The Show Notes
At the end of a stressful day in the classroom, have you ever Googled, “What else can teachers do other than teach?”
You definitely wouldn’t be the first.
That’s exactly what Sharon typed in the search bar after the culture of her school flipped on its head with a new administration.
The previous year, Sharon loved everything about her job. She loved the impact she was making. She knew her input was valuable. But a “simple” change in leadership can transform the entire school culture.
With only eight years left until retirement, Sharon decided she couldn’t spend them all being unhappy in her job. Find out what her new job looks like as a college instructional designer.
Administration: The Piece That Can Make or Break the Job
Sharon’s full-time job in the early years of her marriage were spent raising five kiddos. It was a big shift to enter the workforce again, but it was an exciting opportunity.
When she started teaching, she started as a technology teacher, both at the high school and college level, since she was an adjunct professor.
But the opportunity she was most excited about was designing college-level courses for high school students to take for college credit. This was extremely fulfilling because the work she was doing was equipping students to graduate college early!
This was a position she loved and one where she felt like her input was always considered. All that changed with a new administration. Because of this transition, Sharon’s job became so challenging and stressful that she started looking for new job opportunities.
The Power of "Yet"
That’s when Sharon found the course-From Teacher to Instructional Designer. In fact, she was the very first person to purchase the course! She dove in and started updating her resume with the skills she was learning in the course even when she hadn’t mastered them. She knew all she needed was time.
What was amazing was that Sharon was sought out on Career Builder, almost immediately after starting the course. With the transition to online learning, Lonestar Community College System needed her and they needed her now! Though that was initially a contract position, it quickly turned into full-time work as a college instructional designer!
On any given day, Sharon stays busy meeting with college professors to help them take their content online. She helps them use the Learning Management System (LMS) better. She also shows them how to engage their learners with additional helpful tools like Canva.
And the bonus? Sharon is now the lead on redeveloping the new professor certification for the college. This was the first course she ever created as a college instructional designer!
Stepping Outside That Comfy Classroom Setting
Leaving the classroom for a more traditional job might seem scary. In teaching, you are constantly around people-both students, and other teachers. You are always collaborating. So, you may be wondering if you could make a switch like Sharon did to become a college instructional designer.
Sharon was worried about some of the same things. But she specifically shared how much she loves working with the professors because they are so grateful for her support. She takes the overwhelm away for tech-challenged professors.
The other college instructional designers on her team are also available to connect on a chat forum. It’s also really common to have another instructional designer join a call with a professor if Sharon just needs a little more input or new ideas.
Key Takeaways from a College Instructional Designer and Trainer
If you’re ready to explore being an online course creator as an entrepreneur, Sharon has a couple of words of advice!
- Don’t give up on your dreams! It’s never too late to make a change! Sharon was really worried about how making a career change so late in the game would affect her retirement. In the end, her years of service in her school district will feed into her work at the college. But most importantly, she knew she couldn’t spend her last years in the workforce completely miserable.
- Write your goals down. Sharon shared a story about how she wrote down a goal in her planner for applying to instructional design jobs early in 2020. The simple act of writing the goal down made her so much more accountable. And she was ten times more proud of herself for being able to knock that goal out of the park in just a few months!
Does listening to Sharon’s story make you curious about being a college instructional designer? Do you like the sound of the work she does daily?
If you’re ready to explore the possibility of pursuing a career as an instructional designer, I want to hear from you! What questions do you have? And how can I support you?
Ready to Become an Instructional Designer Too?
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @teachertransition and tell me your biggest takeaway!
Want to know what other work opportunities you might love beyond the classroom? Click here to get the FREE Top Jobs for Teachers download.
A Breakdown of This Episode:
- [5:19] Hear about the multiple roles and schools Sharon worked at as a teacher
- [17:19] Check out the perks Sharon has at the college- even in summer
- [20:23] Sharon is most excited about this project she's working on right now
- [28:55] This is what Sharon wrote in her journal about facing her fears last February
Did someone say GIVEAWAY?
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Resources Mentioned in the Show
Ready to dive into YOUR career in instructional design? Click HERE to enroll in the course- From Teacher to Instructional Designer today!
Connect with Sharon
Sharon graduated from college as a computer programmer but then decided to stay home with her growing children. She went back to school and got an alternative teaching certificate and became a computer lab teacher at a local elementary school. Four years later, she went back to school again and earned her Masters in Education Technology Leadership. From here she taught for 10 years at an Early College High School as a Technology Facilitator (teaching both students and faculty).
In 2020, Sharon’s school administration changed and when life as a teacher became unbearable, Sharon found from Teacher to Instructional Designer. She realized that instructional design was the ideal next career for her. She is diving in head-first at Lone Star College and loving every minute of her new job. Sharon is a mother of five adult children and will be a nana in January.
