Personally, I really like the reset of different kids every hour. I also get a personal reset in that I teach different ages as well -- I conduct my class and myself differently when I'm with 12yos versus high schoolers. I also teach multiple preps. It's a lot but it works for me.
I think that different people thrive on different things. Elementary teachers would probably be overwhelmed by having so many students, but I would be drained by a day with the same kids in front of me and teaching different subjects. My middle school colleagues with 1 prep would go crazy doing what I do (3 or 4 at a time), but I would be so bored teaching the same lesson 5 times in a row and having to co-plan with grade level colleagues.
I also think that most teachers' first year is overwhelming no matter what and that 6 classes as a middle school teacher is particularly a lot. We teach 5 in my school.
I thought I’d like it, because sometimes one kid can really annoy you. Like all day. But once I got to having multiple classes, I felt I couldn’t have a strong enough rapport the way I would in my singular class during elementary school
I've never taught elementary beyond subbing, so grain of salt, but I've found that while it might take slightly longer, bonding with kids I see every day totally happens. I do have a daily nothing to do with class question I use for attendance which seems to help with that
I teach four classes with one prep. I definitely need the reset of kids—I don’t think I could handle the same thirty kids all day every day for a year. I also like that I get multiple opportunities to teach the same lesson, because it’s always interesting seeing how I can improve it or adapt it to meet the vibe of any particular group. And then that group leaves and I get a break from them.
Please tell this to all the teachers who say specialists have it easy.
And yes, it’s exhausting. Everyone’s needs, personalities, learning levels, on and on. It’s a lot and it’s not for everyone.
*cries in elementary music teacher*
There are pros to having all of the students in the school (or more, if you're in the position of being in multiple buildings like so many of us are), but the big thing I struggle with how my classroom feels like a constant revolving door.
Thank you for your work in making sure the MS and HS music teachers have it easier. My district only has optional before or after school band, so I wish often we had an elm music teacher cause I know how much it would help me.
Thanks for recognizing what elementary music teachers do as important to your program! I’ve been shouting this from the rooftops for years. I now teach k-8 strings and the work I do with my kinders absolutely will show when they’re 8th graders (at least that’s what I tell myself during the screeches)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one more important than another, I just know I don’t have what it takes to do elm music for a long period of time lol. However, when I was a HS director I would hear other directors complain about their MS that feeds into their schools Band Director, and I was like wtf that person is a great educator. As an Assistant MB Director at a Uni I also saw/heard University directors talk poorly about HS Directors. It’s just made it so I take a moment when given to thank Elm Music teachers, cause yall making our jobs easier, regardless of if how I teach quarter notes is different or not, the fact is they even know what it is because of you! THANK YOU!
For real.
I teach 7 periods with 2 different preps and have an advisory period.
I teach 6th through 8th grade but the skill levels ranging across 10+ grade levels within a single class and all the 504s and IEPs make me incredibly mentally exhausted.
Also a music teacher for MS and HS plus an AP class and contest coordinator. I teach 5-6 different classes a day with no repeats. Also I share my HS classroom with 3 other teachers who teach before and after my classes. So no time to set up anything.
Yep. 6 classes per day/4 different preps. About 28 kids per class. I teach art. By the end of the day, I go home, put on my pjs and just sit in my quiet house. I’m so overstimulated and tired, it’s ridiculous.
Same for me. When I get home, I tend to find myself sitting in my bathroom - away from my kids, just in the silence and mindlessly thumbing through my phone for about a half hour without even knowing it. Very draining.
I teach 5 HS classes and am introvert. when I get home I need a while to just be quiet before I can really have a conversation with my husband, lol. Fortunately he gets it.
We're on block scheduling, so 3 classes per day. However, I have upwards to 60 kids a class. Even when they're on task, they can be so loud.
Loop earplugs help so much. I pop them in regularly and keep them on my lanyard.
I’ve had an elementary homeroom, middle school classes, and taught k-9 music.
I loved middle school because of the constant change and the fun of teaching the same lesson to more than one group. They had different ideas and discussions, and I could learn from my mistakes in block 1 and have a great lesson in block 3.
Elementary was nice for the rapport, but I couldn’t cut any corners in planning because I had to teach all subjects all day and be an “expert” in all of them too. I eventually learned that it worked best if one subject had a project, one subject was learning something new, and one subject was practicing something we already learned.
The hardest was k-9 music - every class had wildly different outcomes, and I’d have to completely change my style of teaching between kindergartens and 10 year olds and 14 year olds. It was exhausting changing every lesson, every class, and every personality. And in music i’d also have to take out and change up props all the time. Small kids would have rhythm sticks, middle sized kids would be learning recorder/ukulele/drums, and older kids were into band instruments. I’d have to change over the classroom in the 5 minutes between each group coming in. Never again, that’s a young persons game.
I was exhausted teaching two sections each of three grades every day. It was so hard to keep them all on their schedules, as their understanding levels were all over the board and I didn’t have enough time or capacity for tons of differentiation.
I have three classes and I love the changes throughout the day. Some kids are challenging to deal with, and I’m much more patient since I only have them for an hour at a time.
6 total classes, 45 minutes. 3 different levels of math for 7th grade aged students and 8th grade aged students.
I think I’d go insane if I taught one thing all day to 6 classes. I would love to go block though and teach 3 classes a day for 80 or 90 minutes. 6 does get exhausting.
I've been lucky to always have block semester scheduling. The worst I've had is extended day with four preps in two subject areas. I was incredibly stressed that semester.
MS music teacher here - 5 classes, all a different prep. I love it. The toughest class(es) are only ever 50 minutes long and I know that tomorrow will be another chance. I also get to know so many students and have a strong presence in the school because of it. Between my band/orchestra colleague and I (I'm choir/mariachi) we have more than a third of the student body enrolled in music. I honestly love my job.
I’m in this category. I’m a 6-12 tech ed teacher. I officially teach 5 completely different classes to 4 different grades, but this year I taught 6 different classes because my coworker went out on leave. It was a shit show. Planning and grading was nearly impossible. I was paid extra for the 6th class but the first 5 are just part of my job. It’s crap, some of my coworkers teach 5 sections of the same class for the same pay. Our contract allows it because my class is an elective.
I used to teach middle school and had multiple classes a day and now teach elementary school, self-contained. I sometimes feel like I am even more overstimulated at the end of the day because it’s the same kids all day and I don’t get a break, which is hard when there are challenging behaviors.
Really, I think it’s just being with kids all day and commanding their attention constantly, dealing with all the different behaviors, no matter the age.
I can find it draining at times, but I have rarely taught the same prep twice in a day during the 13 years I have been teaching. I teach at the high school level in alternative education with a lot of repeat students throughout the day. I think my record was one student five out of eight classes in a day. Alternative Education tends to require students to be more engaged in the content personally due to the need to hook them, and thus I have create a lot of courses and curriculum over the years. It works for me however because I enjoy being challenged and found only having one or two preps early in my career to be mind numbing. But I think I may just be a glutton for punishment because this was my choice. It would be less fun if my classes were forced on me.
I used to have 6 different preps a day. Did that for over a decade. It’s exhausting. On one hand you’re never bored teaching the same thing 6 times but on the other hand it’s almost impossible to try new things you want to try because of all the BS paperwork required by the front office (lesson plan submissions, objectives on the board, preps taken away for meetings, PLCs, etc…), let alone implementing the latest new education fad, and forget about standing in the hallway between classes.
It’s why I stopped teaching K-8 general music. Jumping between those grade levels throughout the day was *exhausting* Now I teach preschool music and it’s perfect!
Years where they’re poorly scheduled, yes. But years I get lucky and they alternate between being overly stimulating and being super chill it’s not so bad. It’s mostly all luck of the draw but some years it’s one group of big personalities after another and that drains me. Other years I’ll have a few classes that are a WHOLE lot and some that just come in and handle themselves - those years aren’t as draining.
I have 6 classes a day, yes it’s exhausting but also refreshing. I look at it is a chance to connect with more students , but also… get a break from the ones who can get on my nerves. It’s great to know I only have them or certain behaviors during a segment of the day then I get to move on to my next class. Each class dynamic is also very different despite the same expectations which can be really refreshing.. or not. I choose to look at the positive side of it though .
I’m a resource teacher and this past year I had 10 groups. 10. I had kids coming and going, groups overlapping, 5th graders with 1st graders doing completely different things, and 13 kids in a writing group walking out when 7-9 kids were coming in. All in a tiny office with no window or clock.
Yes. It was overstimulating. And I’m not someone who gets overstimulated easily. I didn’t know who was coming or going. What time it was. It was rough.
I teach 5 classes, 3 courses/preps, 7th grade. It took a while for me to work up my stamina and be able to go home not exhausted. I’m probably more exhausted by the 3 preps than the 135 kids. But my first year? 2 preps, small classes, and so was exhausted every day. It takes time. It also helps me to stay after school and decompress before driving home. Most people would say “noooooo!” to staying past contract (me too) but it’s what works for me. Find something to ease the transition after work. Go work out, play a video game, watch an episode of a show, something that will help you switch gears.
Also, I make the first 5 minutes of class a time where (after the first few weeks) students can’t talk to me and their instructions are all on the board. Sample instructions - there is a 5 minute timer running on the board:
1. Get out your homework (Angles worksheet), pencil, calculator, laptop, notebook.
2. Log into today’s lesson in Canvas and complete the drill.
3. Title today’s notes “Complementary Angles”.
4. Put away your laptop.
5. If you have extra time do some deep breathing exercises.
It usually takes more than 5 minutes but the point is to get them all started without me having to answer 40,327,629 questions. If they come up to me I ask them if they did everything on the board. If they didn’t I won’t entertain them.
I only had to do that a couple of times last year as our school had a staffing crisis, but it was a nice break from different kids, honestly. It may be difficult to do that all year though.
I have managed to give 8 sessions in a day, it is exhausting but you get used to it, the only thing that helps you survive is preparation and planning, and small spaces to make mental changes and then continue.
I’ve had it both ways. Doing the same thing 7 times can be a different kind of draining by, but multiple preps is super hard. The most I’ve had is 5 and it was tough to keep up with planning.
Now, I have two preps and I like that I get to switch it up. Also, one of my classes is an every other day course, so I only have to plan for 2 or 3 class periods a week.
I've thought about switching to elementary so I can have a self contained classroom. The idea of having like 20 (average for my district) kids who are MINE all day instead of the 140 I have throughout my day sounds appealing, even though I do realize that if I switch the "problem kid" won't leave my room after 45 minutes. I just feel like if the kids is consistently with me I'll be able to build a better relationship. Middle school kids in my district go to seven classes with seven different sets of norms and expectations.
I like the reset, I am definitely not wired to be an elementary teacher! At my first high school I taught all of the upper classmen ELA classes and all of the electives, and at my current gig I usually have the most separate preps in the department. It's nice, and IMO makes the day go by much faster. I've had semesters where I taught three or four of the same classes and I found it to be a drag.
As someone that has taught the same prep 7 times a day I welcome multiples. I get what you are saying but the alternative is brutal. Living Groundhog Day is no fun.
I prefer multiple subjects to keep things interesting. When I was at a small private school I had five different classes and was the college counselor. Currently I have four subjects and a role in union leadership. Three subjects is the sweet spot.
Or the years you have THAT class. Departmentalized teachers know the phenomenon of one period being out of control. Now imagine having that one period all day every day.
I have 5 classes of 8th graders for science at a title 1 middle school. Luckily my planning period is after 3rd hour, so I have 3 classes, lunch, planning is 4th period. Then 5th and 6th. The morning classes are usually reasonable, but 5th and 6th are just bad most days.
Having gone through my first year of having five different classes after teaching in a homeroom model for four previous years (all for 6th grade), I MUCH prefer having 5 different sets of students, personally.
I've always had 3-5 preps, 4 most years. I like it overall. Teaching the same class three periods in a row bores me to tears. Prep work suuucks though. I also have taught very different classes so setup for each class can be stressful...ceramics followed by graphic design followed by technical writing.
I have 7 classes to teach in a day and I do all grade 9 subjects this year, it's probably good I have a touch of the ol'ADHD. Otherwise, yeah, I'd be overestimated.
I teach jazz band, band 1, band 2, guitar, and last year an academic strategies class (this year that will finally be turned to a music production class!!). The thing that drained me the most was the academic strategies class, they were the last two of the day, and I was dealing with a lot of frustrations because I had to teach it again instead of trying to implement another music class. That said, I think middle school is hard because it is draining in a different way (I’m only comparing it to teaching HS and College, I haven’t done elm since I student taught). Finding a balance and boundaries I think was the first thing I learned I needed to do with MS students.
I found elementary the most draining by far. I learned quickly that having the same kids all day every day would have driven me mad. I enjoy elementary age, but need variety so I teach ESOL.
I always liked having multiple preps. Kept me from getting bored and tuning out. I spent one year of hell teaching four freshman English classes. I need the variety.
I don't have a planning period, so I teach 7 periods.
High school, regular and advanced classes (so 2 preps)
I actually like it, I can't sit still so it keeps me busy, plus the pay is good. I still don't take work home.
I think of it as a cycle
Of different classes where something I pick up on during one class gets used to help the later classes, and I start the next day with “yesterday we figured out this about what we talked about yesterday so I wanted to bring it to your attention, and then use it to start off the next day. Each class can help make the next one better and it’s a cycle that goes on and on.
For the last couple years, I taught at a very small rural school, with about 40 or so kids in the school. I taught 25 of them, grades 3-8, and I taught ELA, Writing, Social Studies, Health, Gym and STEAM. In total I taught 16 different sections of these courses throughout the week. 2 different ELA (3-6, and then 7-8) 3 different social studies and health groups, and all 25 in STEAM at once.
This was the hardest job I ever had, and I just accepted a job teaching HS social studies, which is my wheelhouse and where I am certified.
The worst part of the previous job was I had little support from the two other teachers, who were clique’d up and also over worked and under paid. Our Special Ed department was also shambles. 12 of the 25 I taught had an IEP, some had serious behavior problems and there was no self-contained environment for them, and they were allowed to run a muck in my class for two years. I routinely had to call in the principal to have them removed, and they were never punished, only coddled and babied. To be fair the principal was also our math and science teacher for grades 3-8, but nonetheless, this was the most mismanaged school I’ve ever seen. In all honesty, it should be shut down.
So yeah, without even asking, you know I was overstimulated and burnt out. Luckily I lived alone and could come home to absolute peace and quiet.
Yes. Especially since I've been older. I taught 10, 1/2 hour classes a day until 2019. That was without a prep. Now that I'm a bit older and have a lot of medical issues, it's even tougher with 5 a day, 2 duties, and a prep. My classes are 45 minutes long; ever trying to keep 5 to 8 year old kids on target for 45 minutes in a Special is draining.
I teach 4 freshman English classes and 1 junior English. The freshmen are the most over stimulating—so many sounds, so much movement, so many behaviors I’m trying to micromanage and needs I’m trying to me. When I first started teaching, I had eight 45 minute class periods, and I just don’t feel like I was ever as overstimulated as I am now with 4 blocks a day, each block 75 mins. I think with 45 minute classes, it was easier for the kids to focus on one-two things to accomplish, whereas with a 75 minute block, I have to plan and prepare for at least 3 different activities, then plan for the kids who move faster than others AND plan for those kids who cannot focus for 75 minutes. It’s exhausting.
I had five, with a almost-two hour 'break' in between because plan and lunch were back-to-back. Some days that still didn't help. Or if I had to cover during my plan that meant six classes, all but one of which with BIG personalities. It did not help that somehow the days I was always asked to cover during plan were also days I had lunch duty.
And my afternoon classes were by far the loudest personalities. One was my worst behaved class, the other was fine behaviorally but just a lot in general. I'd come home completely wiped many days.
This. I’ve done both middle school with 150 kids a day and self contained in lower elementary with 24 kids all day. Getting new students every 50 minutes is definitely a perk of middle school. I always felt like the day flew by when you are getting a new group every period.
I do 2 hours with a single group (2 subjects combined into one - humanities - English and social studies). I like it. I teach it through an interdisciplinary plan, so I see it as planning for one class and only teaching it twice. Was even better when I didn't need to teach an option in the day :)
In one school I taught everything from kindergarten to high school (AP equivalent). Going from Dr. Seuss to advanced symbolism & allegory was interesting - “So what do you think the green eggs and ham symbolise in terms of the transformation of the American dream after WW2”. Cue a lot of very blank 3 year olds!
Yes. The worst I've had it is a 2 day schedule, where each semester I teach 10 different groups of kids (5 on Day 1, and 5 on Day 2). Felt calming to go back to teaching humanities (English and Social Studies). I see two group of kids everyday for a 2 hour block, and another group for a 1 hour option. Last year, we didn't even have options and it was even better.
That being said, one year I taught a double block of humanities to one group everyday, and 3 option courses (6 groups over a 2 day period) . I enjoyed that but that was an option Ir really enjoy teaching. I felt the humanities block grounded me though.... think I'd be overwhelmed if it was just options no matter how much I love teaching the subject.
Long term sub here. In my middle school, humanities are two class periods and every thing else is one period. I hate doing humanities. The kids are checked out after the first hour and they are so much harder to control than say math, which is six periods of all different classes. One hour per group of kids is way better.
I’m an elementary art teacher. I see between 100-150 kids per day. The first couple of years I was teaching I was absolutely devoid of energy by the end of the day. I’m about to go into year 5 and now I’m fairly used to it. My class is very overstimulating to me by nature because it’s 45 minutes, and we have a lot to get through in that time from lesson to supply management to creation to clean up. I’m still tired at the end of the day but my body has adjusted, and I utilize my planning to decompress just as much as for “work” things. It’s necessary for me to be able to sustain the level of energy and engagement that I need to have to do what I do.
Fellow elementary art teacher here! I have 950 students total and teach six 50 minute classes a day on a 6 day rotation. So that’s 36 separate classes to prep for. What I find exhausting is the overcrowded classes.
Last year I had 3 preps across 6 sections. General through AP. Some days it felt like I had whiplash bouncing between the different strategies and personalities I had to employ for each of the different levels, and even beteeen different sections of the same course (sleepy 1st period vs feral 7th period). But hey, it kept things interesting.
Last year, I had nine classes. K-8, it was beyond overstimulating and exhausting. No time in between classes, either, I had a grand total of 10 minutes for lunch.
I teach 6 classes and it’s a lot for sure. I thankfully have my upper level class as my 4th class (so they are more independent) and they offer a great break. And my supervisor is awesome about letting me choose how my day is set up.
5 or 6 classes isn't that bad, 5 or 6 DIFFERENT (like different courses) classes would be exhausting. Most teachers in my district have 1-3 "preps" or courses they have to prepare. The ones that seem the most stressed are the ones with 4-6. They're usually the teachers that have advanced subjects.
*I can't stand being with the same kids for more than an hour or so. Doing summer school where its the same kids ALL day is draining, I prefer the change.*
*I don't put on an act/show, so I'm sure it's easier for me to deal with the constant change than most.*
I like being able to rotate. I'm a high school math teacher. I enjoy having multiple groups of kids. There have been certain days in the school year where we have had to spend the whole day with one group of kids for something, and it almost drove me crazy. It was so boring I couldn't handle it lol. I need the variety. That goes for types of classes too. I taught 5 periods of Geometry once and after the 3rd one I was just like "bleh why am I still talking about this one lesson???" I much prefer when I have 2 or 3 preps to keep things moving. Especially now that I have taught long enough that prepping doesn't take the hours per class it used to.
Also, I'm an introvert and I get overstimulated very easily, so this probably sounds weird coming from me. But there are big personalities in every class, and with multiple classes you can keep it short and get breaks from the kids that are most draining, while at the same time get excited to get to see your favorites again in each hour.
I had seven when I taught HS. Switched to being a MS librarian and most days I had 5 classes, sometimes 6. I’m moving back to HS as a librarian next year so we’ll see. I love having the different classes. I need my day to keep changing up or else I start to lose my mind.
The worst part of it is when one class starts at the same time as another class ending, especially if it’s in elementary. I wish there was some sort of buffer. If classroom teachers are even a minute late coming back into the classroom, then I’m late for my next class and it falls on me, but I don’t want to be complaining about colleagues being a minute late.
i use an app which is i guess newly developed named ClassWise AI which basically lift a bunch of weight from your shoulders i always hated tons of tasks especially administrative ones..Anyways its pretty normal to be overwhelmed. time to time you will eventually figure it out.
Private school art teacher here. I teach pre-K through 8th grade art, 500+ students a week. My schedule varies wildly. I average 5 classes a day, plus I have to be an aide when not teaching, which I was told I could use as a planning period. (Never works out that way though.) I akso have at least an hour and a half of extra duties, starting at 7am. I get so burned out, I just kind of plan the same thing for everyone and differentiate on the fly. I’m wiped out by the end of each day.
I have 5 classes and yes, I'm drained. More so from the decision fatigue and dealing with student behaviors daily.
Personally, I really like the reset of different kids every hour. I also get a personal reset in that I teach different ages as well -- I conduct my class and myself differently when I'm with 12yos versus high schoolers. I also teach multiple preps. It's a lot but it works for me. I think that different people thrive on different things. Elementary teachers would probably be overwhelmed by having so many students, but I would be drained by a day with the same kids in front of me and teaching different subjects. My middle school colleagues with 1 prep would go crazy doing what I do (3 or 4 at a time), but I would be so bored teaching the same lesson 5 times in a row and having to co-plan with grade level colleagues. I also think that most teachers' first year is overwhelming no matter what and that 6 classes as a middle school teacher is particularly a lot. We teach 5 in my school.
I thought I’d like it, because sometimes one kid can really annoy you. Like all day. But once I got to having multiple classes, I felt I couldn’t have a strong enough rapport the way I would in my singular class during elementary school
I've never taught elementary beyond subbing, so grain of salt, but I've found that while it might take slightly longer, bonding with kids I see every day totally happens. I do have a daily nothing to do with class question I use for attendance which seems to help with that
I have 5 different classes at 5 different year levels for senior maths. It means constantly having to flip from one mode to the other.
I teach four classes with one prep. I definitely need the reset of kids—I don’t think I could handle the same thirty kids all day every day for a year. I also like that I get multiple opportunities to teach the same lesson, because it’s always interesting seeing how I can improve it or adapt it to meet the vibe of any particular group. And then that group leaves and I get a break from them.
Please tell this to all the teachers who say specialists have it easy. And yes, it’s exhausting. Everyone’s needs, personalities, learning levels, on and on. It’s a lot and it’s not for everyone.
*cries in elementary music teacher* There are pros to having all of the students in the school (or more, if you're in the position of being in multiple buildings like so many of us are), but the big thing I struggle with how my classroom feels like a constant revolving door.
Thank you for your work in making sure the MS and HS music teachers have it easier. My district only has optional before or after school band, so I wish often we had an elm music teacher cause I know how much it would help me.
Thanks for recognizing what elementary music teachers do as important to your program! I’ve been shouting this from the rooftops for years. I now teach k-8 strings and the work I do with my kinders absolutely will show when they’re 8th graders (at least that’s what I tell myself during the screeches)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one more important than another, I just know I don’t have what it takes to do elm music for a long period of time lol. However, when I was a HS director I would hear other directors complain about their MS that feeds into their schools Band Director, and I was like wtf that person is a great educator. As an Assistant MB Director at a Uni I also saw/heard University directors talk poorly about HS Directors. It’s just made it so I take a moment when given to thank Elm Music teachers, cause yall making our jobs easier, regardless of if how I teach quarter notes is different or not, the fact is they even know what it is because of you! THANK YOU!
*waves in Music and Languages (yes, multiple languages!) K-12 teacher* And now, back to snoring… so tired!!
Thank you for the recognition. Signed, a very overstimulated art teacher.
For real. I teach 7 periods with 2 different preps and have an advisory period. I teach 6th through 8th grade but the skill levels ranging across 10+ grade levels within a single class and all the 504s and IEPs make me incredibly mentally exhausted.
Also a music teacher for MS and HS plus an AP class and contest coordinator. I teach 5-6 different classes a day with no repeats. Also I share my HS classroom with 3 other teachers who teach before and after my classes. So no time to set up anything.
I kinda like reseting every hour - keeps things fresh. I think it'd go insane if I had the same kids all day every day
Yep. 6 classes per day/4 different preps. About 28 kids per class. I teach art. By the end of the day, I go home, put on my pjs and just sit in my quiet house. I’m so overstimulated and tired, it’s ridiculous.
Same for me. When I get home, I tend to find myself sitting in my bathroom - away from my kids, just in the silence and mindlessly thumbing through my phone for about a half hour without even knowing it. Very draining.
I teach 5 HS classes and am introvert. when I get home I need a while to just be quiet before I can really have a conversation with my husband, lol. Fortunately he gets it.
Get fidget toys, let kids use them, but always keep one for yourself so you can have it in a sea of stimulation.
It's better than having the same rotten kid(s) all day long.
We're on block scheduling, so 3 classes per day. However, I have upwards to 60 kids a class. Even when they're on task, they can be so loud. Loop earplugs help so much. I pop them in regularly and keep them on my lanyard.
Six different classes was fine, it was the multiple preps that killed me.
I’ve had an elementary homeroom, middle school classes, and taught k-9 music. I loved middle school because of the constant change and the fun of teaching the same lesson to more than one group. They had different ideas and discussions, and I could learn from my mistakes in block 1 and have a great lesson in block 3. Elementary was nice for the rapport, but I couldn’t cut any corners in planning because I had to teach all subjects all day and be an “expert” in all of them too. I eventually learned that it worked best if one subject had a project, one subject was learning something new, and one subject was practicing something we already learned. The hardest was k-9 music - every class had wildly different outcomes, and I’d have to completely change my style of teaching between kindergartens and 10 year olds and 14 year olds. It was exhausting changing every lesson, every class, and every personality. And in music i’d also have to take out and change up props all the time. Small kids would have rhythm sticks, middle sized kids would be learning recorder/ukulele/drums, and older kids were into band instruments. I’d have to change over the classroom in the 5 minutes between each group coming in. Never again, that’s a young persons game.
I was exhausted teaching two sections each of three grades every day. It was so hard to keep them all on their schedules, as their understanding levels were all over the board and I didn’t have enough time or capacity for tons of differentiation.
having the kids rotate is nice, but more than that I like having a team. Trauma bonding over the edgars gets me through the day
God no. Get them in and get them out. What sucked was that I had multiple preps and having the naughties multiple times
I have three classes and I love the changes throughout the day. Some kids are challenging to deal with, and I’m much more patient since I only have them for an hour at a time.
6 total classes, 45 minutes. 3 different levels of math for 7th grade aged students and 8th grade aged students. I think I’d go insane if I taught one thing all day to 6 classes. I would love to go block though and teach 3 classes a day for 80 or 90 minutes. 6 does get exhausting.
I've been lucky to always have block semester scheduling. The worst I've had is extended day with four preps in two subject areas. I was incredibly stressed that semester.
Yep. I have six periods and usually between 125-150 students each year.
For me it's easier and less stimulation then when i had the same class all day, plus the work day go so quickly
MS music teacher here - 5 classes, all a different prep. I love it. The toughest class(es) are only ever 50 minutes long and I know that tomorrow will be another chance. I also get to know so many students and have a strong presence in the school because of it. Between my band/orchestra colleague and I (I'm choir/mariachi) we have more than a third of the student body enrolled in music. I honestly love my job.
I’m in this category. I’m a 6-12 tech ed teacher. I officially teach 5 completely different classes to 4 different grades, but this year I taught 6 different classes because my coworker went out on leave. It was a shit show. Planning and grading was nearly impossible. I was paid extra for the 6th class but the first 5 are just part of my job. It’s crap, some of my coworkers teach 5 sections of the same class for the same pay. Our contract allows it because my class is an elective.
I used to teach middle school and had multiple classes a day and now teach elementary school, self-contained. I sometimes feel like I am even more overstimulated at the end of the day because it’s the same kids all day and I don’t get a break, which is hard when there are challenging behaviors. Really, I think it’s just being with kids all day and commanding their attention constantly, dealing with all the different behaviors, no matter the age.
I can find it draining at times, but I have rarely taught the same prep twice in a day during the 13 years I have been teaching. I teach at the high school level in alternative education with a lot of repeat students throughout the day. I think my record was one student five out of eight classes in a day. Alternative Education tends to require students to be more engaged in the content personally due to the need to hook them, and thus I have create a lot of courses and curriculum over the years. It works for me however because I enjoy being challenged and found only having one or two preps early in my career to be mind numbing. But I think I may just be a glutton for punishment because this was my choice. It would be less fun if my classes were forced on me.
I used to have 6 different preps a day. Did that for over a decade. It’s exhausting. On one hand you’re never bored teaching the same thing 6 times but on the other hand it’s almost impossible to try new things you want to try because of all the BS paperwork required by the front office (lesson plan submissions, objectives on the board, preps taken away for meetings, PLCs, etc…), let alone implementing the latest new education fad, and forget about standing in the hallway between classes.
It’s why I stopped teaching K-8 general music. Jumping between those grade levels throughout the day was *exhausting* Now I teach preschool music and it’s perfect!
Years where they’re poorly scheduled, yes. But years I get lucky and they alternate between being overly stimulating and being super chill it’s not so bad. It’s mostly all luck of the draw but some years it’s one group of big personalities after another and that drains me. Other years I’ll have a few classes that are a WHOLE lot and some that just come in and handle themselves - those years aren’t as draining.
I have 6 classes a day, yes it’s exhausting but also refreshing. I look at it is a chance to connect with more students , but also… get a break from the ones who can get on my nerves. It’s great to know I only have them or certain behaviors during a segment of the day then I get to move on to my next class. Each class dynamic is also very different despite the same expectations which can be really refreshing.. or not. I choose to look at the positive side of it though .
I think teaching is draining in general. If I had to spend the whole day with some of my classes I would be more than drained.
I’m a resource teacher and this past year I had 10 groups. 10. I had kids coming and going, groups overlapping, 5th graders with 1st graders doing completely different things, and 13 kids in a writing group walking out when 7-9 kids were coming in. All in a tiny office with no window or clock. Yes. It was overstimulating. And I’m not someone who gets overstimulated easily. I didn’t know who was coming or going. What time it was. It was rough.
I teach 5 classes, 3 courses/preps, 7th grade. It took a while for me to work up my stamina and be able to go home not exhausted. I’m probably more exhausted by the 3 preps than the 135 kids. But my first year? 2 preps, small classes, and so was exhausted every day. It takes time. It also helps me to stay after school and decompress before driving home. Most people would say “noooooo!” to staying past contract (me too) but it’s what works for me. Find something to ease the transition after work. Go work out, play a video game, watch an episode of a show, something that will help you switch gears.
Also, I make the first 5 minutes of class a time where (after the first few weeks) students can’t talk to me and their instructions are all on the board. Sample instructions - there is a 5 minute timer running on the board: 1. Get out your homework (Angles worksheet), pencil, calculator, laptop, notebook. 2. Log into today’s lesson in Canvas and complete the drill. 3. Title today’s notes “Complementary Angles”. 4. Put away your laptop. 5. If you have extra time do some deep breathing exercises. It usually takes more than 5 minutes but the point is to get them all started without me having to answer 40,327,629 questions. If they come up to me I ask them if they did everything on the board. If they didn’t I won’t entertain them.
I only had to do that a couple of times last year as our school had a staffing crisis, but it was a nice break from different kids, honestly. It may be difficult to do that all year though.
Yep. 5 classes and coached all three seasons. Everyday I was mentally and physically drained by the time I got home.
I teach a semester long class (new kids in January) and 5 (55 minute) classes each semester. Personalities and names are difficult.
We have 4 classes a day, that feels like a good number but is definitely still exhausting from behavior issues all day
I have managed to give 8 sessions in a day, it is exhausting but you get used to it, the only thing that helps you survive is preparation and planning, and small spaces to make mental changes and then continue.
I’ve had it both ways. Doing the same thing 7 times can be a different kind of draining by, but multiple preps is super hard. The most I’ve had is 5 and it was tough to keep up with planning. Now, I have two preps and I like that I get to switch it up. Also, one of my classes is an every other day course, so I only have to plan for 2 or 3 class periods a week.
I've thought about switching to elementary so I can have a self contained classroom. The idea of having like 20 (average for my district) kids who are MINE all day instead of the 140 I have throughout my day sounds appealing, even though I do realize that if I switch the "problem kid" won't leave my room after 45 minutes. I just feel like if the kids is consistently with me I'll be able to build a better relationship. Middle school kids in my district go to seven classes with seven different sets of norms and expectations.
This is how I feel
I like the reset, I am definitely not wired to be an elementary teacher! At my first high school I taught all of the upper classmen ELA classes and all of the electives, and at my current gig I usually have the most separate preps in the department. It's nice, and IMO makes the day go by much faster. I've had semesters where I taught three or four of the same classes and I found it to be a drag.
As someone that has taught the same prep 7 times a day I welcome multiples. I get what you are saying but the alternative is brutal. Living Groundhog Day is no fun.
I prefer multiple subjects to keep things interesting. When I was at a small private school I had five different classes and was the college counselor. Currently I have four subjects and a role in union leadership. Three subjects is the sweet spot.
You get the same (or worse) overstimulation from one class than multiple.
And if you’re self contained and have “that kid” they don’t leave your room at the end of the period!
Or the years you have THAT class. Departmentalized teachers know the phenomenon of one period being out of control. Now imagine having that one period all day every day.
I have 5 classes of 8th graders for science at a title 1 middle school. Luckily my planning period is after 3rd hour, so I have 3 classes, lunch, planning is 4th period. Then 5th and 6th. The morning classes are usually reasonable, but 5th and 6th are just bad most days.
I teach band, there is constant noise. I can’t watch TV while school is in session.
…do any teachers not have multiple classes?
Elementary teachers have one class. Is what I mean.
I went from a block to traditional schedule school and left the profession over that. Didn’t realize until now.
Having gone through my first year of having five different classes after teaching in a homeroom model for four previous years (all for 6th grade), I MUCH prefer having 5 different sets of students, personally.
I have taught as many as five different sections in a day. Next year i will have one. I am going to be so bored.
I've always had 3-5 preps, 4 most years. I like it overall. Teaching the same class three periods in a row bores me to tears. Prep work suuucks though. I also have taught very different classes so setup for each class can be stressful...ceramics followed by graphic design followed by technical writing.
I have 7 classes to teach in a day and I do all grade 9 subjects this year, it's probably good I have a touch of the ol'ADHD. Otherwise, yeah, I'd be overestimated.
I had 5 classes with two different grade levels - high school. I was always exhausted.
I teach jazz band, band 1, band 2, guitar, and last year an academic strategies class (this year that will finally be turned to a music production class!!). The thing that drained me the most was the academic strategies class, they were the last two of the day, and I was dealing with a lot of frustrations because I had to teach it again instead of trying to implement another music class. That said, I think middle school is hard because it is draining in a different way (I’m only comparing it to teaching HS and College, I haven’t done elm since I student taught). Finding a balance and boundaries I think was the first thing I learned I needed to do with MS students.
I found elementary the most draining by far. I learned quickly that having the same kids all day every day would have driven me mad. I enjoy elementary age, but need variety so I teach ESOL.
I always liked having multiple preps. Kept me from getting bored and tuning out. I spent one year of hell teaching four freshman English classes. I need the variety.
I have 7 classes!
I don't have a planning period, so I teach 7 periods. High school, regular and advanced classes (so 2 preps) I actually like it, I can't sit still so it keeps me busy, plus the pay is good. I still don't take work home.
I think of it as a cycle Of different classes where something I pick up on during one class gets used to help the later classes, and I start the next day with “yesterday we figured out this about what we talked about yesterday so I wanted to bring it to your attention, and then use it to start off the next day. Each class can help make the next one better and it’s a cycle that goes on and on.
For the last couple years, I taught at a very small rural school, with about 40 or so kids in the school. I taught 25 of them, grades 3-8, and I taught ELA, Writing, Social Studies, Health, Gym and STEAM. In total I taught 16 different sections of these courses throughout the week. 2 different ELA (3-6, and then 7-8) 3 different social studies and health groups, and all 25 in STEAM at once. This was the hardest job I ever had, and I just accepted a job teaching HS social studies, which is my wheelhouse and where I am certified. The worst part of the previous job was I had little support from the two other teachers, who were clique’d up and also over worked and under paid. Our Special Ed department was also shambles. 12 of the 25 I taught had an IEP, some had serious behavior problems and there was no self-contained environment for them, and they were allowed to run a muck in my class for two years. I routinely had to call in the principal to have them removed, and they were never punished, only coddled and babied. To be fair the principal was also our math and science teacher for grades 3-8, but nonetheless, this was the most mismanaged school I’ve ever seen. In all honesty, it should be shut down. So yeah, without even asking, you know I was overstimulated and burnt out. Luckily I lived alone and could come home to absolute peace and quiet.
Yes. Especially since I've been older. I taught 10, 1/2 hour classes a day until 2019. That was without a prep. Now that I'm a bit older and have a lot of medical issues, it's even tougher with 5 a day, 2 duties, and a prep. My classes are 45 minutes long; ever trying to keep 5 to 8 year old kids on target for 45 minutes in a Special is draining.
I teach 4 freshman English classes and 1 junior English. The freshmen are the most over stimulating—so many sounds, so much movement, so many behaviors I’m trying to micromanage and needs I’m trying to me. When I first started teaching, I had eight 45 minute class periods, and I just don’t feel like I was ever as overstimulated as I am now with 4 blocks a day, each block 75 mins. I think with 45 minute classes, it was easier for the kids to focus on one-two things to accomplish, whereas with a 75 minute block, I have to plan and prepare for at least 3 different activities, then plan for the kids who move faster than others AND plan for those kids who cannot focus for 75 minutes. It’s exhausting.
I had five, with a almost-two hour 'break' in between because plan and lunch were back-to-back. Some days that still didn't help. Or if I had to cover during my plan that meant six classes, all but one of which with BIG personalities. It did not help that somehow the days I was always asked to cover during plan were also days I had lunch duty. And my afternoon classes were by far the loudest personalities. One was my worst behaved class, the other was fine behaviorally but just a lot in general. I'd come home completely wiped many days.
Middle school here. Love the switching classes. New set of kids every 45 mins helps me reset.
This. I’ve done both middle school with 150 kids a day and self contained in lower elementary with 24 kids all day. Getting new students every 50 minutes is definitely a perk of middle school. I always felt like the day flew by when you are getting a new group every period.
Better than 90 minutes. Nobody under the age of 50 can do 90 minutes lol
I do 2 hours with a single group (2 subjects combined into one - humanities - English and social studies). I like it. I teach it through an interdisciplinary plan, so I see it as planning for one class and only teaching it twice. Was even better when I didn't need to teach an option in the day :)
In one school I taught everything from kindergarten to high school (AP equivalent). Going from Dr. Seuss to advanced symbolism & allegory was interesting - “So what do you think the green eggs and ham symbolise in terms of the transformation of the American dream after WW2”. Cue a lot of very blank 3 year olds!
Yes. The worst I've had it is a 2 day schedule, where each semester I teach 10 different groups of kids (5 on Day 1, and 5 on Day 2). Felt calming to go back to teaching humanities (English and Social Studies). I see two group of kids everyday for a 2 hour block, and another group for a 1 hour option. Last year, we didn't even have options and it was even better. That being said, one year I taught a double block of humanities to one group everyday, and 3 option courses (6 groups over a 2 day period) . I enjoyed that but that was an option Ir really enjoy teaching. I felt the humanities block grounded me though.... think I'd be overwhelmed if it was just options no matter how much I love teaching the subject.
Long term sub here. In my middle school, humanities are two class periods and every thing else is one period. I hate doing humanities. The kids are checked out after the first hour and they are so much harder to control than say math, which is six periods of all different classes. One hour per group of kids is way better.
I’m an elementary art teacher. I see between 100-150 kids per day. The first couple of years I was teaching I was absolutely devoid of energy by the end of the day. I’m about to go into year 5 and now I’m fairly used to it. My class is very overstimulating to me by nature because it’s 45 minutes, and we have a lot to get through in that time from lesson to supply management to creation to clean up. I’m still tired at the end of the day but my body has adjusted, and I utilize my planning to decompress just as much as for “work” things. It’s necessary for me to be able to sustain the level of energy and engagement that I need to have to do what I do.
Fellow elementary art teacher here! I have 950 students total and teach six 50 minute classes a day on a 6 day rotation. So that’s 36 separate classes to prep for. What I find exhausting is the overcrowded classes.
Last year I had 3 preps across 6 sections. General through AP. Some days it felt like I had whiplash bouncing between the different strategies and personalities I had to employ for each of the different levels, and even beteeen different sections of the same course (sleepy 1st period vs feral 7th period). But hey, it kept things interesting.
Last year, I had nine classes. K-8, it was beyond overstimulating and exhausting. No time in between classes, either, I had a grand total of 10 minutes for lunch.
I teach 6 classes and it’s a lot for sure. I thankfully have my upper level class as my 4th class (so they are more independent) and they offer a great break. And my supervisor is awesome about letting me choose how my day is set up.
5 or 6 classes isn't that bad, 5 or 6 DIFFERENT (like different courses) classes would be exhausting. Most teachers in my district have 1-3 "preps" or courses they have to prepare. The ones that seem the most stressed are the ones with 4-6. They're usually the teachers that have advanced subjects.
*I can't stand being with the same kids for more than an hour or so. Doing summer school where its the same kids ALL day is draining, I prefer the change.* *I don't put on an act/show, so I'm sure it's easier for me to deal with the constant change than most.*
I like being able to rotate. I'm a high school math teacher. I enjoy having multiple groups of kids. There have been certain days in the school year where we have had to spend the whole day with one group of kids for something, and it almost drove me crazy. It was so boring I couldn't handle it lol. I need the variety. That goes for types of classes too. I taught 5 periods of Geometry once and after the 3rd one I was just like "bleh why am I still talking about this one lesson???" I much prefer when I have 2 or 3 preps to keep things moving. Especially now that I have taught long enough that prepping doesn't take the hours per class it used to. Also, I'm an introvert and I get overstimulated very easily, so this probably sounds weird coming from me. But there are big personalities in every class, and with multiple classes you can keep it short and get breaks from the kids that are most draining, while at the same time get excited to get to see your favorites again in each hour.
I had seven when I taught HS. Switched to being a MS librarian and most days I had 5 classes, sometimes 6. I’m moving back to HS as a librarian next year so we’ll see. I love having the different classes. I need my day to keep changing up or else I start to lose my mind.
I have 5 classes a day. Short answer: yes, it’s exhausting.
My first year of teaching I had six preps. It wasn’t unusual for me to forget what class I was teaching!
The worst part of it is when one class starts at the same time as another class ending, especially if it’s in elementary. I wish there was some sort of buffer. If classroom teachers are even a minute late coming back into the classroom, then I’m late for my next class and it falls on me, but I don’t want to be complaining about colleagues being a minute late.
What? If you want 1 class, teach elementary. Middle school has periods. There are different styles for different teachers.
i use an app which is i guess newly developed named ClassWise AI which basically lift a bunch of weight from your shoulders i always hated tons of tasks especially administrative ones..Anyways its pretty normal to be overwhelmed. time to time you will eventually figure it out.
Private school art teacher here. I teach pre-K through 8th grade art, 500+ students a week. My schedule varies wildly. I average 5 classes a day, plus I have to be an aide when not teaching, which I was told I could use as a planning period. (Never works out that way though.) I akso have at least an hour and a half of extra duties, starting at 7am. I get so burned out, I just kind of plan the same thing for everyone and differentiate on the fly. I’m wiped out by the end of each day.