Read your contract. Find your rep.
Your hours, duties, leave and pay rules are written down. Know them before you need them.
Written with AI — this one isn’t Tammy. The Field Guide covers ground her videos don’t, and keeps to what’s well established. It doesn’t know your students, and nothing here overrides your school’s policy or your state’s law. · 1 min read
What to do
- Your contract or employee handbook sets out working hours, prep time, duties, sick leave, and how evaluation and probation work. Read it once, early.
- If your district has a union, find your building representative. They can answer questions about your rights confidentially.
- Understand the salary schedule. In many districts pay rises with years of service and with extra credits or degrees — plan your professional learning with that in mind.
- Get important agreements in writing. A short follow-up email after a conversation (“Just confirming we agreed…”) protects everyone.
- You're allowed to say no to some things. In year one, protect your time for teaching.
Why it works
New teachers often agree to everything because they don't know what's expected and what's optional. Knowing the rules lets you say yes to what matters and no to what doesn't, and it stops small misunderstandings about pay or leave from becoming big ones.
Try this tomorrow
Find your district's salary schedule and work out what — more credits, a degree, another year — would move your pay next.
Watch out
Don't sign up for every committee and club in your first year. There'll be time later, and your teaching needs you more right now.
Tammy on this
The same subject from someone who has actually done it for thirty years.
1:21If you're in it for the summers off, rethink it
One of the most rewarding things you'll do, and one of the hardest. Both are true.
With Tammy Striler
1:02Take the twelve-month pay
Teachers are paid over ten months, not twelve. Spread it out from day one.
With Tammy Striler
1:13The things people say when you tell them you're a teacher
“That's so fun, you get to play all day.” You'll hear it forever. Here's the answer.
With Tammy Striler
More from the Field Guide
Prepare for your evaluation like a conversation
It isn't an ambush if you know what they're looking for.
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Teach routines like they're content
Every transition you don't teach, you'll spend the year managing.
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Ask what the behavior is for
Most misbehavior is a student getting something or avoiding something. Find out which.
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