…no, no you haven’t. No one is asking. No one is sending DMs, no one is commenting, no one is posting regarding any questions that need to be answered by prefacing with the title of this blog entry! If you see that tag line, move along! It is all a lie! Lie #1, actually. 

This post is geared toward you newbies to the teaching profession. These are the things your college classes don’t cover. This is real life. These are things social media will tell you are true. These are things I wish I was told. Vets, if you’d like to add anything, please comment below. 

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs and threads lately because I have sooooo much time on my hands… Okay, that’s lie #2 that you need to be aware of. I don’t have much time on my hands. My hands are juggling so much right now. I have a pile of papers I’ve been bringing home for about 2 weeks that need to be checked. My house is a disaster since I want to move. My desk at school is piled high with Lord knows what – that’s called “April desk,” btw, where you just stop caring about keeping it in order and in a month you sweep it all into the garbage can before leaving for summer break. The only reason I was able to read blogs and threads was for what I call “research” for grad school. Hence this post that I felt compelled to write to dispell many myths you may be absorbing as you surf the interwebs trying to gain ideas before you giddily (is that a word?) launch into the next phase of your life.

This is where lies #3 and #4 come in…(3) You are supposed to have a picture-perfect, Pinterest-worthy classroom your first year. You will be spending your whole summer buying things (4) with money that will be reimbursed to you. …nope. No, you are not. I’m telling you to resist temptation. Wait until you get your job and know what you need! Those classrooms you see on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram are the highlight reel of someone’s life. I don’t post a picture of my desk in April for this reason. No one wants to see that trash heap. Maybe I’ll take a picture and post it here later for authenticity. There are multiple scenarios that could be taking place here…

• That is the calm before the storm.
• That is a teacher who has gathered all that “cute” stuff over many years and it has taken years of rearranging to get it to where they like it.
• That is actually a set-up in their house. Yes, it’s fake and it happens A LOT.

DO NOT feel pressured to go out and buy all the things! Chances are you will not be reimbursed! Some schools have a certain amount they pay you for classroom things while others do not. Some P.T.O.s give their teachers money while others do not. You will go into debt so fast if you go on a spending spree. Watching all of the Target posts in June, July, and August will get you into debt even faster! Just stay away from Target. Walmart has a better deal on bookbins anyway. Some schools may even make you buy your own paper for copies! My suggestion to you would be to ask the teachers at your school what are the most important things you will need to get started. What does the school provide? What are the essential things you need? Many vet teachers have an overabundance of things they’ve collected and may give you items Marie Kondo-style. Visit second-hand sources like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and garage sales. If there’s a bigger ticket item, like many books to start a library, consider one of the donation sites like Donors Choose or Go Fund Me. Also, don’t forget to check your school’s “dumping table” a.k.a. the table where all the teachers dump the stuff they don’t want and maybe someone else could use. Check to see if your district offers a new teacher “store” where you can pick up things to start your classroom. Our district is lucky enough to have one, but I didn’t know about it until my 3rd or 4th year. It was provided by our union, so make sure to ask them! There is also a website called NAEIR (National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources) that has amazing deals on bulk classroom items. Need 95 pens? They have you covered. 72 Post-It pads? Sure thing! Sign up here and if they ask, tell them Megan sent you! Keep in mind you can only sign up if you have a teaching job. They will call/email your school to check. They have much better deals than the back to school sales, so keep that in mind! Also, all items must be used for/with the kids. Teaching is the only job where you steal things from home to bring them to school. Be prepared lol!

When you are struggling to get your life off the ground with your peanuts-for-salary you may be approached by someone selling something and asking you to join their team because you’ll make so much more money. These are also known as MLMs or Multi-Level Marketing schemes. Truth they will approach you or slide into your DMs with a “Hey, gurl…” and tell you that you’ll make more money by selling ____, but lie #5 is that you won’t. Stick to what you know how to do. If you want a side-hustle, what are you good at? What do you already have the skills and materials for? Don’t go into debt trying to make more money. If you’re going to spend more money to make money, take classes to get your Masters. They will pressure you like crazy, but that’s their job because they need people under them to make their money. If you’re unhappy with the salary you’re making and you would want to leave teaching to go do one of these MLMs, go into a different field to begin with and don’t “Hey, gurl!” me. (Yes, I know I’m spelling girl wrong. Don’t hate me. It’s so you read it like “guuurl.”)

You will see many “teacher conferences” on social media. They will all promote to make you a better teacher. Lie #6. All I have to say is do your homework to know what you’re getting into. Who are the presenters? What is their agenda? How long have they been teaching? What makes them an authority on the topic? How does this align to your/your district’s teaching philosophy? Many of them are just a way to meet Insta-famous people and have no desire to increase your teaching skills. Maybe that’s what you’re looking for, and that’s up to you. Just keep in mind your audience. We all put on some degree of a show every day for our kids, but OSHA frowns upon standing on desks. Just sayin’. 

All interactions will be positive. Yeah, I can’t even say that with a straight face, so that’s lie #7. Chances are you’ll also end up on anxiety meds or anti-depressants at some point in your career. I can’t even prepare you for some of the parents that may come at you. I have had some amazing parents in the past (95%) and I’ve also had some that have come to school with their torches saying, “Kill the beast!” …or maybe that was only what it felt like while I was having my daily cry…regardless… They will send you doozy emails with pictures of sandwiches asking if you would help their child finish their lunch. Ummm, no. “That’s a conversation you need to have at home.” They will also send emails with other students’ names in them. Whatever you do, do not repeat any student names other than their own child in the email. Ask for a face-to-face to help resolve these issues instead. You may also encounter other co-workers who are less than kind. Truth – I was bullied by another teacher my first year. She did it so underhandedly that no one noticed until I brought it to the attention of my mentor teacher. She couldn’t believe how underhanded and sneaky she was once I pointed it out. So yes, it does happen, and if I had the knowledge and experience I have now, I would have filed a grievance on her. I didn’t know that was a thing, but if you’re having issues and you try to solve them, but just can’t, talk to your union rep if you’re lucky enough to have one. Otherwise, go to your admin or HR for advice.

Lie #8: You need to post your classroom happenings on social media. That is actually a terrible idea. You should never post anyone on social media without their consent. Check your school’s rules on photo/video release. That still doesn’t cover your hiney because those often just cover the school website and newspaper publications. Did you know even a child’s handwriting could be seen as an “identifiable” characteristic? If you choose to have a classroom page on FB, IG, or whatever, MAKE IT PRIVATE and invite only! I personally use Bloomz and Seesaw which my parents love and they both have higher level privacy restrictions. Click on them to check them out. I think you can get a free month of pro, too, if you use my links. 

Lie #9: You should use oils in your classroom to help with behavior and curb sickness. There are so many allergies that can be trigged by oils it is dangerous to do this. Some oils also can trigger other health issues in children (and adults!). If parents want to put them on their children, that’s one thing, but if you do it, you could be in big trouble. Some schools don’t even allow room sprays. Be aware of your school’s policies, and if you don’t know, then ask!

My best advice to you is to keep it real. Don’t try to be someone you’re not because your kids will see right through it. Don’t be your students’ friend. You are their teacher, not their peer. They need someone to give them structure. Don’t act like you know it all to other teachers because they will give you side-eye and an eye roll, even if it is in their head and you can’t see it. You don’t have to take their advice, but at least act like you’re listening.