I remember feeling like it was my way to give back to the community. When I look back, I am able to see how much I have grown since I started teaching. Hey, maybe it did make you happy for some time. We become a statistic. It would have been one thing if the district told me to come in and teach so that my coworkers in their 60s could stay home and teach virtually. The most successful people never stop learning. We taught at a higher level and far more than . This was not the first time that I had felt unappreciated by my district. Do you find yourself catching up on work or trying to get ahead during your summers and holidays off? As a result, they place blame elsewhere. My experience as a teacher helped me understand what I believe to be the cause of student entitlement. You just have to do your research. I found myself missing important moments and not being around for special memories. Quitting Teaching Was The Best Thing I Ever Did. Here's Why. So we need to be keenly aware of the pitfall of finding all of our lifes meaning and our sole identity in a job that we complete because if (or when) we leave that position, we will be replaced as though we were never even there. FORMER teachers: Why did you quit teaching? And What do you do now? At the last minute, the district switched stances on us. I tried to include a summary at the end that focuses on the big, important questions you might have. I didnt understand it at the time, but I had this feeling deep down that I was drowning. Some days, especially towards the beginning of the school year and the end of the summer term, I didn't get a call. I learned how to relate to my students better. Instead of a fresh start, I experienced a toxic work environment. The worry and anxiety about my students and the school politics were soaking up the rest of my emotional energy. But I was a completely unprepared first-year teacher, thrown into a room of at-risk students with no curriculum, no support. But for me, personally, it is not a forever career, and Im ready for the next phase of my life. Since leaving the classroom, Ive found that learning new things has revealed hidden strengths I didnt even know I had! Instead of seeing failure as a setback, all I had to do was convince my students to see failure as an opportunity for growth. I left my position as an Educational Consultant for a position as an Instructional Designer and viewed it as growth, not failure. Here are the ten things I learned since leaving the classroom that you need to know. But what I didnt realize until after quitting teaching was just how many more people I could help outside the classroom. Something just didnt feel right. You see, I'm a small-town girl with a big heart for adventure. I started applying for part-time jobs. 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. This is incredibly damaging to a persons wellbeing, and is one of the main reasons why teacher burnout is so common. During my time on the committee, I conducted research into how to use a growth mindset to transform student learning. We can do so many things outside of teaching in a traditional classroom setting! But I had no idea how. Even when I was giving it my all to the point where I was giving up every bit of my personal time, it wasnt good enough. Quitting Teaching Was The Best Thing I Ever Did. I learned to plan lessons more efficiently. Looking at my phone again, I couldnt believe it. And while this can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it, the world of education has enlarged itself over and over again producing so many unique job opportunities for teachers. And this is just a short listing of what all is available. Yet, within weeks of announcing my new position, I had a few text messages from teachers that I used to work with asking for advice. Teaching, ultimately, just leaves me drained. Yet, Ive recently had a startling revelation; my discomfort is directly correlated to my focus. I grew both personally and professionally during that transition and Im better for it. Instead, I was constantly battling entitled parents and students who believe that marks indicate their intelligence. At my local technical college, its much cheaper than a masters in education would be, plus, thanks to the pandemic, I can do the whole program online and asynchronously. (Only a few months later, of course, a global pandemic would begin.). I had less than nine months to make a plan to leave. Plus, Im not losing my community. I invite you to help me rewrite the script. It would get better. If I want to go back to teaching, I can. It wasnt until my first day of teaching that I realized how bad of a fit teaching was for me. Good question. To my surprise, my new passion for Teachers Pay Teachers has actually benefited my actual teaching. Unless I wanted to move back in with my parents, it was clear that I couldnt cut costs any moreI needed more income. I know those can feel like lonely thoughts, worrying that your co-workers wont understand or will shame you for considering an alternative. No more stress, no more guilt, no more doubts. If youre feeling trapped in your job, know that youre not alone. But through the struggle, I discovered something truly amazing. Virtual teaching felt the safest and most common-sense option when there were so many unknowns. But theres a point in which you just cant cut any further. Julianne Condia on Instagram: "Hello . If we haven't met, I'd love To avoid lifestyle creep, I created a rule for myself. I can say with confidence that quitting teaching was the best thing I ever did. 5 things I learned from quitting my teaching job twice My second sale came about a week after my first. I absolutely loved teaching; in fact, spoiler alertI am working with kids this . If schools are not in session, there really isnt a lot of work to be done on your end, so you have a vacation as well. I developed an exit strategy, growing my network and applying to jobs that fit my skills and experiences. This is another hangup Ive been grappling with. This one surprised me. Teaching is lit. Worse, my district hired me during the first year of a district-wide pay freeze, after Act 10 (leaving unions in Wisconsin with little power), and with no chance of ever receiving tenure or a bump in benefits. Talk about scary!!! They took our amazing health insurance away this year and gave us one of the nations worst ranking healthcare providers in its place. Quitting teaching will also give me time to pursue other interests: marathon training, painting, writing, a new degree. Teaching was a job that I worked harder than anything in my life to get. I finally started to understand what life could be like outside the classroom. Creating TPT-ready resources was more of a personal challenge to keep away boredom during those computer classes. At this point in my teaching career (year 6), my take-home pay was about $2000 a month. As a teacher, I was confined to my four walls every single day. Its been the primary motivator for my Teachers Pay Teachers business, in fact. As I said, I was hired during the first year of a district-wide pay freeze. I remember feeling like an absolute failure in my last year of teaching. However, I refuse to suffer financially or emotionally over a profession. Subbing will help make sure all of my personal costs are covered, keep me in touch with the teaching community, and allow me to see and catch up with my coworkers. During school, I made the easy choices without ever thinking about what being a teacher would actually be like. But a group of parents used a combination of large donations, email campaigns, and bombarding school board meetings to get the district to reopen. And Ive discovered a lot of skills I didnt know I had. Right now, I cant look at the numbers and honestly say that my Teachers Pay Teachers business will completely replace my teachers salary next year. Put me in front of a room full of adults and I start sweating profusely. I read everything I could about SEO, Pinterest strategy, and began posting to Instagram every day. generic-witty-user 1 yr. ago. That said, this is a long post. is able to lay out exactly why they should have gotten a better mark. The yearly pay increases had decreased from about $3000 a year prior to the freeze to $1500 a year. It is definitely a true representation about how I feel regarding public speaking. A February 2021 survey found that "36% of internet users aged 18 to 29 years and 22% of users aged 30 to 49 years used Reddit.". The pandemic threw everyone for a loop. But I want to mention a truly sobering thought. I didnt love my job, but I thought that I could grow to love it. Do you come in early, stay late for bus duty, grade papers or decorate the classroom on the weekends? The year away helped me reprioritize a lot of things in my life, and when I came back to teaching, it was to . During my fifth year of teaching, I made two big decisions that would dramatically change my situation: The latter was mostly on a whim. Teachers for some reason stick around in a school or profession So that night, I made my first ever post on Linkedin and launched my. Ill take the guesswork out of designing a fast & mobile-friendly website, so you can spend your time creating amazing content for your clients. By September of the next school year, I had hit my first $1000 month. I quickly learned that just because you are no longer in the classroom, it doesnt mean you cant still positively impact education. I would never be in the position I am in today without my teaching experience. I get excited to blog, create products, and learn more about running a business. Why Leaving Teaching One Year Ago Was the Best Decision Roythe dogis my baby, and I already felt immense guilt for the time he spent alone. I started to pursue work that was much more in line with my values and my priorities at this stage of my life. I was not going to invest more money into a profession that was not interested in investing in me. Quitting Teaching: How and Why I Did It - It's Lit Teaching Something Ive always thought about, but never really wanted to talk about was my strengths. Because of this, quitting teaching was the best thing I ever did. Ive been teaching for eight years. If youd like the shorter version, click here. A couple of days later it sold! It wasnt until someone talked about how creative I was to be able to design these scrapbooks that I realized how much of a strength this was for me. Before I share why quitting teaching was the best thing I ever did as well as the ten things I've learned after quitting teaching twice, I want to share my heart. Students with a positive approach to education are always a joy, but they arent all like this. Strength to serve and help others on a grander scale. I did everything I could to help myself financially. My schoolwhich sat in the middle of the riotswas damaged. It was a risk, I figured, but I hoped that it was a calculated one. And now? I felt guilty for the thoughts I had about leaving the classroom. And if you have other unanswered questions (like what jobs hire former teachers, what to know about leaving a pension, or how to rewrite your resume) make sure to check out my Teachers Changing Careers FAQ page. COVID-19. The New Normal: Is Online Education The Future For Passionate Teachers? However, I do have years of experience to draw on, and right now I have more ideas for resources than I have time for. And even though we ended up moving to a different city by the time I was ready to return to the classroom, I was able to use my previous principal and superintendent as references because I hadnt burned any bridges. However, I serve so many more people than I ever did before. Teaching did become less stressful year over year as I gained experience, grew my collection of quality lessons, and learned classroom management. This was incredibly draining and led me to quit. Opinion: Quitting my PhD was the best thing I ever did I couldnt believe it even as I stared at the notification on my phone. Think about how many hours you spend working in a week. You dont have to do this on your own.With the help of an HR expert with over 10 years of experience and a team of former teachers, Ive created a guide to support you in the early stages of your transition out of the classroom. My colleagues and I panicked. 2) It's not your imagination teaching IS getting harder. I never dreamed about being a teacher. My time teaching with diverse students had kindled within me an understanding of the importance of diverse and engaging literature. And most importantly, I will be around during all of the precious, irreplaceable moments at home. Your life, mental health, and physical health are more valuable than sticking it out through any career. I will create a system for my social media plan by the end of the month, 2013: Working 40 hours a week as a classroom teacher, I started my TPT Store (to hopefully make enough to pay our Netflix bill) and ended up making $419.02, 2014: While still in the classroom, I made $6545.55 through TPT. It seems like every classroom practice is designed to keep students from challenging themselves and taking risks. There were no negative experiences or toxic culture situations. I bought a foreclosed condo (the mortgage was cheaper than the rent I had been paying) and moved into it with a roommate to split the bills. To know EXACTLY what you need to do (and not do) in order to get your foot in the door. I believe that there is more opportunity in my business (and maybe through pursuing a new career altogether) than there is in continuing this career path. For some, its a far better life. I'm sorry that teaching did not turn out to be the fulfilling second career you hoped for despite all the sacrifices you have made. This next section is just a quick outline of my quitting teaching plan. However, as I thought about quitting teaching and relying solely on TpT, I did start to panic a little bit. I want to earn more. The first job I had after leaving teaching gave me an annual salary of 25,000. And the more I grow my business, the more I would rather do that. Not everyone has a spouse or a spouse whose job will provide such benefits. The best thing was that if they were awful I could choose not to go back. If we haven't met, I'd love to get to know you! Ill marry Blake in October and jump onto his insurance in November. That left me with few options. Despite working long after contractual hours ended, people always reminded me how lucky I was to finish work by 3 oclock. In a new interview with The New York Hardcore Chronicles LIVE!, Phil Demmel, who left MACHINE HEAD more than four years ago, reflected on his decision to exit the band, saying: "I think that it . I had no idea how any of this worked when I started to transition from teaching. Have I always been strong at the technical side of creating websites? This caused me to have a bit of a crisis. 1 Corinthians 10:31 , 10 Things I Learned After Quitting Teaching Twice, 6. Most people who want to teach grow up wanting to be teachers. Not that I had any idea about what I would even switch to. After this school year, however, Teachers Pay Teachers will be my full-time job. These were parents who were at home telling their children how smart they are and expecting them to get into the most prestigious schools. I wasnt expecting to make a fortune on Teachers Pay Teachers. 37 likes, 6 comments - Julianne Condia (@juliannecondia) on Instagram: "Hello . I invite you to be selfish and make the best decision for you. I wont be able to contribute as much, but I hope that with time, my TpT earnings will far outpace what my teaching earnings would have ever done. I believe this to be a result of a fixed mindset problem in education. Or work until lunch and cook a big dinner for your family? Leaving burnout behind: the pain and pleasure of starting a new career Teaching wasnt my dream. I wanted to walk out the door and redo the last five years of my life. Gaylord E-Free Church Online Service - Facebook My experience with education is what introduced me to the concept of a growth mindset. Soonest anyone has resigned into the school year? From a - Reddit 2015: I made $95,000 just through my TPT store (still as a full-time classroom teacher). This is a pretty big deal for someone who has always been a perfectionist. I used growth mindset quotes regularly during lessons, and I hung growth mindset posters all over my classroom. Those of us with this tendency find ourselves always making something better and never finishing things whether its TpT resources, blog posts, or courses, etc. If Im ever looking for work in the future, I know it will be 500X easier than it was before I began networking! Each year, I taught anywhere from 22-28 students. Why I quit teaching, and why I'm never going back I personally have not quit mid-year but I know people who have and my district has not actually gone after anyone's license yet, but they always threaten to. I remember setting up my classroom, excited for the fresh start. Have I always been creative? But if Im focused on helping other people, it doesnt matter if I mess up or say something incorrectly because the ultimate goal isnt in my perfectionits in serving others. W. With an MBA from . I had spent the summer working on my store and listening to podcasts from full-time TPT sellers. And while talking incessantly about your never-ending list of strengths is definitely a source of annoyance to anyone stuck listening, acknowledging specific strengths you possess is actually a good thing. So many teachers get into the field because they want to help others. It seems like every classroom practice is designed to keep students from challenging themselves and taking risks. (My district also was not paying for our tuition, aside from a small credit.). However, I knew there was something else out there that was a better fit for me, my strengths, and my desire for a work/life balance. I was all-in. I could finally do those things I simply couldnt find time for before, like read a book or meet with friends for a drink. I will always be grateful and glad for the time I spent teaching. In my final year, I felt broken by the unrealistic expectations and lack of autonomy faced daily. Now you might be thinking, Wait a secondif thats what God designed you to do, shouldnt you be doing that? Well, that is a very astute point. She didnt understand that I needed the part-time job because I taught. Upon leaving the classroom the second time to homeschool my boys, I was more determined than ever to make money from home. When were not in a pandemic, my classroom is so small it can only hold twenty students; theres no space for distancing. My physical and mental well-being was at stake. In Texas you are risking your teaching license being suspended. I couldnt wrap my brain around how someone could put D+ work out into the worldbut in that same moment I realized the A+ work I was still working on after a year of tweaking had made no impact whatsoever. It would ease my worries and provide an alternative route to making money that isnt going back to teaching. Then, after a couple of years of gen ed classes, I felt too deep into college to switch majors. Unfortunately, my teaching job was starting to get in the way of this. Plus, 9 things we need if the U.S. ever wants to see another globally-competitive generation. In fact, I continued my Premier Designs business journey until I went back to the classroom. This is why quitting was the best thing they ever did - BBC I tried to quit so many times, but for some reason, Id get back up the next morning and push through the struggle while climbing that learning curve one more time. Fast forward to 2018: where I left the classroom, went all in, launched my first course, and made $445,000 (most of which was made in the week of my course launch). It's an unusual circumstance, no doubt, but the transition for teachers was particularly tough. In hindsight, it would have been much easier had I made more connections in the industries I was interested in. So, I was determined to make a little bit of money. I've always wanted to travel the world, but I've never had the means to do so. Feel as though everything will fall apart when you leave, Know teaching wont be done the way you have done it and your students might struggle, Everything you have worked so hard to accomplish to be gone. What if districts banned TpT resources or the website disappeared? That meant starting the school year unable to open boarded-up windows. I was very comfortable with my paycheck and teaching kids through third grade, but I was going to be pulling my boys out starting in third grade and fifth grade. Through my work, I searched for grants and technology giveaways to help match districts with great opportunities for them. Remember, there are other options with great hours out there. I hate repeating myself and having to hold my bladder. I knew that I had different values for my own family. I was a late bloomer. I know that some Teachers Pay Teachers panickedsuddenly teachers didnt need their printable worksheets anymore. I decided to just work as hard as I could to make the numbers work out as soon as I could. The parent-teacher interviews I had with these types of parents were some of the worst experiences I had in my professional career. I started seeing my doctor for stress-related illnesses more and more often. PHIL DEMMEL: Joining And Later Quitting MACHINE HEAD Were Two Of 'The Sometimes I think God has a sense of humor because those things that I always said I wouldnt do are the exact things God seems to have waiting in the wings for me. This was partially true. My TPT income was growing at a much, much faster rate than that. Yet, teachers carry the burden of shame and guilt the moment they think of leaving the classroom. Here is the truthto our families and friends we are irreplaceable, but as employees, we are all expendable. I went to the board meetings as they discussed their work on the new salary schedule. What's up guys?! Plus, if I do sub once a week, I can use some of that income for additional retirement contributions. But for some reason, when the environment requires me to stand while others are seated, I turn 50 shades of red and my underarms produce enough sweat to dehydrate my entire body in about 3.5 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of jobs that are a good fit for former teachers. But I couldnt do it anymore. I started to realize that the pressures of the day just werent worth draining energy that I could be using toward my family. Its best to start by researching and understanding the average salary for the position in your area. This has become glaringly obvious since the pandemic of 2020. Schools were wholly unprepared to close due to a global health pandemic. I had never felt this way with any other job like I was missing something. But these people said it led to their best successes. Meanwhile, my district had assured us all that we would be starting the 2020-2021 school year virtually. Maybe you are currently struggling with the thought of quitting teaching because you. Im already planning on making some resources for my current colleagues over the summer that Ill also sell. "It's basically the . Pretty easy, right? . It was hard and scary to take the leap of faith, but Im so glad I did. what career ouside the classroom is right for you? In reality, I learned a lot about myself, my desires, and life in general once I let go of my teaching career. But for me, it just wasnt (and Ill explain why below!). After leaving the classroom, I quickly learned an entire new world of upward mobility. However, I am now in a place where all I feel is a profound sense of gratitude for my time in the profession. You never know when or how it will come in handy. I wanted to ensure their teachers and staff had access to amazing resources. Signup for my TPT selleronly newsletter for tips, tricks, and freebies to help you become a Teachers Pay Teachers rock star! There is life after teaching. When I look around, however, I see a lot of teachers who got stuck in their careers. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Awareness of how truly irreplaceable I am to my family. Rioters smashed nearly every window on the first floor. Or that I was just giving up. Lastly, if I quit teaching, Ill have opportunities for other things in my life. And since 2019, while finally leaning into my passion and embracing all the scary and messy parts, redoing the broken parts, and finding my voice and my way, I have grown my original idea to over seven figures each year.