Every teacher has that moment, the one that reminds you why we do this. Sometimes it doesn’t come during a lesson you spent hours planning. Sometimes… it comes from something as unexpected as Pokémon.

In this episode, we share a “Why We Do This” story about a student, a simple connection over Pokémon, and the reminder that relationships are what change lives.

Then, in our “Things That Work” segment, we’re giving you practical, real-world strategies you can use immediately to build a culture of respect in your classroom without yelling, without power struggles, and without losing yourself in the process.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!
Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here: https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us
Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show: If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales
Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support
PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush
Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

What do you do when a student wishes harm for you and your unborn child?

In this full-length "re-teach" of Episode 2 one teacher shares her what last day in education looked like.

When educators imagine their final day in the classroom, they picture heartfelt goodbyes, warm hugs, and words of appreciation from the students whose lives they’ve touched. It’s supposed to be a moment of reflection—a celebration of the countless hours, sacrifices, and passion poured into shaping young minds. But sometimes, reality doesn’t follow the script.

For one teacher, her last day didn’t end with simple well-wishes and fond memories. Instead, it became unforgettable in a way she would have rather forgotten.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!
Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here: https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us
Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show: If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales
Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support
PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush
Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

What do you do when you’re left alone in a classroom full of kids before you’ve even officially started the job? Panic? Power through? Question every life choice that led you there?

In this full-length "re-teach" of Episode 1, “Maybe I Should Stay,” we go back to the very beginning—the moment where uncertainty, responsibility, and instinct all collide. Thrown into the deep end with no warning, no playbook, and no time to prepare, this experience becomes an unexpected turning point.

As the day unfolds, so do the lessons. Not the kind written on the board, but the kind you only learn by being there: about trust, authority, self-doubt, and the quiet realization that maybe you’re more capable than you think. What starts as an uncomfortable, almost surreal situation slowly becomes something else entirely.

This episode revisits those first moments with fresh perspective—what it felt like then, what it means now, and why that single day planted the question that wouldn’t go away: maybe I should stay.

Perfect for anyone who’s ever been thrown into the unknown and had to figure it out as they went.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!
Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here: https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us
Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show: If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales
Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support
PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush
Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

One student. One year. Zero real consequences.

In this episode of Bad Teacher Tales, I read through an actual discipline record and unpack how “nothing happening” keeps behavior going and burns teachers out. If you’ve ever wondered why classrooms feel chaotic or why teachers are exhausted… this one explains a lot.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!
Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here: https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us
Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show: If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales
Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support
PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush
Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

Scara brought a very special book to the table: The B Word by Joe Lampe. And before you clutch your pearls, the actual B word has been cleverly swapped out for “bench”… because nothing softens the blow of hard truths quite like playground furniture.

Instead of just handing the book to Sly, Scara decided to read it out loud, letting each “bench” land exactly where it was meant to. What followed was laughter, side-eye, uncomfortable recognition, and Sly slowly realizing she might identify with this book more than she planned.

If you’ve ever been labeled something for having boundaries, standards, or a backbone in education, grab your coffee and pull up a bench. This one’s for you.


✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!
Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here: https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us
Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show: If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales
Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support
PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush
Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

What happens when an 8th grader brings a handwritten list of pickup lines to school… and a teacher confiscates it?

Scara and Sly read through a real list of middle school pickup lines that absolutely should not exist in the wild. They are awkward. They are hilarious. They are mildly horrifying. And yes, they were actually passed around by an 8th grader.

This episode is a front-row seat to the things teachers see, hear, and desperately try not to react to. From secondhand embarrassment to full-body cringe, nothing could have prepared us for how unhinged these lines are.

If you’ve ever wondered what gets confiscated in classrooms or why teachers need humor as a survival skill, this one’s for you.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales
The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

⭐ If you’re enjoying the episode, hit Subscribe and ring the bell so you never miss the next unbelievable teacher story!

Got a tale of your own? Submit it anonymously below — we LOVE hearing from you. 💛

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!

Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here:
👉 https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us

Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show

If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales

Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support

PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush

Your support means the world to us. 💛

Support the show

Teachers, parents, and school staff. This one’s for you.

In an upcoming episode of Bad Teacher Tales, I’ll be sitting down with a former principal and an area superintendent, and I want your questions leading the conversation.

What have you always wanted to ask administration but never felt safe asking?
What policies don’t make sense from the classroom?
What decisions leave you scratching your head?
What do you wish admin truly understood about your day-to-day reality?

This is your chance.

📩 Submit your questions by emailing:
badteachertales@gmail.com

💬 Or drop them in the comments wherever you’re listening or watching.

Questions can be anonymous, honest, curious, frustrated, or hopeful. If it’s been living rent-free in your brain, send it in. We’ll ask the questions teachers rarely get answers to and give admin space to respond openly.

Support the show

People think librarians sit quietly and read all day.
Jess is here to gently… and accurately… destroy that myth.

From managing chaos to supporting students in ways no one sees, this clip breaks down what librarians actually do during a school day. Spoiler: it’s not silent, slow, or simple.

If you’ve ever underestimated a school librarian, or if you are one and feel wildly unseen, this episode will feel personal.

📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside schools.

✨ Welcome to Bad Teacher Tales

The storytelling podcast where teachers finally get to say the things they can’t (but want to) say at PD, staff meetings, or parent conferences.

Every week, we share real teacher stories that are funny, shocking, heartbreaking, relatable, and sometimes downright unbelievable. If you’re a current teacher, former teacher, student teacher, or someone who just loves a good “you won’t believe what happened at school” moment… you’re in the right place.

🎧 Listen to full episodes,
🎥 Watch reactions and breakdowns,
💬 Share your own tales,
and join a community of educators who get it.

We’re here for the burned-out, the overworked, the fine arts warriors, the elementary heroes, the SPED champions, and everyone in between.

Grab a drink. It’s story time.

⭐ If you’re enjoying the episode, hit Subscribe and ring the bell so you never miss the next unbelievable teacher story!

Got a tale of your own? Submit it anonymously below — we LOVE hearing from you. 💛

🎧 Want more? Catch up on every past episode on your favorite podcast app!

📣 Share Your Teacher Tale!

Have a story that deserves to be heard?
Submit it anonymously here:
👉 https://forms.office.com/r/4ej45Y9CjY

📬 Contact Us

Email: badteachertales@gmail.com

📱 Follow the Chaos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@badteachertales

💛 Support the Show

If you love what we do and want to help us keep telling teacher stories, here are a few ways to support:

Patreon (bonus content!): https://www.patreon.com/badteachertales

Buzzsprout Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2231305/support

PayPal (one-time tip): https://www.paypal.me/Scaramoush

Your support means the world to us. 💛

📌 Tags

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#SchoolLibrarian
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#EducationReality
#TeacherLife
#LibraryTok
#EducationPodcast
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#UnsungHeroes
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