Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs in the world. According to stress.org, teachers are more likely to feel job-related stress than individuals in other professions, and about 20 percent of teachers feel stressed about their jobs most or all of the time. In surveys, the education industry has ranked alongside healthcare and law enforcement in terms of the ratios of job stress and responsibility. The education profession has become even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic as changing regulations, standards, and processes have caused teachers to change strategies again and again to protect student health and safety.

Being an educator—particularly a classroom teacher—means multitasking and wearing a lot of hats. Teachers need to be able to manage classrooms full of students and their myriad needs, not to mention communicating and collaborating with parents and school administrators. While most educators say their jobs are extremely rewarding, they are rarely easy—and certain things make them a lot harder. Here are five of the most common pet peeves for teachers.

  1. Students asking if they “missed anything.” When a student misses class—whether it is a scheduled or unexpected absence—it is likely that he or she will miss some important information. When parents don’t proactively ask about missed homework or assignments or have their children turn in work early, it can lead to the student falling behind. This can be frustrating for teachers who are then put on the spot when a student asks “did I miss anything while I was gone?”
  2. Parents asking redundant questions. Teachers take the time to carefully inform parents about assignments and class information. It can be frustrating when parents don’t read or lose the initial information and then send emails asking repetitive or redundant questions.
  3. Parents putting teachers in the middle of an argument. No teacher wants to be the tiebreaker or, worse, the mediator between parents or guardians who disagree about their child’s schooling or behavior. Arguing about a child’s wellbeing in front of a teacher or asking them to side with one parent or the other is a surefire way to create tension and frustration.
  4. Impromptu conferences. Teachers schedule parent conferences for a reason. During the school day, educators are juggling the needs of dozens of students as well as their own, and may not have time to sit down and thoughtfully evaluate or discuss a specific child’s academic or behavioral progress. A major pet peeve for teachers is parents who attempt to pull them aside in the middle or end of the school day for anything more than a quick update.
  5. Last minute requests. When a parent emails a request or question the night before an assignment is due, or even the morning of, it can really get under a teacher’s skin.


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