Any teachers successfully leave teaching?

[Anonymous]

You should listen to the Teacher Career Coach podcast. I listen on the Apple Podcasts app. Teachers leave for lots of things!!

I took a course at a community college for HR and started working as a staffing coordinator. I actually make less than I did teaching in FCPS and less than new teachers make in my home state (MA).

It’s only been a month but it’s way less stressful in terms of the day to day work!! I enjoy being able to hydrate all day bc I can use the bathroom when I need to. I actually worked corporate before teaching so I had an idea of what I was getting into but my company is great so far compared to companies I’ve worked at in the past… they don’t really micromanage like my old corporate bosses and principals REALLY micromanage from my experience. I honestly find people aren’t as stressed at work so there’s not all the drama you find if you eat lunch in the teacher’s lounge. I always found it easier to make friends in corporate and retail opposed to education jobs honestly… but there was a lot about education that I didn’t agree with but had to do (like teaching writing the Lucy Calkins way) and some teachers loved that curriculum and didn’t get why I didn't. I think being a teacher can be so hectic so people can be a bit harder to get to know and all that… but this is just my personal experience. I spent about five years in education as a para, sub, and teacher. So my time was short lived in that.

I would keep expectations low but hope for the best. It seems like a lot of corporate workers work remote but most people I personally know HAVE to commute into the office. I do but we do get to work from home this Friday as it’s the day after thanksgiving so a lot of people took it off. Unlike teaching, if many people want the same day off they don’t just shut the office down like they do at some schools. They just deny some people’s time off requests. But it’s nice they’re letting those of us who have to work this Friday do it from home. It can be slow which at first made me so bored I felt like I missing teaching. I left my first corporate job after college bc I was BORED. But after two weeks at my current job I stopped feeling like I missed teaching. I’m learning how I can handle a slower paced job so the day doesn’t feel like a year. My superiors even read the news and online shop when things are slow, so I’ve done they. I work as a staffing coordinator and some days no one answers their phones and no one is applying to your job posts, so it would be super boring if we had to just sit there. We also can have one headphone in and listen to music. The company buys us lunch once a week and there’s a list on the fridge where we can write things down if we want anything.

More cons are there’s hardly any time off compared to teaching. But it’s a 40
Hour a week job and I’m at a small
Business so we aren’t allowed overtime. Once we hit 40 we are done. We get 18 days to use for PTO so that includes vacation and sick time. When I taught in FCPS I think I got 14 sick days to work 196 days. In MA the teachers work 180 days. I hate to say “only work” bc I don’t want to dismiss how stressful teaching can be. Many salaried corporate jobs involve working some nights and weekends. Basically it’s just hourly paid jobs where overtime is possible, from my understanding. A common complaint I hear about teaching is not being paid overtime but I think that’s bc they get a salary… which is helpful bc even if you have a week or two off for a school vacation you still get
Your normal pay check. I recruit nurses and sometimes for schools. Some I recently spoke with weren’t interested in long term sub nursing jobs bc they were being paid hourly so they wouldn’t get paid during any of the school days off. I know nurses at schools normally are salary too, but my company offers a much higher hourly pay ($50-55) but only for hours worked. They’re not paid if there’s no school for a holiday or vacation week. A lot of them declined offers for that reason alone. So if you’re job is less stressful than teaching it’s easier to survive without all the time off teachers get. If you found a more stressful job than you might miss teaching though! I know a few teachers who were lawyers but prefer teaching bc they worked days just as long or longer as lawyers with way less time off.

Obviously if you take a pay cut the pay can go up much faster in corporate than it does on a teacher pay scale. Another thing is health insurance can be better or worse. My job doesn’t offer any health insurance until 3 months in and no 401k until after a year and it’s not matched. So I buy my own health and it’s $182/month. In FCPS I think I only paid like $100/ month? Teaching in MA
The health insurance was like $400 a month almost!! My friend who works in corporate at a big business only pays $29/month for health and dental… the company covers a lot of it!! But she only gets two weeks off a year and after her second year in her position there was no raise. She went from $46k as an HE operations rep to $55k after one year, but recently found out that that position never goes higher… but it’s a big business so people are always moving up and there comes with a raise.

A lot of people do report that their first corporate job after teaching came with a big raise, better benefits, and less stress. So it is possible! But so far I’m finding pros and cons. I think I’ll stay in corporate though. I love elementary kids they’re so fun to work with! But they can be A LOT. It’s hard when you’re trying to manage so many kids at once. It’s hard if your boss blames you for any of their misbehaviors. Sometimes kids will do stupid things no matter who their teacher is and it’s nothing to do with the teacher not trying to build strong relationships and keep the class engaged.

Every job has pros and cons. Teaching is most likely one of the most stressful
Jobs!! But sometimes I hear people talking like it’s the most stressful ever and I feel like there’s quite a lot of jobs that are more stressful. But I guess it’s all subjective!

I’m rambling and on my phone so this post will probably make me look like an idiot… but I recommend that podcast to help inspire you! There’s so much teachers transition into. There’s always going to be some pros and some cons when you switch though… at least in my opinion. There’s parts of teaching I miss but I don’t think I’d ever go back. I prefer working in an environment that is quieter than a classroom. A second grader I worked with last year made a card when his old kinder teacher was retiring and it said “I hope things are quieter!!” LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

More cons are there’s hardly any time off compared to teaching. But it’s a 40
Hour a week job and I’m at a small
Business so we aren’t allowed overtime. Once we hit 40 we are done. We get 18 days to use for PTO so that includes vacation and sick time. When I taught in FCPS I think I got 14 sick days to work 196 days. In MA the teachers work 180 days. I hate to say “only work” bc I don’t want to dismiss how stressful teaching can be. Many salaried corporate jobs involve working some nights and weekends. Basically it’s just hourly paid jobs where overtime is possible, from my understanding. A common complaint I hear about teaching is not being paid overtime but I think that’s bc they get a salary… which is helpful bc even if you have a week or two off for a school vacation you still get
Your normal pay check. I recruit nurses and sometimes for schools. Some I recently spoke with weren’t interested in long term sub nursing jobs bc they were being paid hourly so they wouldn’t get paid during any of the school days off. I know nurses at schools normally are salary too, but my company offers a much higher hourly pay ($50-55) but only for hours worked. They’re not paid if there’s no school for a holiday or vacation week. A lot of them declined offers for that reason alone. So if you’re job is less stressful than teaching it’s easier to survive without all the time off teachers get. If you found a more stressful job than you might miss teaching though! I know a few teachers who were lawyers but prefer teaching bc they worked days just as long or longer as lawyers with way less time off.

Obviously if you take a pay cut the pay can go up much faster in corporate than it does on a teacher pay scale. Another thing is health insurance can be better or worse. My job doesn’t offer any health insurance until 3 months in and no 401k until after a year and it’s not matched. So I buy my own health and it’s $182/month. In FCPS I think I only paid like $100/ month? Teaching in MA
The health insurance was like $400 a month almost!! My friend who works in corporate at a big business only pays $29/month for health and dental… the company covers a lot of it!! But she only gets two weeks off a year and after her second year in her position there was no raise. She went from $46k as an HE operations rep to $55k after one year, but recently found out that that position never goes higher… but it’s a big business so people are always moving up and there comes with a raise.

I’m rambling and on my phone so this post will probably make me look like an idiot… but I recommend that podcast to help inspire you! There’s so much teachers transition into. There’s always going to be some pros and some cons when you switch though… at least in my opinion. There’s parts of teaching I miss but I don’t think I’d ever go back. I prefer working in an environment that is quieter than a classroom. A second grader I worked with last year made a card when his old kinder teacher was retiring and it said “I hope things are quieter!!” LOL

That’s about right. Depending on the plan, healthcare for an individual is $116, $127 or $155 a month.
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/employee-benefits-premiums-archive.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

More cons are there’s hardly any time off compared to teaching. But it’s a 40
Hour a week job and I’m at a small
Business so we aren’t allowed overtime. Once we hit 40 we are done. We get 18 days to use for PTO so that includes vacation and sick time. When I taught in FCPS I think I got 14 sick days to work 196 days. In MA the teachers work 180 days. I hate to say “only work” bc I don’t want to dismiss how stressful teaching can be. Many salaried corporate jobs involve working some nights and weekends. Basically it’s just hourly paid jobs where overtime is possible, from my understanding. A common complaint I hear about teaching is not being paid overtime but I think that’s bc they get a salary… which is helpful bc even if you have a week or two off for a school vacation you still get
Your normal pay check. I recruit nurses and sometimes for schools. Some I recently spoke with weren’t interested in long term sub nursing jobs bc they were being paid hourly so they wouldn’t get paid during any of the school days off. I know nurses at schools normally are salary too, but my company offers a much higher hourly pay ($50-55) but only for hours worked. They’re not paid if there’s no school for a holiday or vacation week. A lot of them declined offers for that reason alone. So if you’re job is less stressful than teaching it’s easier to survive without all the time off teachers get. If you found a more stressful job than you might miss teaching though! I know a few teachers who were lawyers but prefer teaching bc they worked days just as long or longer as lawyers with way less time off.

Obviously if you take a pay cut the pay can go up much faster in corporate than it does on a teacher pay scale. Another thing is health insurance can be better or worse. My job doesn’t offer any health insurance until 3 months in and no 401k until after a year and it’s not matched. So I buy my own health and it’s $182/month. In FCPS I think I only paid like $100/ month? Teaching in MA
The health insurance was like $400 a month almost!! My friend who works in corporate at a big business only pays $29/month for health and dental… the company covers a lot of it!! But she only gets two weeks off a year and after her second year in her position there was no raise. She went from $46k as an HE operations rep to $55k after one year, but recently found out that that position never goes higher… but it’s a big business so people are always moving up and there comes with a raise.

I’m rambling and on my phone so this post will probably make me look like an idiot… but I recommend that podcast to help inspire you! There’s so much teachers transition into. There’s always going to be some pros and some cons when you switch though… at least in my opinion. There’s parts of teaching I miss but I don’t think I’d ever go back. I prefer working in an environment that is quieter than a classroom. A second grader I worked with last year made a card when his old kinder teacher was retiring and it said “I hope things are quieter!!” LOL

That’s about right. Depending on the plan, healthcare for an individual is $116, $127 or $155 a month.
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/employee-benefits-premiums-archive.pdf

Corporate here: 18 PTO days a year - 9 holidays - 401k match at 6% and health insurance is $400/month. No mental health days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Without going back to school and training for another field?

Most return once they realize how good they had it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without going back to school and training for another field?

Most return once they realize how good they had it.

That’s why I’m not giving up my sick days, and mental health days, Christmas, summer, spring break and the holiday cards from parents and students calling me a hero.

My low salary is complemented with crypto trading and investing in cannabis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without going back to school and training for another field?

Most return once they realize how good they had it.

I have been teaching 20+ years. I know exactly 0 teachers who left teaching and then came back to it. 0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without going back to school and training for another field?

Most return once they realize how good they had it.

I have been teaching 20+ years. I know exactly 0 teachers who left teaching and then came back to it. 0.

Same, 20+ years and know jo one who came back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without going back to school and training for another field?

Most return once they realize how good they had it.

I have been teaching 20+ years. I know exactly 0 teachers who left teaching and then came back to it. 0.

Same, 20+ years and know jo one who came back.

Same here, as well. I know many (20? 25?) who have quit and moved on to other jobs. I even know one who spent Thanksgiving break looking for a new job mid-year. She’s miserable and wants to leave as soon as possible. I don’t know a single person who returned to teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real estate. I know 2 teachers who crushed it in real estate.

Anyone crushing it in real estate probably wasn’t cut out for teaching in the first place.

?? Weird post. A lot of the same skills.

What skills are those?

Have you no imagination?

DP.

What teachers bring to the table: outstanding people skills, highly organized, able to speak in a cogent yet comprehensible manner about a wide variety of complex and mundane topics, visual, outstanding technology skills (especially after last year this may be much more a teacher skill than perhaps a realtor skill), ability to flex and pivot, ability to regroup, good spin, strong ability to manage grumpy and unlikable people and get them to do what you need them to do, willing to work with huge jerks and let the hostility roll off their backs, great networkers, detail oriented, follow-the-rules kind of people, strong ethics, etc.

I mean, what more do you want?

- Signed, A Principal

Outstanding tech skills? Come on. Every one of us who works remote does at least as well or better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real estate. I know 2 teachers who crushed it in real estate.

Anyone crushing it in real estate probably wasn’t cut out for teaching in the first place.

?? Weird post. A lot of the same skills.

What skills are those?

Have you no imagination?

DP.

What teachers bring to the table: outstanding people skills, highly organized, able to speak in a cogent yet comprehensible manner about a wide variety of complex and mundane topics, visual, outstanding technology skills (especially after last year this may be much more a teacher skill than perhaps a realtor skill), ability to flex and pivot, ability to regroup, good spin, strong ability to manage grumpy and unlikable people and get them to do what you need them to do, willing to work with huge jerks and let the hostility roll off their backs, great networkers, detail oriented, follow-the-rules kind of people, strong ethics, etc.

I mean, what more do you want?

- Signed, A Principal

Outstanding tech skills? Come on. Every one of us who works remote does at least as well or better.

the thing about this whole list of skills is that they're things every single half-decent office worker has, plus additional specialized skills. i was a teacher for a few years and have interviewed quite a few teachers for multiple positions, since i'm always trying to help them escape. unfortunately, a lot just don't have any specialized skills to bring to the table, just the generalized soft skills above. they're often like "i know how to teach, so i know how to learn," as though this will take care of the skills they need for any position.

teachers: if you want out, go get a certificate in...something...anything if you've only been a teacher. your skills are less transferrable than you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real estate. I know 2 teachers who crushed it in real estate.

Anyone crushing it in real estate probably wasn’t cut out for teaching in the first place.

?? Weird post. A lot of the same skills.

What skills are those?

Have you no imagination?

DP.

What teachers bring to the table: outstanding people skills, highly organized, able to speak in a cogent yet comprehensible manner about a wide variety of complex and mundane topics, visual, outstanding technology skills (especially after last year this may be much more a teacher skill than perhaps a realtor skill), ability to flex and pivot, ability to regroup, good spin, strong ability to manage grumpy and unlikable people and get them to do what you need them to do, willing to work with huge jerks and let the hostility roll off their backs, great networkers, detail oriented, follow-the-rules kind of people, strong ethics, etc.

I mean, what more do you want?

- Signed, A Principal

Outstanding tech skills? Come on. Every one of us who works remote does at least as well or better.

the thing about this whole list of skills is that they're things every single half-decent office worker has, plus additional specialized skills. i was a teacher for a few years and have interviewed quite a few teachers for multiple positions, since i'm always trying to help them escape. unfortunately, a lot just don't have any specialized skills to bring to the table, just the generalized soft skills above. they're often like "i know how to teach, so i know how to learn," as though this will take care of the skills they need for any position.

teachers: if you want out, go get a certificate in...something...anything if you've only been a teacher. your skills are less transferrable than you think.

Thank you for your contribution. Would you please be so kind to expand a bit further? As in what field you interview people for and what would make a teacher more… appealing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real estate. I know 2 teachers who crushed it in real estate.

Anyone crushing it in real estate probably wasn’t cut out for teaching in the first place.

?? Weird post. A lot of the same skills.

What skills are those?

Have you no imagination?

DP.

What teachers bring to the table: outstanding people skills, highly organized, able to speak in a cogent yet comprehensible manner about a wide variety of complex and mundane topics, visual, outstanding technology skills (especially after last year this may be much more a teacher skill than perhaps a realtor skill), ability to flex and pivot, ability to regroup, good spin, strong ability to manage grumpy and unlikable people and get them to do what you need them to do, willing to work with huge jerks and let the hostility roll off their backs, great networkers, detail oriented, follow-the-rules kind of people, strong ethics, etc.

I mean, what more do you want?

- Signed, A Principal

Outstanding tech skills? Come on. Every one of us who works remote does at least as well or better.

the thing about this whole list of skills is that they're things every single half-decent office worker has, plus additional specialized skills. i was a teacher for a few years and have interviewed quite a few teachers for multiple positions, since i'm always trying to help them escape. unfortunately, a lot just don't have any specialized skills to bring to the table, just the generalized soft skills above. they're often like "i know how to teach, so i know how to learn," as though this will take care of the skills they need for any position.

teachers: if you want out, go get a certificate in...something...anything if you've only been a teacher. your skills are less transferrable than you think.

Thank you for your contribution. Would you please be so kind to expand a bit further? As in what field you interview people for and what would make a teacher more… appealing.

mostly education-related non-profits and public entities. the issue is that most teachers don't come to the table with strong budgeting, project management, or program development experience. it's common for teachers to describe these things in terms of their classroom experiences (budgeting for classroom supplies, managing a classroom of children, developing curriculum, etc.), and on the surface, i can see why it might appear relevant. but oh god if i could tell teachers one thing for interviews, it's to not do this, unless it's for an entry-level position, like a program assistant, where you're competing with new college grads. it makes them appear so clueless; these things are on such vastly different levels, that it makes them look like they have no idea what's actually going on in an office.

teachers who have previous administrative work or management work (as in those who have moved beyond classroom teaching) experience are often fine. those without it should look into certificate programs in budgeting, accounting, non-profit administration, project management, etc. you'll look great for administrative work in education fields.

there are a lot of teachers without administrative skills, and there are a lot of education administrators without field experience. putting the two together makes a strong candidate.

[Anonymous]

I left teaching a year ago. I am in the education field, but not in the classroom. At first I took a bit of a pay cut but now my pay is the same as it was when I was teaching. However now I work about 15 hours most weeks, compared to 70+. The difference is hard to explain - for many years my whole life revolved around teaching and now my job is just a small part of my life. I used to spend every evening and most of the weekend prepping and working. Now I have tons of flexibility and work from home.

I do truly miss it though and I miss feeling very effective and at the top of my game. I don't feel like I am really contributing to the world the way I was when I taught. But it is not sustainable, not if you want to do it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left teaching a year ago. I am in the education field, but not in the classroom. At first I took a bit of a pay cut but now my pay is the same as it was when I was teaching. However now I work about 15 hours most weeks, compared to 70+. The difference is hard to explain - for many years my whole life revolved around teaching and now my job is just a small part of my life. I used to spend every evening and most of the weekend prepping and working. Now I have tons of flexibility and work from home.

I do truly miss it though and I miss feeling very effective and at the top of my game. I don't feel like I am really contributing to the world the way I was when I taught. But it is not sustainable, not if you want to do it well.

I hear ya. It’s why I feel a fraud. I’m simply not going to put more than a couple of hours beyond the contract hours. My mental health and own kids are the important. The names on my class roster are just that. Names. I care for them. But not at my own expense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left teaching a year ago. I am in the education field, but not in the classroom. At first I took a bit of a pay cut but now my pay is the same as it was when I was teaching. However now I work about 15 hours most weeks, compared to 70+. The difference is hard to explain - for many years my whole life revolved around teaching and now my job is just a small part of my life. I used to spend every evening and most of the weekend prepping and working. Now I have tons of flexibility and work from home.

I do truly miss it though and I miss feeling very effective and at the top of my game. I don't feel like I am really contributing to the world the way I was when I taught. But it is not sustainable, not if you want to do it well.

Are you part time or is it a job where you don't work very hard?