After the BellTeaching & ClassroomHow I Teach

Challenges in the classroom? Share your questions with Dr. Kem here

Submit your challenges, frustrations, and teaching questions to our weekly advice column, ‘After the Bell’

By 
Kary Perez
 | July 14, 2022, 1:00pm UTC
“After the Bell” advice column lead art. July 14, 2022. “Challenges in the classroom? Our weekly advice column can help.” Stock image is Getty creative and can be reused. (Source: Maskot / Getty Images | Photo Illustration: Lauren Bryant / Chalkbeat)

How can I motivate students who tell me they don’t want to be in school? I’m told to support my students’ mental health, but what about my own? 

Why does my district add new programs, when I don’t have enough time as it is? I love teaching but is it time for me to leave the classroom? 

Teachers, if any of these questions have crossed your mind lately, you’re not alone. While you often share the joys that come with being in the classroom, we’ve also heard your exhaustion and frustration.

Following two years of research on your needs, we listened to your calls for support and actionable advice. We witnessed a large shift in what teachers need since the pandemic began and saw your urgent mental health needs grow. That’s why we launched “After the Bell,” a weekly advice column written by veteran educator Dr. Kem Smith. 

Dr. Kem is a full-time 12th grade English teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. She has 20 years of teaching experience with preschoolers, college students, and everyone in between. Whether you have questions about classroom teaching, navigating relationships with students, parents, or administrators, or the tumultuous climate surrounding education, Dr. Kem is here to help. 

Please fill out the form below to submit your question, or go here if you are on a mobile device.

Thanks for reading “After the Bell.”

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