r/TeachersInTransition

I recently transitioned out of teaching and into a role where I work from home about 10 hours a week (the rest is in person), and even that small amount has shown me how insanely different it feels.

You don’t realize how truly exhausting being in the classroom is until you do something else.

Working from home is a completely different type of focus. I’m still getting everything done, but the pace and environment are so different that sometimes it barely feels like work.

It’s really made me realize how much of teaching is the invisible work… the emotional energy, multitasking, and constant problem-solving that happens all day long.

After over a decade of suffering as a teacher, I finally broke free. I’m currently doing an enablement role for a tech brand so I’m still working closely with schools and teachers, but I’m happy to no longer be responsible of young lives and minds. Feels good not to be checking papers on my free time or dealing with faculty meetings that always go overtime, and the teaching nightmares (you know, the ones where I suddenly have to teach something on the fly without preparation for whatever reason) are gone.

I applied to more than 100 jobs and got only 4 interview invites. But honestly, it’s because I mostly applied on job boards with a generic resume. I also tailored my resume for applications in company portals, but honestly that whole thing is a whole full-time job in itself and after four months of applying I just couldn’t be bothered anymore. The 4 interviews I got are all from job boards, I didn’t get any interviews for those I tailored my resume for. But that’s just my experience and it’s not gonna be applicable for everyone.

Much of job applications these days, at least in my experience, is based on luck. ATS filters and recruiter mood are things we can’t control. But what I noticed I had in common across those 4 interview invites was that I was among the early applicants.

I was progressing well for an instructional design job til I flopped the AI test, I was ghosted by one L&D job after my first interview. I got job offers for an academic support role and this enablement role I’m currently at. There are seasons when it’s more physically draining than teaching but I prefer being here, my job ends when I clock out. I have time for hobbies and actually living my life.

This is just my experience, and I’m hoping I can keep this job for a while before I try a better company with even better pay. But just having my time back for now has been a revolutionary lifestyle change.

I finally received a job offer from a local community college after 3 months of searching. So long 4th graders, and hello first-generation college students!!

I was already signed up to be a substitute teacher this coming school year in my district just in case I didn’t land anything this summer, and I was really starting to give up hope and mentally prepare myself for the sub life (which sounds more draining and difficult than the teacher life in many ways, despite the relief in workload).

If you’re where I’ve been the past 3 months, don’t give up hope. Keep submitting job applications. I’ve submitted well over 50 since April and have had 4 interviews, with only this one ending in an offer. I felt so unwanted in the job market as a teacher after resigning from my role this year, but I know that this position was competitive, and I finally feel like having “Teacher” on my resume maybe doesn’t blackball me like I was starting to believe.

As lame and needy as it sounds, it feels so good to know I was chosen. And I’m so relieved to not have to work with children this year (which is the biggest indicator that leaving teaching was absolutely the right move for me). At least I don’t regret a single one of my six years of teaching; as soon as I realized I did not like being around my students at all this year and no longer looked forward to going into work, I put in my resignation for the end of the year. Teaching was my passion, but 6 years was truly all I had to give.

Onward and upward!:) now everyone, please pray that the official offer letter is a decent salary. I’m not asking for much, I just want to survive and not feel like a hollow shell of a person.

Tldr * I sacrificed my career and identity to be present for my children and I regret it *

I had my first child by surprise when I was 19. The baby’s dad wanted nothing to do with her so I was on my own. I was fortunate enough to be able to move into my parents house so I could save money on living expenses.

At the time I was in college on a premed type track. I decided to change paths and get basically whatever degree I could online. That ended with a bachelor’s in renewable energy. After graduating, I couldn’t get an entry level job without a travel requirement. As a single parent, traveling to job sites on a rotation wasn’t really an option. (in hindsight this was probably not the best degree to purse but I was 19, pregnant and scared. i try not to be too hard on myself for this mistake)

In panic, I decided to be a teacher because what better career for a single mom? Time off with my kid for all the holidays , off at 3 everyday. Minimal need for additional childcare. Good plan, right? except I NEVER wanted to be a teacher. Everyone I know SHOCKED by my decision. but anything for my kid, right?

I approached this as a temporary position, just something to get my daughter through elementary school then I would reevaluate.

1 year into teaching, I get married. 4 years into teaching I have another baby, extending my classroom sentence. All the while, ive never deleted indeed. I job hunt daily. I look at how much it would cost to go back to school. Literally ANYTHING to get me out.
(side note, had I been married before having my kids, I absolutely would not have been a teacher)

Now, im not a miserable teacher, because at the end of the day, its a job, a paycheck and the time with my kids is irreplaceable. By all measures, Im a good teacher. After only 5 years Im at the top of the performance rating scale, mentor to peers, all that great stuff. But still, I would like to delete indeed one day.

Anyway, my partner is not supportive of a career change. They want me to continue teaching so I can keep having the time with my kids (they absolutely will not consider a career in teaching so they can have the time with the kids…hm I wonder why!!)
Don’t get me wrong, i love the time, but teaching feels like a death sentence. its a stagnant career. there is no growth to be had in position or pay. i feel unfulfilled and bored. it is never what i wanted.

I fear Im going to resent my partner (and maybe even one day, my kids) for being unsupportive and pushing me into staying in a career that i do not enjoy. I am jealous of my partners ability to grow their career and do work they enjoy.

I just dont know what to do!! I literally hate it here!!

Hey all! I'm a transitioning ex-educator in Colorado. I resigned 5 days before the end of the school year at the K-8 I taught at for 8 years, and am diving head first into the world of non-education work.

A really good fellow ex-educator friend of mine looked into insurance and sales as a career alternative after leaving education. She suggested I do the same, and I applied for a sales position with my local State Farm insurance agency. I have already been offered the job, have been offered to be paid minimum wage to come in and study for my licensure, and will have my licensure payments reimbursed once I receive the licenses.

The only thing is, I'm hesitant because of the mess that education was when I left. Is this too good to be true? Are there shady dark spots of insurance that I don't know yet? Are the cons and pros something that I should weigh, or is jumping into it worth the risk??

I had a rough year this past year. In November, I had to take 7 days off because my depression was so bad. My kids were awful and disrespectful and never wanted to give any effort no matter how hard I tried. I had to beg admin for support — I never really ask for admin support so I assumed they would take me seriously. Anyways, I made it through and finished year 8. It was one of the worst years I’ve had. I already moved districts a few years ago to get out of Title 1. My therapist suggested I look into a different field— I have been processing the guilt and shame. I have been applying to jobs and have been struggling to find anything. Today I finally got a call from someone about a sales and recruitment position and I’m interested but the drive is 40 minutes. Is it worth it to leave teaching? I have heard my group coming this year is great. I also know this new job wouldn’t qualify for loan forgiveness which I still have three years in teaching until I would qualify. I currently drive 30 minutes to my teaching job.

Do I still accept the interview and pursue this?? I have summer rose colored glasses and am going back and forth on if I should just finish to get my loans forgiven… the question is will I survive that???

I know no one can make the choice for me but I need some outside perspective.

Hey everyone! For context, in case it's relevant — I don't work in the USA.

I think sometimes administration believes teachers are bulletproof — that they can say anything to us. But there's a limit to everything.

The last school I worked at was great overall, but things got out of control. One day I knocked on the admin's door to ask something, and she was clearly busy with some paperwork. My "Excuse me, will you be able to talk to [student]'s parents today?" was answered with, literally — "Maybe you'll fuck off?"

Okay.

One day I got called into the office to be mocked for my appearance: "You don't look like a teacher who represents our school" (I just had straight hair, that's it). "Ladies over 30 don't show their hips — here, put on this vest!" (I weigh around 65 kg, for reference.)

Then another admin commented on the girls' uniform: "Girls, boys like looking at legs — wear skirts, not trousers."

Wtf, seriously.

That was enough. No, thank you.

I don't teach there anymore. But that last year still haunts me. If I regret anything, it's not standing up for myself in the moment and saying something back.

Never tolerate this kind of behavior from admin. They need us more than we need them.

For the past couple years, I have been humming and hawing about leaving teaching. I even exclusively substitute taught this past school year to take some time to do something thinking and exploring about what else is out there.
I’ve finally gotten pretty far in the interview process for a corporate job and am starting to freak out. Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten a number of red flags from this new work place. Maybe now that I’m in the midst of summer break I can’t imagine going to only 2 weeks of holiday per year.
I miss forming relationships with the kids and making interesting lessons. I always said my favourite part of teaching was that I was never bored. On the other hand one thing i find very stressful about teaching is how hard it is to find stability- especially where I live. Pretty much having to apply to new positions and schools every year. I’m hoping to have a baby in the next couple years and my goal is to find a stable permanent job before then.
I’m just stressing weighing my pros and cons as I find myself at a cross roads and would value some input from those who have found themselves in similar positions.

i have all the pre-requisites for be sponsored for a provisional cert and am wondering if it’s even possible to get a teaching job in these few weeks prior to the start of the school year

my bachelor’s is in something else and i am looking into getting my masters in education soon, but i’d honestly prefer to start in the classroom first

curious to hear thoughts, opinions, suggestions

Has anyone transitioned to court reporting or stenography? I was asked to resign this year and am not going back to the classroom next school year and am looking for new career opportunities that bc an be WFH. I’m in South Jersey.

Hello teachers,

I've taught math in public high schools for the last 13 years. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and I've been sitting on an idea for about a year now. I want to know what y'all think, because I believe it solves a lot of problems in schools all in one go.

My company will hire former teachers. There is a large population of former teachers who are burnt out, but wish they could still be involved in education in some capacity. My staff of former teachers will work in public schools across the country for one week at a time. For this week, the teachers at that school will have paid vacation time. My staff will teach structured and engaging SEL lessons to the students for the entire week. I think the best weeks would be in either March or May (or both).

This solves many issues that teachers and schools face:

- teachers at a school will no longer be forced to teach SEL, a burdon that is put on teachers that gives them extra work

- teachers get a well deserved break during months that don't have a vacation week

- students get a break from their teachers and get a full week to really absorb the tenets of SEL

- former teachers (my staff) get to stay in education and go all out for a week at a time, and then they get the benefit and flexibility of moving on to another school at another time with new students

If you're a former teacher, would you consider working at this new company?

If you're currently teaching, would you enjoy this extra week of paid vacation (I think I know the answer to this one already haha)?

If you're an administrator, do you think your school would hire this company to do this job?

If you're a parent, would you trust this process?

Do you think the students would be on board with this, or would the change of pace lead to chaos for that week, and could that spill over into the time when the school teachers return? Or could this be a refreshing recharge for everyone?

I'm excited to hear your thoughts and discuss this. If this idea excites you, if you are interested in brainstorming more with me, let's chat!

- Phil

For context I’m 55-I technically have 7 more years till retirement. I’ve been a special educator for 21 years, ESOL endorsement, 4 degrees, dyslexia endorsement. I don’t think I’ll make it 7 more years. What jobs are good for people with my experience? TIA

I did it. I got out.

I retired from teaching after 22 years. It wasn’t the kids. The administration micromanaging our every move and treating us like toddlers. Being bullied and harassed by a coworker and administration doing nothing. I knew I was done when I got so stressed out after being scolded by my principal for something that was not even factual. I got a migraine and started throwing up in the garbage can. I was a very good ans hardworking special education teacher who the kids and parents loved and this is how I ended my career.

I would come home from work and go right to bed for the night. It was bad. So I found a new job at a local agency , still in my field, gave up my summer off and took a $7,000 a year pay cut. IT WAS SO WORTH IT. I work in a quiet office where I am left alone and trusted to get my work done. I still have plenty of evenings and weekends to enjoy summer.

If you are like me. Just be brave and make the change!

I’m seriously considering leaving my legal job to become a teacher, mainly because I’m hoping it would give me more time with my child once they start school.

For context, my current role (and most legal jobs I’m familiar with) regularly involves 12–14 hour days, plus the unspoken guilt of actually taking annual leave.

I know teaching definitely isn’t an easy option and comes with plenty of long days too, but the idea of having school holidays line up with my child’s is really appealing.

In WA, there’s the option of completing a one-year postgraduate teaching qualification, but I’d need to choose between the primary or secondary pathway.

If you’ve read this far, I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who can share their experience, particularly on:
Is the flexibility people talk about in teaching actually a reality for most teachers?
Have you switched careers into teaching? What prompted the change, and has it been worthwhile or fulfilling?
If you’ve taught or considered both, how did you decide between primary and secondary?

I’d love to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly before I take the plunge.

Does anyone else find it depressing that with teaching especially in public you get trapped in the system? You become too expensive to get hired anywhere else that you are stuck in the same school district teaching the same thing 5x a day every semester for 30 years??

I know this question has been answered 1000 times on here but I just want to make sure I’m headed in the right direction.

I’m hoping to make a career switch to teaching elementary school in Lancaster County, PA. I have a b.s. in accounting and some completed grad level courses in clinical mental health.
I’m a sahm right now but would like to work towards becoming a teacher before my kids are old enough to go to school.
I want to avoid completing an entire masters program because of $, but most paths I see require you to already have a teaching job while you work towards the cert? How does that work?

I’ve also seen that PA teaching jobs are highly coveted and hard to get. Is that still true? I’ve also heard about teacher shortages so I’m confused.

Is there any way for a SAHM with a non related bachelors to work towards a teaching cert without taking out $$$$ loans for a Masters.
Really the only reason I’m avoiding Masters is because of money.

If Masters is the best route, Are there affordable ONLINE programs that help you get student teaching positions locally?

What is the guarantee of finding a job once certified? I would hate to spend thousands of dollars just to learn no one wants to hire me.

I’m just a little overwhelmed with how complicated the information out there seemsb

Hey guys so I’m in hs right now and yk I’m trying consider my future career options. I have had this longing to became an elementary school teacher for quite a while since I was a kid but truthfully the pay is just so bad it really makes me question my choice sometimes also everyone says teachers quit after a couple of years so do you guys think I should still do it? I was thinking the other day and a dental hygienist doesn’t seem like too bad of a job it’s the same amount of school as becoming a teacher, it will be harder but the outcome will probably be worth it the only problem is idk if I really like the job itself or just the pay because they make double what teachers make and it seems like tolerable job. Plus they work less days and don’t have to do anything outside of work hours. Honestly it kinda feels like I have to pick happy job but life outside of job is bad or boring job but my life outside of my job will be more enjoyable. Idk I still have time but what do u guys think?

For context I had a baby a year ago. I was supposed to take six months of maternity leave, but I ended up taking off the entire year. I was supposed to come back in August but we had some financial changes so I decided to stay home and quit.

I quit a month and a half before contracts were due and let my team know but my direct coworker seems very upset with me and won’t respond to any of my messages. Did I do anything wrong? I don’t really care, but I’m afraid this will hurt me in the long run to get references for my next school.

This year was my worst in 10 years of teaching. I was accused by a student of making a rude statement toward them that I absolutely did not say. I had to be investigated and was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. The only reason it went so far was due to the parents having status in the community. The whole thing was traumatizing. I made it through the year, but it was a huge fight mentally.

I also work a part-time job year-round. They offer 100% tuition coverage as long as you work for the company. I've been looking at some of their degree offerings and college partnerships and they have several for accounting degrees.

For those who went into accounting from teaching, how was the transition?