As academics, our to-do lists are endless. Some would possibly even say inconceivable. It’s inevitable that we now have to chop corners someplace, and in a latest Reddit thread, academics are sharing all of the methods they discover artistic workarounds to the infinite pile of duties. From eyeballing assignments to ditching formal lesson plans and even placing the kibosh on guardian calls, these corner-cutting hacks are nothing if not relatable.
“C’mon. I know y’all do it,” Dizzy_Instance8781 begins. “Teaching is a job that’s so intensive and has so many moving parts to it that you almost have to cut corners here and there to make it sustainable. I want to hear from you, where do you cut corners?”
The thread is crammed with savvy trainer hacks, but in addition exposes a heavy dose of actuality and cynicism about all trainer burnout and why so many are leaving schooling altogether.
Listed below are a few of the prime feedback:
“I don’t call home at all.”
“I email instead (unless there’s no available email address). That allows me to use customizable form messages to cut down on time, and keeps a record of exactly what was said.” —Monsterbyday
“I send out mass BCC ‘your child is failing’ emails once a quarter about a week before grades are due with a list of things the students can do to bring their grades up.”
“I would say less than 10% of emails even get a response.” —UniqueUsername82D
“No formal lesson plans.”
“Ain’t nobody got time for that.” —mdmull4.
“I have simply taken old [lesson plans] and slapped different dates on them.”
“When you’re a choir teacher, you can fit what you’re going to do on a Post-it note.” —Swaglfar
In 2024, academics are utilizing AI to generate primary lesson plans as a jumping-off level. Whereas this will likely appear to be reducing corners, AI could be a big assist in clarifying, deepening, and increasing lesson plans.
“I don’t do anything after contract hours.”
“I leave at 2:45.” —wardsac
In response, person Lokky rightly clarifies, “This isn’t cutting corners. This is sticking to your contract.”
“Hall duty. I am simply not doing it anymore.”
When one other commenter requested Swaglfar to elaborate on how they accomplish this, Swaglfar replied, “My room is very out of the way. I lock my doors and keep quiet.”
“I try to either use holistic grading or credit/no-credit grading for most assignments.”
“Taking the time to read 5 periods with 36 students each, I would never have time to do anything else if I did not.” —Content material-Parsnip5533
“I do all tests through Canvas.”
“I don’t test in class. When we are done with a unit, the test goes up for about 1-3 days. The kids take it whenever they can (using their notes and yes even the Internet). Oh but it is timed so you better be fast if you are using the Internet or you will run out of time. And I don’t let them go back on questions.” —Wolftankpick
“I only grade tests/quizzes/projects.”
“I don’t grade quickly at all. I have 150 students, they get done when they get done. Sorry folks.” —MTskier12
With big class sizes turning into the norm in lots of components of the nation (notably with out further help), academics merely don’t have time to grade every thing to constancy.
Even after reducing corners, academics are nonetheless leaving.
Sadly, there simply aren’t sufficient corners to chop, and for a lot of academics the stress is forcing them to resign. Morbid_Explorerrrr minced no phrases after they shared they deliberate to resign in three years “like any other good naive teacher who goes into the profession against the warnings of others.”
“Sometimes I envision how happy I’d be grinding these hours if I was making bank … I’d feel prideful over my work,” they stated. “Instead, I just feel embarrassed that I am letting society take advantage of my efforts and time.”
This leads us to ask: Is educating sustainable anymore?
Whereas it’s tempting to boost eyebrows at academics reducing corners, we now have to give attention to why that is happening. In a occupation going through mounting challenges and diminishing sources, educators typically discover themselves navigating an more and more unsustainable panorama.
So, is that this even reducing corners? Or are academics in survival mode and doing what they will to maintain their heads above water? Reddit person Thougtfulprof put it this fashion: “If you put a stone in turbulent enough water, eventually all the corners are gone.”