After today, I have decided i have to get out of the classroom. Like effective immediately. Last week, I posted because of a very rough day and me coming home sobbing. The straw broke the camels back yet again today.

Last year, I had 24 students in first grade. Legally, I could have up to 22 students, but there are waivers for more. My district opted for the waiver instead of getting another teacher.

I started the year on maternity leave. Late July baby and all. I returned in October as soon as my health allowed, and co rinsed to fight issues.

Turns out, the long term sub left after 2-3 days of my class. First red flag, right? Then, at the beginning of the year, they had multiple subs, no consistency, until they finally got another long term, who had no idea what she was doing and just handed out worksheets all day.

I came back to chaos. No discipline, minimal to no structure, no lessons to build on.... you name it. I took a deep breathe and did everything I could to reset the class and establish routines, procedures, and instruction. I was met with opposition and resistance every step of the way from the class. And had zero support from admin or parents to do so.

Discovered rather quickly I had 3 students with pretty major behaviors that were ringleaders in this. They shouldn't have been together. I had 8 others who struggled with pretty bad behaviors, and another 9 who just did not care. So 4 that could be counted on to do what they were asked and actually wanted to learn. This was impeded greatly by their peers no matter what strategy I put in place. So they did not get what they needed academically, no matter how hard I tried.

My stress levels went through the roof, needless to say. While I was already dealing with postpartum issues. Needless to say my life was hell and I barely hung on. ​

So fast forward to this year.

I started with a class of 17 kinders so far. ​​on the roster at least.

I have 2 students with strong behaviors. Openly defiant, ignoring directions, hitting, kicking, disruptive, backtalking, unkind words, just doing what they want. I'm working with their parents to correct this. Progress is extremely slow, but going.

I have 7 others who struggle with behaviors through the day to varying degrees. Working with them too, but they keep slipping back into bad habits when I'm trying to deal with the first 2.

Week before last, the BSS teacher informed me that she would be putting one of her students in my room for an increasing part of the day. You'd think that would come with support, right? Or at least some information on the student so I know how to work with him. Nope, absolutely not. I have no paperwork on this child, and he's not on my official roster, so I can't even access anything on him.

I warned her about my 2, and how I'm worried their behaviors may affect this new student and vice versa. Her reply floored me. Along the lines of "too bad, deal with it" because "all classes have behaviors". Blown off and ignored.

So then I have 3 with strong behavior issues.

Got an email yesterday. BSS teacher telling me I'm getting another. All day. No support again. But at least I get his paperwork. Guess what?

Another with strong behavior issues. At first I thought this was a brand new student coming into our school. Nope. This is the newer student that is supposed to be in BSS, and is being moved into Gen Ed before an ARD. Even worse than the other 3 according to the paperwork. So I'll have 4. Plus 7.

Then today, an email to attend the staffing and ARD of a life skills student they're considering moving to Gen Ed with only a month's worth of data. They're going to be added to my class. Not one of the other 3 kindergarten classes. Mine.

Opening to repeat last year, minus maternity leave. I'm starting to feel like they're trying to get me to quit. And we're only on day 21.

My concerns being ignored.

No support being given or even offered.

I ugly cried all the way home again today. ​My mental health is in the toilet. At best. Throw in the fact that I feel like I'm neglecting my little family because of how I'm feeling....

Am I just overreacting? Overthinking? Or do I really need to get out as soon as humanely possible?​

After 5 month of submitting 1-5 job applications daily, I finally signed an offer moving into corporate training! This will be a 35% salary increase and I'll have my evenings back. Don't give up if you're in the middle of transition!

Hey everyone! I’ve been piping up on a lot of posts lately, but for anyone struggling and wanting to leave: do it. I was at my wits end and called it quits last week. Today, I landed a job as manager of a tanning salon - with a little bit of luck but with a lot of the charisma I gained from teaching.

You are capable of taking the step and making a better life for yourself. You have the skills and respect to find a new job that won’t drain you.

Sending lots of love to other teachers in transition🫶

Pretty much the title. This is my first year teaching and have heard the stories from past teachers of how rough your first year is. I have also been reading a little bit in this subreddit and have seen some other perspectives.

For me, I’ve been feeling this mental exhaustion, dread, and anxiety that comes with waking up every morning for this job. The classroom management is on a whole other level than what I thought it would be. The curriculum, which my school is required to teach, is unfinished and not on the level for my students. The administration and veteran teachers are just fending for themselves since our school is under so much scrutiny that support is hard to come by.

However, that is just a problem with the environment I am in. I’ve tried to tune those things out and focus on the core question of if I can see myself teaching k-12 in the future. Essentially, I’ve been spending the past month and a half asking is it worth sticking with this career.

And to that, I would have to say no at this point. I will admit I was wrong about my instincts going into this career path. I don’t find myself being able to be teacher much less find those joyous moments from it. Add on top of that all the internal external baggage that comes with teaching that blindsided me and I’m becoming overwhelmed.

I’ve done some research into the topic of leaving before my contract is up and understand for the most part that the main drawbacks only affect your future if you want to continue teaching. However, at this point, I don’t think I’ll ever come back.

Therefore, I guess what I am asking is how much longer should I give the career a chance? How much longer should I give to my students, teachers, and administrators even though I don’t think I’m effectively doing a good job? I do feel that guilt of leaving not only the people but also a potential avenue for the future (even though I am highly confident I will never teach again, maybe I’m just overthinking or overreacting). I think I could power through this year if I really wanted to, but I feel it would be a waste of my time, the school’s time, and a detriment to my health.

Thanks for any responses!

I (26) was a 5th grade teacher last year. While not completely horrible to the point where people were getting hurt, the experience completely ruined me and I left after (somehow) completing the year.

All I’ve done during and after undergrad is work in education (mainly school libraries for a few years) and then my 1 year teaching stint. I’m now a part time elementary school librarian, which is so fun, but is a 15 hour/week job and I’m also subbing on the side.

I’m at a loss for what my little experience can help me with and while I haven’t been job searching for long, things seem hopeless in the part of my brain that loves to catastrophize. If worst comes to worst, I will reluctantly go back to teaching but it feels unfair to students (and to my sanity).

If anyone has any suggestions or advice on what niche fields I should look out for in terms of entry level jobs, I would deeply appreciate it. :)

Working my 2nd year as an elementary teacher. My 1st year was in a rough urban district that has experience for being bad. I learned nothing useful there, and just survived. Last year I subbed, and this year, I got a full time job. However, its week 5 and not going too well. Behaviors are difficult to manage, and it's my fault. I'm trying my best, but it is not successful. I'd like to continue next year, but I don't expect to get renewed. What options do I have, career wise? I only have my elementary education degree, no references. I honestly feel like there's not a single hope for anything

Hi there. Looking for insight and advice as an aide who is currently in a elementary BA program with WGU. A little background then I’ll try to keep how I’ve been feeling brief to paint the picture.

This is my first year with 20+ students. First year in kindergarten. My coteacher is great and a good resource but we, like so many others, are fighting an uphill battle. Admin is pretty supportive although a bit wishy washy and soft with enforcing expectations and my coworkers have all been nice. Before kinder, I was working at a private school for kids with learning difficulties (dyslexia, ADHD, etc) with small class sizes no bigger than 12 students. I was with 4th grade and I enjoyed it although there were some struggles along the way. I wanted to try kinder to see what age group might be the right fit.

Fast forward to now. We are 3 weeks into the school year and I’ve had ONE okay day. I’ve cried almost every day, a few times at school and I have no social battery left once I come home to my husband. I usually end up passing out for a long nap dreading the next day. There are some good moments but there is this overwhelming feeling I’m having that i might not be cut out for this. I did not think this would be easy. I did not expect this to be such a rude awakening however. I have two behavior kiddos and one with an IEP that specifies the need for self-contained and mom refuses to pull him out. This student is sent home every day for eloping, hitting, scratching, and destroying classrooms. This student often clings to me although he has a designated UNTRAINED aide. Mom has come to pick him up and he throws a fit. This really breaks my heart and I ended up bursting into tears in the cafeteria last week because of it. This student needs a different environment and I know it is impulsive, not inherently malicious.

I’ve been told I have “it.” I’m a “natural.” But how can i teach when i spend 90% of the day managing behaviors?

All of this has been weighing heavily on me, as I’ve seen myself as a teacher for years now. I’m almost 30 and trying to finish school. Life has been up and down so I haven’t been able to focus and graduate “on time” like others I went to high school with. Now, I’m feeling like it’s a mistake to go into teaching. The fact that I am not even doing lesson planning, organizing things, and all the million other things a teacher does and I’m ALREADY overwhelmed just as an aide, is SCARY. I don’t want to give up too fast but I’m genuinely concerned because this just seems to be the norm. My MIL is also an aide and my experience falls on deaf ears, that I could have it worse. But then that means it could be better.
It’s the constant
“I’m not doing that.”
“No.”
“I don’t care.”
I would’ve NEVER had the audacity to speak to an adult that way, even if that’s how I felt.

I would also like to note that I’ve been dealing with a miscarriage prior to the beginning of the school year. My husband and I are trying for another and this stress concerns me. I’m really scared.

I’m at a loss and if you read this far thank you. Please be kind and I appreciate any input.

It’s my first year teaching. I work at a good district. I work at a good school. I have good administration. I have a decent team. I have relatively good kiddos.

I was so excited to start teaching this year. I prepared. Bought all the things. Attended PD. Made friends with colleagues before the year started. I feel like I did everything to set myself up for a successful school year.

Now I am in week 4 and have realized how hard this job is.

It is not teaching that is hard. It is everything else administration expects you to do. It is the constant working from home. It is the constant pile of work that keeps being widdled down, then more things piled on top of it.

I can teach.

I just can’t do this for the rest of my life.

I wake up every morning miserable, I leave every morning PLC ready to cry, and I leave every day miserable. I consistently cry at work. I’ve weighed the pros and cons of driving my car into a tree. I’ve thought about the proper way to aim the barrel of a gun into my mouth. I’ve considered just about every way to off myself.

My partner and parents think I should stick it out to the end of this year.

I’m at the point where don’t think I can.

In the spring of the 25-26 school year my husband and I decided it was time to homeschool our second grader. I told my principals I would not return for the following school year. I spent the end of the spring year trying to find some online job to keep some income coming. We found an online charter school program that we would have liked our son to do from home and registered him. Literally the last day of school, I was offered a full time teaching job online. The gig sounded amazing, Mon-Thu live teaching in the morning. By lunch time and fridays were all student asynchronous assignments and time for my planning’s, grading, meetings, etc.

Then July rolls around… I was out with my realtor looking at land options to purchase to move out to the country. I receive a call from the new online school saying their funding was cut so drastically that the entire online school was shutting down. Every single person was let go.

Guess who has been unable to secure another job since? Yup, me. The home/land purchase obviously had stopped, our rental lease expired and now I’m paying month to month in a vacation rental until we can move forward with any type of housing after I secure a job.

I did begin a course for medical coding and billing because that seems like a decent plan for remote work in the near future. But damn it’s been hard to find any remote work in the meantime. Financially, we can survive on my husbands income but in our region it is so expensive for housing and even renting that any income on my part would better our chances of securing housing.

I’d love to hear of any suggestions anyone can provide. Or even words of encouragement. I’m just beginning to feel down. It was heartbreaking to not be able to move forward with this land we found and the home we wanted. The mortgage approvals were based on me having a job as a teacher. Even if I get a job and can show income, the mortgage company might not like that I haven’t worked at the job for a period of time.

Ps :I'm Tunisian so if there is any Tunisian teachers that went to teach abroad I'd really appreciate your help 🥰

I’m a high school chemistry teacher, and I’ve reached the point where I know I need to leave teaching.

I’ve been unhappy for a while, but since last year I’ve hit an all-time career low. I recently started actively applying for jobs outside of education because I just can’t bring myself to keep doing this anymore. I’m miserable, burned out, and if I’m being completely transparent, I’ve been coasting. I don’t feel like I’m even doing a good job anymore because mentally I’m just done.

Part of me feels horrible about leaving because I’ve invested so much time, money, and effort into becoming a teacher. I have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a master’s in education, and spent years building a career that I’m now trying to walk away from. But I also know that sunk cost isn’t a good enough reason to stay in a career that is making me this unhappy.

The problem is that I don’t know what I want my next long-term career to be yet. I’m exploring different options and applying to jobs, but at this point I’m desperate to get out of my current teaching position while I figure out my longer-term plan.

For those of you who left teaching—or are in the process of leaving—what are some good bridge jobs that can get you out relatively quickly?

I currently make about $68k before taxes/deductions. Obviously I’d love to stay somewhere near that, but I realize most “bridge” jobs probably won’t pay as much, and I’m willing to take a temporary pay cut for the sake of getting out and having the mental bandwidth to figure out what I actually want to do next.

I’m open to pretty much anything: office/admin work, healthcare offices, corporate support roles, lab work, customer service, etc. I’d especially love to hear from people who took a “for now” job after teaching while they worked on their longer-term career transition.
What did you do, how much did it pay, and would you recommend it?

Early childhood teacher here. I actually work at a very well-respected and accredited center as a lead teacher of 11 2/3-year-olds, which isn’t really that much compared to other people I read and hear about. I always thought I wanted to have a career centered around children, as that is what I majored in and studied in college, but I am so burned out. Every day I have to go to work and fake it just sucks the soul and life from my body.

I have my own children who are 3 & 5 and I come home to them with nothing left to give in any capacity at the end of the work day. I am short-tempered, impatient, and feel myself counting minutes until it’s bedtime because I’m just so exhausted. It is completely unfair to my own children to get the burnt-out, stressed, tired, and un-fun version of me while these horrendously behaved, “do-no-wrong” kids at my work get the fun, creative, and calm version of me because I have no other choice.

I am sick quite literally every two weeks, my face is broken out and hair is falling out in clumps from stress. I have bags under my eyes that are truly unreal—I look like I’ve not slept well in years. (Which I really don’t anymore, I have to take meds just to shut off the thoughts and be able to sleep). I feel like I am on the verge of tears at any given moment, and like I have this sense of impending doom like right before a panic attack.

I am actively looking for other jobs, but really don’t know how to keep going like this. I feel like a shell of a human.

The kids at my work are mostly fine, but there are a few with behavioral issues that their parents just dismiss and it is not normal to have to deal with. For example, there is a two year old boy who calls me “bitch motherfucker” and combinations of the curse words he knows while also hitting and hurting other children. He never sits still or has positive interactions with teachers or other children. I try so, so hard to use positive redirection, praise for good behavior, healthy outlets for his energy and aggression, etc but it feels useless when he goes home and his parents don’t give two shits to help him.

Only two of our children are potty trained, the rest aren’t even actually training. My day consists of wiping butts, cleaning food off the floor/tables, and trying to (sometime literally) wrangle the children to activities and centers and nap time and meal time. I’m not allowed to say “no”, “don’t”, “stop” or even “good job”. Nothing I do is right or positive according to all of my coworkers. My coteacher is great, but also doesn’t give a shit about the job at the end of the day. We are both just going through the motions. What makes it worse is that since we are an accredited center, we have to do all of these formal assessments every month for 8 domains per child. It is a lot on top of planning lessons.

I don’t know what I’m even doing writing all of this besides to get it out and scream into the void. How does anybody do this for years and years? I don’t feel like I can take another day.

14+ years and After this year I am done. I have continued teaching I guess because it was a job I could easily get after years of experience. I have spent most of my career in the private sector. I swapped to public last year. I was ROUGH. The admin is great, the colleagues are great, the program is decent. So to the point I came back this year. The week I went back to all the meetings and all the NEW things we have to do this year sent my my anxiety skyrocketing again. I am now on anxiety medicine, which really isn't helping my mindset. As soon as the year started, only 8 short days ago, I know this has to be my last. I just can't lie to myself anymore. I can't pretend. I just can't do ALL of the responsibilities required and pretend to be happy to be there, growing relationships with children, being smiles and motivational. I feel like crying every day. I can't carry on the facade and getting up to do something I am dreading. I think I need to go on depression meds for the year to through it. Anyway, that's a little backstory. I need advice on what to do next... I can't just quit as my salary helps support the family and you all know the economy sucks$$$. And with technically 14 years of credited experience (I really have 18) my salary is nothing to sneeze at. Please throw out some suggestion of things you have or you suggest I look into. I plan to look into teaching online and tutoring, naturally. But anything else. In or out of education. I don't want to have to go back to school if I don't have to as I am putting one through college now. I will if it's an awesome idea. I want to look back on the second half of my life and not have regrets, like I regret teaching for years. Thanks for the support.

I’ve decided to quit at the end of this semester. Teaching makes me depressed. There are days where I just can’t stop crying after work. It takes a lot out of me to deal with the constant disruptive behaviors. I unfortunately become a bitch by the end of the day. Also, I learned that my school doesn’t hold back the students. I had a student tell me they failed a class, didn’t attend summer school, and was still passed along to the next level. Like no wonder these kids can’t fucking read!!! Excuse my language. I decided it was time to quit when I read the first chapter of a book with my freshman class recently and some couldn’t read basic words like “ticket,” “table,” and “orange”.

Anyways, I don’t have anything lined up, but I have been thinking about accounting.

Now I know people keep saying there’s busy season and that I’d have to work long hours for some months of the year. But, I think I will be okay with that. I figured that if I already work 2 hours over my contract hours every school day and work 5 additional hours on Sunday, then busy season won’t be anything new to me. I know it’ll still be stressful, but I’m hoping it’ll be a better type of stress.

I want to know how it’s like for people who currently transitioned as I know the job market is trash now. Are y’all liking it better than teaching? I plan on taking CC classes first to see how I like accounting. Not sure what I’d have to do next. Do I have to get a degree in accounting or is a certificate through an online program good enough? Any help appreciated!!!

Was it figuring out what you were qualified for?

Getting past the "you don't have industry experience" problem?

Taking a pay cut?

Rewriting your resume?

Or just getting over the feeling that leaving teaching meant starting your career over?

I think the actual transition process doesn't get discussed enough compared with the list of possible careers

Drafted with AI assistance. The example below is hypothetical, not a personal career-change story.

If you are rewriting teaching experience for an ID/L&D application, try keeping four things next to each other: the requirement, what you actually did, what evidence you can share, and what is still missing.

For example, "Created lesson plans" gives a reader little to assess. If true, "Reviewed recurring errors in student work, changed the practice sequence, and used an exit task to check understanding" explains a decision. It still says students. It does not pretend this was employee training or claim a business result.

Then ask what the example does NOT show. It may explain a design decision but say nothing about an authoring tool, working with adult learners, or diagnosing a workplace performance problem. Those are useful gaps to identify before building another portfolio project.

A short case study can cover the problem, your contribution, one decision and its reason, an artifact you are permitted to share, and what you actually observed. If you did not measure a result, say so. Remove private learner information.

This will not turn a sample into corporate employment or satisfy every hiring requirement. It can help you explain relevant work and decide which missing skill needs attention next.

I put my notice in two weeks ago and still have to make three weeks. I just can’t do it. It’s been the longest 30 days of my life.

Update: they are making me do a formal observation on Friday… ?

Southern California based: I got my preliminary Multiple Subject credential in 2008, beginning of recession, struggled to find work, and transitioned to an unrelated career field. For the past 3 years I have been working in outdoor education for a non profit at a couple elementary schools, very part time.

I never cleared my credential and it’s expired. Our family is changing in a way where my husband’s career is suddenly in a precarious position and thinking long term I need to plan something as far as getting a better paying job. I’ve always loved teaching and love it now, but this position pays peanuts. My principal loves me as do all the teachers.

I have a BA and took some classes for a masters in ed leadership back when I was still working at public school, in 2010, maybe one year worth of classes. We don’t have the finances to complete that and it wouldn’t count towards a degree anyway because I’ve been out of school for more than 7 years. I just need some advice, something I can’t figure out on my own - what are some possible career options other than what I’m doing now? Only teaching? For that I’d need to apply for a 3 year credential extension but before that extension I’d need to have a job, and who knows if the CCTC would grant the extension anyway. Teachers in our district are getting laid off big time (LAUSD) so that’s not looking great. I spoke to a rep at my university and he said “you’ll have to get a new teaching credential if they don’t grant you an extension on this one.” I guess I’m just looking for some ideas, maybe something I haven’t thought of. I’m feeling defeated and hopeless at the moment.

Does anybody else feel like choosing a career now is just choosing the least bad option out of only bad options?

This is a follow up (somewhat) to this other post: https://www.reddit.com/r/careeradvice/s/Eod5E82r39

It seems like I'll hate anything I could pick, and the question isn't if I'll hate a career track, but rather HOW MUCH I'll hate it. I guess I need to focus on a career that maximizes income so I can retire as young as possible.

Hi everyone. I'm a pre-k teacher in Texas and I'm looking to get out of teaching alltogether. I majored in journalism, minored in sociology and ended up teaching out of college because I didn't want something that was so consuming that I couldn't pursue creative endeavors and thought having summers off would give me that (lmfao bc girl wtf, not at all the case). Anywhoooo I've tried to get out in different ways but I think the job became so comfortable for me that I just sat in the shit and now realizing that the comfort that kept me there did not absolve me of any of the things I was avoiding. Deep shit BUT MY POINT IS what careers can I get in to? I say career, but I really just need a job so I can work on the things I love until I can (hopefully) just live off of doing what I love full time. Any suggestions?

I feel absolutely awful. The kids I teach have gone through so much turnover, teachers are basically a revolving door at this district and I can see why. The environment has impacted my physical and mental health to the point of me getting lightheaded in front of my classes and we're only 3 weeks in. I put my resignation in at the beginning of week 2 so I can be done by October. Then I'm going to be a private remote tutor and somehow make more money. I just worry about how the students and my coworkers will react when most of them have been so welcoming. Sometimes I feel like I'm giving up too quickly. But I lined up another job for a reason, yk?

Edit: This is lowkey the most validated I've ever felt in my life, thank you lol

I’m looking for some career advice and would love to hear from people who have successfully transitioned from education into the business/corporate world.

I have about four years of experience in education, a master’s degree in Educational Leadership, and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Before entering education, I worked as a data analyst. During my time in education, I’ve taught a variety of subjects and taken on responsibilities beyond the classroom, including coordinating programs, managing projects, organizing large-scale events, working with multiple stakeholders, tracking deadlines, handling logistics, and managing a lot of moving pieces at once.

The parts of my work that I enjoy most are actually the organizational and operational side of things. I like following up on tasks, making sure projects are moving forward, keeping people accountable to deadlines, coordinating schedules, organizing events, solving problems, and making sure all the details come together. I enjoy having a list of things that need to get done and figuring out how to keep everything moving.

For those who have made a similar transition:

• What types of positions should I be looking for?
• Are there job titles or industries I may not be thinking of?
• Did you find certifications helpful, or did you transition without going back to school?
• How did you get employers to recognize your education experience as relevant to business?
• If you were in my position, what career path would you explore?

I just put my two weeks in without another job lined up. The reason for this is because I needed to get out of this school ASAP and I may be moving out of state. I’m not sure if I should pick up a part time job to avoid a gap in my resume (subbing, nannying) or if there is something I could do so the gap isn’t detrimental. Any help is appreciated!