From elementary teacher to…
Chocolate for the Teach started as a way to document the sweet moments as an elementary teacher: a fresh picked wildflower pressed into my palm by a Kindergartener, a hand-drawn picture gifted from one of my students, or a piece of chocolate imparted from a coworker.
As my dreams outpaced the classroom, the steady paycheck, the familiar-yet-chaotic rhythms of so many Augusts to Mays, I leapt out of the profession and sunk my attentions into new motherhood, my home, starting businesses and searching for ways to create a work-from-home income for myself (I’m still working on that one).
This blog is part field notes– what I’m learning as I go from teaching full-time to substitute teaching and mothering and everything in between. The other part consists of bonafide stories from the trenches. I hope my writings can help you, or at least make you laugh a little.
Navigating the site
In my Substitute Teaching series, I offer tips, tricks and grievances regarding one of the toughest part-time gigs out there. If you’re a sub in the thick of it, let’s be pals.
My Leaving Teaching series details the entire process of making the classroom exit, from the first nugget of the idea of leaving to putting the campus in the rearview mirror. And tactics for somehow being okay with the decision existentially.
I also wrote a cache of posts about motherhood, because there’s not much else taking over my brain as a new parent. Settle in with a warm drink and read my relateable hijinks, side income attempts, and occasional DIY projects.
Latest Posts
- Before Quitting: A Brief History of My Teaching Experience
Though this blog is now mostly dedicated to chronicling my stories and advice from substitute teaching and motherhood, my roots… - 3 Ways to Help Kids After Quitting Classroom Teaching
One of the hardest parts of leaving teaching after five years was telling my favorite students I wouldn’t be coming… - How to Show Appreciation for Your Long-Term Substitute
“Being a long-term substitute is a scam.” -Reddit user. The job of a long-term substitute is never easy. These adventurous,… - Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas for Every Type of Educator
Right before a teacher packs up his clsasroom for the summer, something glorious happens. (Or– depending how it’s celebrated– a… - Secrets to Summer School Success
It’s possible you’ve found your way here because you’ve decided to teach summer school this year. You’ve taken up a… - Surf’s Up: A Free Summer School Behavior Management Resource
“Hi! Come on in!” I cheerfully intoned as I swung open the door amidst the sweltering summer heat to a…