I’m into my 12th year of teaching, and despite being underpaid, overworked and mega-stressed, I wouldn’t be anything else.

However life for teachers isn’t easy. It’s not fun pinching pennies, dealing with internal politics or having to carry out unnecessary admin work.

Luckily along my journey I’ve picked some tricks and strategies which have made life as teacher significantly easier. Here are four gems which have changed my life by seriously reducing the very real pains associated with teaching.

1) Teach Like A Champion by Doug Lemov — Best book on teaching I’ve come across

Teaching is a skill. You get better with time and practice. Saying that this book will cut out a HUGE part of the learning curve.

It focuses both on teaching techniques and handling students in a manner which keeps them engaged and learning (as opposed to staring out the window and dishing out excuses for missing homework).

It’s recommend across the teaching community for a reason.

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2) TutorYourWayToFreedom.com/teacher —Teacher’s Guide to finding students and earning good money as a private tutor

A controversial site dedicated to helping teachers — and only teachers — earn money as private tutors. The site was originally underground (to prevent non-teachers using the information), but was exposed to the mass public thanks to the idiots at now-banned site Gawker.

The advice is out of this world. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never tutored before, or have with limited success. TYWTF will show you how to find students at good hourly fees.

The website in my opinion is horribly ugly for 2017, and requires email sign-up (which I dislike), but it’s free and the advice, whilst controversial, is lightyears ahead of everything else.

If you’re strapped for money this is the site for you. It will change your life. Just be smart and don’t share with non-teachers.

Link: tutoryourwaytofreedom.com/teacher

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3) Tes.com/Resources — Tons of free worksheets that’ll save you hours of searching around or making them yourself

This site has a ton of various resources, but where it shines is the worksheets. TES is a site where teachers can share the worksheets they’ve created or found elsewhere.

It’s a life changer. Often I have my lesson set, but need to find a sheet to hand out in class. Bingo! This place has tons of them. It’s cut out countless hours of searching or creating them myself.

Some of the resources cost a bit which sucks, but there’s so much high quality free material that you should be to avoid it.

Link: tes.com/resources

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4) AtoZ forums — My favourite online community of teachers

Teaching is mentally exhausting, and it can be hard to fully confide or ask questions among the teachers at school.

The A to Z forums are a community of teachers where you can vent your frustrations, ask questions and swap silly little tales. With sections dedicated of various grades, teaching exams and a teacher timeout section you’ll have all based covered.

Forums helped me vent when I felt like this

It’s been great to share my annoyances along with my successes and have a caring, funny community by your side.

Link: forums.atozteacherstuff.com