How to Leave Teaching

GUILTY...I felt guilty as hell when I decided to leave teaching. Even though I knew I was losing myself and had to get out. In this episode of How to Leave Teaching, I reflect on Dolly Parton’s belief that love and nurturing can take many forms and what that might teach us about leaving the classroom.You can be an important person in your students’ lives without belonging to them forever. You can grieve your students, miss the teacher you once were, and still know that leaving was the right decision.The love was real. The work mattered. And you are still allowed to leave!

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#HowToLeaveTeaching #TeacherCareerChange #TeacherBurnout

If you desperately want to leave teaching—but feel guilty, selfish, or ashamed for even considering it—you may need to get angry.

Teachers are given responsibility for problems they didn’t create, denied the resources needed to solve them, and then blamed when personal sacrifice isn’t enough. When they finally reach their breaking point, their desire to leave is treated as proof that they never cared enough.

That isn’t a personal failure. It’s a trap.

In this episode of the Teacher Recovery Series, I explain how political underfunding, teacher scapegoating, culture-war outrage, and the expectation that teachers should “do it for the kids” keep educators exhausted, compliant, and afraid to walk away.

I draw on my experience as a K–12 teacher, college professor, Department of Education researcher, U.S. Senate legislative aide, and staffer at the White House Office of Management and Budget to examine why:

• School scarcity is the predictable result of political choices
• Exhausted teachers have less power to organize or demand change
• Structural failures are repackaged as failures of resilience or classroom management
• Teachers are expected to compensate for poverty and institutional neglect through personal sacrifice
• A heavily feminized profession is told that love should replace boundaries, authority, and fair compensation
• Teachers are condemned as selfish the moment they stop sacrificing

Your burnout does not mean you failed your students. Wanting to leave does not mean you never cared. Your anger may be the thing that finally helps you see the situation clearly—and gives you permission to save yourself.

Confused about what's next? Take the quiz! https://quiz.goldendelicious.ai/ Explore careers beyond the classroom and learn more at https://goldendelicious.aiSubscribe for honest conversations about leaving teaching, recovering from toxic school culture, and building a career and life that actually work for you.

#LeavingTeaching #TeacherBurnout #TeacherGuilt #TeacherRecovery #TeacherMentalHealth

Teachers aren't just burned out — they're trained to give until there's nothing left, and called "good" for it. In this episode, I break down identity capture: the mechanism that turns your best traits — self-sacrifice, niceness, compliance, perfectionism — into free labor.I taught for 9 years — 4 in a Title I high school, 5 at a public university — and I left both feeling used, betrayed, and honestly, a little abused. This episode is about why that happens, not just that it happens.We get into:→ Why "good teacher" traits are the same traits patriarchy demands of women generally — and why that's not a coincidence→ The "remember your why" script, and how it functions as a leash, not a pep talk→ What it actually costs to build your whole identity on a job that can end without warning→ The reflection question I want you to sit with this weekIf you've ever asked yourself "am I a punching bag, or a person" — this one's for you.🍎 More at goldendelicious.ai — building the app for teachers navigating what's next.

On this week's episode I talk to Mike Kaufman, MSW, PhD, Author of Doing Good & Doing Well. Mike challenges the traditional idea that top leadership roles are best filled by individuals with business degrees. Instead, he advocates for the unique perspectives and skills that helping professionals—such as educators, social workers, and community organizers—bring to leadership positions, particularly in non-profit and service-oriented sectors.

We discuss:

Resources and Links:

Connect directly with employers who want to hire former teachers with Goldendelicious https://www.goldendelicious.ai

Free networking guide for transitioning teachers: https://whatsnextteacher.com/networkingguide/

Done-for-you teacher transition resumes (download and personalize!): https://whatsnextteacher.com/life-after-teaching/

Visit the website: https://www.whatsnextteacher.com 

Get coaching: https://whatsnextteacher.com/career-coaching-for-teachers/

Should I leave the classroom: free quiz https://www.whatsnextteacher.com/quiz

Today I talk to Dr. Jordan B. Smith! We talk about:

Jordan B. Smith Jr. is a dedicated educator and advocate who has significantly impacted the lives of students through his work as a mathematics teacher, public speaker, and educational consultant. He has served the San Jacinto Unified School District for over 19 years, including roles at San Jacinto High School and Mountain View Alternative Schools, where he specialized in helping students overcome their fear of mathematics and achieve academic success. With advanced degrees in Secondary Education and Educational Leadership, Dr. Smith has also been an active member and chairperson of visiting committees for the Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). He has presented at numerous educational conferences and conducted field testing for emerging educational technology. In addition to his teaching career, he founded Annapolis Creed LLC and is a best-selling author. Dr. Smith was named Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year in 2023 and AFE Teacher Ambassador for 2024, and he retired in June 2024 after nearly two decades of service.

https://books.teachleadandinspire.com/welcome/

Connect directly with employers who want to hire former teachers with Goldendelicious https://www.goldendelicious.ai

Free networking guide for transitioning teachers: https://whatsnextteacher.com/networkingguide/

Done-for-you teacher transition resumes (download and personalize!): https://whatsnextteacher.com/life-after-teaching/

Visit the website: https://www.whatsnextteacher.com 

Get coaching: https://whatsnextteacher.com/career-coaching-for-teachers/

Should I leave the classroom: free quiz https://www.whatsnextteacher.com/quiz

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This week I talk to veteran teacher Shannon Hazel, author of the new book New Teacher Confidential: What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a Teacher. We talk all things teacher burnout including steps to sustain you if you’ve given all you’ve got in the tank. 

Shannon Hazel is a recently-retired public school teacher and the author of the upcoming book New Teacher Confidential: What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a Teacher. Over her 25-year career, she was a K-8 teacher, special education specialist and instructional coach for teachers.   During that time, she was actively involved in the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and mentored many new teachers.  In 2023, Shannon was recognized for her leadership and advocacy work for students by the Council for Exceptional Children. She is the founder of teacherEDU.ca, an online community for teachers to learn, connect, collaborate, and grow their capacity as educators. Shannon is the mother of two young adults, a dog parent and a longtime fan of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Connect directly with employers who want to hire former teachers with Goldendelicious https://www.goldendelicious.ai

Free networking guide for transitioning teachers: https://whatsnextteacher.com/networkingguide/

Done-for-you teacher transition resumes (download and personalize!): https://whatsnextteacher.com/life-after-teaching/

Visit the website: https://www.whatsnextteacher.com 

Get coaching: https://whatsnextteacher.com/career-coaching-for-teachers/

Should I leave the classroom: free quiz https://www.whatsnextteacher.com/quiz

Today we're talking all things trainings, certifications, upskilling, and reskilling with Tai Nehisi of Organizely, an A.I.- supported digital marketplace for today's workforce supporting upskilling + reskilling for all adult learners.

Connect directly with employers who want to hire former teachers with Goldendelicious https://www.goldendelicious.ai

Free networking guide for transitioning teachers: https://whatsnextteacher.com/networkingguide/

Done-for-you teacher transition resumes (download and personalize!): https://whatsnextteacher.com/life-after-teaching/

Visit the website: https://www.whatsnextteacher.com 

Get coaching: https://whatsnextteacher.com/career-coaching-for-teachers/

Should I leave the classroom: free quiz https://www.whatsnextteacher.com/quiz

Has silence 🦗🦗 or a slew of rejections got you feeling less-than-motivated? This quickie episode is for you.

I talk about:

This episode is sponsored by Goldendelicious, the job platform directly connecting teachers with employers who want to hire them. https://www.goldendelicious.ai/

This week I was on the Educator Forever podcast. Please check out the Educator Forever network to discover how to apply your teaching skills in careers outside of the classroom but still in the education space.

_____________________

Julie Packett is a former K-12 teacher who navigated the journey from the classroom to a flourishing career in data science. Recognizing the hurdles educators face when transitioning out of teaching, Julie was inspired to pave a smoother path for others by leveraging her expertise in data science. She is the visionary behind Goldendelicious, an innovative platform designed to connect teachers directly with employers eager to harness the unique skill sets of former educators. Through Goldendelicious Julie seeks to empower teachers exploring new career horizons, bridging the gap between traditional education and diverse professional opportunities.

We talked about her career journey and the hurdles she had to overcome transitioning out of teaching. We also discuss what she passes on to teachers who want to enter the field of data science.

Topics Discussed:

Resources:

Spring is in the air, and while many of us used to count down to those coveted school breaks, there’s something refreshing about finding balance and rejuvenation all year round. In today’s episode, we dive into my top three free online resources that can radically simplify and illuminate the path for educators looking for a career change.

Resource #1: O*Net Online

Resource #2: Lightcast Resume Optimizer

Resource #3: LinkedIn Learning

How to use these resources strategically:

Closing Thoughts: Don’t let the vast sea of online resources overwhelm you as a teacher in transition. Today, we’ve spotlighted three tools that are not only free but specifically designed to support you as you leave the teaching profession. Remember, it’s about making informed, strategic decisions that align with your career aspirations. There are alternative career options for teachers and lots of hiring managers love hiring former teachers.

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