Cue the teacher eye roll! Because today, we’re going over some of the funniest and most relatable teacher pet peeves in the classroom that will relieve all of your chalkboard carpal tunnel-inducing moments.
Teachers love their students, but sometimes they can be quite a handful (and quite a bit annoying sometimes to be honest). But we have to understand that this is because they’re still learning how to be proper adults, after all!
If you’re a teacher, you know that there are some pet peeves that you just can’t help but have. But it’s best to just see the brighter side of things rather than sulking.
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Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Fuel your life with these heartwarming words and positive thoughts.
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So turn your frown upside down and just laugh it all off with me today!
12 Relatable Teacher Pet Peeves In The Classroom
1.) When students chew gum in class
Chewing gum in class is a huge pet peeve for most teachers, and if you are a teacher reading this, then I would very much think that you would agree. It’s another one of those things that students do that just makes teaching a bit more, let’s say—complicated.
Especially when done loudly, students chewing gum in class in the middle of you discussing something important can be quite distracting, and it can also be a sign of disrespect. Teachers know that chewing gum can be somewhat like fidgeting but sometimes it can really get under your skin if you know what I mean.
So if you’re a student or you know someone who is, try not to chew gum in class, and if you must then try to do it in a very discreet way that will not distract others in the class and most importantly your teacher!
2.) Students talking loudly when you’re in the middle of teaching
No matter how hard teachers try to suppress noticing their pet peeves sometimes it just really stands out. And one of them is loud talking during class sessions.
Sometimes it’s like getting to a point where it’s like a competition in the classroom to see who has the loudest voice, am I right? When students are loud, it can be very tiring for a teacher to bring their voice level to overcome theirs.
And most probably, students aren’t paying attention to the lesson and may not be grasping the information well. And this can be challenging for teachers to tackle in the classroom.
That’s why many teachers are finding new and creative ways to tackle these kinds of nuances in the classroom without sacrificing their precious sanity.
3.) Students are constantly distracted by their phones
If you’re a teacher, chances are that you’ve already experienced this yourself. We all know that smartphones are here to stay and it’s okay for a few students to check out their phones or stare at them during class every once in a while, but when everyone in the class does it, well, that’s a different story for a teacher.
Instead of them focusing on what’s being discussed in front of them, students tend to take out their phones to check a text or maybe check social media subconsciously. And it can be a disheartening sight for a teacher to see.
Just imagine how much precious class time and information students are missing out on just because they’d rather text or scroll through social media than learn something new.
As a teacher it’s best to find ways to combat the distraction that smartphones and other gadgets bring upon students, and if you’re curious to know how just check out this article right here!
4.) Students leaving class before the teacher dismisses it
Some students have developed the habit of leaving the class before the teacher has actually dismissed it, and this may seem harmless to some but for a teacher, it’s kind of a pet peeve.
The only person who knows when a class is over is the teacher. Even if the bell has already rung, students need to know that they need to wait for the teacher’s cue if they can be released from their seats and go about their day as a sign of respect.
5.) Passing secret notes during class
As a teacher, you know that you can’t control everything that happens in your classroom, and part of it is students passing out notes to one another. It might seem inoffensive from students’ point of view, but when you’re the teacher it can be a source of annoyance and cause distraction in class.
Students should be paying attention to the teachers and not writing notes to pass around, teachers get that you need to say something to your classmate, but maybe if it’s not that too important it can wait after the class, right?
6.) Binge-eating in the classroom
Do you know what makes a teacher’s day? It’s a moment of stillness when they come in and all students are proper and behave sitting quietly in their chairs as they wait for the class to begin.
But then, a student decides to walk in with a bag of chips and start eating it. And then another student starts to get a bag of candy and start munching on it. And then another one brings in a snack of their own.
And the domino effect starts and the next thing you know it’s like recess time in the classroom—except you’re not getting to throw anything away because those snacks aren’t yours!
7.) When students become acrobats in their chair
Kids have a lot of energy, we know that. And sitting down for hours can cause them to find ways to release their pent-up energy and sometimes they vent it out on their chairs.
Students tend to lean back way too far and tip their chairs over and this can cause a ruckus in class and in evidently distract their classmates and disrupt the lesson.
The chair is not a trampoline, nor is it a sled, nor a seesaw, nor is it a catapult or even a diving board.
Kids are just so imaginative and restless at times that’s why you should try some classroom management techniques that will help students release their extra energy before getting serious with discussions in class!
8.) When students ask to go to the bathroom every 3 minutes
As a teacher, you need to keep track of your students. Most of the time you need to know where they are and what they are doing.
And we know how sly students can be pretending to need to go to the bathroom but in reality, they just want to wander the halls or do something else instead of sitting down and listening to the discussion.
Knowing that we need to keep track of students’ whereabouts for their safety and wellbeing it can be hard to track multiple students asking to go to the bathroom one after the other and another and another—it can really test a teacher’s sanity at times!
9.) Repeating yourself over and over again because they weren’t listening
A teacher’s voice is sacred because without it there’s really no chance of them effectively teaching the class because they won’t be able to give out instructions and discuss lessons accordingly.
But often teachers have to repeat themselves over and over again putting them at risk of exhausting their voice or voice fatigue where the vocal cords get tired out and get damaged making it difficult for teachers to speak and maintain the volume of their voice.
With that in mind, teachers always try to find clever ways to get the attention of their students so that they can preserve their voice and get on with what’s important which is teaching their class.
If you’re looking for smart ways to get the attention of your class, better check out these 5 witty ways to quiet down your classroom!
10.) Students forget about their homework all the time
This has always been a pressing concern for teachers because it’s such an easy fix. For some unfathomable reason, some students seem to not care if they do or don’t do their homework.
They want to enjoy the weekend and not worry about any school work, yet they still expect good grades at the end of the day.
Homework is an essential part of students’ studies to develop their knowledge and skills that’s why teachers embark on encouraging students to always do their homework even if it’s during class or after.
11.) Taking, but not returning classroom supplies
Did you know that most teachers are required to keep track of their own personal supplies?
On top of making sure that everything in their classroom is A-OK, they also have to make sure that every pencil and every school supply is returned to where it’s supposed to be because if not, then they’ll end up with missing supplies that they had to purchase right from their own pockets.
I mean, yes it’s just a pencil, but behind that was their effort to make sure that if by any chance a student doesn’t have one, they’ll have one to offer to make sure they’re not left out in their studies.
It’s the thought that counts, that’s why if students aren’t making the effort to properly return school supplies that their teachers solemnly put up so that they’ll have something to use just in case, it can be a bummer for them.
12.) When students rush through their work just to get it over with
We all know how kids today can get easily distracted by almost anything and because of these certain distractions they tend to just ride with the punches during tasks or while they’re doing homework without really making the effort to truly give their best and truly understand the work they’re doing.
And this can be frustrating for most teachers who are trying their best to engage and enrich the learning environment of their students.
If you’re looking for ways to increase student engagement in your classroom, then check out this helpful article on how to do just that!
At the end of the day,
While every teacher is unique from the way they teach to the way they approach their students, there are some things that almost all teachers have in common—and it’s their pet peeves.
Hopefully, you’ve found something that resonates with you because it’s always good to know that you’re not alone in your struggles.
Until our next one, wishing you a week with a little less of your pet peeves popping up!
