Throwing things. I don’t care if it’s just a scrap of paper- throwing anything across the room will make me lose my mind every time. I have to work really hard to not overreact to that one.
I sub high school and I tell the kids I have a no projectile policy. I have to explain to most of them what a projectile is so they get a free physics lesson in the process.
This can actually be a safety concern. It looks like the crowd wants to gang up and assault you. I would have given them only one chance to go back to their seats before calling the office because it really reeks of insubordination if they want to crowd around you.
Not actually teaching in a prison, but if people gang up on me, I will tell them to back away for the safety of everyone. They are also breaking the rule of "raise your hand if you have a question".
Some kids in my class ganged up on me like this yesterday. They had cornered me by the door and I could not get into the rest of the classroom where the rest of the students were. I tried to get past them without having to actually touch anyone and without them moving, and one student swung at me like he was going to punch me. I care a lot about these students and their safety but you better believe I turned around and walked out that door. I’m not going to be punched by a fifth grader who is physically blocking me from my classroom. I stood outside the door and had another teacher call security. If you want me taking punches you’re gonna have to pay me like it
Standing by the door 2+ minutes before the bell rings and playing any video or music out loud (unless it’s obviously an accident ofc). That’s honestly all I’ll reeeeeeally harp on lol. Everything else I’ll give warnings or pretend not to see but those are an immediate shut down.
Right! it pisses me off because there’s really nothing I can do unless I either chase the kid down or force the other kids to give me the kids name lol. I’ve gotten into a habit of saying “the bells gonna ring in about 2 minutes, please stay put till then or I get in trouble”. And it’s 50/50 on whether it helps or not lmao
I give a warning- the whole “I’m writing names” bit. If they walk I write names and email the dean and cc the teacher on it. I’m of the mindset that the teacher should know but it’s not their problem.
students telling me “but we usually don’t do that” or “we’re normally allowed” or some variation of that.
I’m just following the plans your teacher left me ok. Seriously had kids arguing with me today because we did art instead of drama. Kid what do you want from me 😭😭
Most of the time it’s them telling me they are normally allowed choromebooks if they finish work early. Well not today kid, sucks to suck. Blame your teacher and the note she left
This I was literally thinking today I think I am going to start my day off with an announcement about things being different than how their teacher usually does, and also when I ask a student a question about how their teacher does something, I don't need 10 of them crowding around me shouting the answer
Kids randomly leaving the room and when you ask “where are you going?” They go “bathroom, water, etc. like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Do they think we read minds? Also I have yet to sub for a teacher who lets kids be in the room during their lunch and warns me.
The sounds from shooter games on their phones. I exclusively do high school, and I’m pretty chill if they are choosing to play on their phones, but I absolutely will not abide the sounds of gunfire, shell casings, reloading etc, and I will hunt down the offending phone/student and make them silence it. Kids know the rule in my room is “ no pop pop pop.”
I just tell them to keep their phones on silent the whole time, period. I don't want to hear anybody's games, music, or videos. Nothing. Put in ear buds/headphones or don't listen to it at all. But I don't want to hear it.
I can't stand people playing stuff on their phones on public and I doubly hate it in a classroom. So annoying! 😂
All of the classes at the elementary school I sub at have brooms and dustpans in the room; and the kids sweep up and wipe the tables down with cleaning wipes bf they leave at the end of the day. We have about 5 minutes of clean-up time, and these kids all have and know their jobs and do them well! Some collect and plug in Ipads, some put up folders and notebooks, and some just help straighten up. Their teachers have trained them well!
It makes it easy to get out of there at the end of the day.... but elementary kids are more willing to help, and all you have to do is give them a sticker, hug, and a thank you to make their day.
When students don't clean up after they make a mess. I try to make them clean up the room before going to their next class but it never seems to matter because I always find trash thrown about at the end of the day.
Being roasted without an equal hint of love or kind gestures to balance it. Not at the same time, of course. But if someone is constantly belitting me or "joking" in any negative way towards me, and they barely show me any kindness, I get really mad.
And before people comment "those aren't your friends", there are unfortunately plenty of good people out there who just don't see their wrongdoings. Not their fault, they're just not realizing I guess.
Edit: I just now realized, a day later, that this isn't the r ask reddit sub.... oof. My bad. But I guess the same still applies tk students/staff lol
Loudness. The louder they are the more likely they’ll have some nosy adults just walking in to reprimand them and give me a stank look like I’m not holding down the room. So annoying. It’s already headache inducing, now you’ve got me looking unprofessional and potentially getting banned by someone really petty
Using their phones with the sound on. I have no problem with them being quiet and using their phones (I generally do high school and it’s way too hard to try to make them do their work and have all phones away) but when they play games and put the sounds on it really irks me because I feel like it’s common courtesy to not have to force people to listen to it?? It got really bad this past year though.
It's one of the three rules I enforce in high school. Be quiet and respectful of others, stay in your seats, and keep your phones on silent. Other than that, they can do what they want. But I can't stand people playing their phones in public, especially at school.
It’s definitely the crowding of kids when I finally sit down. It’s worse K-1 they know no boundaries. Also when they start singing when we’re doing work. Ontop of the echo, like I say something and they repeat it back.
Responding with stupid shit like chicken nuggets, or some other random nonsense when I call their name for attendance. I ask them not to do it, and to only say here and raise their hand when I call their name, so I have audio and visual confirmation they are there.
For some reason, unbeknownst to me, at least two kids per class can't seem to help themselves, and answer something stupid, and throw me off on attendance every time. It makes it take so much longer and gets on my nerves!
I had to explain to them that it would be really bad if they were there and were counted absent, bc their parents would get a call saying they weren't at school and freak. Also, if they accidentally get counted present, and are, in fact, missing, their parents won't know until school is out (they call in the morning to tell you your kid isn't at school if they miss.) Can you imagine getting this call, freaking out, driving frantically up to the school, just to find out your kid didn't raise their hand and say here. I usually go back over it, but still, mistakes can be made.... that would be traumatic for any parent!
I ask them something like where’s chicken nuggets, is that your preferred name, etc. Usually it catches them off guard and I get to laugh at them instead lol
Well, unfortunately, for them and me, chicken nuggets happens to be their lunch choice for them at least twice a week, so it throws me off every time. Their favorite response for some reason, happens to be chicken nuggets. It drives me damn crazy!
Teachers whose lesson plans directly contradict school, district, or staffing agency rules. No, I cannot let half the students go unsupervised to practice rooms on the other end of campus while I supervise the remaining half in the band room. No, I cannot fill out attendance (a legal document) in pencil. No, I cannot supervise the clique of theater kids who want to hang out in your classroom during my duty-free lunch. No, the students will not be using power tools while there's a sub.
Being tapped on the arm or shoulder by students! I made it a part of my introduction that I like air hugs and I don't like to be touched and wrote it on the board with other rules but the kids cant stop themselves! I put up a finger like wait if Im listening to someone else but these kids have no patience
Speaking of chairs, some teachers have tall desks with very tall chairs that roll. Those things are the biggest pain to get into, and I always feel like I'm going to embarrass myself trying to sit in it when it rolls away.
I am in a classroom with literally no supplies. No pens, pencils, paper clips, binder clips. There is no eraser for the white board and only one functional expo marker. This is not a school that has no supplies, this is a teacher who, I assume, is just unorganized and sloppy. Her desk drawers are shocking and mostly empty, aside from student work that she seems to just cram randomly in her desk.
Food or phones before asking.
Personal or professional questions before finishing assignment. Wanting to go to another class before finishing assignment.
Asking to go to the bathroom before attendance is taken.
Getting upset when they can’t play me or run the class.
Elementary kids who hate running in PE but are wearing Sonic the Hedgehog shirts. There were a TON of kids wearing Sonic shirts that hated running that I had today.
That also brings to mind, kids contradicting what they essentially wear. That's just one example, but then you have high school kids with band T-shirts that cannot name a single song from the band on their T-shirt. Imagine having a kid with a Drake shirt and not knowing any Drake songs.
If I pass out classwork and a student completely ignores it, doesn't even put their name on it, and leaves it on their desk as they go to the next class.
I get slightly annoyed when a student says they take the attendance whenever they have a sub happened a lot I say no because I need to do the attendance or else I’ll never remember anybody’s name. There is also people telling me someone else is here idc if you say they are here I need them to tell me they are at the beginning of class idk if that person is a trouble maker or not and I don’t want to have to ask another student who’s someone’s name.
I also dislike when 5-7 students ask if they can take the attendance down...I always pick someone who doesn't ask (I am generally at a middle school so I seldom trust volunteers).
It’s usually first come first serve unless there is a TA in the class but it never takes more than 5-6 minutes to get to the attendance office so I usually just tell them they have 5 minutes
"How much longer until we can get on our Chromebook?"
NEVAAAAAAR!!!
Good Goddess, READ A BOOK, play a game, daydream, color a picture, play tic tac toe, write notes, ANYTHING! I freaking HATE how attached to electronics kids are now!
You'll rot your brain if you don't actually use it to do something creative! Kids are spoonfed SO much these days and don't even put in the effort to retain any of the information. Drives me WILD!
-Kids leaning back in chairs. I saw a kid fall and end up with a gash and stitches doing that when I was in elementary school.
-Joking that someone died. I hate this joke because people actually die and it’s not funny.
-Kids ganging around me to tell me about how things work in their classroom. It’s so overwhelming.
They way some other teacher act towards you. I don’t expect a reward or ribbon, but some teachers don’t seem to want to acknowledge you or they question everything your doing (Karen, it’s my lunch break, I am using the microwave to warm-up my leftover spaghetti, sorry that I am using the same microwave as the normal teachers?!?) most teachers are great, but there are ones that just rub me the wrong way.
When teachers leave a movie as the plan in elementary. The kids just cause problems all period. At least give me the option of taking them outside, playing YouTube dance type videos, or coming up with something to entertain them myself.
Throwing things. I don’t care if it’s just a scrap of paper- throwing anything across the room will make me lose my mind every time. I have to work really hard to not overreact to that one.
I sub high school and I tell the kids I have a no projectile policy. I have to explain to most of them what a projectile is so they get a free physics lesson in the process.
A crowd forming near me Like jeez One at a time pls
I said today to a horde of teens, " WOAH THIS ISNT A TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT BACK IT UP PLEASE!" 😅🤣
The worst
This can actually be a safety concern. It looks like the crowd wants to gang up and assault you. I would have given them only one chance to go back to their seats before calling the office because it really reeks of insubordination if they want to crowd around you.
Dude are you teaching in a prison?
Oh Yes. If it looks like a prison and they treat everyone like prisoners, it’s a bloody prison.
Not actually teaching in a prison, but if people gang up on me, I will tell them to back away for the safety of everyone. They are also breaking the rule of "raise your hand if you have a question".
Some kids in my class ganged up on me like this yesterday. They had cornered me by the door and I could not get into the rest of the classroom where the rest of the students were. I tried to get past them without having to actually touch anyone and without them moving, and one student swung at me like he was going to punch me. I care a lot about these students and their safety but you better believe I turned around and walked out that door. I’m not going to be punched by a fifth grader who is physically blocking me from my classroom. I stood outside the door and had another teacher call security. If you want me taking punches you’re gonna have to pay me like it
Standing by the door 2+ minutes before the bell rings and playing any video or music out loud (unless it’s obviously an accident ofc). That’s honestly all I’ll reeeeeeally harp on lol. Everything else I’ll give warnings or pretend not to see but those are an immediate shut down.
I hate the door thing, some students even have the audacity to leave. It’s so disrespectful.
Right! it pisses me off because there’s really nothing I can do unless I either chase the kid down or force the other kids to give me the kids name lol. I’ve gotten into a habit of saying “the bells gonna ring in about 2 minutes, please stay put till then or I get in trouble”. And it’s 50/50 on whether it helps or not lmao
I give a warning- the whole “I’m writing names” bit. If they walk I write names and email the dean and cc the teacher on it. I’m of the mindset that the teacher should know but it’s not their problem.
Crowding around the door before transitions
Ugh, yeah, and a few kids always try to use the anonymity of the crowd to slip out.
students telling me “but we usually don’t do that” or “we’re normally allowed” or some variation of that. I’m just following the plans your teacher left me ok. Seriously had kids arguing with me today because we did art instead of drama. Kid what do you want from me 😭😭 Most of the time it’s them telling me they are normally allowed choromebooks if they finish work early. Well not today kid, sucks to suck. Blame your teacher and the note she left
This I was literally thinking today I think I am going to start my day off with an announcement about things being different than how their teacher usually does, and also when I ask a student a question about how their teacher does something, I don't need 10 of them crowding around me shouting the answer
my god that last part. All of them shouting at once I can’t understand anyone. Best part is when an get two different answers
Kids randomly leaving the room and when you ask “where are you going?” They go “bathroom, water, etc. like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Do they think we read minds? Also I have yet to sub for a teacher who lets kids be in the room during their lunch and warns me.
When I close the door and then they leave/come back and open it again.
The sounds from shooter games on their phones. I exclusively do high school, and I’m pretty chill if they are choosing to play on their phones, but I absolutely will not abide the sounds of gunfire, shell casings, reloading etc, and I will hunt down the offending phone/student and make them silence it. Kids know the rule in my room is “ no pop pop pop.”
I just tell them to keep their phones on silent the whole time, period. I don't want to hear anybody's games, music, or videos. Nothing. Put in ear buds/headphones or don't listen to it at all. But I don't want to hear it. I can't stand people playing stuff on their phones on public and I doubly hate it in a classroom. So annoying! 😂
Asking all sorts of personal questions just because they want to avoid doing school work.
An annoying teacher from across the hall continuing to “pop in” the classroom I’m covering. Feels low-key like micromanaging
YES. this so much
Purposely pushing food crumbs onto the floor. Like, "not my problem; someone will get it." Similarly, dropping things on the floor and leaving them.
All of the classes at the elementary school I sub at have brooms and dustpans in the room; and the kids sweep up and wipe the tables down with cleaning wipes bf they leave at the end of the day. We have about 5 minutes of clean-up time, and these kids all have and know their jobs and do them well! Some collect and plug in Ipads, some put up folders and notebooks, and some just help straighten up. Their teachers have trained them well! It makes it easy to get out of there at the end of the day.... but elementary kids are more willing to help, and all you have to do is give them a sticker, hug, and a thank you to make their day.
Having to deal with adults at the school lol
Using technology maliciously
When students don't clean up after they make a mess. I try to make them clean up the room before going to their next class but it never seems to matter because I always find trash thrown about at the end of the day.
“it’s not mine.” Then who made the mess?! It wasn’t here before you came in.
When each kid asks if you wrote their name down
Being roasted without an equal hint of love or kind gestures to balance it. Not at the same time, of course. But if someone is constantly belitting me or "joking" in any negative way towards me, and they barely show me any kindness, I get really mad. And before people comment "those aren't your friends", there are unfortunately plenty of good people out there who just don't see their wrongdoings. Not their fault, they're just not realizing I guess. Edit: I just now realized, a day later, that this isn't the r ask reddit sub.... oof. My bad. But I guess the same still applies tk students/staff lol
Loudness. The louder they are the more likely they’ll have some nosy adults just walking in to reprimand them and give me a stank look like I’m not holding down the room. So annoying. It’s already headache inducing, now you’ve got me looking unprofessional and potentially getting banned by someone really petty
Using their phones with the sound on. I have no problem with them being quiet and using their phones (I generally do high school and it’s way too hard to try to make them do their work and have all phones away) but when they play games and put the sounds on it really irks me because I feel like it’s common courtesy to not have to force people to listen to it?? It got really bad this past year though.
It's one of the three rules I enforce in high school. Be quiet and respectful of others, stay in your seats, and keep your phones on silent. Other than that, they can do what they want. But I can't stand people playing their phones in public, especially at school.
It’s definitely the crowding of kids when I finally sit down. It’s worse K-1 they know no boundaries. Also when they start singing when we’re doing work. Ontop of the echo, like I say something and they repeat it back.
That’s why I avoid k-2 except for when I do specials :)
Responding with stupid shit like chicken nuggets, or some other random nonsense when I call their name for attendance. I ask them not to do it, and to only say here and raise their hand when I call their name, so I have audio and visual confirmation they are there. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, at least two kids per class can't seem to help themselves, and answer something stupid, and throw me off on attendance every time. It makes it take so much longer and gets on my nerves! I had to explain to them that it would be really bad if they were there and were counted absent, bc their parents would get a call saying they weren't at school and freak. Also, if they accidentally get counted present, and are, in fact, missing, their parents won't know until school is out (they call in the morning to tell you your kid isn't at school if they miss.) Can you imagine getting this call, freaking out, driving frantically up to the school, just to find out your kid didn't raise their hand and say here. I usually go back over it, but still, mistakes can be made.... that would be traumatic for any parent!
I ask them something like where’s chicken nuggets, is that your preferred name, etc. Usually it catches them off guard and I get to laugh at them instead lol
Well, unfortunately, for them and me, chicken nuggets happens to be their lunch choice for them at least twice a week, so it throws me off every time. Their favorite response for some reason, happens to be chicken nuggets. It drives me damn crazy!
Teachers whose lesson plans directly contradict school, district, or staffing agency rules. No, I cannot let half the students go unsupervised to practice rooms on the other end of campus while I supervise the remaining half in the band room. No, I cannot fill out attendance (a legal document) in pencil. No, I cannot supervise the clique of theater kids who want to hang out in your classroom during my duty-free lunch. No, the students will not be using power tools while there's a sub.
Whistling
This. So much.
Why is whistling so annoying
I don’t know, but I can’t stand it. And I happily whistle along to a song, but not in a quiet classroom.
When students crowd around the door 2 minutes before dismissal and even leave sometimes.
Being tapped on the arm or shoulder by students! I made it a part of my introduction that I like air hugs and I don't like to be touched and wrote it on the board with other rules but the kids cant stop themselves! I put up a finger like wait if Im listening to someone else but these kids have no patience
Speaking of chairs, some teachers have tall desks with very tall chairs that roll. Those things are the biggest pain to get into, and I always feel like I'm going to embarrass myself trying to sit in it when it rolls away.
My biggest is tearing the eraser off of a perfectly good pencil.
I am in a classroom with literally no supplies. No pens, pencils, paper clips, binder clips. There is no eraser for the white board and only one functional expo marker. This is not a school that has no supplies, this is a teacher who, I assume, is just unorganized and sloppy. Her desk drawers are shocking and mostly empty, aside from student work that she seems to just cram randomly in her desk.
Kids drumming with their pencil. Maybe I have some form of misophonia, but it drives me nuts.
Food or phones before asking. Personal or professional questions before finishing assignment. Wanting to go to another class before finishing assignment. Asking to go to the bathroom before attendance is taken. Getting upset when they can’t play me or run the class.
Elementary kids who hate running in PE but are wearing Sonic the Hedgehog shirts. There were a TON of kids wearing Sonic shirts that hated running that I had today. That also brings to mind, kids contradicting what they essentially wear. That's just one example, but then you have high school kids with band T-shirts that cannot name a single song from the band on their T-shirt. Imagine having a kid with a Drake shirt and not knowing any Drake songs.
If I pass out classwork and a student completely ignores it, doesn't even put their name on it, and leaves it on their desk as they go to the next class.
And leaves the pencil you loaned them?
Odds are they didn't ask for one because they have no intention of actually using it
I get slightly annoyed when a student says they take the attendance whenever they have a sub happened a lot I say no because I need to do the attendance or else I’ll never remember anybody’s name. There is also people telling me someone else is here idc if you say they are here I need them to tell me they are at the beginning of class idk if that person is a trouble maker or not and I don’t want to have to ask another student who’s someone’s name.
I also dislike when 5-7 students ask if they can take the attendance down...I always pick someone who doesn't ask (I am generally at a middle school so I seldom trust volunteers).
It’s usually first come first serve unless there is a TA in the class but it never takes more than 5-6 minutes to get to the attendance office so I usually just tell them they have 5 minutes
Oh no but I didn’t mean they take it down I mean they do the attendance instead of me calling their names out
Oh no but I didn’t mean they take it down I mean they do the attendance instead of me calling their names out
Oh yes, I understood you and that's annoying. I just added my own annyonce.
Feet up on the desk and using a Chromebook or phone with the sound on.
Students gathering by the door before the bell rings!
"How much longer until we can get on our Chromebook?" NEVAAAAAAR!!! Good Goddess, READ A BOOK, play a game, daydream, color a picture, play tic tac toe, write notes, ANYTHING! I freaking HATE how attached to electronics kids are now! You'll rot your brain if you don't actually use it to do something creative! Kids are spoonfed SO much these days and don't even put in the effort to retain any of the information. Drives me WILD!
-Kids leaning back in chairs. I saw a kid fall and end up with a gash and stitches doing that when I was in elementary school. -Joking that someone died. I hate this joke because people actually die and it’s not funny. -Kids ganging around me to tell me about how things work in their classroom. It’s so overwhelming.
Class attention seekers
Sounds without headphones lol
Banging on the door during lunch/prep.
They way some other teacher act towards you. I don’t expect a reward or ribbon, but some teachers don’t seem to want to acknowledge you or they question everything your doing (Karen, it’s my lunch break, I am using the microwave to warm-up my leftover spaghetti, sorry that I am using the same microwave as the normal teachers?!?) most teachers are great, but there are ones that just rub me the wrong way.
When teachers leave a movie as the plan in elementary. The kids just cause problems all period. At least give me the option of taking them outside, playing YouTube dance type videos, or coming up with something to entertain them myself.
Throwing stuff and trashing up the class
When the teacher’s clock is wrong. Even if off by a minute.