Last updated on October 11th, 2023 at 03:36 pm
You’ve made the decision to leave teaching, calculated how to financially make the move work, and set your gaze to your next adventure.
It’s exciting and exhausting, especially if you’re still trying to survive the last few weeks of the schoolyear. If your teaching exit is anything like mine, it’s quite possible the chewed-up pencil stubs you’re tripping over on your classroom floor are serving as a metaphor for how you’re faring these days.
But summon a little more Finish Line energy. There are important things to take care of before you leave your job that will smooth your path into the next:
Preserve your teaching projects
Maybe you’ve amassed a sizeable collection of original lessons and other educational materials you’ve created. What you designed to meet the needs of your students can also be considered professional assets. If you created something of value, there’s no reason to chuck it in a frantic state of trying to escape the school.
These could be of use in your next job or even to secure your next job. They could be portfolio pieces or items to list for sale in your TPT shop.
I wish I did this. I had several high-quality resources I made on the Google Suite and could easily have transferred them over from my school account to my personal account. Instead, I was lost in a daze, limping on in my exhaustion, and… totally forgot. My engaging, homemade online scavenger hunts and interactive games, along with the entire account, were deleted by the time I thought of preserving them.
Ask for professional references
One to three recommendations by coworkers and administrators who are familiar with you and your work can be invaluable in securing your next position. Even if you don’t have a particular application you’re working on right now, it’s easier for all parties involved to ask for some general recommendation letters than in 1.5 years when it’s less fresh on people’s minds.
I would select coworkers you have a good relationship with who can vouch for your work– it doesn’t have to just be administrators. (Think co-teachers or instructional coaches or mentor teachers.) If you’re going into a new job aside from teaching, you’ll benefit from people speaking to your other, noninstructional work skills anyway.
Ask for recommendations when they’re not drowning in busyness. Ask with politeness and maybe even a small gift to show you appreciate them. Expect nothing, and show your immense gratitude for any support people take the time to give.
Shine up your resume while your accomplishments are fresh on your mind
I like to keep several versions of my resume handy. Save an original document you can make changes to, and then save those changes as a PDF if you prefer. It’s helpful to have a teaching-focused resume and then adjust your next iterations based on the jobs you’re applying for. Read the job postings carefully, and if applicable, place the posting verbiage in your resume to show how you’re a fit for that type of position (not just teaching).
Take the time to update or create your LinkedIn profile. If you’re interested in pursuing nonteaching jobs, you’ll need to create a version of your profile that highlights your experience and skills aside from teaching. Don’t forget to connect with others to widen your opportunity net. LinkedIn has an active community of people from all sorts of professions posting articles and blog posts– find some to comment on to show your appreciation for any insight shared. You never know what can come of a LinkedIn interaction!
If your aim after teaching is to stay home, these tips may seem less applicable. While I think staying home and contributing to your home economy is one of the most valuable life pursuits, I’d still suggest putting in a little work to shine up these aspects of your professional appearance should you need to re-enter the workforce. There’s nothing like a few years passing and having a couple babies to completely wipe your mind of your professional accomplishments– you might be caught desperately trying to remember your teaching career– what did I do for all those years?
Leaving teaching with confidence
If you’re totally depleted and more than ready to bust out of those campus doors, it can feel like the last thing you want to do– but complete these steps for you. No one else will.
I’ve left teaching once in a bid to find myself and zero in on the career really wanted, and a second time after a brief classroom return to focus on my marriage and growing family. It can be hard to leave a profession you poured so much into, but these three steps are important in getting you there.
After months and maybe years of dedicating yourself to others, take these measures to ensure your professional stability and happiness.
I’ve also written about how to break the news of your departure to your principal and what things you’ll need to square away with HR before peacing out.
Teachers who have left– let me know in the comments if you were able to follow these steps! Also– do you have any regrets about how you left?
As always, I’m rooting for you.
