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#105: From Teacher to Prison Educator with Samantha Laca
After 10 years teaching elementary school, Samantha Laca reached a breaking point.
Like many educators, she loved teaching—but she no longer felt safe, supported, or able to focus on what she entered the profession to do.
Increasing behavioral challenges, safety concerns, and growing frustration with the traditional school environment led her to explore an unexpected alternative.
Today, Samantha works as an Adult Education Teacher inside a California correctional facility, helping incarcerated adults improve their literacy skills, prepare for the GED, and build opportunities for a different future.
In this fascinating conversation, Teacher Career Transition Academy team member Meagan Johnson sits down with Samantha to discuss what prison education actually looks like and why she says she's safer, happier, and healthier than she was teaching elementary school.
Together, they discuss:
- Why Samantha decided it was time to leave the traditional classroom
- How she discovered prison education as a career option
- What a typical day looks like teaching incarcerated adults
- Safety, work-life balance, and salary expectations
- How her teaching skills transferred to this unique setting
- The hiring process and requirements for prison education jobs
- Why this role helped her rediscover her love of teaching
Whether prison education is a path you'd consider for yourself or not, this episode is a powerful reminder that there are teaching opportunities beyond the traditional classroom—and sometimes the most fulfilling careers are the ones we never expected.
Links from Episode:
» Join our FREE Virtual Summit June 13th: https://www.teachercareertransitionacademy.com/teacher-transition-career-event
» Join my Free Masterclass: Click here to jumpstart your career transition journey.
» Keep Learning With Me: Discover the Teacher Career Transition Academy
» Join our FB Group: A thriving community of support and resources.
» Download the Career Directory: Discover over 200+ alternative careers.
» “I love Lisa and the Teacher Career Transition Podcast” If this sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people – just like you – find happiness in a new career. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”.
» Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding special surprises to the feed, and if you aren’t following, you have a good chance of missing out! Follow now!
View all episodes
By Teacher Career Transition AcademyAfter 10 years teaching elementary school, Samantha Laca reached a breaking point.
Like many educators, she loved teaching—but she no longer felt safe, supported, or able to focus on what she entered the profession to do.
Increasing behavioral challenges, safety concerns, and growing frustration with the traditional school environment led her to explore an unexpected alternative.
Today, Samantha works as an Adult Education Teacher inside a California correctional facility, helping incarcerated adults improve their literacy skills, prepare for the GED, and build opportunities for a different future.
In this fascinating conversation, Teacher Career Transition Academy team member Meagan Johnson sits down with Samantha to discuss what prison education actually looks like and why she says she's safer, happier, and healthier than she was teaching elementary school.
Together, they discuss:
- Why Samantha decided it was time to leave the traditional classroom
- How she discovered prison education as a career option
- What a typical day looks like teaching incarcerated adults
- Safety, work-life balance, and salary expectations
- How her teaching skills transferred to this unique setting
- The hiring process and requirements for prison education jobs
- Why this role helped her rediscover her love of teaching
Whether prison education is a path you'd consider for yourself or not, this episode is a powerful reminder that there are teaching opportunities beyond the traditional classroom—and sometimes the most fulfilling careers are the ones we never expected.
Links from Episode:
» Join our FREE Virtual Summit June 13th: https://www.teachercareertransitionacademy.com/teacher-transition-career-event
» Join my Free Masterclass: Click here to jumpstart your career transition journey.
» Keep Learning With Me: Discover the Teacher Career Transition Academy
» Join our FB Group: A thriving community of support and resources.
» Download the Career Directory: Discover over 200+ alternative careers.
» “I love Lisa and the Teacher Career Transition Podcast” If this sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people – just like you – find happiness in a new career. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”.
» Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding special surprises to the feed, and if you aren’t following, you have a good chance of missing out! Follow now!