Teachers who quit teaching

So, I'm pretty sure I'm done teaching. I just don't love it anymore (my commute plus my incompetent principal have put a huge strain on me) and I'm trying to figure out what else to do. If you've quit teaching (or know someone who has), what field did you go to? What do you do? What can I do?? I have a BA in English and an MS in secondary Ed, English. I'm kind of in life crisis mode right now. Thanks!

Teachers who quit teaching

I really don't have any sound advice other than law school. In the meantime, hang in there...

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

Administration
Editor
Writer
Switch to a new school district

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

The people I know that left teaching went into completely other fields.

One went into the police force.

The other one went into tutoring and changed districts and school types (went into private) and now works in the medical field.

Teachers who quit teaching

Do you also have your special Ed? I left teaching, got a job as a behavior specialist, went for my BCBA. Now that I am pregnant, I'm ready to move on again and plan to just do home cases and private cases rather than work full time. Not sure what your interests are but just giving you my experience!

Message edited 9/26/2016 6:34:15 AM.

Teachers who quit teaching

One of my friends left to go work for a tech company similar to smart board. She now does training for teachers and loves it

Another now works for boces in a similar capacity and also loves it

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

I quit at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. My credentials are similar. I have a BA in English and Master's in English ed. My reasons were similar- my commute sucked and my school was going down the tubes.

My daughter started kindergarten that fall and I haven't pursued anything full-time. I wanted to freelance though come January I may look for something full time.

Some things you should look into:
Writing curriculum- I wrote for an education nonprofit and I also wrote lessons for School Specialty.
Textbook fact checking- I found this work on LinkedIn and really enjoyed it.
General writing on topics you enjoy that aren't teaching related

For the last year and a half I've worked for a nonprofit consultant, writing and editing fundraising copy.

If/when I look for f/t work, it'll probably be marketing or writing/editing related.

Feel free to FM me if you need any advice.

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

I guess technically I "quit" teaching. I left 8 years ago to be a SAHM when my DD was born but I honestly have ZERO interest in ever returning to the field. I was so disenchanted when I was teaching, I hated every school I was in, and I felt like I wasn't teaching.............I was managing paperwork. It just wasn't anything like I had expected it to be. I wanted to teach and make kids excited about learning but instead I was bored, stressed, and felt like I was constantly fighting everything every step of the way.

In any case, if you happened to see my other post a week or two ago I mentioned wanting to start teaching in-home cooking classes. I love to cook and over the years I've found that being in the kitchen is my true passion and I'd like to explore that more over the coming years. If possible, I would like to attend culinary/pastry school at some point. I think I'll be much happier doing this then I ever was teaching. Plus, it sort combines my background in teaching anyway which is kind of nice. Best of both worlds.

Good luck with your decision, it's not an easy one. I hope that you find something else that makes you happy!

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

I know quite a few former teachers who went into healthcare. Would you willing to go back to school?

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

You could work in higher ed in different areas (like if they have a student tutoring/writing center, or an advisor) but the pay isn't too great.

Teachers who quit teaching

Not me - but guy in my office left teaching after not being able to find a permanent position for 8 years.

He went back and got a degree in accounting and now is an accountant and studying to become a CPA.

He misses the school holidays but is happy he made the change.

Teachers who quit teaching

Thanks for all the replies! I wouldn't be opposed to going back to school, by I'm currently out of the house 12 hours a day and then I come home and dh goes to work, leaving me with my kids. I don't think i have much time for school right now. I also am the main breadwinner in the house. My husband's job is freelance mostly and doesn't come with insurance. I feel like this limits me to jobs with insurance and an equivalent pay scale. I also air summers and all the vacations with my kids, so that's the part that had kept me in teaching (I've been done with this profession for about 2 years).

I just know I'm very unhappy and life shouldn't be like this!

Teachers who quit teaching

I'm sorry to hear you are so unhappy! Is it possible for you to become certified in special Ed? Then you can become a SEIT teacher or an ABA therapist. I'm a school psychologist and hated working in schools so I explored early intervention and became an ABA therapist. I know plenty of teachers who became therapists to supplement their income or who were in similar shoes as yours and left a school. It's great because you can make your own hours.

Some other ideas to throw out there could be a college academic counselor or an undergrad professor. Goid luck with whatever decision you made!

Message edited 9/26/2016 7:28:53 PM.

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

I'm a clerk now for a judge. Nothing to do with teaching. I just wanted a job with comparable (or better) pay & benefits to being a teacher without having to go back to school & this fit the bill. The only sacrifice is the longer hours & of course no summers off, but I still get lots of time off & I don't have to take any work home which more than makes up for it. So far (almost 6.5 years in), it's worked out great. Though I'm tired & miss my kids & I don't want to work anymore a lot of days, I'd feel that way no matter what I was doing... Just so glad to be done with teaching.

Teachers who quit teaching

So I did things a little differently.

Elementary Ed, could not find a job. Wound up in a library leave and LOVED it. Left teaching altogether after DH lost his job to work in nonprofit fundraising. I was miserable (sales is not my forte). I went back for my second master's in library science (I'm doing it all online) and I LOVE it. After years of struggling to get interviews, I had three in one day and wound up landing a position the same day I interviewed. The only con is I am very concerned about being excessed.

Also, I would utilize the career center at your alma mater. Best of luck to you!

Re: Teachers who quit teaching

Are you at all interested in teaching college?