And if the desire for teacher hours holds you back, remind yourself of the reality. I started over several times. Ive already made it clear that my plan for quitting teaching relied heavily on my Teachers Pay Teachers business. Our students are coming to school with more and more problems, and the bar for achievement is continually being raised. One of the biggest reasons teachers dont leave the classroom is the fact that its easier to stay in a position you know (even if it is killing you) than it is to take a leap of faith and dive into something unknown. Signup for my TPT selleronly newsletter for tips, tricks, and freebies to help you become a Teachers Pay Teachers rock star! It was a risk, I figured, but I hoped that it was a calculated one. My schoolwhich sat in the middle of the riotswas damaged. If they can do it, I must believe that I can too. By September of the next school year, I had hit my first $1000 month. However, I quickly realized that it wasnt just the fixed mindsets of my classes I was fighting. This is another hangup Ive been grappling with. Teaching seemed like a good backup, but I thought I would figure it out in college. There were no more pay increases for graduate credits; you had to obtain the full masters degree to get the next education-based pay level. For about eight months, I was working two full-time jobs. Teachers Pay Teachers changed me. Ultimately, I realized that the truth was that I needed a break. Now that Im getting married, and Blake and I are talking about the future, I also feel like I need to think of him and our future family. For the first few years of teaching, I told myself that my struggles were due to my own inadequacies. The security that protected you before is now strangling the life out of you. In defence of quitting: Letting go of my PhD was the best thing I ever did. In hindsight, it would have been much easier had I made more connections in the industries I was interested in. Teaching seemed like the logical choice for majors when I started filling out college applications. And as hard as that is to say, I know it is harder to hearbut its absolutely crucial for you to grab onto and internalize. I was totally lost when looking for employment opportunities outside the classroom. There are a lot of unknowns ahead of me. I finally started to understand what life could be like outside the classroom. I also worked closely with other Professional Development trainers and many other educational companies. There were no negative experiences or toxic culture situations. When it comes to what I love, my family comes first and foremost. While its true I was able to impact up to 85 students my last year, now as a coach, TpT author, course creator, website designer, blogger, and podcaster, Im able to reach thousands of people. Rational or not, the idea of relying solely on Teachers Pay Teachers for income for the rest of my life scares me. Any excitement I felt disappeared, replaced with overwhelming stress and burnout that affected my life both in and out of work. During this time, Blake and I also got engaged, which might be helpful information later. I uploaded that first resource and moved on to making more materials for the rest of the unit. After two years, I was approached about taking a job as an Instructional Designer. Distancing myself from these types of people was incredibly liberating. is able to lay out exactly why they should have gotten a better mark. Lastly, if I quit teaching, Ill have opportunities for other things in my life. Plus, my TpT business isnt matching my salary yet, but its close and my business is growing every month. Quitting a good, well-paid job for the unknown isn't for the faint of heart. Maybe before the end of the year, I could pay myself back. Its weird to leave something you thought would be your forever career, or something you hoped would bring you joy. Between partners and administration, I felt like I was never doing enough. The vast majority of us wanted to teach virtually, at least until vaccinations were available or the district had made building improvements. And this is just a short listing of what all is available. I wanted to ensure their teachers and staff had access to amazing resources. I and many of my colleagues spend the summer preparing all-virtual lessons. This is a very precarious situation because it forces you to reevaluate what you know and believe about yourself. I started classes this semester (spring) and should finish by spring or summer of next year. Plus, 9 things we need if the U.S. ever wants to see another globally-competitive generation. Quitting teaching was the best thing i ever did | Life Advice Life is short. My benefits from this year will continue until the end of August, and at the end of October, Ill be able to marry Blake and jump onto his insurance. While I was comfortable teaching early childhood and elementary-aged children, staying in my comfort zone wasnt what God designed me to do. This doesnt mean you wont be missed by students, other teachers and faculty members, or your principal; but if you wont be there to do the job, you have to be replaced by someone who will. A version of this article was originally published on VICE France . This was partially true. I felt stuck, which led me to feel uninspired. And now? Plus, Im not losing my community. One of the texts that was very transformative during my research was Carol Dwecks Mindset. Why I Quit Teaching - Medium I just didnt know what else to do when I was all grown up. There are many things about teaching I enjoy: curriculum planning, reading, and discussing ideas with students. To my surprise, the educational companies Ive worked for mimic a teachers schedule. When I look around, however, I see a lot of teachers who got stuck in their careers.
