The Show Notes
Ever wish you knew it was the right time to quit teaching? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a buzzer just for this?
The beginning of any transition out of the classroom often begins with a feeling of being stuck. You know something needs to change, but you don’t have a clue where to start. What jobs are even possible? And where would you find them?
The majority of teachers who need to make a transition wait until they reach rock-bottom to start looking…myself included.
But sometimes that’s because we’re not ready for solutions. We just need to talk. In this episode, I’m not offering any solutions. I’m just sharing the story of when I knew it was time to quit teaching.
It is my hope that you feel seen, heard, and understood, and that you have the courage to share your story too. Read on to find out how you can send me your story this week!
Time to Set Down the Tool Belt and Stop Fixing
If you’ve ever seen the YouTube video “It’s Not About the Nail”, this is such a perfect reminder that before we can identify solutions to our problems, we have to talk it out and get to the root of the issue.
Sometimes we just need to know that we are not alone-that it makes sense that we are hurting. When we receive this kind of validation, we can begin healing and then consider solutions.
Even your partner, friends, family, or co-workers may not be able to understand this struggle you carry. They may have the best intentions but still not understand why you’re so unhappy in a profession you used to be so excited about. This can make the journey so lonely. But the truth is-it doesn’t have to be.
Teacher Transition exists to be a safe place where you can be honest about how the stress and the discontent with teaching is impacting your well-being.
This is the raw, unfiltered version of my transition out of the classroom. I bet there are pieces of our story that overlap, but ultimately, your story is unique and it needs to be shared too.
Such a Grand Beginning
For so much of my life, I have been commended for things like my strength, optimism, and a strong sense of self-worth. Unlike a lot of women, I didn’t struggle with comparing myself with others. Whatever direction I was heading, I was confident.
That is, I was- until I started questioning if I was really meant to stay in the classroom. I was making a difference, but not the difference I wanted to be making. Something needed to change, but I had no idea how that could happen. I felt incredibly lost.
What I learned along this journey is that there are five essential elements to our well-being. These include fulfillment in each of these areas:
- Career
- Social life
- Finances
- Community
- Physical health
For much of my teaching career, I was thriving in each of these areas. Truly, life was good! I was grateful for my work and excited about my future. But slowly I started to slip in the “struggling” zone in some of these areas.
It began when I realized that getting a second degree in itself did not open any doors I hoped it would. I tried pursuing more professional development and even presenting at conferences. But that empty ache remained after each of these pursuits.
Soon my friends and family were noticing how much less engaged I was emotionally and spiritually. They could see a physical change in my disposition and they were worried. I started losing interest in things I used to love like working out or connecting with friends.
Teaching Will Never Be “Just a Job”
The piece that makes leaving the classroom such a difficult decision is the fact that teaching is more than just a job. It’s a calling. For many teachers, it gives them a strong sense of purpose when you have the ability to impact so many lives.
So naturally, when you think about leaving a position like that, there’s a lot of guilt to sift through. Many teachers even describe it as a sense of betrayal or that they’re quitting the thing that you were “supposed to be doing”. Your brain can start to feel a bit like this:
Do you resonate with any of these emotions?
I did….with pretty much all of them at some point in my journey. It was totally overwhelming since I had never even registered some of these emotions before. So I convinced myself I just needed a change of setting. Surely that would relieve this pressure.
So I got a job teaching at a new school, alongside several of my teacher friends. It was a brand new campus loaded with community support and plenty of funding. On paper, everything looked perfect. It was a great distraction, but the ache was still there.
Sinking Into the Suffering Zone
This was the point where I was starting to feel really hopeless. The stress began taking a toll on my physical health. I took more sick days than I ever had before. I could barely recognize myself as I started slipping from struggling to suffering in almost every area of my life.
This prolonged, unresolved stress started causing heart palpitations. Now I see how these were directly related to my career stress. But in the moment, I was legitimately concerned I was going to have a heart attack.
I made a point to see both a doctor and a counselor. The doctor was compassionate and she affirmed me and made some good suggestions, one of which included medication.
And while I believe that medication is a necessary and helpful tool for many, I knew that this depression I was in was directly related to all the job stress. But I definitely needed support still, so I sought out a trusted counselor. The counselor I found was one of the biggest encouragements to me in this season. Her affirmations and reflections about my journey were a breath of much needed fresh air.
But when you hit rock bottom like I did, you’re only worried about survival. You worry a lot less about what other people think. All I knew is that I wanted to be happy again. So, I revisited my list of strengths and needs. I sought out work opportunities that matched that list. I presented at conferences. I looked at getting another masters or even a PhD. Not one door opened at this moment. .
The Hardest and Most Responsible Decision I Ever Made
So at the end of that school year, I did the only thing I could do: I submitted a letter of resignation without a plan. It was terrifying and freeing all at once. But something important shifted in my heart.
Suddenly I felt a peace in my conscience. I no longer felt guilty or like I was abandoning anyone or anything. It was by far one of the most responsible decisions I had ever made. I only wish I had done it sooner.
You might think it’s easy for me to forget this part of my story. I’m on the other side and had the privilege of eventually having jobs in ed tech, higher ed, and curriculum design, and now I run my own agency.
But I can’t forget that season of my life. Every time I help a teacher transition out of the classroom into a more fulfilling career, that pain I endured is redeemed again.
Is It Time For You To Quit Teaching?
So why are you considering a transition? I want to hear YOUR story! Do you want to be home with your kids? Do you or someone in your family have unique health needs? Do you need a new work setting or environment? Are you facing burnout?
Here’s how you can share your story directly with me. You can record a voice memo and send it to me at hello@teachertransiton.com with the subject line
“Episode 11”. Or you can simply find the post for episode 11: “When I Knew It Was Time to Quit Teaching” in the Teacher Transition Facebook group and share your thoughts there!
I’m laying down my tool belt and I’m ready to listen. No next steps, no solutions. I’m just listening. Because sometimes, it’s just not about the nail.
A Breakdown of This Episode:
- [5:10] Why teachers transitioning beyond the classroom can feel so unsupportive
- [13:52] The moment I realized this “itch” to grow was actually a need, not just a want
- [16:18] The outward signs that I was moving into the “struggling zone” of well-being
- [25:22] The scary ways my stress started impacting my health
- [28:51] The immediate impact quitting had on me
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!
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