The key is knowing when to pack your bags. But leaning into my strengths gave me the gumption and fortitude to push through strengthening my weaknesses. Some months I was just a little shy of paying for my expenses, so I had started accruing some credit card debt. The first job I had after leaving teaching gave me an annual salary of 25,000. With zero background knowledge in doing any of these particular endeavors, I discovered how scrappy I could be. Subbing would allow me to stay connected with my colleagues and the teaching community in general. These were parents who were at home telling their children how smart they are and expecting them to get into the most prestigious schools. We can do so many things outside of teaching in a traditional classroom setting! I had grown to that first $1000 month so quickly, that $4000 didnt sound impossible. It was like a cloud lifted from over my head and a weight off of my shoulders. Each year, I taught anywhere from 22-28 students. The parent-teacher interviews I had with these types of parents were some of the worst experiences I had in my professional career. I realized I had no idea where to even start with figuring out my next move. Ive already made it clear that my plan for quitting teaching relied heavily on my Teachers Pay Teachers business. I have the ability to walk away whenever I want. But if I can do it, you can too and that is what todays episode is all about. (Insert guilt here.) 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. Many teachers complain about the behavior or attitude of their students as the main reason they hate their jobs. The nonsensical testing and the collection of data is such a waste of time. I know that some Teachers Pay Teachers panickedsuddenly teachers didnt need their printable worksheets anymore. I didnt set a date for when I would be quitting teaching. After all, I had heard rumors about the corporate world and the grueling, unforgiving place it was. In other industries and positions, people change careers an average of 12 to 15 times in their lifetime. This one blew my mind. I had to learn how to be a supportive husband and father that is present and not always pulled away by work. Teachers are expected to be accessible 24/7 by admin and parents, and they are told what to do, how to teach, where to be, when to be there, and more by everyone coming and going. Today's video is a little more personal, it goes into why quitting my PhD at school was the best thing I ever did and what it's like to work. My personal relationships were suffering. 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. Quitting was the best thing I ever did. Have I always been strong at the technical side of creating websites? The worst thing was that I couldn't guarantee that I'd have work. The Profit First model of accounting allows for quarterly bonuses, which I dont factor into my salary from my business. If Im ever looking for work in the future, I know it will be 500X easier than it was before I began networking! I would never be in the position I am in today without my teaching experience. what career ouside the classroom is right for you? This isnt common in teaching, and its still underutilized in other industries (especially amongst female job candidates). I did love my coworkers and my students; I love my school still. Take that . I knew some people did Teachers Pay Teachers full time, but seeing $1000 on my dashboard convinced me that I could do that too. I quit working at the comic shop to have more time for Teachers Pay Teachers. Life is short. This was incredibly draining and led me to quit. When I look around, however, I see a lot of teachers who got stuck in their careers. It would go away. The second time, on the other hand, was a total shock to both me and my husband! We tend to roll our eyes every time its embedded in a conversation because weve heard it so many times. When I decided to quit teaching, I was in a place in my life where prioritizing time with my family over my career was very important to me. Now I use that same creativity to design websites (or online scrapbooks as I like to think of them) that are unique and customized to the person for which I am designing. All was well and good! Or work until lunch and cook a big dinner for your family? We all signed our contracts in June with this understanding, feeling supported by the district. However, I am now in a place where all I feel is a profound sense of gratitude for my time in the profession. No other career will challenge you to grow in the ways that this one does; no other career will teach you the empathy that this one can. But what I didnt realize until after quitting teaching was just how many more people I could help outside the classroom. Have you ever heard the old adage, Where there is a will, theres a way? I absolutely loved teaching; in fact, (spoiler alert) I am working with kids this school year. Whether we intend to or not, by default, education teaches students: I loved helping students learn about growth mindset and how they can see challenges as opportunities for growth. Ive watched another former teacher quadruple her salary within 3 years of leaving teaching, something that would have been impossible for her in the classroom. 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. And if they werent doing well, they would just blame the teacher. I began my own TPT store. She didnt understand that I needed the part-time job because I taught. Im proud of the work Ive done as a teacher, and Ill continue to help teachers with my business. If you were like me, when you got your teaching degree, you figured you would be a classroom teacher until retirement. I cut everything I could. And the coolest part is the ripple effect. Would your days be filled with joy and sunshine if you could travel the world while making the income you deserve? I also started working on the Teacher Career Coach course and website to support teachers looking to transition out of the classroom. Teaching is a demanding job. My district, however, didnt improve during this time. Plus, 9 things we need if the U.S. ever wants to see another globally-competitive generation. I felt ashamed by the stigma teachers face when wanting out. Regardless of being underqualified for this position, they nearly handed it to me because my network could vouch for work ethic and value-add. Many high-risk teachers only agreed to return because we were virtual. Teaching wasnt my dream. I realize that I am lucky to have this option. This is one of the reasons why quitting teaching was the best thing I ever did. However, I do have years of experience to draw on, and right now I have more ideas for resources than I have time for. We hadnt planned this outwe simply felt the Lord impressing on our hearts that we needed to pull our kids from the public school system to homeschool them. In year four of teaching for me, the district finally took steps to address the pay freeze. I realized just how crippled I was by perfectionism and I dont believe I wouldve ever discovered this without quitting teaching. Think about how many hours you spend working in a week. Even worse, some parents believed that adequate was nothing less then perfect. Happy Teacher Mama is a website dedicated to helping teachers love teaching or leave the classroom with graceand a plan! I hate repeating myself and having to hold my bladder. Our new technology still had not arrived due to pandemic delays, and there was no time for training on how to use any of it. Know that if you are considering leaving the classroom, that does not mean you need to leave education entirely. 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. Im quitting teaching. I was absolutely sure that I could learn these new skills if I had the opportunity to practice them, and I was determined to be successful. Even with my minor pay increases, our healthcare costs increased, pretty much wiping out any financial increases I saw. We become a statistic. Honestly, I thought Id be in a 9-5 position and wasnt sure how to handle the new change. Instead of a fresh start, I experienced a toxic work environment. If they can do it, I must believe that I can too. 1 Corinthians 10:31 , 10 Things I Learned After Quitting Teaching Twice, 6. Do you want to take your dogs for a long hike? Here are the ten things I learned since leaving the classroom that you need to know. 30. Distancing myself from these types of people was incredibly liberating. What if, after a few years of being out of the classroom, I lost my edge? My time teaching with diverse students had kindled within me an understanding of the importance of diverse and engaging literature. My goal from the beginning was for them to understand that my decision was in no way related to a problem or issue I was having in my current position. Strength to serve and help others on a grander scale. 2023 DAPHNE WILLIAMS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. The concept of growth mindset is fascinating, but its become such a common phrase in the education world that it has actually lost some of its impact. I and many of my colleagues spend the summer preparing all-virtual lessons. I started applying for part-time jobs. The companies I work for all value those skills and experiences I gained as a teacher. This is why I shut my school down and quit teaching all together. After two years, I was approached about taking a job as an Instructional Designer. Dont be tricked into thinking teaching is your only option. I invite you to help me rewrite the script. However, as I thought about quitting teaching and relying solely on TpT, I did start to panic a little bit. Here are the ten things I learned since leaving the classroom that you need to know. As a teacher, I was confined to my four walls every single day. For more on growth mindset, check out our top 5 takeaways from Carol Dwecks Mindset. In defence of quitting: Letting go of my PhD was the best thing I ever did. All of the demands and stresses of the job were at least somewhat manageable prior to having children, however, things changed when I became a parent. Were suddenly selfish, weak, or selling out. Our curriculum was short on both. Teaching was not the right career for me. 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. There were many parents who just couldnt take seeing their children perform less then adequately. When were not in a pandemic, my classroom is so small it can only hold twenty students; theres no space for distancing. 142 views, 5 likes, 4 loves, 11 comments, 7 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from E-Free Church - Gaylord Campus: Good morning and welcome to church online! We hung out there occasionally and I convinced the owner to hire me for odd jobs around the shop. We are so glad you are joining us. Many teachers feel guilty, isolated, and unsupported when deciding to leave the profession. And now? Why is it that education is so fixed mindset oriented? No job was worth giving up my physical or mental health. My LinkedIn grew with authentic connections that I could reach out to if needed. I did the math to figure out my hourly earnings and was utterly dumbfounded. This was partially true.

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quitting teaching was the best thing i ever did