This is my rage post. I am hitting the keys on my computer as if my fingers are prize fighters trying to land the knock-out punch. OMG. I am SO angry.
And I know why I am angry. It comes in three parts. 1) What happened 2) Why I wasn’t ready 3) What I’m doing now
But there is a fourth part, too, and that’s why I think that writing about it could help YOU!
So here’s the sitch.
What happened
This morning I had a fight with my child over something silly. I did something nice for them while they were sleeping, and they didn’t believe I had done it (they didn’t fully wake up) so they yelled at me that I had not, in fact, done what I knew I had done.
Now, as most mothers of tweens know, being disrespected is part of the job description. (Note: I DO expect my kids to treat me with respect, but I am 100% NOT going to try to make that happen when we are both beyond pissed. We will revisit it later when we are both more rational.)
Anyway, I did my best to avoid saying anything I’d regret later, and instead vented to my husband.
Why I wasn’t ready
It’s been a rough winter. Like R-O-U-G-H. A member of the family has been struggling with serious health issues, and we’ve just been trying to keep it together and support that person. Plus keep track of daily life for the other members of the family. Plus keep up with appointments with counselors, doctors, and so on. Plus deal with all the extra needs of my students after 2 years of a global pandemic.
And my partner was traveling for business all last week. We thought about having him cancel the trip, but it was truly important and came at a critical time for the start-up he works for. Plus, things had been improving over the past couple of weeks.
And overall, things went well while he was away. But all week long, I had been focusing on my own emotional control. – reining myself in at school, at home, everywhere. Trying to be what everyone needed me to be. And I had done a really great job.
So my tank was empty. Like, super, super, empty. I had reached the limits of my emotional control. And this morning, I just lost it. (Not at my kid, but yeah, later with my partner.)
What I’m doing now
I’m sitting in a café, looking out the window, eating a cinnamon roll and drinking a mocha latte. And typing. Because writing is what heals me.
When I was able to, I left. Not (too) meanly, or grumpily, but yeah, a little. Because I need to get ME back. For the past 3 months or so, I have been putting ME on hold. And you know what? I’m cool with that. I’m actually a little proud of it. Because my family and my students needed me. And I stepped up.
But I also need to pay attention to me. And when I burst into tears this morning, and didn’t even raise my arms to hug my partner back, I knew I had overdrawn my own emotional bank account. I needed to put something back.
The kitchen isn’t going to get cleaned today. The laundry won’t get finished. But I am going to sit here and type until my fingers hurt, and then take the train to along the fjord and walk around Sandness (the next big-ish town) in the sunlight.
And I’m not going home until I feel like it. Then, if I’m not feeling any better, I might do something similar tomorrow.
Because, Lordy, I need it.
And then I’m going to go back and be a rock for my family and my students again. And I’ll BE ABLE TO because I listened to my own needs and took care of me.
Why it matters to you
Teaching requires tremendous emotional control. Like, probably more sustained patience than any other paid job in the world. If you are a mother, congrats! You also have a home life that requires a tremendous emotional control. Not to mention the sheer number of demands that both teaching and mothering entail. Planning, organizing, motivating, accommodating, and about a million other tasks.
And (don’t take this personally or anything) You. Are. Human.
I know, I know. We’re not supposed to be. Society expects both mothers and teachers to be perfect. But (again, don’t take this personally) we are not. We are humans. Perhaps a lot MORE human than “ordinary” people because we have such caring hearts. And when we can’t fix something, or someone believes we did something wrong, it hurts – a lot.
It is essential for us to listen when our emotions tell us that we have had enough, and to get away. Or get with friends. Or get in our bed and not let anyone disturb us for an entire day. Whatever you need and can manage.
If you already have time for yourself build in, and you are honoring that commitment to yourself, massive kudos to you. You can quit reading now. You’ve already got the idea.
But if there is a little voice in the back of your mind whispering, “But…”, then please continue. This is for you.
Whatever your “but” may be – “But I’m a single mom,” “But I have so much to do,” “But I can’t afford it,” I want you to give some thought to whether that is really a reason or an excuse for not tending to your own needs. Like, if you got a call that your kid was in an accident, you’d find a way to get there, even if they were 3 states away.
Tending to our own needs often doesn’t feel urgent, so we ignore it. But that’s when teachers (and parents) snap and do something that gets them in trouble at work, or damages a relationship at home.
I know it’s hard. We keep telling ourselves we can hang on just a little longer. And sometimes, there is something you just have to get through. I get it. Notice, I didn’t leave my kids home alone while my husband was out of town. But when I knew I had pushed myself as much as was safe, and it was possible to take some time out, I didn’t KEEP pushing myself. Even though I did want a clean kitchen and finished laundry.
Now, an hour into writing, my fingers are no longer prize fighters. They’re gentle, but purposeful. Focused. Happily energetic. And when I get home later today, I’m going to hug my husband, and tell my kid that she is more important than any silly argument. And I’ll actually mean it!
If one thing has become clear over the past 2+ years, it is that a teacher without healthy boundaries is on a fast track to burnout or mental breakdown. But it’s not always easy for us to set boundaries. I mean, how do you set boundaries when all of society expects teachers to give every shred of themselves for the job? And what about the fact that even when we try to set boundaries, we meet with resistance or pushback. Or worse, the dreaded TEACHER GUILT?
Well, part of the reason that boundaries can be so difficult is that there are a number of myths and misunderstandings about boundaries. And if we want to actually be successful at setting healthy boundaries – instead of merely beating ourselves up for not having them, we’ll need to replace them with more accurate boundary paradigms.
Myth #4 – You are either good at setting Healthy boundaries or you’re not
For some reason, people seem to think setting boundaries is a toggle switch: either you can or you can’t. Either you do or you don’t. That’s like thinking that writing or math or swimming or dance is a toggle switch and you either can or you can’t. Sounds ridiculous, right?
Like all of those activities, setting healthy boundaries is a skill. A skill that takes practice, and a skill that has a variety of levels of ability.
No one would ever “decide” that they were going to get better at writing or dance and then be puzzled when the next time they tried they weren’t automatically brilliant just because they “decided” to be.
They would realize that they were going to have to practice, and learn, and practice some more. And then after practicing – and messing up – repeatedly, they would slowly improve.
Setting boundaries is the same way. It takes practice. It takes messing up and trying again. If we try a couple of times and then tell ourselves “Well, I tried, but I’m just not good at it,” we’re shortchanging ourselves just as much as that kid who tries a math worksheet and then throws down his pencil in frustration, yelling, “I’ll NEVER be good at math!” It’s not true for him, and it’s not true for us, either.
How to fix it
Just like that kiddo, we need to understand that learning a new skill is a process, and celebrate even minor victories. You agreed to be on the committee, but NOT to be responsible for taking notes? WAY TO GO! You’re still checking school email after hours, but limit it to two times per evening? SUPER!
Talk to yourself like you do your students who struggle, and you’re a lot more likely to stick with it – AND improve in major ways.
Myth #3 – Setting healthy boundaries is an easy, comfortable process
We’ve just mentioned how boundary setting is a skill, like dancing or football or any other sport. When you start practicing a sport, you often experience some discomfort, often in the form of sore muscles. In the same way, you might experience some discomfort when learning to set healthy boundaries. It will take a while to say things in a way that you feel comfortable, and you will probably feel awkward.
That doesn’t mean that you aren’t good at it or that you should stop trying. It just means that you are pushing yourself emotionally. With time, you’ll strengthen those “boundary muscles” just like if you were swimming, you’d strengthen physical muscles.
How to Fix it
In short, push through. Don’t give up just because you feel uncomfortable or awkward. Acknowledge that it is part of the process of learning and growing, and just keep trying, even when you don’t feel like it.
Myth #2: If other people don’t like your boundaries, you’ve done something wrong
If you are the go-to person for last-minute proofing or for creating a fun game for the team to use or for covering someone else’s duty, you might get some pushback the first few times you say no. That doesn’t mean you are doing anything wrong. It means that you are asking someone to change the way they relate to you, and some people don’t really like change. Especially when it means that you will no longer be making their life easier in some way that makes your own life harder.
Let’s say that you have always responded to parent emails almost immediately, but decide that you will only respond during school hours. You send out a notice that because of the impact after-hours are having on your personal time, you will be responding to emails only between the hours of X:00 AND X:00. You will probably have some parents who are grumpy when you don’t shoot back a response.
That doesn’t mean the boundary isn’t worth having or that you have made a mistake. It is a predictable part of setting boundaries. Have a ready response and stick to it.
Also, when people realize that you are going to stick to your boundaries, they tend to accept it. Remember, boundaries teach other people how to treat you, and it might take a while for them to re-learn how you expect to be treated. But it doesn’t mean they can’t learn, it just means that it will take time.
How to Fix it
Expect and prepare for pushback. Explain calmly and rationally why you have changed your policy. (If you choose to.) Then hold your boundary and press on.
Let me give you an example of a boundary I’m still working on. My beloved kids don’t do as much work around the house as I would like. A few years ago, I decided it had to change. I moved my boundaries, and gave each of them a job that had to be completed on Saturday. You would have thought I was asking them to move the Pyramid of Giza stone by stone to the other side of the world. But after about 2 months of weekly complaints and frothing at the mouth, they realized that this was how it was going to be. Now it’s no big deal, just a part of normal life.
I have since added other responsibilities to what I expect of them, and we follow the same pattern each time. Complaints, grumping, and general unhappiness for a while, and then they re-learn that boundary. And for the record, I’m still not happy with my boundaries in relationship to the proportion of housework Mom and Dad do vs. how much the kids do. But just like I encouraged you to do, I’m trying not to beat myself up about it. Instead of telling myself that I’m a terrible mom and my kids will never learn responsibility and it’s all my fault (which I totally WOULD have done a few years ago!), I’m trying to celebrate the progress we have made, and continue to work toward my ideal.
You might have noticed that we are at myth #2. There is one myth about healthy boundaries that is SO ingrained, SO prevalent, and SO damaging, that it needs to be tackled on its own. Check in next week to see what it is. You might have a pretty good idea already, if you give it some thought.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about crafting an escape plan, but as I looked over it, I realized it was a bird’s-eye-view kind of post. Good info, but very “big picture.” Today, we’re going to focus more on the details of getting out of teaching and into another career.
Do your research
Once you have figured out what job titles you are interested in, research what qualifications companies are listing for that position. (Quick reminder: You do NOT need to have 100% of the qualifications to apply. Many people advise that you apply if you possess 60-70% of the desired “required” qualification.”) Often, you’ll see skills that you already have, but that don’t show up in your resume, partly because it just comes so naturally to you.
Look, I know teachers can design curriculum, and you know teacher can design curriculum. But sometimes there’s got to be a line on your resume that states you can design curriculum. So as Natalie Merchant says, “Hey, give ‘em what they want.”
You have a couple of options here. First, you can re-work your resume to make those skills more obvious. For example, add a line that states, “Designed and implemented a complete physical education curriculum for grades 1-6, with a focus on age-appropriate activities and reinforcing and re-entered previously-acquired skills.” Obviously, you’ll need to tailor it to your specific situation, but ensure that the words “design curriculum” are on the resume.
Second, you can fill that gap with volunteer, contract, or part-time work. For example, if you keep seeing “supervisory experience” as a required qualification, you can either make it clear that in supervising your classroom you demonstrated the necessary skills: providing feedback, monitoring progress, assessing work, etc. Or, you could ensure that summer and volunteer activities include a supervisory component. Which brings us to our next point.
Build your resume and make $$
When I am considering which job postings to share in my weekly newsletter, I love to include contract or part-time opportunities that provide a specific job title. If you want to go into corporate training, your resume will look stronger if you have at least some experience teaching adult learners. Volunteer work counts, but if you can build the emergency fund up a bit WHILE you are building your resume, that’s even better, IMO.
And in case you are thinking, “How can I even consider doing anything outside of what is required at school? I can barely manage now!” I understand. Keep reading.
Limit your teaching hours
This one is tough for so many of us, but I just keep hammering on it. You are paid to do a job. Do the job. Then stop. If they require more, respectfully list the items on your to-do list that THEY are requiring, and ask which you should de-prioritize.
For decades, teachers have sacrificed their personal time to create engaging lessons (that are often not appreciated), provide meaningful feedback (which recent studies show doesn’t significantly improve student outcomes) and do all sorts of “above and beyond” work. I was cool with that for a while, but when the commitment is all going one direction (from teachers to the system) and never the other way, it becomes an unhealthy relationship. Start distancing yourself now. Do your job, and protect your personal time.
Be open to pivots
I have now started 3 different businesses. One of the maxims of the small business community is “You don’t have to get it RIGHT; you just have to get it GOING.”
In other words, no matter how much research you do, there are certain things you can learn only by taking action. For example, I originally thought I wanted to run Classroom to Home 5 days a week and quit teaching. But I realized that I missed teaching horribly, and wasn’t as happy when I sat in front of a computer all day. Even though I love this blog/business, I still need time in front of a classroom to be truly happy. There is no amount of research that would have told me that, because I could only learn that by trying it.
You may be convinced that you want to be a corporate trainer or a real estate agent, only to realize once you get into that position that it isn’t what you thought it would be. That doesn’t mean you made a mistake. It means you learned something. As Chandler from Friends says, “PIVOT!!!!!!” And don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s 100% part of the process.
Network in person and online
Get in touch with people you haven’t talked to in a long time. No, I don’t mean in a creepy way, as if you are selling something. But all those people that you have been thinking, “Wow, I miss so-and-so. I need to shoot them an email,” and then you get busy and don’t. Well, do!
Ask them how they are. Remind them of a memory you have together. But again, do it because you genuinely like and miss them, not because you want to gain something.
I once interviewed with a woman that I really clicked with. Unfortunately, because of a change in my personal situation, I had to turn down the job offer when it turned out I would not be moving to that city after all. But during the next 3-4 years, I would drop her a quick line every year or so when something in my classroom made me think of her. By chance, I DID move there a few years later, and she had a position open. Martha Finneran was one of my best bosses ever, and even became a dear personal friend. Come to think of it, I need to give her a call!
Believe in yourself
I am currently listening to Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo, who I just adore BTW. If you ever need a pick-me-up, you’ve got to check her out! One of the things she hammers home is “The Magic of Belief” which also happens to be the title of chapter 3. And I am 100% with her on this one.
As teachers, we see this all the time in our kids. There are some who just don’t believe they will ever be any good at ________ (math, writing, art, sports, whatever!). And as a teacher, it is really hard to help them with the skills until they have the belief that they can do it.
Guess what! We are the same way.
But overcoming those negative perceptions of ourselves is harder for some people than for others. I am an adoptive mom, and I know that early experiences can make it super hard for some people to trust themselves – to believe that they are good and capable and worthy. But I’m going to tell you right now that I believe so much in you! Honestly, even though I don’t know you. Because I have never met anyone who didn’t have a superpower, and I know you do, too.
Here is a trick that helped me when I was struggling so much with my self-image. I decided what I “wanted” to be that I didn’t believe I was. Then, as I was falling asleep every night, I told myself again and again that I was that. For example, I might repeat to myself, “I am a patient and intuitive mom who trusts herself and her children.” Or, “I am an excellent test-taker. I just seem to get all of the answers right.” One simple sentence, and I would repeat it 100 times.
It sounds so goofy, but your brain doesn’t know the difference between these manufactured thoughts and your “real” thoughts about your abilities. Every single time I do this, within about a week, I notice a change in my confidence level.
So whether you are looking to change careers ASAP or 5 years from now, you will feel better and get farther by implementing these strategies. What do you think? Did I miss any? Let me know!
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?
Any major life change can bring up self-doubt and fears, but leaving teaching can be especially challenging, especially if it’s the only career, you have ever known, perhaps the only one you ever dreamed of.
Uncertainty can be overwhelming at times. What if I miss teaching? What if I hate my new position? What if no one will hire me? What about insurance? Will my kids be sad that I can’t spend the whole summer with them anymore?
Our Big worry: What if I regret it?
That last question is, I think, at the heart of all the others. What if I take this huge, scary step, and then realize that I liked my life better the way it was before? In all honesty, I think it is sometimes the feeling of regret that we worry about more than anything else. What if I realize I made a mistake? What if I feel stupid?
It’s an understandable fear, isn’t it? We have a ton of proverbs and aphorisms that tell us to stay where we are. “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” Out of the frying pan, into the fire.” “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
But never taking a chance is also a path to a ho-hum (or worse) life. And that’s not what you want, nor what I want for you.
If you are thinking about leaving teaching (or have already decided you need to), but are still plagued by these worries, I want to share a couple of guidelines with you that helped me stop worrying, and even better, kept me from regretting any well-informed decision I have made.
#1 I will make the best decision I can with the information I have now, and I will not expect myself to know the future.
Let me tell you a little story. As you know, we moved to Norway in 2019, and our kids were a huge reason why. We love the fact that our kids have more freedom, more safety, and less pressure in school (no standardized tests!) than we could have dreamed of in the US. We love the fact that as long as they live here, they will never, ever go bankrupt trying to pay for a medical procedure or have to choose between paying the rent and buying necessary medication. We love the fact that even if they don’t go to college, they can earn a living wage and have a good life. So it’s fair to say that we are pretty happy with the choice we made.
For the record, we didn’t rush into the decision, either. We spent over 2 years planning, researching, talking, and preparing. At one point, I could probably tell you more about apartment availability and food prices in Oslo than anyone who hadn’t lived there!
But you can’t research the future. So when Putin invaded Ukraine, and I was running around looking for iodine tablets for the kids in case – well, you know – I could have had an absolutely huge meltdown/guilt trip/beat up on myself extravaganza.
I’m going to be honest, decisions don’t get a lot more serious than that. Did I move to Norway trying to give my kids a better life, only to put them in proximity to a nuclear disaster? I don’t know. No one does. No one knows what will happen in the next year or two or ten.
You don’t know the problems that would have come from the decision you don’t take
But I also don’t know what would have happened if we had stayed in the US. Would one of the kids been injured or killed in a car wreck? (Traffic fatalities are exceedingly rare in Norway.) Would my daughter have had to learn not to make eye contact with men because they might catcall her? Would my child with test anxiety have spent their school years in a state of “quiet desperation” trying to pass state tests and compete for a place at a top university?
I don’t know. I don’t know how any of this will turn out. But I do know one thing: my partner and I made the best decision I could with the information I had at that time. And it was a LOT of information.
Knowing that, I’m going to be gentle with my present and former self. I’m not going to let myself – or anyone else – make me regret making the best decision I could with the information I had.
Even if the day should come when we do, indeed, need to leave Norway for safety or other reasons, I will always honor myself and the decision I made.
What does that do?
What that does is actually massive. It frees you from guilt and regret. As long as you have done your research and acted on it reasonably (Please note: we would NOT have moved to Ukraine in the middle of a war. That would not have been prudent!), you don’t have to feel bad. You shouldn’t feel bad.
Honor yourself and the decision you made with the information you had, knowing you made the best decision you could at the time.
#2 I will pursue this course of action until it no longer makes sense to do so.
This part came from one of my absolute favorite business coaches, Bevin Ferrand. If you have never heard of her, I highly recommend her “Take the Damn Chance” FB group. So good!
But here is the genius in guideline #2. You don’t HAVE to continue just because you have started. Now, granted, there are points at which it is a LOT easier to put on the breaks than others, and I highly recommend listening to your gut here. (I know a woman who cried herself to sleep the night before she got married. She knew it wasn’t going to work out, but she couldn’t back out because everything was arranged and paid for. Please. Don’t. Do. That.)
Let’s say you turn in your letter of resignation. You search for jobs outside of education – no luck. You have already crunched the numbers and know exactly how much you need to make each month. You can make that working part-time at Starbucks, so you start there. But you don’t love it. You miss teaching. There is no law that says you can’t apply for teaching jobs again, possibly at your former school, and possibly at a different district.
This is coming from a teacher who not once, but twice returned to a former school. So I know that of which I speak! But that’s another story.
So let’s say you leave teaching and you miss it horribly. There is nothing that says you can’t go back. True, it can be more difficult as you earn more. Schools don’t like to hire expensive teachers. But there is also a “teacher shortage” of epic proportions, so use it to your advantage.
The bottom line is, almost no decision is truly final. In most cases, you can pivot more easily than you think, especially if you can be flexible. And goodness knows, if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s to be flexible.
There you have it folks, two ideas that will help you manage your transition trepidation.
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?
“I don’t want to be rich if it means I can’t spend time with my family and friends.”
“Money will change you.”
How many of us have grown up hearing exactly those phrases repeated over and over? It’s almost like money is – well – something to be avoided. Seriously, if something is the root of all evil, keeps you from being with family and friends, and will change you, well that’s something I want to seriously avoid.
Money Makes you more of what you are
Luckily, I didn’t hear any of these things growing up, and I don’t believe any of them. On the contrary, I believe that money – like power – often makes people a more extreme version of what they already are, and the reason is related to that very first quote, which, by the way, is incomplete.
The actual quote is, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” And if you want to check that for yourself, just go to 1 Timothy 6:20 in the Bible.
Now that might seem like quibbling over a few little words, but those words change the entire meaning of the quote. It’s not money that is evil, it’s loving money.
My absolute favorite money quote of all time is “Love people and use money, never the other way around.”
In other words, as long as money is a TOOL, not a goal in and of itself, money is a really great thing. Money can do all sorts of good. It can help people who are starving or sick to get life-saving nutrition and medical care. It can allow a family to make life-long memories together. It can provide safe and secure housing. It can provide help for elderly parents who can’t do it all on their own anymore. Shoot, it can even buy you a really cute outfit that makes you feel like you can take on the world!
How to use money and love people
As long as we LOVE people and USE money to benefit people (especially those who are vulnerable), money can be a truly great thing. It’s when we start to LOVE money and USE people to amass more of it, without regard for their human dignity that money becomes a curse.
I’m looking at you, sweatshop owners. I’m looking at you, internet scammers. I’m looking at you, business owners who maximize profits by refusing to pay a living wage. I’m looking at you, billionaires who think it’s more important to send rich tourists to space than to ensure that every child is nourished.
But when we love people and use money, amazing things happen. It can happen when we donate to charity. Children in Guatemala who are trapped in a cycle of poverty can get an education. People without permanent shelter can regain their human dignity with a fixed residence. Families can be healed from the scourge of domestic violence. The earth can be healed from environmental damage.
But money can also make a difference in our own lives, and it’s not evil to have enough money to make our own lives better. Why? So we can pay for counseling to heal past trauma. So we can quit an unfulfilling 2nd job to spend quality time with our kids. So we can travel and be transformed by the wonders of this earth. So we can sleep at night without worrying. Shoot, so we can do something good for ourselves, just because.
Money is freedom to choose your life
In 2019, my partner and I packed up our 3 kids, the family dog, and a significant portion of our worldly possessions, and moved to Norway. Waiting for us was a small basement apartment, some of the highest prices in the world, and no income. Absolutely none.
Almost 3 years in, we agree it is one of the best decisions we could have made for our family. More freedom for the kids. A healthier lifestyle. Better work/life balance. The list goes on.
But we would never have been able to make the move if we hadn’t had the money to pay for a fairly expensive relocation and to cover our expenses until we found jobs.
And that’s why my mission today is to help other teachers become Money Masters. Because although money can’t buy happiness, it can buy options and freedom. And those two things go a long way toward preventing misery.
But I get it. Deeply rooted beliefs don’t just go away because you want them to. We can’t really “logic” away mindsets that we’ve held for years, perhaps without even realizing it. So this is what I’m going to do. Over the next few months, I’m going to create a series about all the reasons teachers SHOULD be money masters, in other words why they should have control of their money, have lots of money, and use it for good.
OK, let’s get real. The last couple of years have been hard for most people, but they have been absolutely brutal for teachers. In other words, a lot of teachers who never thought they would be leaving are suddenly staring a job search in the face.
That can be more than a little anxiety-inducing (as if any teacher needs more anxiety at the moment!!). Especially if you haven’t applied for jobs for years or perhaps never imagined applying for jobs outside of education.
There are so. many. options. Ed-related or new career? Remote or in-person? Full time or part time?
If you are feeling intimidated or even paralyzed, here are 5 questions to help you cut through the overwhelm and focus on positions that are the best fit for you.
What’s my timeline?
When I coach teachers who want to get out of teaching, this is one of the first questions I ask. You don’t need to be exact, but you do need to know whether you are thinking in weeks, months, or years.
If teaching is causing you unmanageable anxiety or serious health issues, you need to get out ASAP. So the priority is going to be finding a job that can reduce your stress and still meet your needs financially.
On the other hand, if you are feeling a vague sense that this isn’t the right career for you long-term, but you still enjoy teaching and want to give it a few more years, that’s a very different situation. You have time to explore your options. Maybe try on different part-time jobs to build your resume and see what you enjoy.
What are my financial needs?
Let’s face it. Most of us work because we want to get paid. So, a big question is “How much money do I need to make short-term and long-term?” You might be able to struggle along for a while on a low salary, but doing it for years can put your retirement at risk. (Going back to question #1, if your mental or physical health is at stake, you are mainly looking for something to get you through a year or so – maybe only several months – until you can recover a bit, so don’t stress too much about long-term if that sounds like you.)
Money details aren’t fun most of the time, but if you are applying for jobs, it’s essential to know how much you need to bring in. You don’t want to eliminate a potential dream job because you “think” you can’t take a pay cut. By the same token, you don’t want to accept a position and then realize you just aren’t earning enough.
Lucky for you, money stuff is my JAM! Yes, I am a dork, but I LOVE it!
If you aren’t sure how much you actually NEED to earn to pay your bills each month, that is our first step. Go through your bank and credit card statements and figure out how much you spend each month for essentials like mortgage, student loan payments, car payment, credit card payments, gas, food, and utilities. Then take another look through and see what recurring charges you have that aren’t essential, but you don’t want to part with, either. Think Netflix, a budget for clothes and treats.
If you’d like to do this WHILE cutting your expenses (and not give up anything you enjoy!) check out the 5-Day Found Money Challenge. It’ll walk you through getting a handle on your finances one easy step at a time, AND help you find extra money you might not even have known you were spending!
Once you know what is going out every month, you know how much you need to bring home. This can be complicated, but fear not! The Money Master Spreadsheet is a ready-to go spreadsheet to help teachers figure out how various money scenarios work out. Just plug in your numbers and then fiddle with them all you want.
Where do I want to be 5 years from now?
I am a huge fan of the 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year plans, but if that is a bit much at the moment, just focus on 5 years. The great thing about the 5-year plan is that you can accomplish a lot in 5 years, but it isn’t so far away that it’s hard to envision.
I recommend that you either write or record this part. Imagine yourself at your dream job 5 years in the future. Now describe it in as much detail as possible. Start with the situation. Do you work alone or with others? In an office or from home? Set hours or variable schedule? Predictable tasks or always something new? Are you given lots of direction and structure, or do you figure out next steps on your own?
Next, think about the content of the job. Are there any things you do now that you want to be a part of your new job? For example, if planning lessons lights you up, include that. Are there talents you have always wanted to develop that you didn’t really get to focus on while teaching? I’ve always loved writing, and I’m so happy that my side-gig allows me to write every day.
Jot it down or talk it out into a voice recorder so you can come back to it in the future. However, just reflecting on what would make you most happy will give you some amazing insights when you are scrolling through job postings.
What gives my life meaning?
An infographic I came across recently defined meaning as either purpose or passion. What’s the difference? Well, they defined passion as more about developing your own potential (“I want to use my talent to create great art/music/literature.”) while purpose is more about making a difference for others (“I want to help kids/stop climate change/save the whales.”)
Of course, for most of us, it is a mix of both. I am passionate about creating learning experiences that move students forward and engage them. But I also feel great purpose in helping create a more just and equitable world and alleviating suffering.
Give some thought to how purpose and passion each add to the richness of your own life and how you would want to apply it in your career. Whether you are looking to pursue a passion, a purpose, or a little of both, you will be happier if your job has meaning for you, so give it some thought.
If this is a particularly important part of who you are, you might want to check out idealist.org to get an idea of the options that are available in the non-profit sector.
What are my personal preferences?
This probably falls into the “nice to have” not the “essential to have” category, but having moved to Norway a few years ago, I can tell you that we Americans really don’t take quality of life issues seriously enough.
I recently shared with a Norwegian friend how much I love getting up at 5:50 since in the US, I used to have to get up at 4:30 to get to school on time. (Three kids. Nuff said.) She about fell over. She couldn’t imagine a situation where getting up at 4:30 is OK long term. Granted, she isn’t a morning person and I am, but 4:30 was pushing it a lot, even for me.
If you are changing careers, you really owe it to yourself to take your own preferences into account. Like, seriously! Think about how absolutely lovely it is to get to go to the bathroom whenever you feel like it during the summer. Ah, bliss! Now imagine how much better your overall life satisfaction would be if you had just a couple more details that really made you happy every day.
Well, there you have it, folks. 5 questions you should ask yourself to cut through the overwhelm and decide what jobs you might want to apply for. But I promised you something more. 1 myth you should leave behind forever. And here it is (drumroll, please!):
Myth: Only apply for jobs that you are “qualified for.”
There is a theory that women take the “requirements” for a job much more literally than men. By some estimates, many women won’t apply for a job unless they meet almost all of the listed “requirements,” while men often apply for a job if they have 2/3 or so.
Now, I am NOT advocating that you go out and apply for jobs that you clearly don’t have the qualifications for. (Most of us are not qualified to do brain surgery or fly a plane!) However, I am going to encourage you to look at those “requirements” more as “suggestions.” A lot of more inclusive employers are even stating that they want people to apply if they match most of the qualifications because they want a larger variety of possible applicants.
Now, this does mean that you might get more rejections, because after all, you are going to be applying for “stretch” positions – positions you could do well with a few months’ experience, but which would take a bit of growth. But I also think you are a lot more likely to find a position you love, and where you are seen as a whole person, and not just a set of skills.
Do you have a question that helps you decide which jobs to pursue? Comment below!
Teachers, we have a problem. A problem that goes beyond toxic administrators, angry parents, and unengaged or disrespectful students. A problem that impacts us every day, whether we are sleeping, eating, grading, or spending time with our families.
That problem, my friends, is the teacher guilt in our own minds. It is our minds telling us that we are responsible in some way for the failure of education. That we should somehow be able to save the world single-handedly, and if we can’t, then it is our fault.
I am not saying that we have created the guilty feelings. On the contrary, our profession has been devalued for so long, it is hard to imagine how our minds would not have soaked up the pervasive messaging. The message that teachers owe our lives to kids, schools, and the profession of teaching.
But that doesn’t change the fact that we, as a group, take way too much on ourselves and cut ourselves far too little slack when we are, well, human.
Do you suffer from teacher guilt?
Do any of these messages ring a bell?
“Teachers aren’t in it for the income. They’re in it for the outcome.”
“Teacher of the year”
“Teaching is a calling.”
“The kids need you.”
“You can’t quit! You are such a GREAT teacher!”
How about the message that teachers who work more hours are better or more worthy than teachers who leave at the bell?
The idea that teachers who take too many sick days should be punished or shamed?
If you have seen any of these, or even thought or shared the meme yourself, you might suffer from teacher guilt.
How can I reduce teacher guilt?
What we have here, folks, is a textbook toxic environment, and the first step in fighting back against a toxic environment is reclaiming our own minds.
As I am sure you are aware, this isn’t going to be easy. It is going to come with discomfort, perhaps grief, and even shame because for so long, we have prided ourselves on being a “good” teacher. Even a “great” teacher. Some days, even an “outstanding” teacher.
And that was one thing 30 years ago, when teaching – although difficult – was actually possible for a mere mortal to accomplish with a modicum of work/life balance.
But that is no longer the case, as most teachers will attest. We are expected to plan standards-based lessons, differentiate for student needs, build a welcoming social environment, monitor bullying, assess student learning, re-teach as necessary, input grades in a timely manner, communicate with parents regarding academic progress, document and notify parents about behavior issues, notify child protective services if we suspect abuse, administer state-mandated testing, and oh yeah (I almost forgot!) ACTUALLY TEACH THE FREAKING LESSON!!!
And that is if you are NOT a special ed teacher who also has a bundle of IEPs slung over her back that makes Santa’s pack look like a clutch handbag! (Shout out to y’all! You are ah-MAZ-ing!
Whew! I’m tired just typing all that crap, and teachers are expected to do it every day, five days a week. For as many as 180 students (500+ for PE, Art, Music, and other specials teachers!).
Here is the point. It is not possible. It’s not. They (whoever “they” is) are expecting too much of us, as a profession.
So you need to take care of yourself. And now I am begging you. At this point, teaching can literally kill you if you take it too seriously. Any idea of how many teachers are on anti-anxiety meds? How many are going to the ER with chest pains due to stress? How many are – for the first time ever – struggling with high blood pressure? Hint: It’s a LOT!
So how can you fight back against teacher guilt? Here are some suggestions.
1) Control your mind.
We are often our own worst enemies, and say things within our own minds that we would never say to anyone else. Start by noticing when you tell yourself something you wouldn’t say to your best friend or to one of your students. Then replace it with a positive.
For example, if you think “I’ve been a teacher for so long. There is nothing else I can do!” Stop! Catch that thought and replace it with a more positive one, such as , “I’ve built a lot of people skills being a teacher,” or “I learned to be a great teacher. I can learn to do other things, too.”
If you need help getting started on a positive mantra, click here for a list of 26 teaching positive mantras for transitioning teachers.
2) Give yourself permission to be Average. Every day.
First, let’s define “average.” Average means neither good nor bad, but in the middle.
To me, average teaching means that you are still a caring and involved teacher with a plan. BUT you plan your lessons and assessments based as much on ease of preparation and grading as you do on any other factor. If it is humanly possible, you spend some class time grading while the kids work silently. You provide feedback in the most efficient way possible. (Think peer editing and self-reflection whenever possible.) And if something doesn’t get done in the time you have allotted, then it doesn’t get done.
It might mean that you grade fewer papers, or that your lessons are less interactive, or that the kids research and do short presentation on a list of topics instead of you giving notes.
It will probably mean that your lessons aren’t rave-worthy, but in 2022, it’s more about surviving than having a home-run lesson every day.
average gets a bad rap.
Seriously. No one wants to be “average” but the truth is we are all average (or even below) at SOME things. So choose what you want to be average at. And if you have spent 15 years being an amazing teacher, 1) it will be hard to really be only “average” 2) your definition of “average” is probably NOT actually average 3) isn’t it time to be amazing at something else, like taking care of yourself?
Even within teaching, choose what you want to be outstanding at and give yourself permission to be average at other things. My classroom decorations were definitely average. (Or below!) But my relationships and level of trust with students were outstanding. And I was cool with that. It was a conscious choice as to where I wanted my limited energy and time to go.
3) Draw boundaries in baby steps
Healthy boundaries SO hard for many of us teachers. We like to get along with our co-workers and supervisors, and we fear “causing trouble”. But setting boundaries is actually an important skill for a balanced and healthy life.
You are not going to be able to suddenly feel comfortable setting boundaries if you haven’t been setting professional boundaries for years. However, you can build up your boundary-setting muscles by picking 1 (maybe 2) areas of focus.
For example, let’s say you have a habit of going to school even when you feel really rotten. Or you say yes to far too many committees, even ones that don’t interest you. Or you spend weekends grading papers instead of relaxing.
Any of those is a great place to start, but tackling all of them at once is going to be hard to maintain without overwhelming guilt. So instead of trying to deal with all of them at ones, pick just a couple. And then really focus on implementing those and pushing back against any feelings of guilt they might cause.
Whichever boundary you choose, realize that setting boundaries is a skill, and just like any skill, it takes practice. If you cross the boundary, don’t give yourself another guilt trip about THAT. Just tell yourself what you would tell a student about learning a new skill, and get right back at it.
Bonus: Celebrate small victories
For years, teachers have been gaslit by society expecting us to solve literally. every. problem. Poverty. Racism. Bullying. The achievement gap. Falling test scores. Uninvolved parents. Childhood Trauma. You name it.
Now, I’m not saying that those issues aren’t worth solving, but I am saying that when one segment of society has been blamed for NOT solving every problem, it plays a bit on your mind. And you start feeling guilty for being unable to do the impossible. So whenever you take a little step without guilt or you push back in your own mind against those guilty feelings. Acknowledge the step you have taken. Even if it is tiny.
The longest short month of the year. I always got depressed in February. SSSSSOOOOOOO long since Christmas break. SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOO long until spring break.
But in the meantime, there’s no better pick-me-up than taking action. (OK. You’re right. A week on a tropical beach without any teacher tasks would DEFINITELY be a better pick-me-up, but you know what I mean.)
Here are three things you can do TODAY to move yourself forward.
Read your contract.
Seriously. If you are thinking about leaving teaching, you need to know what to do to avoid leaving money on the table OR missing some kind of requirement or deadline. Plus, when teachers don’t know what admin can and can’t do, well, some admin can be a bit pushy. (Read: Mislead teachers about what they can, can’t and have to do.) Pay special attention to whether you get paid for unused sick time or personal time.
Hang around the right people
The people you surround yourself with make a difference, even if it’s only on FB. If you want to change your life, you need to get around people who have done or are doing what you want to do. Here are some excellent FB groups, depending on what you want
*If you are interested in changing careers, sign up for Chelsea Maude Avirett’s ed tech job board. Even if you aren’t looking right now, it will give you an idea of what’s out there. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1413717295697474
*If you want to start your own business, check out Stacey Ogden’s Side Hustle Teacher community. Tons of great information about what other teachers are doing on the side. https://www.facebook.com/groups/sidehustleteachers
*If you want to work from home, virtual assistants are big right now. Check out this page for VAs. https://www.facebook.com/tbbva
*If you have ever dreamed of teaching overseas, you don’t want to miss Sorcha Coyle’s Empowering Expat Teachers. Loads of specifics and an amazing group of educators who have been there, done that ALL over the world. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1264742343622793
Make professional connections.
If you aren’t already on LinkedIn, create a profile and start connecting. Unlike 25+ years ago, when I started looking for my first full-time gig, LinkedIN is essential to job hunting, and your connections are a bit part of that. If you want to be a part of our LinkedIn group, it’s a great way to connect. It’s less than 2 weeks old, so we’re small, but growing! https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9154228/
Whatever you do or don’t do this week, cut yourself some slack. It’s tough out there, and if simply making it through the day (with or without crying) is all you can do, mark it down in the victory column.
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.
Shannon Mattern ‘s marketing course, Angela Watson’s website, Money Nerds, Eleanor Oliphant and the Millionaire Next Door. What do they all have in common? They are some of my favorite things.
This is a different kind of post for me. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a while, but just kept putting it off. However, there are some sources that have impacted (and continue to impact) my attitudes and mindsets that I wanted to share with you. Even more important, during rough times – and let’s face it, these are some rough times, especially for teachers! – a book, podcast, blog or course can get you out of a rut or keep your mind on more positive things.
These recommendations touch on a lot of different areas because I have a ton of things that interest me. But each one is a high-quality source of info and/or inspiration. Even though they won’t all be for you, if you find even one that radically changes your mind set or makes your day brighter, this may be one of the most important blog series I’ve given you yet. Buckle up, and let’s go.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase via an affiliate link, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. But most of them are not affiliate links; they are just things that I love and think could benefit you, my reader. Rest assured, whether it is an affiliate link or not, these are items that I 100% endorse and that have really made my own life better in some way.
It’s for you if: you want to build a business online
Cost: $000000 (Yes! It’s free!)
You’ll see a lot about Shannon Mattern in my “Favorite things” posts. Shannon Mattern’s 5 Day Website Challenge is how I build my first WordPress website. And how she earned me as an eternal fan. When she started offering “How to Market Yourself Online” I noticed that a lot of her information was WAY better than what I got in courses I had paid an arm and a leg for.
Beside giving her info away for free – she makes her money from affiliate marketing and some other paid courses – Shannon doesn’t talk down to you but still breaks everything down so it is super easy to understand. When I started using her courses almost 3 years ago, she was marketing herself as your “Wordpress BFF.” She has since updated her marketing, but I still think of her as my online BFF, She totally knows her stuff and is just so DARN genuine, real, and personable.
It’s for you if: You want to learn more about money, but think it’s going to be boring
She had me at “money nerd.” Whitney totally embraces her nerdy side, and I love it. She reports on side hustles she has tried, interviews cool people who are building a business they love, and just dishes about how she sees the world, especially money. On Monday and Friday, her bite-sized Mondays with Me and Five Tip Friday give you a little lift and a glimpse into her life. Despite the title, Whitney is like that totally cool girl who is even cooler because she celebrates the nerdy in herself – and in all of us! Trust me, if her interview with Megan Bryant – they talk about how investing is like sex and dating – doesn’t get you interested in retirement planning, NOTHING will!
It’s for you if: You are a Rockstar teacher (or want to be a Rockstar teacher) who also needs a reality check and some sanity in life
Angela gets it. She has high standards, wants every kid to succeed, and is a go-getter who makes things happen. (Sound familiar, teachers?) But she also knows how to protect her own mental health and draw boundaries. AND she helps teach us to do the same. I am totally amazed at how timely her posts are and how they speak to my heart. Soon after schools went online when we were in shock and despair about how hard virtual teaching could be, she wrote about some of the ways that teaching online was better. It was a great mindset shift and spirit-lifter. One of her most recent posts is about how to create lesson plans that will work for in-person, remote, and hybrid instruction. That’s something we could all use, now isn’t it?
It’s for you if: You think you’ll never be rich because you’re a teacher
This is one of the first books I ever read on wealth. Based on years of research on millionaire and deca-millionaire (net worth of over $10 million), it highlights the habits of the everyday millionaire. The big thing here is that the stereotype of the “millionaire” is totally wrong. Most of the time, you’d never guess that the millionaire is one because their lifestyle is so “normal.” A special bonus for teachers is a chapter that highlights how teachers are the exception to one of the rules they discovered (which makes us MORE likely to amass wealth than the average person in other careers!) and why it matters for building wealth. If you only ever read one book about personal finance, this is the one I would recommend.
It’s for you if: You haven’t read it, but love good fiction.
Admittedly, I don’t have much time for fiction reading at the moment. However, I made time for this lovely little novel and was so glad I did. It was both endearing and cunningly clever as in both its characterization and its plot. It deals with the issues of childhood abuse and narcissism, but – amazingly – is more of an upper than a downer. Here is a quick clip of the author talking about her inspiration for the book.
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.
Did you ever have an appointment that you were really looking forward to, and then, when it actually happened…it was SO MUCH better than you even thought it could be? That’s how my interview about teaching pods with Jennifer Goodine of Cape Cottage Tutoring went today.
Originally, I contacted her because she is starting ‘teaching pods’ this fall. She will be supervising the virtual education of several different groups of children, allowing their parents to work from home or help their other children with online work. Since this is an idea that many of you have considered, I wanted to give you the info from someone who is actually putting it together. She definitely gave us some incredible insights.
To give you an idea of her story, Jennifer switched teaching jobs a year ago to allow herself to be able to help care for her father, who was suffering from dementia. She is thankful to have been with her parents during that journey, but took a $25,000 pay cut when she switched schools. After the recent passing of her father and another family member, she realized that returning to the classroom wasn’t the right choice for her right now and made a social media post offering teaching pods to parents in her area. She will start the year moderating several different groups of students or ‘teaching pods’ as they complete their virtual studies, and is looking at options for when students return to school.
But besides the great advice she gave on teaching pods, she is just super fun to talk with. If you enjoy reading the interview half as much as I enjoyed doing it, this will definitely be worth your time! To listen to the interview, watch this space, I am currently trying to put it together as the very first Classroom to Home podcast, and I’ll let you know when it’s ready.
Let’s dig into our interview with Jennifer Goodline of Cape Cottage Tutoring. The content of the interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Classroom to Home: I’m so excited to hear about [teaching pods]!
Jennifer Goodine: I’m excited to tell about it.
Classroom to Home: I’ve been telling people, ‘Guys like, take initiatives. Do what you’ve got to do [to stay safe].’ And you’re the first person I’ve heard about that’s actually making this go.
Jennifer Goodine: How funny! Really? I just don’t think it’s an innovative idea.
You’re not the only one who has contacted me. I did an interview with ABC news. It hasn’t aired. My father passed away that weekend. They wanted to come do some footage, and so much has changed with my dad’s passing that I just haven’t had time. And I’ve been asked for an interview with CBS. And I had my little Cocktail hour the other night [with the parent of my teaching pod students]. And here I am with you.
But I don’t think it is innovative. It makes sense.
Classroom to Home: It makes sense. We have a skill. They need it. And a lot of teachers are really having a hard time because they are pregnant or they have elderly parents that they aren’t going to be able to see for literally months at a time. And school corporations, some are doing their best, and some just are not.
What do you teach and how many years have you taught?
Jennifer Goodine: My goodness! Have been teaching since 2000, but I have a very strange history of teaching. I’m ex military and I was a Spanish linguist in the army before I ever was a teacher.
So I came in back door in everything. My degree is in media studies, which is why my post ended up going viral. I had like 6500 views on my post in a couple of days, but I knew where to post it, too.
I started out as a linguist in the military. Then I got divorced. And there was this job I saw in the paper, and it said, “Teach in South America.” And I was like, “If I don’t apply for this job, I’m just going to wonder about it forever.” And the next thing you know I was interviewing in this brownstone in Boston with like 10 people around a table. And the next thing you know, I was getting us a visa, getting everything in line.
And we went down and taught in Colombia for a year. I was a 5th grade teacher down there. And from there, because I wasn’t certified, I was applying everywhere. Because I knew I was coming home. And the only place that was interested was a boarding school for kids that had been through rehab and that hadn’t worked or they had been to experiential outdoor schools and that hadn’t worked. So they sent them to this school, which was a character education high school. So I taught there for two years and was teaching there in this funky, awesome barn, that I loved.
I did a year of public school as a long term sub and then I taught K-8th grade Spanish. And so I had all this background in ESL, 5th grade, Spanish. I’ve been teaching Spanish since 2003. But I also teach adult ed. English as a second language.
This past year I left my public school position and I took a $25,000 pay cut because I was commuting 2 hours and 15 minutes everyday round trip and dad needed me, so I moved in with my parents for almost a year to help see him through that journey. And it was great because even though I took that big pay cut I would shoot home during my free period and visit with my dad.
And then the only way I could support myself because of taking the pay cut was I started a small business, which is pet sitting. So the pet sitting sort of eased the gap. And I’m doing a ton of that now because I just found out this morning that the schools will be pushing their start date a week out.
So I’m thinking about putting another weird post out. Maybe something like, ‘Hey parents, you weren’t expecting this, and neither was I. Can I take your kids to the beach and give them a Spanish lesson?’ We have a farm in another town, so [maybe] I can take them to go garden. Because parents need to work.
Classroom to Home: How did you start? You said you had posted something and it went viral. Did the parents contact you from that?
Jennifer Goodine: Yes. I didn’t even put a phone number. My daughter was making a website for me, and then everything sort of fell apart in my family. We had a previous death like three weeks before my father died.
Classroom to Home: Wow! This has just been a heck of a time!
Jennifer Goodine: Yeah, but you know what I’m learning out of this? When you hit bottom there is no where to go but up, and I feel like I have these little guardian angels and they’re sort of guiding me back.
So I made this post and I just slapped a little meme on there with The Wizard of Oz. And it says “Homeshooling: Imagined” and it has the princess or the queen or whatever she was. And then “Homeschooling: Reality” with the Wicked Witch. Then I said, “It wasn’t what you imagined, was it?” Cause I saw so many memes [about that]. And I thought, “There’s a market here.”
So what I’m offering is, I’m going to teach Spanish classes to each of my little cohort groups and then I’ll do all the things the parents didn’t want to do, because I’m certified K-12. So I will just guide the kids through that.
Classroom to Home: So give us the basic details [on your teaching pods]. How many kids? What are the ages? What are the times?
Jennifer Goodine: So my kids down the street here I’m going to do from 8 until 10:30 or 11. We haven’t locked a time in yet. I initially set it up that way because I thought I was going to go home and take care of dad during that time. And that group they just kind of ended up securing me. So I had one parent that just went and talked to every 2nd grade parent in the neighborhood. So I’m going to have 2 cohort groups there. I’m going to be teaching in their great room. And then they have this massive patio. They are going to get me an event tent so I can teach outside.
And they asked me about doing gym, so I was like, “Yeah! I’ll do Spanish yoga.”
I had initially wanted to do a multi-age thing. My great aunt was a teacher in a 1-room school house, and so I was kind of envisioning something very “Little House on the Prairie”. But in any event, the group of 2nd grade parents [wanted me]. And that will be easier for me because I’ll just contact the teacher and all the kids will have the same assignments.
Classroom to Home: And how many kids will you have [in your teaching pods]?
Jennifer Goodine: We’re doing 3 on one day and 4 on the other.
And they also told me I was charging too little. THEY told me. Because, you know, as a teacher you devalue yourself. And I’m thinking so many hours and I’ll have a certain amount of kids and that will make up that pay. I was going to charge $125 per kid per child, but the kids would only be meeting 2 mornings a week. But they said, “No. That’s too little. You need to charge at least $200.” So we’re going $225. So I’m making up all the money that I lost last year when I took that pay cut.
And then at noon I’m going over to [another community]. Initially I was going to teach in my house. But I just didn’t have time with two deaths in the family. And I felt like when I was teaching on zoom last year, “I need to get out of my house.”
It’s a different crew. And I think it is going to be really good. I’m charging less in the afternoon, by the way because I’m making what I need in the morning. I don’t want to be cost prohibitive. I actually asked them to think about what they could afford because that one family has three kids.
Classroom to Home: And as teachers, bottom line, we have to support ourselves, but we’re also in it for the kids. If it was about the money we wouldn’t be doing this. That’s for sure.
So are you leaving your teaching position to do [teaching pods] full time?
Jennifer Goodine: I am. I am leaving my teaching position. I’m starting to look into insurance. I’m nervous about that, but I can’t stay where I was. I just can’t do it. I would cry at home sometimes.
Classroom to Home: Are you considering this as a temporary side hustle or something you’d like to turn into a long-term business or continue to supplement what you do?
Jennifer Goodine: Well, I have a lot of ideas. I’m feeling like what I am doing currently has a certain lack of longevity because eventually everyone is going to be back in school. But what I’m thinking about is trying to contract with preschools or doing my ESL. I have a lot of connections in Colombia who can get me to people who want to learn English. And then I’ve thought a lot about doing some cool summer camp thing. We have a farm. And I thought about what if I hired a retired carpenter and taught kids to do drywall and basic stuff. My sister is very artistic and she could teach quilting. It could be like farm camp. And I definitely want to keep it going. It’s just going to morph and change according to what is going on.
Classroom to Home: A lot of teachers have considered this, but they are really hesitant. What would be your best advice to someone who is terrified to go back into the classroom, but their corporation isn’t working with them. And they think, “I’ve got to get out, but I’ve got to have a way to make money”?
Jennifer Goodine: Well, I have a side hustle already. More than one, actually. And if you have multiple streams of money coming in from different sources, that might patch the gap. I’m hoping it will for me. And if it won’t, I’ll find a way or I just won’t spend any money. I mean, I’ll do what I have to.
I do pet sitting. (Note: if you’d like to learn more about pet sitting, check out my blog post High dollar side job: Pet sitting and pet care.) That completely died in March. I had all these people going on these 3-week European trips, and that died. One month, I lost $1,915 dollars that I had planned on having. But weirdly, after my brother-in-law passed, I started getting all these pet sitting jobs again. And now, I’m all booked up. I’m doing 3 or 4 every day – cat-sitting jobs, which is so easy.
I’m just taking whatever side gigs I can find. Another friend had watched my posts about what I was doing with my dad this last year. Because we did everything. Hospice came one hour a day to bathe my dad, and then they would leave. We did everything else. So I would post about it because that was my life. After my dad passed, another friend forwarded my name to someone who was looking for private elder care, so I’m doing that in the evenings now 4-8.
I also teach adult ed, which that won’t start until September and that’s going to be via zoom. I’ve been doing that for years. So that’s another way I have money coming in. And I thought about doing care.com, nannying or whatever.
Then my families in [one pod] – because I told them about my concern [since we’ll be starting school a week later] at our little cocktail party and they said, “We can start a week earlier. That would be great. You could get to know the kids.” So I know they are very invested. They are trying to lock me down because a lot of families here, parents who are staying home are bouncing kids around. I think it’s nice. I’m like the little Jane Eyre.
Classroom to Home:What do you think was the most attractive part of your offer? Was it just “You will not have to do the homework with your kids for 2 ½ hours”? Was it the Spanish? Was it the whole thing?
Jennifer Goodine: I think it was both. When I was listening to them the other night, a stay-at-home mom was saying, “Really? You’re telling us we can drop our kids off? You are going to handle this for 2 ½ or 3 hours?” I said, “Yeah. This will be my 21st year teaching, so yeah. Just like at school. I’ll call you if there is an emergency.” So for her, I think she wanted to get the kids out of the house. But her husband was like, “I love the Spanish. The Spanish is so important.”
Classroom to Home:I just really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. It sounds like your roster is full. How long would you say it took to get that full roster of how many kids as you would need or want?
Jennifer Gooline: Well, I think that a lot of it was everybody just waiting for the districts to tell them. Everybody is up in the air. But now I have a lot of inquiries, and “Keep me in the loop. Keep me in the loop,” but not biting the bullet because they don’t know what the plan is from the districts.
Hm. How long did it take? I think it did take a little while but a lot of that was me. I put a post up after my dad passed [saying] “I’m not answering messages for a few days.” So I guess maybe a couple of weeks. But I’m still getting inquiries.
Classroom to Home:I appreciate this so much. If I can be of any help, please let me know. I would love to be a part of your journey because I think you are going to have so much fun. I have just had a wonderful time. Thank you so much!
There you go! A real story from a teacher who took the leap into teaching pods. If you have experience with teaching pods, comment below so we can share our knowledge. Also, if you are worried about returning to school during the pandemic, check out the Classroom to Home Facebook Group to find support, information, and posting for remote jobs. Also, you’ll want to read “How the $&*# do I replace a teacher’s salary?” Whether it’s teaching pods or something else, I believe in you. You’ve got this.
Update: Since our interview, three more students have signed up for Jennifer’s teaching pods and she has closed enrollment to further students.
We all know about the FIRE movement – Financial independence, Retire Early. One of the big criticisms is that it really isn’t realistic for the average person, just white tech guys who earn 100K+ a year. Furthermore, a lot of people don’t even WANT to retire that early. They have ideas and passions they want to continue putting out into the world and for some, a job or business is a great way to do that. But financial independence, temporary retirement? Now THAT is something most of us can really get into.
As I write this, teachers and parents throughout the US are panicking about returning to schools with a COVID-19 pandemic raging out of control. My heart breaks as I read about teachers who are pregnant, have newborns or immune-compromised kids, or have personal health challenges. With little guidance from the government or their administrators, they don’t know what they are facing or how they will manage to keep themselves and their students safe. Some have stated “I will not go back to school in this situation.” But others say, “I have no choice. I’ve got bills to pay.”
For me, financial independence was mid-range; we planned for 2 years without income. But you don’t have to have enough money to survive 2 years for it to make a major difference in your life. So many teachers would benefit right now from being able to take a semester off, or even an extra 9 weeks of maternity leave without pay. Don’t get me wrong, this would still be a tough choice. But it would at least be a CHOICE. (If you are interested in seeing how your finances would play out if you left teaching for a while, you can sign up to receive my free spreadsheet here.)
My FITR Journey
My husband and I had been planning to move to Norway for almost 2 years when I resigned from my teaching job and started telling my co-workers about our weird and outlandish plan – move to Norway without jobs. He would study at the University of Stavanger, and I would – well, I wasn’t sure what I would do – but we had enough money put away to live on for 2 years without any income.
I didn’t even realize that our plans were a version of FIRE until one of my personal finance buddies at school said, “So you’re really doing it, huh? After all our talks, you’re doing FIRE and headed to Norway.” I started to protest, “Nah. It’s not FIRE. We’re only doing it for 2 years.”
And then I stopped.
Yeah. We were doing it. Moving to a place we chose, a place where we wanted to live and raise our kids, at least for a few years. We were doing it on money we had saved, and without touching our retirement savings or the equity from our house.
Hell, yeah. We were really doing it!
And who cares if it wasn’t forever? It was what we wanted and needed as a family. And so when I saw a FIRE blogger mention his version – FIOR for ‘Financial Independence, Optional Retirement’ – I felt seen. But I knew it wasn’t exactly what we had done, and started calling our path Financial Independence, Temporary Retirement. (OK, so originally, I was calling it Financial Independence, Retire Temporarily. Then I realized that FIRT sounded WAY too much like ‘fart’ for a mom of three to say out loud without a chorus of uncontrollable giggles. So there’s that.)
The first few months of FITR in Norway
July
After arriving in Norway in July 2019, we spent that first month on the fun and not-as-fun that comes with a new adventure. We enjoyed family trips to the beach, helping the kids learn to ride their bikes (an essential here in Stavanger), discovering the 1001 nearby playgrounds, picnicking by the fjord, and basically drinking in the wonder of a new culture. We also spent time on more mundane tasks like making immigration appointments, finding the best grocery store, enrolling the kids in school, and managing new country-induced meltdowns (both on the part of the kids and the part of mom).
August
When school started in August (intensive Norwegian instruction for the kids, Master’s program for my husband) I blogged, cooked, shopped, and basically kept everything running. In case you have never moved overseas with a family of 5, doing even the simple things can take a tremendous amount of time, because you have to learn to do them in a new way. For example, in Norway kids go out for recess no matter WHAT. There is also no school lunch nor any water fountains in most schools. Consequently, to get them to school, they had to have rain boots, rain pants, rain jackets, a packed lunch, morning snack, and water bottle, as well as all the things needed for a normal school day like homework or signed forms.
I don’t know how we would have done it if I hadn’t been able to be a mom/family manager 24-7 during those first months. It was essential. But I am not really cut out to be a homemaker. I was managing, but started getting antsy, especially when I saw posts from my former colleagues about going back to school and prepping their classrooms. (#pikeproud). We were also doing OK money wise. But I am super conservative and I did NOT like the feeling of having money go out, but not come in. Just made me nervous.
September
So when I saw a posting in September for a job at a local international school, I put my best CV forward. Nothing.
Crickets.
More crickets.
Blogging to the sound of crickets.
Oh, well we would survive.
And then a call.
Them: “Can you come in for an interview?”
Them: “Do you want the job? Part-time 3 1/2 days a week.”
Me: “Yes, PLEASE!”
And it was true. I really WANTED the job. Not just the paycheck, but the job. I missed getting out of the house, talking to adults, and the feeling of learning and meeting new challenges. But our FITR strategy gave me the time to be home when I needed it. Plus, it kept me from freaking out when I applied and heard crickets.
Previous FITR
And while this is the most unusual of my flirtations with FIRE, it is definitely not the only one. During the 1996-97 school year, I lived in Caen, France and studied at the university there. In 2010, I stayed home for a year on maternity leave. A few years later, I left teaching for 2 years to build a micro-business and spend more time with my kids.
Every time I have left teaching, I come back renewed and even more in love with the profession. And every time I have returned to teaching, I have been, like, on fire (No, not the financial kind, just the excited-to-be-back kind.) Let’s face it, teaching is great, but it can eat your soul. (Seriously!) Especially when you are teaching in a high-needs position or a high-needs school.
This model works for me. I would be a basket case working for 30 years straight. Old, bitter, and cynical – all by age 35. But I would be a basket case if I stopped teaching forever, too. How exactly is it that something that can eat your soul (seriously!) also feeds your soul in a way nothing else does?
When I see people dreaming of leaving paid work forever, it just doesn’t resonate with me. I’ve tried it. Four times. Each time I prepared myself for the possibility that I would not be able to re-enter the teaching job market. Each time I went back to a job I loved even more than the previous one.
Don’t hate me
Ok, I can hear some of you gagging in the background. “Must be nice. What I wouldn’t give to be able to just pop in and out of jobs like that.”
I am lucky in a lot of ways, I’ll admit. We lived on my husband’s salary during 3 of the 4 times I was not teaching, and that made all the difference. But there were reasons that we were able to live on his salary. (Full disclosure: Yes. He is a lawyer. But he worked for the state government as a consumer advocate, so he didn’t make ‘lawyer’ salary. He made a little over half of what one would expect for someone of his experience – and never touched 100K.) We bought used (sometimes VERY used) cars, paid off his student loan debt the year after we got married, and never carried a balance on our credit cards. And our big eating out splurge was take out pizza every week or so; other than that, I cooked from scratch.
Your FITR Journey
But this is the important thing about this whole post. When you stop thinking about FIRE as all-or-nothing, it gives you SO MUCH more hope. The term FU money is used a lot to mean the amount of money you need in investments to be able to live indefinitely without a job or other assistance and pay for your lifestyle, and a lot of people say that having 25 times your expenses should do it.
But for most of us, that’s a crap-load of money. If your yearly expenses are $36K ($3000/month), which is really low, you would need to have $900,000 in investments to achieve FIRE. (This is a super-simplification. Do NOT rely on my calculations because there are a lot of variables, but it gives you an idea of what we’re talking about.) That is a really big amount of money for most people to even contemplate.
But when you think of your life as a series of FITR chapters, AND/OR only one of you is interested in leaving full-time work, the numbers change a lot. The other part of this is that even if you can’t walk away from work forever, having a plan in place to being able to take one school year off – or even 3 months off – can make a tremendous difference in your life.
For example, let’s use that same $3000/month base line again. Missing 9 weeks of school would be about 3 months worth of income. That means a teacher would need to have $9,000 to draw on IF they were the sole income earner in the family. Don’t get me wrong, $9,000 is still a LOT of money to have sitting in a bank account ready to access. But returning to the COVID-19 situation, it’s a LOT less than a stay in ICU would cost.
So maybe you are on board, but you feel like any kind of financial independence is so far away you don’t even know where to start. Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging. Check out my blog posts on The Snowball Method or Saving an emergency fund.
Or better yet, if you want to see where you stand TODAY and how long you could go without your teaching income, check out my Money Master Spreadsheet.
It’s a lot of information. And it’s not going to happen overnight. But when you think about the peace of mind that FITR provides, it starts to look like the only choice. Being able to take a leave of absence when others are trying to force you back into an unsafe classroom. Choices about where to live and whether to move. Knowing that you have enough money to cover an extended illness. We’re not talking about saving up money just so you can have a new car or countertops. We’re talking about decisions that affect the things we value most in life. There are going to be a lot of times when it seems impossible. But with commitment and persistence, you’ve got this.
One of my favorite activites with my dad used to be heading out on a Saturday to look at real estate with my dad and his best friend Larry, a local real estate agent. You never knew what you’d find. It is possible that on a few occasions when the key didn’t work, the two 70+ men would hoist me (considerably the youngest and slimmest of our trio) through an unlocked window to we could enter an unoccupied unit. (If any of you are looking for an example of white priviledge, I am exhibit #1. It was an adventure to us, and we knew if anyone ever DID end up calling the police on us – which they never did – we could explain what we were doing and they’d be fine with it! Just saying – wouldn’t have worked that way for some of my friends.)
Fun AND funds!
Soon after I bought my first investment units, it occurred to me that It would be great to get a cut of the commissions. I loved real estate investing and planned to continue it for a long time. It didn’t take a lot of brains to figure out that I was going to end up paying 10s of thousands of dollars in commissions in the future years. So I set out to get my license and became a full-fledged feal esate agent.
It was a blast. I don’t mean to say it was always easy, because it wasn’t. But it was absolutely a blast. My gosh, I got to do something I was willing literally break into a house to do. AND people were paying me for it.
Teaching was my first love, and I knew I wasn’t going to quit the steady pay check and deep fulfilment I got from the classroom. But I sold real estate pretty much full time in the summer and then part time during the school year simply because I really liked it. I would rather work with clients than watch TV in the evenings, so that’s what I did. It also gave me a really valuable perspective to take back to my students, and I’ve spoken at career days and other activities as needed. Plus, selling real estate allowed me to save enough money to pay for my M.Ed. in cash.
Lovin’ it
I’d say there were two really important and inseparable lessons I gained from my real estate agent side hustle. First, do what you love. Second, even things you love are sometimes only for a season, not forever.
I’ve already explained that I loved selling real estate. It didn’t get old. I didn’t get tired of it. It was an absolute blast. Every day (or almost every day – nothing is perfect) that I went into the office, I was excited to see what would happen, who I would meet, and what houses we would see. Honestly, I probably could have kept doing it forever.
But the second part of the lesson entered in, as well. I knew deep in my soul that I wanted to be a mom. I knew it more surely than just about anything in life. And so I decided that I would become a mom, even on a teacher’s salary, even as a single woman, even no matter what. By night, I dreamt about adoption. And by day, I made changes in my life to ensure it could be more than a dream.
Good-bye
There were a lot of steps in the process, but the bottom line is that since I was already a full-time teacher, I was going to have to choose between selling real estate and being the present, involved mom my child would need.
Today, I am the mom of 3 kids. My sweet wonderful oldest son who made my dream of adoption a reality and a biological daughter and son whose dad I met while I was in the adoption process. I look at my family, even on our WORST days (and there are some tough ones) and feel absolutely no regret for giving up a side job, even one that lit me up.
Being a real estate agent was great, but it was for a season, and for me that season is long over. I’m thankful for what I learned, what I earned, and how it changed me. I got to keep all of those gifts. But I’m much, much more thankful for what has come since.
My wish for you is that you find a side hustle or business that you love as much as I loved selling real estate. And that if you then find something even better, that you are able to leave it behind without regrets.
As you build your side hustle, whether you love it, tolerate it or hate it, please remember one thing: you’ve got this!
I do NOT want to write about this topic. Although I’m a firm believer in having a will, I hate the thought that my readers feel it necessary to prepare their wills before returning to school. I am going to encourage every worker to look at every possible option before returning to a job where you feel this is necessary. OSHA, mental health leave of absence with a letter from your doctor, FMLA, sabbatical to pursue education. Pull out your contract and actually read it to see what your rights are. To paraphrase Dylan Thomas, “Do NOT go gentle into that good school.”
With that said, having a will is essential if you have children, a partner, or just want to be able to decide where you assets go should anything happen to you. So whether or not you return to an unsafe situation, this is the 2nd best time to get a will in place. (If you are wondering when the absolute best time to draw up a will is, the answer is “Yesterday”. Since that’s not an option, let’s go with today.)
Please note, I am NOT a lawyer, and wills are state-specific. You must verify this information, but sometimes just having a starting place makes things a bit less scary. That is what this article is for, not for being the only resource you need to consult.
First of all, why is making a will important? If you die without a will (or intestate, as it is called in lawyer-ese) the courts will decide who receives not only your possessions, but also who will have custody of your children. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely want a say in who would raise my children. That is why about 5 years ago, we buckled down and updated our wills.
Options for making a will
You can have a lawyer craft a will, but unless you have an extremely complex will or a high net worth (like over $1 million), many people use an online template or software. NOLO and Legal Zoom are options for a simple DIY will. NOLO’s online will can be purchased for $59.99 and used to craft multiple wills. It is rated 4.3 out of 5 and reviewers say it is “detailed” and “easy to use.”
Legal Zoom is another option. On one site I checked, it was rated 3.5 and on another 4.5. They have three levels: Basic will $89, comprehensive will $99, and $179 for the estate plan bundle.
There is no set price for a lawyer to create your will. It will depend on location, choice of lawyer, and complexity of your estate. When we had our will done in small town Indiana about 5 years ago, it cost about $500.
Whether you choose an online will or a lawyer, you will be guided through the steps so you don’t forget anything major. I definitely do NOT recommend just writing one up for your self. That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster.
Some things you should probably start thinking about (if you haven’t already) is who you want to be your executor (the person who will execute – or carry out – your wishes after your death) and who you want to be the guardian of any underage children.
Think about the children
Of course, you are going to need to talk about this with your partner. Be prepared because this can obviously be a touchy subject. Don’t just settle on your closest family member without considering other issues. For example, who is best capable of caring for your kids? Who do you trust to raise your kids with values similar to yours? Who just makes you feel “good” when you think of how they would care for your children?
If you are hesitating between a couple of possibilities, think about what would cause the least disruption for your kids. For example, if they would have to move to another school or state, it could add to the trauma of an already tragic situation. Finally, this is not the time to worry about hurting someone’s feelings. Make your choice based on what is best for your child(ren), not on who believes they should be the guardian.
As for us, because of age, health, and differences in priorities, we felt comfortable with only one of our family members being named as a guardian. But we also asked some dear friends if they would be our ‘back-up’ plan if that person were unable to be a guardian for any reason. These are people who also have experience with adoption (we have one adopted and two biological children) as well as very similar values to us. While we chose a family member as our first choice, we definitely felt comfortable with the idea of our dear friends caring for and loving our children.
What is a trust and why you might want one
If you have minor children, you may also consider a trust and a trustee. A trust is an arrangement that allows a third party (the trustee) to hold assets on behalf of and for the benefit of a beneficiary.
If you don’t create a trust, it may very well be the courts, and not the guardian you have chosen, who controls your assets, even if you leave them to your children. Even worse, in most cases your child will receive control of those assets when they turn 18. I don’t know many parents who would trust an 18 year old with 100% control of their inheritance.
I have two horror stories here to help you understand just how important this is.
One of my students was devastated when he lost his father during his senior year. When he turned 18, he swiftly bought a brand-new muscle car with some of his father’s life insurance money, which he received as part of the estate. He sold it shortly afterward, losing thousands of dollars and also berating himself for having made a poor decision. Later, he told me that he bought it because he thought it would make him feel better, but it didn’t. He just wanted his father back.
Another family friend lost one parent as a child. At age 18, he received access to his entire inheritance. Unfortunately, he spent years pouring tens of thousands of those dollars into a substance addiction. He was a young man with access to a LOT of money, and his surviving parent could do nothing to stop him from using it as he wished. No parent would ever give his child access to that kind of money if he knew they would use it to harm themselves. Unfortunately, things change during the course of years, and grief can cause even the most reliable and level-headed child to make bad choices.
According to Monroe, Wallace, and Morden, there are other complications, as well. “A court guardianship also imposes numerous restrictions on the guardian’s use of the children’s inheritance. Every expense must be documented, audited and approved by the court. The guardian must file regular accountings and post a bond with the court. And because the court must do its best to treat all of the children equally under the law, it is difficult to make exceptions for each child’s special and unique needs.”
I am not a lawyer and can’t tell you if your specific situation warrants the extra expense of a trust. However, it is imperative that you know it exists so you can do further research.
In some states, the trust (or trust component) can be included in the will. Again, check on the laws specific to your state.
Note:
My husband and I have a trust for our children specifying under what circumstances they can receive their inheritance. We set the age MUCH higher than 18 because we wanted our kids to mature before receiving it. However, the trustee has the power to pay for schooling and other expenses he deems prudent. Also, in our case, the trustee is not the guardian of the children, simply because we didn’t want to add one more thing to their responsibilities. We named a separate trustee. Again, this is merely what worked for us.
Other documents
Once you have a will sorted out, you may want to think about a living will, proxy, and DNR. However, we will tackle that in an upcoming post. End of life decisions are highly emotional, and the last thing we want is to give you too much info and have you completely shut down. We’ll get there, but not today.
Take a deep breath, and give yourself permission to feel whatever you are feeling right now. It is not uncommon to be inexplicably exhausted when you start thinking about such emotional topics. I have linked some additional info below, if you want it. But if your head is already swimming, don’t do that right now. Give yourself a bit of time if you need it.
Most importantly, remember. I believe in you. You’ve got this!
This is “The million dollar question” according to a commenter in one FB group. I refrained from pointing out that we all WISH it were a million-dollar question. The good news (um, good????) is that how to replace a teacher’s salary is definitely NOT a million dollar question.
That doesn’t keep it from feeling like a million dollar question to anyone trying to figure out how on earth we get out of teaching.
If there were an easy answer, I wouldn’t be writing this post. Every teacher would just figure it out and do it. (We really are NOT as dumb as most legislators seem to think we are.) But there isn’t an easy answer. In most cases, it is going to be tough. In some, it might be impossible. And then one just has to make a decision. Is the risk of going back to school is greater or than the risk of not making enough money to pay the bills?
But for most people, taking things step-by-step and breaking it into small sections will help.
What do you need to replace?
First, find out what you really need to replace. Is it really 100% of your salary? Instead, could you can reduce your expenses to give yourself a bit of breathing room? If you want more details on how to compare income with expenses, check out my blog post here. Also, even if you don’t think you can give anything up, sign up for a free 5-Day Found Money Challenge to help you lower your monthly bills. It will walk you step-by-step through how to lower your monthly bills, even without changing your lifestyle at all.
What if you have tried to lower your bills, and you still need to make 100% of your current salary – or more? Ideally, you hit the jackpot and find a job that out and out replaces your benefits and salary. They are out there. Here is one of my favorite job boards, which focuses on ed tech (usually remote) jobs for teachers.
Most of us are going to need to be a little more creative. And it won’t be easy. But in most cases, it is doable.
Your Magic Number
If you can’t find a job right away, but need to get out fast, you may need a variety of options to mix and match so that you can finally meet that magic number. And what is that magic number? Let’s break it down. Take your yearly salary and divide it by 50. That will give you the amount you need to earn each week to set aside money for taxes and still equal your original take home pay. Do NOT base it on your take home pay unless you plan to set aside 25% of what you earn for taxes. I have also included 2 weeks of vacation because I like to be conservative. And we all need a break now and then.
Some of these might be actual ‘jobs’, while others will be side hustles that you do on your own. I am going to refer to them generally as Income Earning Activities, or IEAs. Most likely, you will need to have some IEAs that provide a fairly high number of steady, predictable hours but do not pay as well per hour. Then you are going to make up the remainder of the amount with IEAs that pay more per hour, but don’t offer as many hours or are less predictable.
Allison’s plan to replace a teacher’s salary
Let’s look at a real-life example. Allison (not a real person) makes a yearly salary of $55K at her teaching job. She has cut her expenses as much as possible. Unfortunately, transferring to her husband’s insurance increased their monthly expenses again, wiping out her gains. So she is looking to replace the full 50K. She hopes to return to teaching second semester.
When we divide that by 50, we get $1000 per week. Holy cow! This is going to be tough.
After spending about a week scouring online jobs and applying, Allison is able to get a full-time job online paying $18.50 an hour. (Here is a link to an example job that teachers would qualify for.
She is working full time at $18.50 an hour, so she now has $740 of that magic number covered. The downside is that this is a temporary 6-month position. However, she is really just planning to use this job to cover the bills until she can get a permanent position, so that doesn’t concern her.
She now needs to cover $300 per week. There are not many families in her area that can pay for teachers to help in the evenings or on weekends. She is able to find one family that needs evening help and can pay $20 per hour. She will be supervising and helping with homework (not teaching) for 3 kids two nights a week for 3 hours each night. That gives her an additional $120 per week.
(NOTE: When I create scenarios, I do it based on actual research. I also try to present them conservatively. I would NOT recommend a certified teacher charge less than $40 per hour for working with three kids. However, in this situation I am lowering that amount considerably just to build in a bit of cushion. Based on my research there is a big demand for teachers to do in-home support. Charging $20 per hour would be on the extreme low end of the scale. In some areas, I have heard of parents paying over $80/hour for an experienced, certified teacher.)
We are now $180 per week below what we need. Allison decides to try out Shipt. She can work for Shipt on Saturday mornings and Sunday nights. She has heard that Friday-Sunday is the busiest time for Shipt, with Sunday night being a peak time. That works with her full time job and her part time arrangement with the family, so she applies.
Although it varies a LOT, she has heard that Shipt shoppers can average $17 per shop. Since each shop usually takes about an hour, that’s about $17 per hour. However, those are people who have a lot of practice. Since she doesn’t want to be left short, she figures that she will count on $12 per hour from Shipt. Again, we are building some cushion in. That means she plans to do about 15 hours of Shipt per week. That is a LOT, but with 5 hours on Friday and Saturday, plus 3 hours two other nights during the week, she will reach her goal with some cushion. If she earns her $180 faster, she can knock off for the week OR put that money aside in case she has a slow week at some point.
Big reminder
This is a big one. We are figuring everything here based on gross salary. That means that when Allison puts the money in her account, it will seem as if has more coming into her pocket than it seems like she needs. Why? Because while her employer WILL take out taxes, her side hustles like Shipt, VIPKid, and the families she is working with will NOT. She needs to take about 25% of her side-hustle income and put it into a totally separate account so that she won’t get a big, bad surprise next April 15. She can put it in an account that will earn her a little interest, but it should NOT be in any kind of investment that could lose value. Just a plain-old bank account so it will be there when she does her taxes next year.
Real Life
But she doesn’t really like doing Shipt. And it doesn’t pay nearly as well as her other jobs. She decides to try to work her way out of doing Shipt, or at least minimize it. Allison has always loved reading, and she has heard that you can build a full time income by indexing non-fiction books. She knows it will take a while to build a clientele, but it sounds like a great fit for her that she can continue even if she finds a full time gig.
But, in the interest of keeping this a real-life scenario, we have one more curve ball to throw at Allison. Her full-time job doesn’t start for a few weeks, so her first $740 pay check will come 3 weeks after her last pay check from her teaching contract. That leaves her $2240 in the hole.
The good news is that she didn’t wait for her teaching contract to act. She has been doing Shipt for 4 weeks already and started working with the family 2 weeks before her last teaching pay check. That means she saved up about $1500 from Shipt (she was able to work more when she didn’t have a full time job) and $240 from the family. She still has $500 to cover.
Allison gets a little worried until she remembers that she received a promotional add that would pay her $300 for opening a new bank account with direct deposit. She takes an hour or so, opens the new account and uses it for the direct deposit of her new job’s paycheck.
She is $200 short, but she decides to do an extra 2 hours each week on Shipt until she makes up the difference. Even though she does have $1000 in her savings account, she would rather work the extra time than dip into that.
So there you have it. It is a completely made up scenario of how to replace a teacher’s salary. But it is based on research and real numbers. If you have a scenario you want to tackle together, comment below, and we’ll do our best to work through it. I can’t promise we will come out in the black, but we will do our best.
And remember. This isn’t going to be easy for any of this. But I believe in you. You’ve got this!
OMG. Yeah. As I write this, the US is barreling full tilt toward opening schools with a pandemic raging out of control. As I look through FB, my friends and colleagues are freaking out. And the very first school corporation in Indiana just made the call to go 100% virtual this fall. I’m praying that all the rest follow suit. But if yours doesn’t and you are in a position where you just can’t return to school in person, here is my best advice to help you quit teaching without ruining your life.
I have been researching personal finance for about 20 years now and side hustles for about 2. Here I’ve tried to assemble the best information I can as quickly as I can. That doesn’t mean it is complete or error-free OR right for your personal situation. You need to make your own decisions and do your own fact-checking and due diligence. But I hope this will spark some ideas and at least provide resources and a starting point for teachers who feel like they must leave the classroom or who have been shaken into the feeling that they may have to in the future and want to have a plan in place.
There will be a lot of links to other posts that might be helpful, either from my own site or others.
Please help me to provide the best info out there. If you have a valid suggestion for insurance or a company that is hiring for LEGIT work from home positions, comment below. Posts about MLMs, direct sales, self-promotion, or other comments that just seem scammy will be deleted. Thanks!
Step 1 – Slow your roll
DO NOT quit teaching or resign from your position unless the return to school is almost immediate. In my home state of Indiana, districts just today (July 13) started re-evaluating their decision to physically open schools. I believe that other districts will soon do the same. The last thing I would want for you would be to resign and then find out that your school is going to be 100% virtual to start the year.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t take action. On the contrary, following the steps below will put you in in MUCH stronger position to walk away on short notice if you decide that your district is not taking adequate steps to protect you.
Step 2 – Communicate
With your partner
If you have a partner, this should probably be the first person you communicate with. Do they share your concerns? If not, you are going to need to work together to figure out at what point you would indeed quit teaching and stay home. Try to put specifics on it, such as infection rate, number of new cases, or specific policies from your district. If you are on completely different wavelengths, it could add serious stress to an already stressful situation. In short, you know your relationship best, but for this to work, you will need to reach some kind of agreement.
With your employer
School districts are in a tough position here, too. They are trying to balance the needs, wants and fears of many groups all at once. However, if you are seriously considering leaving your position, this is important for your principal and HR department to know. They might want to open schools virtually for a few weeks, but be under pressure from another entity (cough cough – US Department of Education – cough cough) or from parents to open in person. If they know that a large number of their teachers are willing to resign rather than return in person, that gives them a realistic idea of how difficult opening will be and might help them to justify opening online. (Normally, I do NOT accept administrations pushing difficult decisions off on teachers, but in cases where it will literally save lives not to open schools, I am not super picky.)
With your union
If you are a member of the union, check with them before you make any solid decisions. They should be working with the administration to help teachers cope with this previously unimaginable situation. Some corporations are offering an unpaid leave of absence for up to a year. Some have other options. You won’t get your best deal unless you inform yourself, and often the union can offer ideas that might not occur to most of us. PS If you are not a member of the union and you don’t have a specific reason, you might want to reconsider that. Just sayin’ 🙂
With your support network, either virtual or IRL
This is a fine line to walk. You don’t want to operate in an echo chamber, but you also don’t want to share your fears with people who will belittle you. And that’s a real concern right now. This is some scary sh*t going on, no doubt about it. But examining our own assumptions is also a healthy thing to do. You know your situation best, so choose carefully who you do – and don’t – communicate with.
If you feel comfortable talking with extended family and close friends, you might want to just see what help and insight they might be able to offer. Do they have experience with making money on the side or a better understanding of health insurance than you? Maybe someone you know would love to pay you to help them manage online education for their kids while they work from home or to deliver their groceries or something else. Communicating with a slightly larger group will help you form an accurate picture of what support you might have.
Step 3 – Take stock of your situation
Leaving a stable profession is not a step you should take lightly. But then again, neither is returning to a classroom full of kids during a global pandemic. So give this some thought, and try not to be ruled by your emotions. The goal here is to focus on fact and get an understanding of the risks and challenges.
as to health risks
To what extent will returning to school put your health or that of your loved ones in danger? Some items to consider are
the infection rate in the district where you will be teaching
the health of yourself and your family members
your mental health
your ability to enforce safety measures in your classroom
the number of students you will be in contact with each day
your faith in the district leadership to be open and transparent, your current financial situation
any potential job leads you already have.
All of these pieces will play a part, and each will have a different weight on the decision based on your particular situation.
Write these down in a format that works for you. It could be a table, a mind map, or a spreadsheet. The important thing is to get the info out of your head and into a format where you can see it and use it to make a rational decision.
and money
This is the other big part. For many teachers, this would be THE major hurdle keeping them in the classroom. This is a whole blog post in and of itself, so that will be coming soon. Keep your eyes peeled for it. For now, let’s just focus on the basics.
You need to know how much money you NEED to pay your bills each month, so I am going to say the dreaded “B” word. That’s right, budget. You must know how big of a gap your quitting would leave between your family’s monthly must-haves and your monthly income. If you are serious about the possibility of not returning to school, it’s time to do the crappy stuff.
Assemble as many bills as you can from online and hard copy sources. Try to have credit card bills and bank statements back for at least 12 months, if possible, so you don’t forget about expenses like life insurance that you might pay only one time a year. But if you can’t go back that far, don’t let that paralyze you. Use what you have.
Figure in any other income you may have – a spouse’s paycheck or unemployment check, child support, whatever – and look at the gap. Now that we know what our situation is, let’s look at insurance.
Step 3 – Ensure your health insurance before you quit teaching
This is the other major hurdle for most of us. If you have a spouse with employer-sponsored health insurance , the first option would be putting your family on that plan. Most of the time a change in employment is a qualifying condition that will allow changes in who is covered, but the cost will most likely change.
Even if you think this is your best option, do some research to 1) be sure you CAN get onto your spouse’s plan and 2) learn how much it will cost.
If you can’t rely on another family member’s insurance, things get a lot stickier. I’m not going to lie: I have not found a great answer here. I am researching it and talking to actual people who are self-employed and have had to get insurance. I will update as info comes in. So far, the best that I have found is the ACA coverage from the federal government. To get more info and find out whether you could qualify, you can click here.
If you are leaving employment with a school corporation, you have the option to take COBRA. However, chances are that it will be prohibitively expensive. With that said, there is NO WAY I would go without health insurance right now unless I was just planning to take the chance of having to declare bankruptcy. If you are in a position that is serious enough that you absolutely can’t go back to school and your corporation will not work with you, that might have to be an option. (Hey, bankruptcy is bad, but losing your life or losing a family member is worse.) But it should be a last case scenario.
Finally, if you know a secret in this area that I don’t, let me know!
Step 4 – Lower expenses (A great thing to do, even if you DON’T quit teaching!)
In step 2, we looked at the gap between your income and expenses. Now, let’s shrink the gap.
Once you know how much your current expenses are, think about how much you could cut. Obviously, if you have kids doing online learning, Internet is a necessity, as is food, housing and a lot of other things.
But what could you do without? Shopping for clothes and non-essentials? Restaurant meals? (I hope that if you are seriously considering quitting teaching that you haven’t been in a restaurant in months. But I know a lot of people have been relying on Door Dash and take out to provide a bright spot in a dreary time.) What about subscriptions you don’t use or may have even forgotten that you have? You’d be surprised what you might be paying for without even realizing it. (If you want to go step-by-step through your money and see if you are paying for things you don’t even use, check out my 5 day Found Money Challenge below.)
This is not going to be accomplished all in one day. You will probably think of things you can do without over the course of a week or more. Just keep whittling those numbers down and see how small you can get the difference.
Step 5 – Create immediate income
In a perfect world, your work would be done. You would have income from some other source and low enough expenses that you could buy yourself some time to breathe. What we are looking for here is money to close the gap between your essential expenses and your income for the first few months that you are out of work. In this step, we are just looking for enough income to fill the immediate gap.
We all know this isn’t a perfect world, so let’s look at other options. What we are looking for in this step is money to fill the immediate gap. If you have an emergency fund, that could be your answer to this step.
If you don’t have any money in savings, yyou need a source of immediate income. Depending on your circumstances, working with a few families that need help with virtual schooling could be a great option. I’ve created a forum for teachers and familiesin Indiana to connect. You can sign up by clicking the links in the previous paragraph. If you are outside Indiana, check FB groups and Google to see if the same thing exists for your state. If not, comment below and I’ll do my best to help you set one up.
Note: Any work that you do as an independent contractor will not have taxes taken out, so it is a good idea to set up a separate bank account any deposit about 25% of income from non-employer sources directly into it. This can keep you from getting a nasty surprise come tax time next year.
There is also an increased demand for delivery workers right now. Besides pizza delivery, these 7 delivery companies might be worth investigating. I know delivery might not sound very appealing, but the key here is to get some income right away until you can put more permanent plans in place.
One of the first things that teachers think of is teaching English online. You can read more about VIPKid in this blog article but based on what I am hearing a TON of new teachers have signed up since the shut down and bookings are extremely slow. So don’t count on this as an immediate plan. Put it in the long-term category.
There will probably be another post on this coming soon, so check back if you need more info on immediate opportunities.
Step 6 – Create long term income
Here we are talking about putting a longer term plan in place, say 3-12+ months. If you are able to take a leave of absence from your job and have your expenses covered, this step might not even apply to you. On the other hand, some school employees will finally be pushed over the edge by the lack of concern shown for their safety and will be looking for more permanent employment.
In that case, you’ll need to do some soul searching about whether this is a good time to create a job for yourself through entrepreneurship, or whether you want to search for another full time job. If you’ve always wanted to start a small business, well, this will be a tough time to do it, but there are some solo-preneur ideas that just might work. They all take some time to start producing income, which is, of course, why they are long term plans.
My favorite solo-preneur idea is indexing, and you can read more about it here. Even with all the hype around work-from-home jobs, it seems to have gone unnoticed. There are other real options for working from home, though. Virtual Assistants are becoming more and more popular, especially those who have a sought-after niche. Some VAs specialize in Pinterest, others in Facebook ads. If you think being a VA would appeal to you, here is an article on 17 specific VA niches.
Otherwise, while a ton of places have been laying off employees, others have increased needs and are hiring. Here is an article about openings from May, and another one from January about some of the best companies for remote online work.
Whatever you decide, remember to make your decision about whether to quit teaching based on solid research and facts, not panic. And remember, you’ve got this!
As part of our Financial independence, temporary retirement dream, our family of five moved to Norway in July of 2019. Now, Norway has a lot of things to love: fjords, mountains, great people, excellent social safety net, playgrounds to die for, and a ton of other things. But the cost of living is NOT one of them. We recently splurged on two packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were on sale. Total cost for just over 3 lb of chicken? Almost $20. Did I mention they were on sale? So planning to move to Norway with kids with almost no guaranteed income was a huge challenge. But almost a year into our 2 year odyssey, we are doing great. While no one can predict the future, it seems as if our financial planning has worked better than we could have imagined, even with the unplanned chaos of a global pandemic.
If you’d like take a peak at how a normal family plans to move to one of the most expensive countries in the world with no income, read on.
Saving money – a starting point
When we decided to move to Norway, I was building my micro-business, World of Wonders. We were living 100% on my husband’s salary because all of my income went back into the business. By chance, I got a job offer from the school where I had previously taught. #pikeproud Although I loved my business, it was just starting out and there was no way that I would be able to make the amount of money we would need to save. Plus, in a stroke of luck, they were offering me my dream job – teaching English as a new language to newcomers.
So step one was increasing our income. Now just earning more isn’t helpful if you don’t keep any of that money. So even though our income increased by about 40%, our lifestyle didn’t. The same day I filled out my paperwork at the corporation, I went to a new bank and started a savings account. My check was direct deposited and never even hit the accounts we paid bills from.
That means we were able to ENSURE that we were saving money. Using any of the money from my salary had to be a conscious choice. Because all of that money was at a different bank, there was no way to lose track or make a mistake and spend more that my husband’s salary. To get to that money, we had to KNOW we were dipping into it.
(Over-) Estimating costs
Once we had some savings going on, we needed to have an idea of how much money we needed to save. I used a lot of resources to estimate food, housing, and transportation costs. But the most important thing here was to OVER estimate them. In other words, I always added about 30% to what our thought our costs would be. I planned $2000 per month for housing, $1500 for food, $700 for utilities. Those were our upper limits. I knew if we stayed below those numbers we would be OK. If we went above in any category, we had to make it up elsewhere.
Another variable we had to consider was the exchange rate. When I was planning, the exchange rate hovered around 8.5 Norwegian Kroner (NOK) to the dollar. I planned everything on the basis of 8 NOK to the dollar, giving us another bit of cushion.
Savings, meet costs. Costs, meet savings.
So now, it was time to get those two numbers to meet up. $6000 per month seemed to be a budget that would cover our expenses if we lived carefully. Although we didn’t have jobs, I had a little income, about $1500/mo. after taxes, from my rental properties That meant that we needed to save $4500 for each month we were living there. But once again, I added a bit more cushion and decided to go with $5000 as a goal. As anyone with a calculator can tell you, that meant that to live in Norway for 1 year, we would need $60,000. For two years, we would need $120,000.
Note: That did not include the expenses to actually move to Norway, which we planned to cover in large part from the sale of our cars (which we were not planning to replace in Norway) and other household goods that would be downsized.
After the first year of saving, we were woefully short, ending with about $70,000 in the bank. (We had started with about $30,000 from an emergency fund and my take home pay was about $40,000 for the year.) Had we gotten accepted into a Masters Degree program, we would have moved to Norway, but I would have hyperventilated a lot over money. As it turned out, we did not get accepted, so our plans were pushed back a year and we had another year to save.
During the second year, we discovered that my husband could put money in a 457 account. (If you want more info on what that is and how it could literally change your life if you work in the public sector, check out my blog post here.) That allowed us to put some money away pre-tax instead of post tax and sped our savings up a bit. I was also able to save more of my income from the investment real estate.
By the last pay check of my job, we had approximately $120,000. We knew that barring massively bad luck, we would be ok.
What we did NOT cut
We were super fortunate to be in a position where we didn’t have to cut to the bone in order to make this happen. Although we cut a LOT of stuff that a lot of middle class families don’t think twice about spending money on (kids birthday parties were simple, we drove 10+ year old cars, didn’t go out to the movies, bought clothes second hand), we did keep a couple of splurges that meant a lot to us.
The first splurge we kept was our cleaning service. First of all, it was way under market price and we had had them for several years. Second, my husband and I both had other priorities, and it was not the time we needed to put the effort into training the kids to do a better job. Robb was focused on traveling more at work to create and sustain a network that would hopefully help him re-enter the job market after 2 years out.
I am a cooker, not a cleaner. I spend a ton of time making homemade meals, freezer meals, and cheap snacks for the kids. I didn’t do the numbers, but I felt like if I tried to do the cleaning, we would eat out more and we wouldn’t end up saving much money in the end.
The second splurge was a family trip to Florida. We did this for many reasons. First, we had never taken a big trip with my parents and we didn’t know when we might have a chance to do so again. Secondly, my parents offered to cover a large portion of the cost, so our outlay was minimal. Third, our family hadn’t been to Florida in almost 10 years, and our two youngest had never been to Disney OR seen the ocean. We wanted my parents to be able to have those memories with the kids, especially since we were moving their only non-adult grandkids to a different continent.
Putting our money where our plans are
Even with a budget of $5000 per month, we knew we would have to watch our expenses carefully in Norway, especially if we wanted to splurge on family trips. And -duh – we were living in Europe, so of course we wanted family trips. Part of the reason we were moving was to create memories as a family.
Our first piece of luck came in the fact that we had planned for the possibility of Oslo prices (which are unbelieveably high). But we actually ended up going to Stavanger, where prices are currently cheaper. So our 16,000 NOK budget ($2000) for housing turned out to be only 14,000. YAY! Win. We could have chosen a bigger place, but the basement apartment where we live is clean and safe, with big windows and a ton of playgrounds in the neighbourhood.
The next piece of luck for us, is the fact that the exchange rate was actually a lot better than we planned for. We figured everything at 8 NoK per dollar just to be safe, but by the time we were over here for a few months, we were getting 9.5 NOK to the dollar. That means that everything we bought was about 15-20% cheaper than we had planned. Again, a little bit more room in the budget. Our rent went down to less than $1500 for every month we paid at that rate, saving us $500 from our budgeted amount.
But the big, huge, magnificent bit of luck was the fact that I actually found a part-time teaching job. In September, a local international school posted a job for a teacher of English language and literature. It seemed perfect for me because it was 70%. In other words, I would have 1 ½ days a week off and teach 3 ½ days each week. At Christmas, they asked me to work an extra half day, so I’m at 80%. My take-home pay turned out to be about 28,000 NOK a month, enough to cover our rent, food and a little extra.
What we didn’t account for
Less money for our stuff
There were several places where our planning missed things. First of all, we planned on earning enough from the sale of a lot of our furniture to pay for our plane tickets over, as well as the cost of a shipping container for the furniture we planned to take. Unfortunately, we were so busy just clearing things out, that we didn’t have time to list things online. We ended up giving away almost everything, except our car.
Again, our car didn’t bring what it was worth. I had planned to sell one car about a month before we left, and rely on one car for the last month. However, things were so hectic we really needed both cars until the very last minute. That meant that 48 hours before we flew out, we were sitting in a car dealership signing the papers to sell our car. I thought we could get at least 8K out of it if we sold it ourselves, but there just wasn’t time. We ended up getting less than 5K.
Cost of carrying the house
In my perfect dream scenario, we would have had our house on the market by the beginning of June. In reality, we had to hire someone to clear out the last of the furnishings AFTER we left. And we didn’t have time to do the little things that needed to be done to get it ready for the market. We ended up spending about $6K for those things. We also had to pay for ongoing care, such as lawn care, after we moved. We paid more than we normally would have because we found a local handyman who was awesome and we really trusted him. His prices were a bit above market, but the security of knowing that he would do an outstanding job and let us know if there were any little things that needed to be taken care of was 100% worth it.
Luckily, it was only about 3 months before our house sold, but that could have been a huge drain on our reserves if it had been on the market longer. (FYI – the money we made from the sale of our house is not included in our living expenses. That is set aside for when we decide to purchase another house. All of the living expense calculations assume that we will NOT use that money for day to day expenses.)
Other ‘at home’ expenses.
The little things we forgot that we would still have to pay for from the US. Life insurance, a cell phone plan so we could call our families, a few online subscriptions and donations (Doctors without Borders and such). It adds up to about $400 a month, which is manageable for us, but could put us in trouble if we hadn’t put so much leeway in our budget.
The big picture
Overall, we feel really good about the state of our finances heading into the 2nd year. I am not a detail-oriented person, so I don’t do a huge by-the-penny budget. But I would estimate that my job covers about 75% of our living expenses.
We are still frugal. For the first 4-5 months, we didn’t eat out at all. We’ve loosened up a bit and splurge a couple of times a month on take-out Chinese food. We eat less meat, and our entertainment is walking to the beach.
We also don’t have a car. I use public transportation to get to work, and my husband bikes to the university. It does make life a lot harder at times, but when we ran the numbers, we just didn’t feel like it was a good idea. Consequently, transportation costs run under $150/month instead of probably $1500/month if we had a car.
There is one other big, BIG thing we did to save money. We sold our house in the US. This was a heartbreak for my husband, who literally saved it from eventual decay. We had to make some sacrifices, and that was one of them. As we mentioned above, it was pretty expensive to keep it up, and even if we could have rented it, we would have had the worry of making sure things were in running order. That’s much harder from another continent.
I never thought that I was financially independent – even temporarily – until a co-worker (also interested in FIRE) commented “Wow! You’re really doing it. Financial Independence, retire early. Moving to Norway. Congrats.”
I paused for a minute, stunned, and then realized, “Yeah. We are.” Maybe not forever, but for at least a couple of years. And we are doing it in one of the most expensive places in the world.
So if you are wondering if it could work for you, I think in most cases the answer is yes. We earned good salaries, but not huge ones. We were out of debt and lived below our means. But most importantly, we chose to believe that it could be done, and spent our time working toward making it happen instead of thinking it never would. I believe that if you are out of debt and have a healthy savings, it can be well within reach if you are willing to do the research and then plan and save accordingly.
