Teachers Off Duty Bored Teachers

We have a feeling the five-day school week is outdated…
Welcome back to another episode of Teachers Off Duty! In this episode, Bri Richardson, Jess Smith, and Devin Siebold discuss a hot topic in the education world: 4-day school weeks.
With the constant pressure to improve student performance and reduce costs, many school districts are considering switching to a 4-day school week. On paper, it seems like a win-win situation - students get an extra day off and schools save money. But is it really that simple?
This week we break down the pros and cons of 4-day school weeks. Together, we dive into the potential benefits, such as increased attendance and improved teacher morale, as well as the potential challenges, such as longer school days and the impact on working parents.
But it's not just about the logistics. We also explore the potential impact on student learning and achievement. Are longer weekends really beneficial for students? Will they fall behind in their studies? Our panel shares their personal experiences and research-based evidence to shed light on these important questions.

 
Jump right to it!
2:45 Four-Day School Potential
6:30 Unschooling Defined
11:15 Public vs. Unschooling
17:40 Five-Day Grind Issues
23:50 Year-Round Schooling Debate
29:05 Educational System Overhaul

 
Watch us question tradition on this week's episode of Teachers Off Duty.
 

Teaching really isn’t what it used to be…
 
Welcome back to Teachers Off Duty! This week our hosts Bri Richardson, Gabe Dannenbring, and Jess Smith break down some of the morally gray areas of teaching. 
 
Here’s a hot take, homework is overrated. We had an intense debate over whether or not homework is even necessary in schools. Should students bring their studies home, or should teachers give them time for after school activities? 
 
Between grading, lesson plans, and babysitting, teachers have a lot on their plate, so it could be hard to find friends. But sometimes during parent/teacher conferences you find out that some of your favorite students are cool because they have cool parents. Is it alright to hang out with students' parents after school, or do you think it could lead to unneeded classroom drama?
 
Social media is at the forefront of most of our lives, but what happens when your personal life interacts with your work life? This happens all the time with admin monitoring teachers social media accounts. Is it fair for teachers to be judged at work for bar photos on instagram, or should we just let them have a personal life? 



Jump right to it!
03:15 Social Media Etiquette for Teachers
08:30 Student-Teacher Friendship Boundaries
14:20 Handling Emotional Breakups
20:50 The Debate Over Student Hugs
27:25 The Disappearing Teacher Act
33:40 Faculty Potluck Shenanigans
 
So tune in and let us be your moral compass on this week's episode of Teachers Off Duty.
 

I don’t think we should trust these people with classroom advice…
Welcome back to Teachers Off Duty! This week our hosts Bri Richardson, Gabe Dannenbring, and Jess Smith share stories of the worst unsolicited advice they've been given. 
As teachers, we are constantly bombarded with well-meaning but misguided advice. From "just get another job if you're unhappy" to "you need to strictly enforce classroom rules" these suggestions may seem like the solution to our problems, but are they really? And should we trust these people’s opinions for how to run our classroom?
Another common piece of advice is to be stricter with students to improve their behavior. But is being a strict teacher really the key to proper classroom management? We discuss the effects of strict discipline on students and share alternative methods that can actually lead to better behavior.
Building relationships with students is often seen as the key to a successful classroom, but what does that even really mean? We share our strategies for building genuine connections with students and how it has positively impacted our teaching.
We've all been guilty of staying late at school to finish grading papers or lesson planning, but is that really the best use of our time? Taking care of yourself outside of school hours is extremely important, so this week we're giving some self help tips for teachers.

 
Jump right to it!
2:35 Teaching Fashion Fails 
7:15 Grade Inflation Pressure
13:45 The Teaching Marathon
18:20 Classroom Emergency Repairs
24:00 Admin vs. Teacher Dynamics
30:50 Coping with Classroom Meltdowns
36:30 Redefining Educational Norms
 
Trust us, we know what we're talking about, so listen to our advice on this week's episode of Teachers Off Duty.
 

Our middle school students did what!? 
 
Welcome back to Teachers Off Duty! This week our hosts Bri Richardson, Gabe Dannenbring, and Jess Smith give you the lowdown on the world of middle school education. 
 
We know a thing or two, because we've seen a thing or two. You would not believe some of the hectic and hormonal things we’ve seen middle schoolers do. From giggling at textbook questions to making roaches class pets, they have some unhinged tendencies. But it’s not all bad, we also have our fair share of heartwarming stories to share about our middle school students. 
 
Teaching middle school is not for the faint of heart, it takes patience, resilience, and perseverance. Although we like to stay positive, middle school is a rough time for these students and teaching them comes with its own set of challenges. But don’t you worry, if you’re struggling right now, were going to share our tips and tricks on how we handle these situations
 
With this all being said however, teaching middle school also comes with plenty of rewards. There is no better feeling than seeing your students grow and succeed in their goals. So tune in as we share the lighter side of teaching our middle schoolers. 
 
3:25 - Tween’s Emotional Rollercoasters
8:40 - Teaching Triumphs & Trials
15:15 - Classroom Hilarity Ensues
21:05 - Hormonal Havoc Tactics
28:30 - Sanity Saving Strategies
 
So prepare to cringe and celebrate with our educators on this week's episode of Teachers Off Duty.
 
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Teachers Off Duty Podcast by Bored Teachers
 

Hey best friends! Welcome to this week's episode of "Teachers Off Duty" with Bri Richardson aka HonestTeacherVibes and give a welcome back to these Bored Teachers and Teacher Off Duty OGs Jess Smith and Gabe Dannenbring!
The end of the year is here and we're diving into the highs and lows. From moving classrooms to the dreaded end-of-year checklists, we've got some stories you got to hear to believe! 
Don't Miss:
HonestTeacherVibes' hilarious flashbacks to year-end classroom chaos
Jess Smith's tips on dealing with end-of-year stress and student absenteeism
The return of Good or Garbage with Gabe! He’s just mad he’s too tall for the yellow school bus. 
The emotional stories of student goodbyes. We always miss them, no matter how many classroom interruptions they may have been responsible for.
It’s a long weekend so queue us up, grab your sunscreen lotion, put on that new Drake track and tune in for this week’s Teachers Off Duty!



 

Ex boyfriends and rogue bats… It's been a weird news day
 
Welcome back to Teachers Off Duty! This week our hosts Bri Richardson, Devin Siebold, and James Yon unpack the weirdest teachers of the news, that you have to see to believe. 
 
Sick days are hard to come by, but luckily for this teacher, while battling cancer, his fellow teachers came to his rescue. Although it's a heartwarming story of comradery between peers, should he have to take his friends sick days?
 
While most teachers seem to have bad luck, a small group of teachers in Kentucky managed to win the lottery! To make it even better they had plans to donate the money to their school, but we can't help but wonder if we would have been so generous.
 
In a turn of events we found a teacher in the news that was forced to resign after her ex-boyfriend maliciously sent some things to her school officials! Is it fair for this teacher to lose her job due to someone else's actions? 
 
Speaking of stressful situations, we found a story about a bat on the playground, but not the sports kind, the animal kind. This flying rodent created a massive commotion, causing far more chaos than we ever imagined possible.
 
Jump right to it!
3:45 - Unbelievable Teacher Wins Lottery
10:02 - Cancer Battle and Recovery
16:30 - Bizarre Schoolyard Bat Infestation
22:50 - Classroom Heroics Revealed
29:35 - Transition to Comedy Tours
35:20 - Spiciest Teacher Gossip Unleashed
41:45 - Balancing Teaching and Dreams
47:59 - Unexpected Twists in Teaching Careers
 
So join us on Teachers Off Duty for an episode chock full of spicy after school teacher drama!