When you first decided to become a teacher, you may have envisioned a career filled with joy and growth. You were going to influence the minds of future generations, leave a lasting impact, and enjoy the many breaks and holidays afforded to teachers. Unfortunately, the realities of the classroom tend to make those dreams disappear quickly. Now more than ever, teachers are experiencing stress, burnout, and a hostile work environment. So without further ado, here are 5 Signs It Is Time to Leave The Classroom for a New Career.
Sign 1: You’re Constantly Stressed
Teaching consistently ranks as one of the most stressful jobs one can have. Long hours, low pay, an increasingly dangerous work environment, and ever growing workload are just some of the factors that make working in the classroom so stressful. Teachers have become so normalized to stress that many do not even realize that THIS IS NOT NORMAL. Every career has stressful moments. But very few professions have stress baked into every aspect of the job. It is okay to want something better for yourself. If you are dealing with massive stress on a daily basis, the is a sign that it is time to leave the classroom.
Sign 2: You Dread Going into Work
Do you dread stepping foot in your classroom? I have had far too many teachers tell me that they cry everyday before work. Sometimes it is because their admin does not support them. Sometimes it’s because their students are impossible to control. Sometimes it is because they are so physically and mentally exhausted by the stress. But regardless of the reason, life is far too short to spend your life doing something that you hate. You deserve to have a job and a career that makes you happy. A career that respects your time, your family, and your worth. If you dread going into work, that is a clear sign it is time to leave the classroom.
Sign 3: You Feel Undervalued
Are you feeling undervalued? This is a normal feeling for educators. And no wonder. Administrators and parents are constantly questioning your abilities. Students are constantly disrespecting you and making your job hard to accomplish. Politicians and society seem all too eager to throw teachers under the bus. People who do not know how to teach are constantly telling teachers how to do their job.
Under these circumstances, it is very easy to feel underappreciated and undervalued.
- But you have value.
- Your skills have value.
- Your experience has value.
It is okay to want to find a career where you feel appreciated and valued. If you are struggling with this, then it might be time to leave the classroom.
Sign 4: Work-Life Balance Is Non-Existent
It can be incredibly difficult to create a work life balance while teaching. According to Edweek, the typical teacher works 54 hours a week, with many reporting that they are working 60+ hours a week. When I was in the classroom, I spent hours every night and most of my weekends doing lesson plans, grading assignments, and working to make sure my students were successful. And don’t get me started on breaks. Breaks are a time teachers use to catch up on work that they simply do not have to accomplish during the weeks prior.
This is not okay. The fact that this is normalized in education is unethical and abusive. Most careers outside of the classroom require that you only work inside contract hours. Your nights and weekends should be spent on your family, your hobbies, on things you enjoy. If you are struggling to find a work-life balance, then that is a sure sign that it is time to leave the classroom.
Sign 5: You’re Experiencing Health Issues
Many teachers have experienced mental and physical health issues to the years of stress and burnout in the classroom. We have a large FB group designed to support teachers, and one of my favorite posts to see is when former teachers share their before and after blood pressure numbers. It is amazing to see how quickly leaving the classroom can have positive health benefits. Dropping the stress, gaining time to spend on you, and an increase in joy can have a massive positive effect on your health. If you are experiencing health issues, it might be time for you to leave the classroom for a new career.
Conclusion
Considering a career change outside of the classroom does not mean that you have failed as a teacher. It does not mean you are abandoning your passion. Instead, it’s about acknowledging that it is time for the next chapter in your life. It’s about putting your personal wellbeing first.
There are many career paths you can take that will appreciate both your experiences and your skills.
Understand that you are not alone. I encourage you to join our FB group. We have over 90,000 teachers who are looking to or have already left the classroom. Come in, share your experiences, thoughts and fears with us.
If you are looking to start your own job search immediately, we created a resource just for you. It contains everything you need to get started.
