Transitioning BACK into Teaching

Hi all,

Anyone out there ever do the less common (at least from what I usually see on this sub) act of leaving teaching and then transitioning back?

I taught and managed programs while on special assignment (e.g. was classified as a teacher but around 50-75% of my day depending on funding that year was to manage programs). I did this for 10+ years, then went to work for a Fortune 5 company, am currently at a Fortune 500 (trying to preserve some anonymity). For reasons too long to get into here, I am looking for a new job - but to name a couple:

I am burnt tf out with the corporate environment, but not many other jobs I can think of that excite me other than teaching

-Miss working with the kids - leaving my teaching job was one of the hardest dmecisions I ever made and if you’d told me I’d be where I am 10 years ago I wouldn’t have believed you

I will say I left before experiencing teaching in the post-COVID environment, so no clue what that was like.

My gut says it’s the right choice right now, but I don’t want to (and prob can’t) flip flop back and forth if it’s not the right decision in 2 years. A small part of me is also concerned it’s a bit of nostalgia mixed with the anxiety of the literal thousands of job apps I’ve got circulating out there for non-teaching positions (in an industry in which I’m actually doing very well according to my performance reviews). I do feel it’s relevant to add that I know that desperation or burnout are not WHY to get into teaching - I wouldn’t be pursuing this option if I didn’t already know I loved it.

So while it seems this sub is more geared for getting out of teaching, but has anyone left and come back to it? If so, how was it, do you regret it, and what was your experience?

in TeachersInTransitionby AFKAF-

11

87%

20d

Apprehensive-Snow-92

34

20d

It’s basically like being on a roller coaster that’s on fire 😂😮‍💨

Infinite-Strain1130

15

Between Jobs

20d

While a bear chases you with knives for hands

Apprehensive-Snow-92

6

20d

😂😂

2

19d

While a snake is attacking you and you’re getting chased by a swarm of deadly wasps.

OP

1

19d

Lol disheartening to hear, but fantastic visual. Thanks for the honesty.

Apprehensive-Snow-92

2

19d

Of course. The apathy and electronics addiction has ruined these kids. 😞

OP

2

19d

So freaking sad. My child was at a home daycare in 2019 and started kinder the year of the shut down, so while I felt bad, they didn’t REALLY know what they’d been missing. But damn, the first - sixth graders at the school I felt for. They had their world upended.

I taught HS, and the lack of prom, graduation, or those typical senior activities was so sad.

Apprehensive-Snow-92

1

19d

Agreed! That definitely didn’t help things either

2

19d

I hope it works out for you but it’s not working out for thousands of us! I’m not sure if I should check into a psych ward or quit and be homeless.

OP

2

19d

Haha I’m still somewhat undecided, but have some bites out there, so it’s getting real in terms of decision time. I came here for honest input and I appreciate it.

I had a very unique situation (due to grant funding) for many years when I was in it that might not have given me the full picture - it was terrible work/life balance, but I was passionate about it, it was stuff I could invite my family to participate in, basically enough benefits that I may be looking at the old days as rosier than what a full 100% FTE teaching would look like.

peacefulcate815

17

20d

I left for about a year and half, then returned. After a year and a half, I left again and am currently not teaching. I can’t speak for everyone, but it’s just not an environment I can be in right now unfortunately. I hope to return, but the system is so broken I don’t know what will happen.

6

19d

Similar to me! I left for a year. (Worked at a school where admin’s advice for me when I was concerned kids were fighting nonstop and making each other bleed everyday was to yell more and get more in their face.) I went to work at a doctor’s office for less stress. However, I live in a high COL city so less stress job wise, but just as much stress financially.

After a year I went back to teaching and worked at a terrible school with the worst admin I’ve ever dealt with in 10+ years. The school was run horribly, and the stress manifested both mentally and physically, making my chronic health issues hell. So many people on here say to do things like not have work emails on your phone to help leave work at work, etc. With that school, I got texts from my department head nearly everyday since they of course had no subs at that district. So everyday we had to take turns being voluntold to give up our preps to cover for other classes. It’s hard to leave work at work when you get texts at night and early morning about all the coverage the school needed. You could ignore them sure, but then they were repercussions if you weren’t tenured.

So I went back into working at a doctor’s office again, this time with a raise. Stress and health wise has been great. But it’s still rough financially. I only get two weeks off (accrued) for a year, but that includes sick time. So covid comes, and bam that uses half of it right there. (I don’t live near my family at all, so it was always nice to use school breaks to have enough time to fly and visit them.). The hourly pay just isn’t great even with the small raise. My husband was facing lay offs at his job and it was a tough realization that my salary right now can’t even cover our rent, let alone the rest of the bills.

Debating going into teaching again, especially with student loans looming over my head. It’s rough though. Unless you find the one magical unicorn school in your area with really great admin, it’s just a set up for stress and failure again.

Guess I had a lot to vent about, glad it can go into this void right now.

OP

2

19d

I hear you on the HCOL area. Same on that, not same on the pay - it’s not like I’m making much right now, but it would be quite the pay cut for most of the districts in my area.

OP

2

19d

Thank you for your thoughts - what’s nice to hear in this is I have been kind of feeling like if I go back to teaching, I’m going back for the long haul which puts more pressure on the situation. Hearing success with switching back and forth is really hopeful / helpful in case I do wind up with that route

peacefulcate815

2

19d

You’re welcome. That being said, I don’t know what’s going to happen this time around and I definitely don’t want to continue flip-flopping. I also thought I was going back for the long haul and am really disappointed that it didn’t work out, but I know leaving was the right thing.

It’s like dealing with an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend — I want to go back because I genuinely miss doing it, but I know I’m not returning to something healthy and I know teaching just isn’t the same as it was when I started teaching, and that was only 9 years ago. I hope you find success should you go back, and if you choose to not go back there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

OP

3

19d

Ahhh thanks so much. And the comparison made me laugh because I get it. Thank you, truly, for listening.

12

Completely Transitioned

20d

It’s important to name what specifically is burning you out and what specifically you’re looking for in your next role. What does being burnt out with the “corporate environment” mean? Are the things that burn you out specific to the corporate environment or are they just specific to the 2 places you’ve worked? Think about why you left in the first place. Have those factors been resolved?

In terms of missing the kids, is that a need you can fill in other ways? Would volunteering scratch that itch? Would working in an education adjacent role or company fill that need?

If you ultimately decide to go back to teaching, know that it’s not a forever decision. You aren’t married to one industry or another.

Revolutionary_Tea_55

2

19d

Volunteering for a non profit with kids like 826 could be more satisfying

2

Completely Transitioned

19d

I’ve really enjoyed volunteering with students! I get to engage on my terms but also disengage on my terms. If I don’t feel like it, I literally don’t have to do it.

OP

2

19d

Thank you for hearing me and helping me work through this - specific burnout issues would probably dox me a bit as idk what family / friends might be on this sub or know my Reddit, but to put it in short it’s mental health and family. I know that’s not much to go off of, but appreciate you asking the questions you did to help me weed it out.

Not to sound too ambivalent about these decisions, but I’d be open to other roles in my field - the market for this field, especially in non-tech roles is horrible. I’ve gotten two resume writers’ services (one cheaper, one exec level) and am getting offers for interviews where the jobs would pay as much or more if I worked at In n Out (no shade on fast food workers, just spent a lot of my early life training for teaching, and a metric f* ton of hours doing training to get the background I needed to renovate and create programs).

So it’s been disheartening to say the least. I came here for honest feedback, and while I’m a bit bummed it’s not more positive, it is really nice to hear that if I did go back, it wouldn’t be a forever decision. I was definitely looking at this as a pivotal choice. Thank you!

Revolutionary_Tea_55

1

19d

Yeah good point. Cuz the PD meetings feel pretty corporate and exhausting. I feel like all I do is compliance and PDS and observations and paperwork

Revolutionary_Tea_55

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19d

Post-COVID is BAD. These kids are addicted to phones/airpods/chatgpt/doing everything on the computer and though it is possible to break through and get them to act like actual kids, it’s 98% of your day, just trying to get them off the devices and paying attention. Even the kids that love you and love the subject. Cuz they’re just addicted. And have really stunted emotional maturity/very little social skills. It takes my entire force and energy to get them out of their shells and the second I turn around they retreat back into their caves.

Maybe you should become a long term substitute and see how it feels. Lots of schools need subs to teach classes for like 3 months at a time while a teacher is out on maternity leave etc

Revolutionary_Tea_55

8

19d

Also a lot of the support your school may have given is gone now— schools these days won’t give real detention or suspend kids for violence/fighting etc. So overall behavior is worse Also students don’t have due dates anymore either since everything is online and it’s supposed to make things more equitable. So kids just…. Do everything on their own schedule and behave however they want with no consequences

Revolutionary_Tea_55

8

19d

Also chronic absenteeism is a huge issue too so it’s hard to teach the whole class cuz you’re constantly catching everyone up

OP

3

19d

I appreciate the input and am sorry to hear it’s like that. Definitely helpful to know.

Infinite-Strain1130

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Between Jobs

20d

I mean…pop into the r/teachers subreddit sometime. That should shake loose any nostalgia.

TLDR: if we’re lucky, we’re medicated, if we aren’t, we’re self-medicating. we’re stressed, overworked, underpaid, and a lot (most?) of us risk being shot or stabbed just going to work. The kids are rude, disrespectful, and apathetic at levels most of us haven’t ever seen (even decades long teachers). Admin keeps piling on the “responsibilities” but we aren’t getting any more time in our days.

I wouldn’t.

OP

3

19d

Yeah, the first part is relatable. Second not so much anymore. I need to get out of my current situation and (honestly, nostalgia aside) loved what I did in education. But I think where my line gets blurry is that I was pulled out of the classroom doing programs most of the day. There was no work / life balance, but it was at least work I was passionate about and that my family could join in on. But regardless of my leaving, the money was going to run out to keep that state running.

I’m am sorry for the stress and appreciate you sharing your thoughts..

7

20d

Idk…without trying to diminish your experience in corporate, etc. how BADLY do you need out? Because you can def get out but I’d consider something other than teaching.

OP

1

19d

Pretty badly, but y’all’s input has been helpful. Teaching may be a TBD option.

Edit to add - I don’t say TBD lightly, I know better than to go into it “just for the summers” or “I know, I’ll just go teach because it’s easy” (haha 🙄). Used to literally lol when I heard that one.

Busy-Preparation-

6

19d

Dude, don’t do it. You’ll regret it.

selcouthredditor

6

19d

I want to return to teaching, too, but after getting much more training and taking my certification more slowly, so I feel more competent and able to take on the hectic environment. I will say that I want to start teaching again either at a high-achieving school or a few years from now, when the COVID kids have generally transitioned out of my grade level. I taught elementary, so I don't have to wait too long.

The hardest part about teaching COVID kids that I can explain succintly is the stuntedness in their development, academically and socially. I loved my kids so much and they are so unique and talented and capable, but their COVID years made it so that teaching them was nearly impossible; schools and districts want you to show that you're a good teacher by making your kids perform at grade level, but that's an insanely tall demand for any teacher, even the most experienced, when kids are, on average, 1-4 grade levels behind in all subjects right now. This is not to mention the social and emotional development they missed out on with online schooling, making them act 1-3 years younger than they should be and affecting the classroom environment to untenable degrees. Teaching under these circumstances can even cause the most passionate, in-love-with-the-job educators to detest and regret their career. This is all, of course, compounded with the litany of problems that would and have existed in the American education system regardless of COVID.

All this to say, I'd recommend anyone else in my position - considering getting into or going back to teaching because of a deep love and passion for it - to consider holding off for a few years. Or maybe dip your toes in to see if you can handle the new reality COVID's left us with- look to become a para or assistant teacher, or even sub. I wish COVID kids the absolute best and I hope they can overcome their obstacles and achieve great things regardless of their circumstances, but I just don't think handling a full class of them under an unfair and unforgiving administration and school district is conducive to the mental health and livelihood of any teacher today.

OP

1

19d

Ah yeah, the little I’ve heard about the post-COVID group (and compounded by this post) has been rough. Definitely feel for those kids and also understand your position.

Unfortunately, in the VHCOL I am stuck in (split custody over my kid, doubt other parent will allow her to move with partner and me if we did), we’d be chancing it a bit just with the pay cut of me teaching. Tutoring or maybe volunteering could work, but can’t take the further pay cut. Honestly finances might be a limiting factor no matter what.

Thanks for you thoughts!

OP

3

19d

Thank you for hearing me and helping me work through this - specific burnout issues would probably dox me a bit as idk what family / friends might be on this sub or know my Reddit, but to put it in short it’s mental health and family. I know that’s not much to go off of, but appreciate you asking the questions you did to help me weed it out.

Not to sound too ambivalent about these decisions, but I’d be open to other roles in my field - the market for this field, especially in non-tech roles is horrible. I’ve gotten two resume writers’ services (one cheaper, one exec level) and am getting offers for interviews where the jobs would pay as much or more if I worked at In n Out (no shade on fast food workers, just spent a lot of my early life training for teaching, and a metric f* ton of hours doing training to get the background I needed to renovate and create programs).

So it’s been disheartening to say the least. I came here for honest feedback, and while I’m a bit bummed it’s not more positive, it is really nice to hear that if I did go back, it wouldn’t be a forever decision. I was definitely looking at this as a pivotal choice. Thank you!

3

19d

I stopped reading when I got to the part about you leaving before the pandemic. I can promise you… you are not returning to the same teaching you left.

OP

3

19d

Yeah, that’s what it sounds like…

2

19d

I'm trying to get back into teaching as well. I want a good district, though. I was at a charter school and this specific system was awful. So be careful choosing.

But there is NOT a teacher shortage in Western PA. If anyone knows of any elementary openings, let me know.

Exact-Wonder-8168

2

19d

I taught for 11 years then took a year break from teaching. I'm set to start teaching again in September. I'm a little nervous but I heard Montgomery County MD is a great district. I'm hoping for the best.

OP

3

19d

Best of luck!! Nerves are common - I’m sure it will be great! Don’t know the county or MD that much in general, so can’t speak to that, but hoping for the best for you as well!

Exact-Wonder-8168

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Thanks!

2

19d

I’m currently double dipping after retiring for a year. Great financial decision and I’ve had a lot of fun.

OP

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19d

That’s a great place to be! Genuinely happy for you!

HandCarvedRabbits

1

19d

I’m trying to get back in and I am discovering that I will most likely have to take a pay cut from my last teaching job because. Most districts will not give you your full years of experience going back in. One I looked at will give you half. 16 years of experience- step 8 for you

OP

1

19d

Ugh I’m sorry - that’s so crazy. I’ve heard some districts you can negotiate, and some in my area look like they’ll offer same step up to 14 (which I thankfully fall into, but would be so irritated in your position). And it’s still a pay cut that would impact lifestyle either way (for both of us it sounds like). Really hard to tell what to do (although all the input on this post has been really helpful).

HandCarvedRabbits

1

19d

I’m actually at 21 years. Most districts aren’t that bad, but it is generally “at the discretion of the superintendent”. It is a difficult choice. I’m doing half time right now but the drive is over an hour, so I need to either find a full time teaching job that doesn’t suck or something solid that’s remote.

AffectionateAd828

1

19d

why did you leave in the first place? I'd go there because it got worse...

OP

1

19d

It’s kind of random, but had literally nothing to do with unhappiness. It was literally an opportunity to sink myself into a particular subject matter with a major global company with a big impact. One of the hardest decisions I ever made - happy to go pursue the new opportunity and equally devastated to leave what I was doing.

Accomplished-Bet1773

1

19d

I got out of teaching and worked in corporate for 7 years. Last year I went back to teaching and then went back to my corporate job when the year was done. Glad I did it, I have great memories, but I was so burned out from teaching!

OP

1

18d

Oh that’s interesting and awesome! Glad you got the memories. It’s comforting to know going back and forth can work out well! Thank you for sharing your journey!