If you read the first part of my series, you know I made the painful decision to leave my classroom in May of 2019. I had been debating leaving the classroom for several years but finally took the plunge.
I decided to leave my classroom while on a train in Sevilla, Spain in October 2018. I was traveling for my brother’s wedding and I finally decided to leave. I knew I was going to finish the year, and I didn’t know what my next step was going to be, but I knew it was time to go.
The decision wasn’t easy. And I didn’t make it quickly. I thought a lot and considered many options. The rest of this blog will walk you through my process, and at the end, you can grab the free worksheet to help you too!
You can’t start to make a change that will make you happy until you know why you are not happy with your job. It is important to figure this step out because if you switch to a new job with the same problems you won’t be getting the relief you need.
If you are going through a really tough moment (testing season, IEPs with advocates) and it will pass, maybe leaving your job isn’t necessary. Be strong, push through and know that better light is coming. If the problem is more long-term, like you don’t enjoy what you teach anymore, the change might be needed.
There might be solutions to your problems. Maybe you need more training. More materials. More staff. Try and make a list of the things that COULD help your job, even if they seem unreasonable. That will help make it clear if you still like teaching. If you love the classroom but need changes, that’s different then not loving the classroom anymore.
Maybe your principal doesn’t know what you need. Maybe advocating for yourself might be the thing to turn your job around. The worst thing that could happen is you won’t get the solution, which leaves you where you are right now. The best thing is you could get the change you need. It does not hurt to ask.
Let yourself daydream. When you think of your ideal classroom or ideal job, what do you see? This will help you picture your future and know if a change is needed to get to that point.
This will help you know if a new setting will be a fresh breath. If you are teaching special education, maybe you want to try a general education. If you are teaching in a severe disability setting, maybe a switch to a mild disability setting. If you specialize in Autism, maybe moving to a multiple disabilities classroom will be the change you need. If the problems will still be there in any classroom, make a note.
Same scenario as above. If you teach elementary students, maybe high school will mix it up. If you are in a secondary setting, maybe preschool is what you need. If the problems will still be there in any classroom, make a note.
This is just good to get a baseline of how you REALLY feel about leaving your classroom.
This will help you determine the next step. Is it because you are not sure if leaving is the right decision, or is it just that you are terrified of the change? The answer will help guide you.
If you are afraid of change, this will help you remember other changes you have made and how they affected your life.
This is a good tip for any change you want to make. What is the worst thing that could happen? You might decide that the worst thing would be too much. You might also decide the worst really isn’t that bad.
Just write whatever comes to mind.
I hope this document helps you feel more confident. You might fill this out and feel more prepared to advocate for what you need. Or you might decide to leave. The decision is hard-so take your time. Good luck!