Teaching in December: The Most Stressful Time of the Year!

It's about time to break out that advent calendar…
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Happy holidays everyone, and welcome to Teachers Off Duty! This week our hosts Gabe Dannenbring, Anna Kowal, and Tyler Jackowski are going to be sharing how they are getting ready for this upcoming holiday season.
Now with the holidays coming up, gift giving is such a hard tradition to navigate, and it's even worse in the classroom. Do we get gifts from students? How much should we spend? What about the teacher down the hall, should we get them something? Would getting everyone a gift card be enough or is it just lazy? Don’t worry, we're going to be sharing our tips and tricks to navigate this tricky situation.
Now of course it's not all about gift-giving anxiety, we're also currently getting ready for our holiday parties. Of course we don't want to leave anyone out, so see how we set up the perfect holiday party that is inclusive to all of our students’ and fellow teachers' cultures.
So make yourself some hot cocoa and put on your ugly holiday sweater, because we're starting the holiday season this week on Teachers Off Duty!
Teachers get your perks!! This episode is brought to you by:
Dinnerly | For up to 27 free meals, head to dinnerly.com/o... and use code “TOD”.
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Teachers Off Duty - a Bored Teachers podcast

[@TrenaHamm]

Haven't watched in a while, don't know anyone here but Gabe. Not even 10 minutes in and Tyler is already giving me Ryan Reynolds vibes and I am living for it.

[@CatherineHoellrich]

Yes the newer people are the best and blend so well with the older ones

[@eanoworro1028]

Anna Kowal has been doing skits for the Bored Teachers channel and they're hilarious

[@laurenslife19]

I’ve been watching this since I was 15 and now being 17 god this is how teachers are and I love it.

[@kristashuler937]

Any episode with Tyler I will absolutely watch!! He is a whole mood and I absolutely love him.

[@CrochetMenagerie]

Best gift I ever got from a teacher was when my fourth grade English teacher gave everyone in the class book. But every kid got a book that was personalized to them so she would write a little note and the book would just be a book that she would think that you would be interested in reading Based on her knowledge on you. It was still an equal gift and a very nice gift.

[@CrochetMenagerie]

I know this is an expensive gift and not reasonable for most teachers, but it is still something I think is very sweet and I hold near and dear to my heart.

[@Gracie_chuckers9]

@CrochetMenageriethat’s so sweet and kind and I wish my teachers cared to do that for us but were labeled as the “bad class” so our school years are terrible because no one likes us

[@kaitlinschmidt5219]

love this podcasts! as well as all the comedians on here

[@DaxtonKnight]

This would usually not be my type of podcast but something about it, I've been watching for a long time. The gossip and humor/stories are hilarious. Also teachers don't get enough credit, so Happy Holiday season. Im yalls age and it felt like no time ago we were in school and now 30 out of no where . Lmao. Now kids call us old. 😂😂😂

[@rooster-bh6td]

this is the trio we needed

[@krisskye4678]

I'll be 25 in 22 days, and I am nowhere near as established as Gabe, but he gives me hope.

[@laurabarmwater7506]

I can only imagine how stressful it is for a teacher during christmas time! I am not even from America, but from Germany, and in the lessons during christmas time my fellow classmates would go bonkers. A lot of them were just screaming around (I probably was one of them at some point) but as the years increased and we got older we did less and less stuff that connected to the holidays during our lessons. Most of the times the teachers would only give us tasks that had a Christmas setting or would ask us what our plans were during that time. Just a few teachers actually watched any movies with us and if they did, it would only happen once.

[@deathlyjuly]

I’m from NYC and the school I’m at throws crazy holiday parties. My first year in education was when we were transitioning from online to hybrid/in person and the holiday party that year was insane. The principal was pouring shots in teacher’s mouths 😭 went from tame to unhinged pretty quickly lol. Middle school teachers are a different breed.

[@_SistaMai_-zr2lf]

My homeroom teacher who is also a first year teacher at my school organised a staff Christmas party, and i was honestly so surprised because she only joined the school in like July or August, and I am so happy that she molded into the staff family so quickly, I'm truly happy for her

[@amysettle85]

Same my grandma made Christmas time. She kinda raised me she passed 10yrs ago ever since Christmas just hasn't been the same. No one decorates or do too much in the family

[@CatherineHoellrich]

I made a clay sculpture for my science teacher in 8 th grade it took 8 weeks and I made a note and rapped it neatly.she loved it and the person who sat next to me made a laser cut glass panel with led lights it was so cool and we were her favorite students she would take to us for like 15 minutes after we finished our work.

[@user-pk6ls4ei1b]

I love how Boston keeps it real. I get my kids presents every year. Something small. I don’t have a rich husband, but I know it will mean a lot to my kids. The whole equity comment reminds me of when my principal called me and asked me to teach less during the pandemic because the other teachers said it made them look bad. Like just look the other way, boo 😘

[@CatherineHoellrich]

In my family we have German recipes from 3-4 generations that have been translated into English so we can read them.

[@ssmith955]

Kids bring in a $5 item (most families can afford dollar store items) and we play the “left-right” game. It’s hilarious with elementary school children. And yes, even candy is getting expensive - so I agree with the mini candy cane idea.

[@gretelcoverdale7785]

Last day before break, I give each student a sweater template worksheet and everyone designs their own sweater (whatever they want- doesn't have to be holiday). The kids vote on their favorites, and winners get big candy boxes or snacks. You could also do this with a novel or other theme like, "make a Hamlet-themed t-shirt people would buy."

[@Larc42]

Our union sponsors a party at one of the local bar/restaurants. We charge for a ticket, everyone chips in some money for gift cards to be raffled off, it's a blast! Plus, we are supporting the community by having it local.

[@MrMarohlsclassroom]

Wish I was more popular online would love to talk with you guys and gals on the pod❤. Love showing the old rank and bass cartoons! Gold bars are the top treat of winter time

[@studywithharu1301]

I was one of the students where I would give a hand written letter by me sometimes with other things to my past teachers.

[@thebull7694]

I'm form South Dakota and two years ago we had a huge snowstorm in Pierre and we got like almost 3 weeks of snow days in a row, I love South Dakota.

[@nerisateelucksingh3387]

Daddy Tyler I can't 😂

[@teachersayswhat]

Interesting discussion.

[@devantegwyn7402]

Always good Entertainment and stories

[@mykhiddos2]

My sons 2nd grade teacher LOVED Tom's Shoes. So I got her a couple gift cards for Tom's. She loved it.

[@hunterwahl2637]

Me watching this in Fargo, recently experiencing said snow day Gabe was talking about 😂

[@joniewing4856]

Our week before break, intermediate 4th and 5th, has a different schedule every day, then Friday is early release!! Fun Core subject activities between the schedule changes. The middle school band comes over to perform, our Music teacher has a program, pajama day for everyone, Read Til You Drop day, movie rotation day - kids sign up for the movie in a specific teacher's room, and then we rotate, by the time 2 movies have finished, it's time for lunch. Afternoon with homeroom to play board games, draw, read - whatever the student enjoys doing - within reason - NO Cell phones are out. A 3 Hour break for HRT's while their students gather together in the cafeteria to watch movies and are monitored by the paras - the teachers usually go out to eat. Sorry, I didn't mean to make my comment into a podcast! 🎄

[@queenofdramatech]

No one worth their salt does anything serious in December!

[@couragedearheart2951]

Nobody wants to be in school in December. It’s all biding time. Why why why?!?

[@territurner9702]

I do not attend any "after school" teacher gathering bc they invite admin. I don't want to see, chat, or hang out with my admin who are our evaluators.

[@evalynbaraby4269]

6:45 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Lana4life19]

girlie looks gorgeous 🫶

[@JulieSlaughter-r8p]

I want to buy tickets for the Columbia SC tour in 2025. Ticket master didn't have you listed so where do I purchase them?

[@susancotter8635]

100 students?!?!? Other than a bag of candy, presents are a no go with 180 middle schoolers

[@83836mr]

I also do not take baked good from students. I have seen too many of them show up high. Those baked goods might have something special in them. No way man

[@amysettle85]

My 1st marriage I married into a family where the husbands sister was a school teacher she would give away all her Christmas presents that the kids would buy her anything from flannel sheets to mugs to candles the only thing she keeps is gift cards

[@KhaiyoThaKid]

Man that’s kinda messed up but also kinda smart 😆

[@olly2027]

We get half days and food.

[@BigWonderlust]

I can't relate to these teachers because I was taught by a much older generation who planned every day out for the whole year.

[@bosssub-master6799]

What the heck is that projector projecting? I'm so confuesed!

[@lenalauren6784]

Have you ever witnessed wedgies or swirlies still happening at schools? It recently happened at ours and it was wild

[@LL-el8sl]

What is the name of the Boston teacher.

[@marliesedevereux2069]

Tyler Jowski (I think I spelled his last name wrong)

[@zombiflowerpower3628]

Aka the Lorax

[@fishin4clout]

It’s me :)

[@chayabrody722]

I'd rather say ditch parties and give us the money we can't exactly pay out bills with a Christmas party of course it's good to party but not on the expense of teachers pay

[@mmmmsashimi]

Snow days? laughs in canadian

[@renebligaard2435]

HARRY POTTER FAAAAAAAAAAN ⚡ YOUR DOG IS NAMED OF LUNA LOVEGOOD ⚡❤️🌚🌕🌙🌛🌙🌕🌚♥️⚡

[@kelliehalladay7111]

11:16 Not Tyler calling people who go home earlier “not fun”. I’m so over the mindset that people who don’t party, or don’t drink, or party or drink less than other people are unfun. I know he was just kidding, but these jokes get so old. I think I speak for others like me when I say that we’ve heard it all before. We’ve heard everything under the sun about how we’re “lame” or “losers” or “uncool”. Why is it considered okay to make these comments about people who don’t like to party and drink? If we made mean comments like these about other traits or life choices, we may be scorned. I just wish that people who make mean remarks about people’s choices regarding partying and alcohol would find something else to joke about.