The band Twenty One Pilots said it best with their hit song "Stressed Out." They must have been teachers before they quit and became rock stars. All jokes aside, teachers face an enormous amount of stress every single day.
​Let’s compare teaching to other professions, such as lawyers, accountants, or mechanics. These jobs are typically very targeted and narrow in scope. If you were to ask an AI like ChatGPT or Perplexity to provide you with a list of 101 duties and responsibilities of a classroom teacher, you would likely be surprised by the extensive nature of their job description. If you are a teacher, you might even add another 50 items to that list. Let’s take a closer look.

Job Title: Middle School Math Teacher

Location: Springfield Middle School, Springfield

Job Type: Full-time

About Us:

Springfield Middle School is a dynamic educational institution dedicated to fostering academic excellence and personal growth. We are seeking an innovative and engaging Math Teacher to join our team.

Job Summary:

We are looking for a passionate and inexperienced Math Teacher to inspire and educate our students. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in anything, basic communication skills, and a commitment to some student success.

Responsibilities:

• Teach Algebra, Geometry, and basic math skills to middle school students.

• Develop and implement engaging lesson plans and curriculum.

• Participate in school math clubs and activities.

• Maintain a positive and inclusive classroom environment.

• Assess student performance and provide constructive feedback.
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Reality check: Below is a list of 100+ duties and responsibilities that a public-school teacher must complete regularly, compliments of Perplexity AI and a few additions from me. It soon becomes evident why teachers experience burnout, often working over 60 hours per week on average, and why so many are leaving the profession.
Here’s the list:

1. Plan and organize your open house event at the start of the school year

2. Collect and organize the beginning-of-year paperwork, school fees, etc.

3. Manage classroom fees and paperwork throughout the year for field trips, fundraisers, school photos, etc…

4. Create and maintain a classroom contact list with current phone numbers and email addresses

5. Set up and manage classroom technology
6. Manage digital learning platforms and keep up with new technology/websites/apps

7. Develop and maintain a classroom website

8. Create and manage classroom social media accounts/ behavior apps (Class Dojo)

9. Manage classroom libraries

10. Create and update bulletin boards

11. Organize classroom materials and supplies

12. Order classroom supplies

13. Send out your weekly or monthly class newsletter

14. Organize papers (student and teacher)

15. Create and manage seating charts

16. Create and manage classroom job charts

17. Create and implement behavior management plans

18. Provide emotional support and on-the-spot counseling to students

19. Identify and report signs of abuse or neglect and SOS – signs of suicide

20. Administer first aid when necessary

21. Keep emergency medical supplies ready and available at all times—EpiPens, inhalers, glucose tubes, etc…

22. Review curriculum pacing guides and plan accordingly for the year

23. Plan and prepare daily lessons with engaging lessons

24. Develop and implement classroom routines

25. Prepare and organize your classroom each day for routines and activities

26. Organize and lead class activities, lectures, discussions, Socratic Seminars, circle time for kindergarten, etc…

27. Deliver engaging and culturally responsive lessons

28. Develop and implement character education lessons

29. Plan and execute larger classroom projects, interactive lessons, WebQuests, etc…

30. Facilitate group work and group rotations, scavenger hunts, gallery walks, etc…

31. Differentiate instruction for diverse learners (students far below grade level as well as students above grade level)

32. Develop and implement classroom management strategies, interventions, and incentives

33. Create classroom podcasts, educational videos, or asynchronous lessons

34. Develop and implement digital citizenship lessons

35. Create and manage class groups

36. Manage classroom behavior

37. Enforce school rules and policies

38. Ensure orderly transitions between classes/classrooms

39. Conduct fire drills, tornado drills, school shooter drills, etc.…

40. Create and maintain a positive and nurturing classroom environment

41. Create and manage classroom reward systems

42. Plan and execute end-of-year, holiday, birthday celebrations, etc…

43. Clean the classroom, sanitize desks, and deodorize when needed

44. Supervise students during lunch and recess, plus breakfast and bus duty

45. Grade student assignments and tests

46. Provide feedback on student work

47. Assess student mastery of lessons – beginning, middle, and post-assessments

48. Conduct reading assessments

49. Conduct school and/or district assessments for math and reading interventions

50. Analyze student performance data from assessments

51. Create learning groups based on student performance data

52. Small group support for interventions

53. Submit student progress reports and send/email them home with data sheets for math and reading when appropriate
54. Input grades into the school system grade book with individual student comments

55. Maintain accurate attendance records

56. Find transfer grades from out-of-county and out-of-state students and input grades as necessary – seek consensus for mismatched classes and grading cycles

57. Create and maintain student portfolios

58. Maintain current student academic data and “running records” (reading levels)

59. Organize and lead student mentoring programs and/or tutoring programs

60. Organize and lead student-led conferences – for data talks or parent conferences

61. Organize and lead school activities – book fairs, open houses, fun days, reward days…

62. Communicate regularly with parents about student academic progress

63. Schedule and attend parent-teacher conferences

64. Organize and lead student-led conferences

65. Write letters of recommendation for students

66. Plan and execute science fairs or project exhibitions

67. Organize and lead student-led community service
68. Develop and implement multicultural education initiatives

69. Create and manage classroom blogs

70. Organize and lead student book clubs

71. Plan and execute art shows or performances

72. Develop and implement financial literacy lessons

73. Plan and execute career day events or similar activities (Field Day, May Day, Fall Festivals, Spring Flings)

74. Develop and implement mindfulness or wellness initiatives

75. Create and manage classroom photos for yearbook and school websites

76. Organize parent volunteer activities

77. Organize and/or attend fundraising events

78. Afterschool tutoring

79. Mentor new teachers

80. Serve on school committees

81. Participate in curriculum development

82. Participate in staff meetings

83. Participate in school-wide professional development activities and meetings

84. Attend county-wide professional development activities and meetings

85. Complete district and state-mandated training modules

86. Complete student surveys, forms, and questionnaires for school psychologists and outside agencies

87. Complete additional training for CEUs to maintain your teaching license

88. Collaborate weekly with other teachers – team/content area meetings, vertical planning, and grade-level planning

89. Data team meetings

90. MTSS team meetings – Multiple Tiered Systems of Support

91. Organize and lead parent information sessions

92. Participate in school fundraising events – collect money and give receipts
93. Organize and chaperone field trips

94. Organize and lead extracurricular activities – clubs, sports, tutoring

95. Integrate outside help into the classroom for IEPs, 504’s, Speech, OT, ESL…

96. Communicate with all support staff for IEPs, 504’s, Speech, OT, ESL, Behavior plans…

97. Collaborate with special education teachers to provide data and observations of students with disabilities

98. Participate in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings

99. Develop and/or implement behavior intervention plans (BIPs) or behavior support plans (BSPs). Refer to administrators for a formal behavior assessment (FBA)

100. Develop individualized education plans (IEPs) or personalized education plans (PEPs) for interventions AKA Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

101. Schedule and/or attend IEP/PEP/ELL (English Language Learners), DHH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) meetings and conferences

102. Prepare students for standardized tests

103. Administer standardized tests

104. Provide classroom accommodations for students with special needs, 504’s, ELLs, DHH

105. Provide testing accommodations for students with special needs, 504’s, ELLs, DHH

106. State test training – throughout the year for the beginning of year tests, HS semester exams, and End-Of-Grade assessments

107. Coordinate with school counselors, social workers, and other school staff for student support

108. Participate in school-wide events and assemblies

109. Organize and lead academic competitions

110. Develop and implement cross-curricular projects

111. Participate in school improvement planning

112. Develop and implement environmental education initiatives usually via grant money

113. Federal Impact Aid cards for funding, and/or write grants

114. Participate in school accreditation processes – state level, international green school, international baccalaureate, etc…

This comprehensive list highlights the daily stress that teachers face, and sadly, it’s only part of the reality. We can’t forget about human nature and how easily we can create stress for one another—tension exists between teachers, parents, and students. Moreso, there is significant pressure from above, which I feel is most taxing. It’s not the mandates from state legislators; it’s the teacher evaluation process that weighs so heavily on our hearts. Often, this evaluation is based on just two or three brief classroom observations, ranging from 20 minutes to an hour. In my 25 years of experience, I have rarely had an administrator grace my doorway at any other time. Sometimes, an observation will come when you plan to administer a test, or maybe you plan a new activity that you are unsure of. In my own experience, these surprise observations sometimes came the day before a major holiday break, when students may be a little off their game. After your observation, you are then judged on about 50 criteria (varying by state). Take a look for yourself.


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