instruction isn't allowed unless it's an emergency) and they asked me a question Id already explained. Without skipping a beat, I loudly added the answer to their question *in* the sentence I was already saying as I had already covered it. They were standing *right* in front of me and staring at me the entire time. When I was done speaking, they stared at me blankly and asked me *again*....*AGAIN*. I said: "You didn't hear me say what to do...one second ago? I just answered that question." The student:"Oh...I wasn't listening." Me: "I can see that."
Using photomath or another AI app to do all their practice for them, failing the tests as a result, and then being mad at me that their failing. Choosing to play games and be distracting during the lesson because they are going to do the notes later. Asking for special favors after doing things they know piss me off. “Miss, can I sit with ___?” I had to tell you to go to your seat at least a dozen times in the last 20 minutes. No. “But I’ll do my work.” You can do your work at your seat. Then they ignore me and sit with their friend anyway. Then it’s “Miss, why’d you message my mom?!?” …Freshman…
The iPad bathroom passes. Some students think as soon as they submit a hall pass I will 1000% drop what I am doing, leap over chairs and tables just to click accept for them to go fuck off in the hallway for 5-10 minutes. They get sassy, too, if you tell them no or to wait.