The Show Notes
If you’ve been teaching for 10 years or 1 year and you’re already facing teacher burnout, it’s important to stop and do some honest assessment. There are definitely seasons to stick it out. But sometimes it is time for a change.
In today’s episode, I’m talking with former teacher and current freelancing photographer, Skylar Rain. Skylar lost her first job due to budget cuts and then found herself in a school that was under resourced and lacking the support she needed to be successful.
Find out how she made the jump beyond the classroom even when her next move wasn’t clear.
A Middle School Teacher Dream Come True
When Skylar was young, she had her heart set on being a writer. Later when it was time to choose a degree, the most practical path in front of her was a career in agriculture. But with only a little digging, Skylar realized a degree in education would actually allow her to have a more secure career track while still drawing upon her love of writing.
The very first position she landed was actually teaching broadcast journalism. Her students were responsible for producing their own show each week. They were knowledgeable and motivated. This was helpful for navigating a new classroom format.
Meanwhile, Skylar was also taking journalism classes that included photography. It was perfect timing to implement all that she was learning and Skylar loved her relationships with her students. She was even one of the few teachers who didn’t have to worry about teaching standards-based content. The learning was organic and the creative process was alive and active!
But Skylar also had to deal with some major discouragement as this position was eliminated with budget cuts at the end of the year. Now Skylar had to make a next move quickly.
When the Signs Started Pointing to Middle School Teacher Burnout
The following year, Skylar found another position as a technology teacher at a middle school. It felt familiar to her previous position and she felt hopeful.
Yet because she was required to teach the technology standards, she realized quickly that she was severely under resourced to teach those standards. The class set of Macbooks she was given were slow and could not keep up with class after class each day.
There were also very limited ways of monitoring students’ activity on the computer which was a continual challenge. Nevertheless, Skylar was managing behavior and failed technology much more often than instructing students.
Even in a technology classroom, Skylar was putting in hours before and after school to make her time with the students meaningful. It rarely paid off as much as she hoped it would.
A Difficult Decision: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
So if things felt that stressful and unfulfilling, why not just quit, right? Walking away from a teaching position is not the same as walking away from other jobs. There was already such a high turnover rate at the school. Anytime a teacher quit, it was extremely difficult to fill that position, especially mid-year.
The solution? All the other faculty had to give up a prep period in order to cover a classroom with no sub plans. Skylar knew that leaving would only add more unneeded stress to her colleagues’ work day.
Not to mention, there were plenty of students she really was connecting with and didn’t want to abandon. She would stick it out until the end of the year.
Free from Middle School Teacher Burnout…And a Paycheck
Skylar made it to the end of the year, but she had to figure out a plan fast. Thankfully, she was scheduled to receive two more paychecks through the end of the year. Then she found a variety of ways to supplement her income.
She substitute taught and taught online for VIPKID. But then she also took a big risk and pursued a passion of hers. Skylar decided to contact as many photographers as she could to let them know she was available for hire as a second shooter.
Soon she started offering mini photo sessions. All these little steps and opportunities eventually gave her the courage to strike out on her own.
Now Skylar specializes in wedding photography. She loves working for herself, but she also loves the challenge of capturing all the perfect moments in one wedding day. She loves having a front row seat to working with couples and seeing the way they interact and relate to one another.
Helpful Tips to Avoid Teacher Burnout and Make a Transition
Skylar shared some helpful advice to any other teachers who are looking to make a career shift, but don’t have a clear path ahead of them.
- Make the jump with a plan in place. If you don’t get paid during the summer months, budget so that you can pay yourself during that time. Start researching summer gigs in the spring so you don’t find yourself taking another teaching job in the fall just to pay the bills.
- Be open to a variety of side hustles or even temporary full-time jobs. Any job that offers you more flexibility to explore your options and take care of yourself is worth it in the interim.
- Be honest with yourself about the number you need to make. Take the time to create a budget so you know exactly what you need to make in order to cover your expenses. This will allow you to say yes or no with confidence to opportunities that come your way.
A Breakdown of This Episode:
[3:36] Learn why Skylar’s first teaching job was a perfect match for her creative passion
[9:20] Hear why Skylar’s position as a technology teacher was less than ideal.
[16:25] Learn how Skylar navigated the unknown path ahead without a paycheck
[25:09] Discover why Skylar is so passionate about the work she does as a photographer
[28:16] Listen to Skylar’s advice to anyone facing teacher burnout right now
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.
