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!Get free resume templates for jobs you match with: https://quiz.goldendelicious.ai/Follow me on IG https://www.instagram.com/howtoleaveteachingpodcast/Subscribe for honest conversations about teacher burnout, career change, identity loss, and building a meaningful life after teaching. https://open.spotify.com/show/2p1Z7tzfqiaHvw4q64fSDfExplore career matches and translate your teaching experience at https://goldendelicious.ai#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 sacrificingYour 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: The Value of Helping Professionals in Leadership: Mike Kaufman discusses how his background in social work has equipped him with essential skills for leadership roles in service-based organizations. Transferable Skills: Insight into specific skills from helping professions, such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving, that are highly transferable to leadership positions. Showcasing Skills and Experiences: Tips on how educators and other helping professionals can effectively highlight their skills and experiences on resumes and during interviews. Addressing Misconceptions: Exploring common biases that hiring managers may have about candidates from helping professions and strategies to overcome these misconceptions. Transitioning to Leadership Roles: Practical advice for teachers and educators looking to move into leadership roles, focusing on networking and professional development. Translating Classroom Experience: How educators can translate their classroom experience into valuable leadership qualities that service organizations seek. Stakeholder Management: Utilizing expertise in managing diverse stakeholders to demonstrate leadership capabilities. Professional Development: The importance of continuous learning and professional development for educators transitioning out of the classroom. Qualities of Leadership Candidates: Identifying the key traits that service-based organizations look for in leadership candidates and how educators can showcase these qualities. Resources and Links: Mike Kaufman's book: Doing Good & Doing Well Mike's website Connect with Mike on LinkedIn Mike on TikTok If you're an educator or helping professional considering a transition into a leadership role, tune in to this insightful conversation for practical tips and encouragement. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with others who might benefit from this discussion! 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: How to stay connected to teaching after leaving the classroom Things to think about before you retire Understanding your benefits How he gets his consulting gigs His process for writing and publishing education books 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 #teachersofIG #teachersoftiktok #teacherhacks #teachersofinsta #teacherstruggles #teacherproblems #teacherjobs #teachermisery #teacherlife #teachertired #teacherjobs #teachertransition #teacherhacks #teacherstruggles #formerteacher #teachersofthegram #teachersofinstagram #iteach #iteachtoo