If you've been a long time visitor to this space, then you know that in a past life (two years ago) I was a Special-Ed Classroom Teacher. My story on the whole thing can be read by visiting this page, but I warn you: it's a looooong story.
Then I recently received an email from a reader who, a few days after school started this year, QUIT. She wrote:
"I quit my 4th grade teaching job this week, the day after my 26th birthday. This was my fourth year teaching and my second school. I started out the year thinking "I've just got to make it to June," which quickly turned in to "I just got to make it to Winter Break," then "I can't take another day of this!"I know leaving was the best decision I made; this year just felt all wrong. Fortunately, I've got an incredible support group. I guess the hardest part for me is just not knowing what I want to be now. I've wanted to be a teacher ever since I was little, but it's clearly not for me.I'll be reading back through your archives, but do you have any suggestions about Life After Teaching? Just having you as proof that a person can start over and pursue something that makes them happy is heartening."
I receive emails like this every now and then, from people who find my blog after they type in "I want to quit my teaching job" or something like that into a search engine. I suspect I will receive traffic like that for years and years to come. My only reaction to all of it is I want to help. I want to reach through the screen, give them a hug, and let them know I completely get it. Posts like this one is my way to do that, I guess.
So my response to that reader's email, and my response to anyone for that matter, who might be struggling with the same question is to reference a quote from Leo Babuta:
"Even young people who have a plan (be a doctor, lawyer, research scientist, singer) don't really know what will happen. If they have any certainty at all, they're a bit deluded. Life doesn't go according to plan, and while a few people might do exactly what they set out to do, you never know if you're one of those. Other things come along to change you, to change your opportunities, to change the world. The jobs of working at Google, Amazon or Twitter, for example, didn't exist when I was a teenager. Neither did this job (Blogging). So if you can't figure out the future, what do you do? Don't focus on the future. Focus on what you can do right now that will be good no matter what the future brings. Make stuff. Build stuff. Learn skills. Go on adventures. Make friends. These things will help in any future."
I love that last part: "Focus on what you can do right now that will be good no matter what the future brings." That was kind of what my graphic design school was for me a year ago.
For you, if teaching has been what you wanted to do since you were little, maybe there are other ways to incorporate it into your life that aren't in a classroom. Actually, I know there are, and you should look into them.
Otherwise, let time and life do their thing. Nowadays there's too much pressure to know what you're going to be yesterday...so you can achieve success success success...and climb that ladder... ...whatever...FUCK IT. There is NOT enough emphasis on relaxing, taking care of our emotional selves, and discovering slowly what we want to do. More of that, please.
To start, here are 5 steps I suggest you take if you want to leave teaching, but don't know what to do next.
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From my experience, speaking to you right now 15 months after resigning from my teaching profession, it was the right decision for me. I still miss the kids and my co-worker friends like crazy, but that's me missing the who that was involved in teaching. I don't for a second miss the what of teaching: what I was actually doing day-to-day, minute-to-minute in the job. In drained me, and that was ultimately my deciding factor to leave.
You can email me anytime to chat on this matter at amandaroseblog@yahoo.com or we can talk about it in the comments below. Thanks!
