Are you looking forward to transitioning out of teaching? I was, too. Almost five years ago!
I can hardly remember a time when I waited for the bell to go to the bathroom, or was staying late and arriving early every day to prepare lessons.
Here are three things I wish I knew back when I was transitioning out of teaching (and yes, there are more in the eBook!)
#1 Leaving Teaching Isn’t That Big A Deal to Non-Teachers
I thought it was a huge deal that I was leaving teaching. So much so, that I was worried about that part of the interview. But to folks outside of the classroom? It’s just a job.
What matters is that you present your history and your education with confidence, and you’re excited about the job you’ll be doing for the person you’re interviewing with.
#2 You Don’t Need a Summer Off If Your Job Doesn’t Stink
I was pretty worried I’d miss having summers off and two weeks at Christmas. Then I realized I was spending my summers and Christmas time repairing and recovering my body and my mind from the damage of teaching! (And sometimes we didn’t even get a whole two weeks at Christmas!).
Since I’ve been out, sure it would be nice to be off of work for two months… but I’d much rather enjoy my day to day life! Living in extremes is very stressful on your body and on your life. And is it really that reasonable to just not go to work for a few months each year?
#3 ALL Teacher Skills Are Transferable
You know the way you can make an amazing bulletin board out of nothing more than a few quotes and some paper? That’s a transferable skill.
Showing up with eight hours of lesson plans organized and ready to roll, then present them while managing the behavior of 15-30 (or more) people? That’s a transferable skill.
When I was teaching, I was convinced my skills were useless outside of the classroom, when that simply wasn’t the case. Now I look back and not a day goes by that I don’t use a skill I learned while in school for teaching or as a teacher. I just took it all with me! if you are feeling the same, check out our Teacher’s Toolkit to help you discover the plethora of skills you possess.
Are you a former teacher? What do you wish you’d known when you were transitioning out of teaching?
If you are ready to move on from the classroom and use all those skills from the classroom, your career options are wide open. Check out this blog post here for more careers for ELA teachers.
