When I began offering Spanish preschool classes, I thought I’d never find one with enough parent interest to make my efforts worthwhile. After flying out of the gates with high hopes, I was quickly shot down. It seemed impossible to get more than 4 kids enrolled in my classes. I told myself that the numbers would grow, but they just stumbled along, not really increasing at all. I started to wonder if this business of mine was just a pipe dream or really the viable moneymaker that I had dreamed of.
Well, after several centers and some advice from a friend who has a huge and profitable enrichment class business in preschools, I was able to tweak the formula. Now, I have a set process and timeline that produces higher enrollment numbers and amazing retention. I’ll bet you’d like to skip that learning phase I had to go through, and head right for successful start-ups. If so, here are three tips that turned my start-up process around. You can also get the Countdown to Class timeline I’ve found most effective for opening classes at a new center.
Offer a free class
So you’re getting ready to start a class at a brand new location, and you don’t quite know how to get the word out. You’ve done fliers and parent notes in each cubby, but it just seems as if there should be something more. Have you thought about offering a free class?
A free class can reassure parents that their child will enjoy learning Spanish. It also gets kids super-enthusiastic. (We all know that kids are truly the best salespeople, right?) It is a concrete reminder that a new opportunity is opening up. And it demonstrates right up front that you are interested in providing value. Finally, it is a chance for you to see which kiddos are interested in Spanish and help guide parents so they get the best value for their money.
So what can you do to make this introductory class the most effective?
Require parents to fill out a registration form for these three reasons
At the first few centers I partnered with, I simply offered do a free class for the entire group. I felt like I was truly offering them something of value, and I didn’t want any of the kids to miss out. It was a nightmare. There are three main reasons you should require a registration form.
It will be more like your actual classes
First, the centers often wanted to combine classes to save time. At one center, I ended up with 24 kids in one class. That’s a teacher-student ratio I would NEVER allow in my paid classes, because they would be totally ineffective. Consequently, my free class was totally ineffective. The kids were wild. I had to cut some of my most fun (and most active) portions because I knew that they would dissolve into chaos. My classes came off as boring and I had VERY low enrollment. And by the way, they never grew because the kids had decided my classes were boring based on that one disastrous free class.
Make sure the center director is on board with your Spanish preschool classes
Secondly, requiring registration can save you time. Let the director know that there is a minimum enrollment for the free class. This will encourage the director to encourage parents to sign up. Who wants 6 parents to be disappointed because the group was short 2 enrollments? So, you are more likely to have a set number of enrollments, the director creates a habit of nudging parents to get their registration in, and you don’t have to offer the free class if only 2 students sign up. And here’s a news flash: if only 2 kids sign up for your free class, this isn’t the center that you’re looking for anyway. (It’s good to mention up-front that your free class has a minimum enrollment so parents don’t feel cheated if there is low interest.)
Be able to communicate directly with parents
Finally – and this is the big one – by having parents register, you can get their e-mail address. Having the parents’ e-mail address lets you communicate directly with them. You send an update on how the free class went (more on that later). You can send a quick e-mail reminder on the final day of registration for your paid class. You can send reminders for future classes and quick tips for helping a child learn language at home. Of course, you always want to give them a chance to opt out, but these parents have expressed an interest in having their child learn Spanish. They value education. They are your target market. By sending value-packed information, you can show your commitment to providing high-quality instruction. That allows you to build trust, and THAT is the key to a long-term relationship.
Follow-up with parents (individually, if possible) right after the free class
So you’ve presented a great free class. The kids were into it, you had rockin’ activities, and you can hardly wait for the full session to start. Let the parents know. Send a quick e-mail as soon after your class as possible detailing the songs you sang, the books you read, and how the games went. You might even want to include a link or two to YouTube videos of those songs, if they are available. Convince the parents (in 100 words or less!) that you are an amazing professional and they do NOT want their child to miss out. Keep it positive and low-key, but definitely let them know that you are providing tremendous value.
If possible, make the notes individualized. You probably won’t remember the names of each child, but to the extent that you can, let the parents know not just how “the kids” did, but how Emma or Aiden did specifically. Again, this shows that you are more interested in the kids than in the money. If a child asked a question, or seemed particularly engaged, try to make a note of that child’s name, so you can mention it specifically in your note.
Of course, sometimes a child is truly disruptive or doesn’t seem emotionally ready for the class. I always let parents know that (nicely and tactfully!), as well because I want them to get their money’s work AND I want the other kids who enroll to have a great class.
Parents are interested not as much in the group in general as they are in their very own little angel. The more you can give them specifics, the more they will see you as a resource and not just a salesperson.
One of the worries I see from teachers who are conflicted about leaving is “What if I miss it?”
And there is a remarkably, incredibly simple answer: Go back.
You CAN go back, and I’m proof
In the vast majority of cases, you can go back to teaching. Maybe not to the same role or the same school, but often to a position you like just as well, or even better. Let me tell you about how I “went back” to the same school on two separate occasions.
The first time, I was able to return to my exact same position after taking a break of two years. After my first year of teaching, I had a chance to study in France for a year. Yes, please!! It was an absolutely incredible year, and I am so happy I didn’t miss it. When I came back to the US, I worked at my college for a year, and then the person who had been hired for my teaching position resigned. A former colleague called me and encouraged me to re-apply. I taught there for another 3 years.
The second time, I resigned from what I truly thought was my dream job – teaching French at a very diverse high school under an administration I adored and that treated me great! But I had a micro-business and 3 kids (2 under age 5). I felt burned out, and didn’t want to miss the last years before my youngest went to kindergarten. So I regretfully, but resolutely, turned in my letter of resignation.
(True story: The day I turned it in, I noticed at the end of the day that the toes on one foot were hurting. Looking down at my feet , I realized I had worn two different shoes all day long! I took that as I sign that I was at a breaking point and resigning was indeed the right decision!)
Again, it was a good decision to resign, but I missed the students and my amazing co-workers.
Two years later, I bumped into my former AP, who mentioned that they might have a position opening up. She wanted to know if I’d be interested. As it turned out, they hired me for my honest-to-goodness dream position – teaching and supporting students who had recently arrived in the US and had almost no English language skills. I took it and brought a renewed sense of excitement with me. It was wonderful to be back!
Keeping your options open for a return
The bottom line is that very few decisions in life are final. So let’s talk about some best-practices if you want to keep those doors open for the future, just in case.
Leave on a positive note.
This has been a hugely rough year for all of us. You might be leaving with great feelings about your admin or really bitter feelings. My advice is that unless the admin has done something super sketchy, keep that resignation short and sweet, and leave out the drama. (Unless you are leaving because of something illegal or unethical, in which case you may have a duty to report issues.) This isn’t the time to air grievances, especially if there is a chance you might ever want to return. Also, with the passage of time, you may realize that your admin were doing their best during a really sh*tty time in education, just like the rest of us.
Keep in contact.
Once the stress and anxiety have faded and you are once again in a healthy place, go to the occasional concert or sporting event. (Did I mention that it was at a school fundraiser that I ran into that assistant principal, which led to getting re-hired?) Keep in touch with former colleagues, and keep it positive. Let them know you are still with them in spirit. If they miss you, they’ll be more likely to share potential job openings and let you in on the news before it’s public.
Maintain your network of contacts.
Let’s say you’ve had a bad experience at your current school and you never, NEVER want to go back there. That’s cool. But don’t shut yourself off from the teaching community. If you think you’d like to go back one day, stay in your teaching FB groups, especially local ones. Consider volunteering at your state professional conferences, or even presenting, if you have something worthwhile to share. Even though I live on a different continent and don’t ever plan to return to the States to teach, I’m still in touch with a number of former colleagues from each of the schools I taught at, as well as an active member in FB groups for US teachers. It’s not because I’m planning to return; it’s because I genuinely like them. However, it also won’t hurt me to have a ton of active contacts if I ever did need to go back.
Rethink your vision of a teaching career.
When I started teaching, the ideal teaching career was seen as hiring on at a particular school, remaining there for 35-40 years, then retiring. But things do change, you know. Given the current demands on educators, I think a much more manageable career track is to plan for a number of shorter teaching experiences, separated by jobs outside the field of education. Besides teaching, I have worked as a university admission counselor, been a stay-at-home mom, and run a micro-business. These breaks allowed me to re-evaluate my relationship with education. Each time I left teaching, I had to ask myself, “Do I really want to go back?” So far, the answer has always been “Yes.” (But only after a couple of years away!) 🙂 No, there isn’t any guarantee you will be re-hired, but given the teacher shortage, I’d say your chances are pretty good at the moment.
There you have it! My story of returning to teaching and my best tips to make it possible. Have you returned to teaching? What are your best tips to get back into education after leaving?
As I write this, my heart is so heavy. The news of the Texas tragedy is fresh, and I feel broken for the many teachers who have decided that they have to leave the toxic environment that is education in the US in 2022.
I hope this isn’t you. I hope you feel loved and valued and enlivened by your job.
But for those whose future is outside the classroom, let’s talk plans.
For the record, before we moved to Norway in 2019, we spent 2+ years planning, researching, and saving. And while we didn’t foresee every hiccup, we did a darn good job and landed quite firmly on our feet.
Part 1 – Mindsets
Before we start on the tactics, remember that mindset matter tremendously in how well you will manage the transition.
Let yourself feel the feels.
I don’t know about you, but for me teaching brings me alive. It is all I really wanted to do for a career.
I think of my grandma who talked about her 5th grade classroom more and more as she aged. It was clearly her “happy place.” She remembered students’ names and the funny things they said. She told me more times than I can count how she could get a pound of bologna, a loaf of bread, and half a gallon of milk for some small amount, and she would feed all the the kids in her classroom who didn’t bring a lunch. This was during the Great Depression, and to her dying day, she declared with pride, “No kid ever went hungry in MY classroom!”
Now, if teaching is simply a job to you, there is NO SHAME in that. But if, like grandma, it is something you treasure, you will grieve. In leaving teaching, you are losing something you love, something that makes you who you are.
Give yourself permission to be angry, sad, disgusted, whatever. Please try not to judge whatever emotions you feel, because they are real. Yes, of course, at some point we have to move on, but we also have to acknowledge the loss.
Define yourself by “I am the type of person who…” instead of a job description.
Recently, I finished Atomic Habits by James Clear, and one of the huge take-aways was that people who define themselves as “the type of person who” are often able to transition more easily than people who identify themselves with a job title.
Think about what makes you a great teacher, and start identifying yourself with those characteristics, instead of merely as a “teacher.” For example, I am the type of person who cares about vulnerable people, who stands up for justice, and who sees the good in others. All of those characteristics come out when I am teaching, but they also come out through this blog. It’s not a mistake that I spend so much time uplifting teachers, cheering them on, and encouraging them to set healthy boundaries.
So, yes you may be a teacher, but what characteristics make you a great one?
Bonus points: Giving some serious thought to what characteristics are important to you can also help you home in on careers that you’ll love.
OK, now that we’ve talked a bit about some important mindsets, let get to action steps.
Part 2 – Action steps
Read your contract.
Before you do anything else, please read your contract. Contracts contain so many pieces of vital information, and yet very few of us actually read them. Specific points to look for include
*procedures and consequences for resigning mid-year
*required work hours
*whether sick days are paid out or just lost
*unpaid leave options (in case you’d like to take a year’s leave instead of actually resigning)
*required activities out of school.
Even if you are not planning to leave immediately, knowing what is in your contract can save you time and heartache. One teacher I know of had been tutoring after school for an hour a week, as had her co-workers, for years. They didn’t like it, but their principal told them it was in the contract. When one of them actually read the contract, surprise, it was NOT in there anywhere, and they had been taken advantage of all that time.
You’ll also want to be very aware of whether there are consequences to quitting mid-year. In some places, you simply have to give 30 days’ notice. In others, your corporation can hold your license or even fine you thousands of dollars. NOT something you want to find out after you’ve accepted another job in October.
Consider your leave teaching timeline and next steps.
Before you make any plans, it’s important to know your ideal timeline. It doesn’t have to be exact, but you do need to know whether you are measuring your time in the classroom in weeks, months, or years.
Now simply knowing your ideal timeline doesn’t mean you will be able to leave on that timeline, but it can help you to make solid decisions that will get you closer to that goal.
Knowing whether you plan to start another career, start a business, or retire can be a major influence on your timeline, as well. Job searches often take longer than we estimate. One estimate says that for every $10K in salary, you should allow a month of job searching. And after starting 4 businesses, I can attest that it almost always takes longer than you think to begin earning significant income. I’m all about entrepreneurship, but it’s probably not going to replace your teaching salary for the first couple of years.
Face your finances.
Money is a source of stress for a lot of people, and that makes it harder to delve into. But this step is absolutely essential, no matter what route you plan to take after teaching. If you plan to retire, start a business, or stay home with young kids, you obviously need to make sure you have a solid plan in place. But even if you plan to switch careers, it’s a good idea to know how much you HAVE to earn, in addition to how much you WANT to earn.
In my weekly newsletter, I recently shared a job posting for an Education Specialist at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. It didn’t list a salary, but with an amazing job like that, I’ll bet it wasn’t too impressive. What if that was your dream job, but it meant a pay cut? You’ll want to know whether it is an option or whether a pay cut is out of the question.
What I mean by facing your finances is knowing how much it takes to pay for essentials each month, as well as how much you usually spend. What’s more, if you are eager to get out of teaching, stronger finances translate into better options. If you have significant savings or lower fixed expenses, you can take a few more risks and maybe even consider leaving before you have a job lined up if your mental health is suffering.
Our Money Master spreadsheet can help you try out various scenarios. By plugging in the numbers, you can see how extra income, lower expenses or more savings will impact your “leave by” date.
Find a support system and resources.
Major life changes take an emotional toll, and there are going to be days you need a group of people who “get it.” There are a ton of FB groups for teachers who want to leave teaching. Of course, my favorite is the Classroom to Home Leave Teaching group. But they all have their own style and personality, and you should choose one that feels right to you.
Podcasts, blogs, and other social media can also be great resources when you’re feeling discouraged. Have a list of favorites that will help pull you out of a funk, because you’ll have some rough days.
Improve your work/live balance by setting boundaries.
I hate to say this, but it needs to be said. A lot of teachers are in completely toxic and emotionally abusive environments. What they do will never be enough. And just like any other toxic relationships, you have to protect yourself.
If you’ve already read your contract, you’ll know what is actually required. It will take some practice but begin saying “no” to extra duties and committees. You’ll need the time to do a decent job search or devote to building your business income.
Also, stop striving for the optimal lesson and go for the streamlined lesson. I know I’m going to get pushback on this, but please hear me out. When you are the only one who cares about the extra hours you spend and NO amount of extra work will ever finish everything, it is time to prioritize yourself. Angela Watson is the master here, and you’ll want to check out her blog for specific tips on cutting the hours you spend on schoolwork while still running an effective classroom.
Here are some quick suggestions, though.
Take fewer grades.
Give more multiple-choice tests.
Have kids trade and grade.
Give them time to read in class.
And focus on building routines that will make your life easier.
For the love of Pete, use some class time to do paperwork, even if it means letting the kids watch an educational video for a while.
Most importantly, get out the duct tape and use it to shut up that little voice in your head that says you should be doing more, or better, or different. You are enough. Your teaching is enough. And you deserve to have free time.
Those are my top tips for crafting an exit plan, but I know there are lots of other things I could have mentioned. Next week, we’ll take a closer look at the details of building a plan. What are your favorite tips for managing a major life transition?
It’s easy to feel beat down and burned out right now. Education is tough these days. But instead of thinking of your transition as getting you away from something awful, try imagining all of the wonderful things you want to have in your life.
Have you always dreamed of travel? Do you love the idea of working from home with your pet cuddling on your lap? What about owning your own business and being your own boss? All of these things (and a lot more) are possible for you.So your first step is to daydream: think about what really matters in your life. What would your life look like if you had those things?
After you have done some daydreaming, pull out paper and pencil. Write down your vision of life, in as much detail as possible. (Include the ability to just stand up and walk to the bathroom whenever the heck you want to!) The more detail you can include, the more you will feel the excitement of running toward this vision.
Dreams into reality
On a practical note, if you are undecided about what your next career might look like, this will also help you to determine what you are most drawn to. If you envision yourself working in your own back yard as you sip lemonade on a lovely summer day, you might realize that remote work is your ideal.
On the other hand, if you are dreaming more about the excitement of meeting new challenges and solving problems, maybe life as an entrepreneur is more your speed.
And what if you are just wondering if you can retire yet? Your writing can give you important clues as to what retirement means for you. Is it traveling to distant lands, visiting grandkids more often, or just having a job that doesn’t suck your soul dry?
So if you are considering leaving the classroom, whether you want to get out yesterday, or in a few years, few things will help you more than having a clear vision for what you want your next act to look like.
If you are considering leaving education, you know it is more than a job change. For many of us, it can bring feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and even guilt. Whether you want to work from home, start a business, change careers, or stay active while you enjoy your retirement, read on for tools, tips, and teacher wisdom to help you find the keys to your next adventure.
To my niece, Madeline Roberts, and every first year teacher ever, but especially this year
Dear First Year Teacher,
First of all, let me say how proud of you we are. You have completed your studies, field experiences, and student teaching. But more importantly, you have chosen a career that has the betterment of society and humankind as its primary goal. Whether you are teaching pre-K or college, in the North America, in Africa, South America, Asia, Australia, Europe, or Antarctica, it is our shared task as educators to formally pass on the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of humankind.
That’s a heck of a job for seasoned teachers in “normal” times. It’s going to be a herculean task for a first year teacher during a global pandemic. So I wanted to share a few thoughts with you that you might be able to pull out during the discouraging moments and know that you are far from alone.
You are NOT alone.
From Socrates to Mary McLeod Bethune, from Jaime Escalante to Lao-Tzu, from your very own favorite teachers to your new colleagues down the hall, throughout human history teachers have sought to uplift, encourage, challenge, and enlighten their students. It is not an easy task. But you are joining a proud profession. If you are teaching virtually, you may feel more alone than most teachers have in recent memory. You are not. Hundreds of thousands of current and former teachers are praying for you, holding you in the light, cheering you on, or however you prefer to think of it.
You will fail, sometimes miserably.
There will be days when you wonder if you have made the right choice. (Um, those may be the good days.) There will be others when you are absolutely certain you have not. You will lose your temper, forget something essential, have lessons that flop. We all do. The hallmark of a ‘good’ teacher – whatever that is – is to acknowledge that you are also learning, that you are human, and that you will keep trying.
Then get up, dust yourself off, and give it your best again the next day. Please believe me when I say, only the rotten teachers never question themselves. Reflection is necessary, but often painful because it forces us to recognize where we fall short of our ideals. It is also the only path to improvement. Hang in there.
Do not expect to be every kid’s favorite teacher.
When I started teaching, I wanted to be that ‘one’ teacher that every kid went to, related to, and looked forward to each day. And then I realized how insanely arrogant that was.
My teaching style didn’t suit every kid, and neither did the styles of my colleagues. Just as there is no one best way to be a friend or a parent or a sibling, there is certainly no one best way to be a teacher. Some of the students loved Tim, my fun and freewheeling colleague. But some felt more comfortable in my structured and more predictable class. While some kids are going to relate to you, others will relate better to other teachers. That’s cool.
The important thing is that every child has someone in their corner and knows it. Some kids are going to love your class, and honestly, some will probably hate it – no matter what do you. It is our job to work to maximize that first group, and minimize the second. It is also our job to care about and do our best for every child no matter which group they fall into. And no matter how many times they tell you they are in that second group, which they will. Just don’t make the same mistake that I did and get your feelings hurt when you aren’t the favorite teacher of every. single. kid. Remember, it takes a whole village, and while we are each a part of that village, we are only one part of it.
But do expect yourself to try to make every kid feel like they are YOUR favorite. Yes. Every kid.
One night in high school, we were all reminiscing about our elementary teacher, Mrs. Olmsted. Then someone commented, “I always felt just a little bit bad because I was her favorite.” Immediately, there was a chorus of protest, “No way, I was her favorite!” “You’ve got to be kidding me, I was definitely her favorite.” (This from a kid who the rest of us were sure had NEVER been any teacher’s favorite!)
We realized that every single one of us literally thought we were her favorite student, including me – and I had only been in her class for about a week before she was switched to a different class. When I thought back on what made me honestly believe that she liked me better than the other students, it was the fact that she listened first, and tried to understand.
Case in point: I was a flakey kid and no matter how hard I tried, I was always forgetting my homework or losing it or something. When she asked for us to get out the first assignment of the year, I realized that I had forgotten to do it – AGAIN! – and resolved into tears.
She got the other kids started on some seat work, then gently led me to the hallway. In between gasping sobs (which some teachers would have had no patience for since she still didn’t even know why I was crying) I explained that I had wanted to do better this year (third grade, I think, but maybe fourth) and I was already messing up again. And instead of telling me how important it was that I complete my work, she told me how proud she was that I wanted to do well. And other stuff. I don’t remember, honestly.
I do remember that she made a special deal with me and that we formulated a plan and that she promised me that we would figure it out together. And she made me feel like I was the most important student in the class, just like she did for all the others.
Now, Mrs. Olmsted was a pro, no question about it. And I think I have already mentioned that you will fail a fair bit this year, so there are probably going to be lots of times when you feel like you screw this up. But I imagine that Mrs. Olmstead had days when she felt like she screwed it up, as well. The important thing is that you try. And keep on trying day after day. Listen, care, teach, repeat.
Take care of your future.
Okay, I AM a personal finance blogger, so you knew this was coming, and here it is.
Put something aside from Every. Single. Paycheck. Ideally, you would create an emergency fund and then max out your IRA. But don’t let the ideal stop you from the realistic. If all you can afford is $5, $10, or $20 buck, do that, but do it automatically and every single week. (If you want a great resource for financial planning that is specific to teachers, check out One Million Apples, one of my favorite podcasts.)
Now let me explain why this is so important for teachers. I have spent the last month reading posts from people who are pregnant, living with someone at high risk of COVID-19, or at high risk of COVID-19 themselves. In some cases, their districts are either unwilling or unable to provide them with a safe environment. If they have no savings, they have to make the impossible choice of whether to quit work and let their bills go unpaid, or go back and put lives at risk.
But even in situations that are not life or death, you want to be able to make your decisions based on what is right, without having to worry about whether you are putting yourself financially at risk. At one school where I taught, a teacher was accused of bullying by several reliable students. He was very popular with the administration, the newly hired ‘golden boy’,but no one knew him very well. Unfortunately, a number of students related specific instances of him belittling them for asking valid questions and generally making fun of them, among other things.
I reported the students’ claims to the administration and became pretty unpopular. It wasn’t a fun time, but at least I didn’t have to worry about finances. I knew 100% that if the situation took too much of a toll on my mental health, I could walk and still pay my bills with no problem. It never came to that, but the bottom line is that just KNOWING I had the option to leave made it bearable to stay.
So while the philosophical tips in 1-4 are important, don’t forget the practical advice in #5.
As anyone who has ever taken my class can attest, I could go on and on. There are a million and one things you will learn as a first year teacher. It will be like the best movie you’ve ever seen. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll come back again and again. Find yourself some amazing, positive colleagues (who have your back when you need it), make yourself some popcorn, and enjoy! This one is going to be a doosy.
