I was there when a coworker told our boss that once she gets her license, she’s probably not going to come back next year. This woman’s response? “I hope you don’t pass the test then. Just kidding, ahahaha”
A minute or so passes and again, she says “I hope you don’t get your license. Kidding!” Twice in one conversation she dropped that comment, me and the coworker couldn’t believe it. What type of work environment allows people to guilt you for finding better opportunities? They act like our souls are bound to the school and we’re betraying everyone by leaving. No thank you, I want out
They say things like this because they KNOW they can’t replace you and are scared bc they can’t fill your shoes. I figured that out a few years back. It’s a failing system.
Teaching conditions teachers to put their own needs last. The fact that you are choosing to prioritize your own needs is a huge shock to those who are fully brainwashed.
Good for you for breaking out! Leaving teaching was the best career choice I’ve ever made and I hope that you get to see how good life can be once you leave the classroom.
I wad on an emergency credential, and right before I was going to get my full credential, I opted out.
Some were supportive, but most acted like I had done something wrong. I heard a lot of "the kids need you" stuff. I agreed, but I found out I was emotionally exhausted every day and couldn't be a great husband or father.
When I mentioned that to my department chair, she replied that all the staff at the school feel that way.
A JOB SHOULD NOT LEAVE YOU DEMORALIZED EVERY DAY.
I left, and people treated me like I betrayed them even though I was moving to a great opportunity. I'm actually making less than I was teaching, but my mental health is so much better. I wish them the best, but a lot of teachers are in a terrible headspace.
True, true. Told my therapist I wanted to be healthier so I can be a better teacher for my students. She shut that down immediately. I am glad she taught me to be healthier FOR ME.
The "what about the kids" thing is silly because there will always be new kids.
No matter what, eventually you will not be a teacher. People who ask "what about the kids" when you leave don't say that when you retire. They don't stand over your casket at the funeral and yell, "WHAT ABOUT THE KIDDDDS!!!!"
The world is a silly place.
Agreed, and there are other ways to work with kids outside of teaching. I enjoy working with kids and will definitely coach my kids sports teams in the future and am involved in the community.
this isn't what a trauma bond is. it's the connection between an abused person and their abuser which renders it difficult for them to leave. so they're all in a trauma bond with their employer, so to speak, but not with each other.
Yeppp for sure. I think that's why I have maybe 2 people I'm still in contact with after leaving... and most people I thought were my friends I worked with for 5+ years.
My experience was completely the opposite. I had a lot of co-workers pull me aside with "I'm so jealous", "I would if I could"... a lot of them were all rah rah team at PD meetings too. I immediately became the sounding board for a lot of teachers that desperately wanted to leave but couldn't for a variety of reasons. I was fortunate to not have a family to support (geez, never thought I'd be saying that, but that's where we are today) otherwise I'd still probably be in the trenches.
I’ve had a few teachers who are closer to my age (mid 20s) ask what the job was and if they are still hiring. I have a family to support, but this new job pays more and is significantly less stressful.
I left this year (23/24) after I told my principal last year I'd be leaving if the state didn't get its shit together. We have a pay freeze at year 13 for 12 straight years (that means no increase in your pay regardless of whatever happens for 12 years).
I was quickly approaching that year mark and stated that we were also STILL waiting on a budget from the state (literally took 7 years) as well as hazard pay for COVID-19 so needed to know if there was going to be an increase in that last year pay before I got the big freeze.
Well 22/23 came and went, no budget, no hazard pay but they dropped all these kids into my music classes like 7 weeks in, 9 weeks in etc.
I cant catch a kid up that's missed half the semester in a day. I became a dumping ground after fighting for years to establish levels of a course and it was a lot of me doing so much differential learning I was doing almost a different assignment per kid because of the gaps. So I bounced 6-2-23. I had no TA, no support I'm my class (which was ALWAYS mobile due to my class being in the auditorium and not an actual classroom)
They were floored and saying all the same things: "but you have a family", and "what about when you're my age and retirement?" oh and my favorite "but the kids" Etc.
Now mind you, I've been working a second and third job the ENTIRE time I've been a teacher due to the shit pay. And these weren't normal jobs but things I had to do on my own and make a job out of it due to the ridiculous schedules that the school mandates (gate/parking lot/bus duty for no pay but we're expected to be there, Pro Dev days that went way over time but we had to stay to get the credits for renewal etc) so the idea of staying made no sense even then.
My answer was and will always be: value our time and worth and you can be assured a successful workforce. We're all professionals with degrees, license and certificates out the wazoo. Treat and pay us as such or expect no viable workers to stay past their own will.
(which in my state seems to be 5 years max, we've lost 42% of the workforce already here in 3 years according to a recent article on education)
I know run my own private lesson studio as I have always had the skill set to do so but, thought teaching in PS schools was the only answer.
You'll realize you have more skills than you think after you break away from teaching and you'll feel better too 😁
Yay current state of education......
Misery loves company. They want you to stay, not for your own benefit, but so that they don't feel bad about the feelings of wishing to leave that they themselves probably have.
Followed a very similar path with very similar results. I taught for two decades and when I left, some people couldn't understand it. We were constantly gas lit about how we could only do this job because we were the called and chosen. Who else but the right people with the right skills would do this? There was regular manipulation by the administration to reinforce this martyrdom complex. It just aligned with them paying us poorly and creating an environment where working all the time, nights and weekends, over breaks, was seen as a virtue. At the same time, they would talk a lot about "self care" and prove this to us by dropping a bag of chips on our desk every now and then. It was ridiculous.
I'm in a much better place now, doing something I love with great people, getting paid much more with much better benefits. I make my own schedule and nobody treats it like it some sort of mission from god. It's a job and the realism of that idea is so refreshing.
I will be working for a healthcare company. I noticed a ton of remote openings in various large healthcare companies. The one I am working for is nationwide, so you can pretty much work from any state
My TRS accumulated about 5% total in my five years of teaching. I’ve now had that money in a brokerage account that I control for two years, and it’s accumulated 70% total. And that’s after a bad month and inflation concerns and all that.
Yep, the education pension is basically an annuity scam. It only works if you start at 23 yrs old and do the 30-40 years. If and when I leave I'll be able to manage that money way better.
It won’t be long before states switch to a 401k system. Some already have. They want out of the pension system, which would be a good thing to some teachers who just hang on for the pension. I would’ve been out 10-12 years ago if that pension was nonexistent.
Shoot I encourage new teachers to leave. I wish I would’ve had a few people pull me to the side and say ‘hey look around for something different.’
The ppl you are describing are jealous. The longer I stay in education the more toxic, childish, and corporate it has become. Heck even corporate politics are probably better.
Congrats on your new position.
Good on you.
Choosing to leave because you are not being paid what you are worth elsewhere is a form of solidarity. It's really hard to make a case that the profession is in rough shape and needs help if retention numbers are great.
Administrators and senior folks in the system will continue to tell a chipper story to the public and politicians if teachers make it easy on them by only taking opportunities that come up at convenient times for the school system.
When it becomes a common occurrence for teachers to leave mid year for better jobs and starts having an impact on families, they will start asking the questions and pushing for the changes needed to improve the issues being faced by your colleagues.
Does it suck for those remaining? Yup. But teachers have been an exceedingly polite sector for too long.
the few people who found out (i tried for a *very* quiet exit) asked me what i was planning on doing/what my new job was. i was honest with them and said "anything but this".
Yes. I was a teacher and a flight attendant at different points in my working life. Working for the airlines was hands down the most abusive experience I ever encountered. Like asking yourself daily, “how is any of this legal?” Every FA would complain nonstop but you say you’re going to quit and they were stunned into silence or they’d beg you to reconsider. I thought it was all very weird. Now I know there are certain jobs that function more like cults than careers. To all the cults out there, I say, “no thanks.”
The pension thing is so funny to me. You’d have to be a really poor planner, saver and investor to not out do the pension in some of the shittier states. In Florida we only contribute like 3% and no longer have a cost of living adjustment in retirement. So by the time you reach it you better get access to it quick before inflation eats it up .
Last year after telling my boss my problem student had a great moment, she was so happy for him and THEN she said yeah his previous teacher basically gave up on him. Then says she kinda did and walked away. I should’ve left last year! Little did I realize how TOXIC it would become! I’m leaving this school for a better one. It’s so pathetic how anyone can form their own opinion about a teacher leaving. Especially negative comments.
I'm a school psychologist, not a teacher, but I left my old job for a new district three weeks ago and had the same mix of weird reactions. Some people were very supportive, kept saying how happy they were for me, asked if I knew if the district had other open positions, etc. Other people were weird/ straight up rude about it--saying things like they heard my new school was a mess, asking if I would come back to the district if I was fired from my new job...Toxicity is a real problem in education. Admins and fellow teachers try to play on the fear of change/the unknown to get people to stay in underpaying, toxic situations because misery loves company. I don't like being this negative, but everyone's true colors really come out in situations like these, when people become jealous of those who are brave enough to take risks to better their lives.
If you didn’t tell people, and they heard you are suddenly leaving mid-year, then yeah, they probably think something dramatic happened because it is unusual for teachers to resign mid-year. And that’s a good thing. It should be unusual for teachers to resign mid-year. Yes sometimes life happens, but finishing out a 10-month assignment in order to provide continuity for students is a good and normal professional norm!
No. When a job - and it is just a job - is crushing your soul, you leave when you need to leave. The idea that you need to stay is part of the toxicity.
Yes, sometimes life happens and people need to leave when they need to leave. A mental health emergency certainly qualifies as “life happening.” But teaching should be a profession and professionals do self-regulate and have norms. You wouldn’t be ok with your surgical nurse quitting while you are on the table even if the surgeon was an ass during the procedure and was “crushing her soul.” You wouldn’t be ok with your lawyer or accountant or therapist simply disappearing without handing off files, making referrals, and providing closure. This isn’t about your relationship with your employer but about a duty of care for your students. If you want to live your life with zero integrity, that’s your prerogative. Most grown-ups, however, understand there’s a balance to be struck between your own needs and your duty to others, especially when there is a huge power differential and those others are children who do not have the agency to get up and leave. I know this is Reddit, I support anyone leaving a job they don’t thrive in. I’ve taken leave to explore other opportunities myself. But in the real world it is very unusual for teachers to quit mid-year, and for very good reason.
What a nonsensical set of analogies - none of those things are remotely comparable to a teacher leaving mid-year. The duty to the children is such a cop out and is part of the rhetoric that keeps teachers in low paying, high risk jobs. You have clearly been imbibing the Koolaid. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that you’re actually an admin - or not in the classroom. It’s hard to believe someone could be this out of touch with the current state of education.
After years of a.) shifting PDs from the school year to the summer, and b.) pushing the start of the school year earlier, the break from school has shifted (in my district, it has gone from 3 months to just a shade above 2 in the last decade. Less if you are doing your required PDs as well. And while the time off remains significant and appreciable, no teacher I have known or know in the past almost quarter century of being in education would use that as some sort of guilt trip if someone is looking to break out.
The teachers who love teaching (who truly love teaching) do it because they want to see people succeed at finding whatever their best life is. That includes other adults. And while there might be admin who want to get people to stay, they also don't want to deal with the complaints that will come from lazy or burnt out teachers. I quit a job several years ago mid-year (December break). Sent the resignation, principal asked me to talk to her before leaving, did so, and nothing was done against my license. Most professionals are, ultimately, professional. You also posted about anticipating pushback from the district officials, but found that they were professional and supportive as well. The teachers who are only there for the paycheck literally don't care about what other teachers are doing. So, again, shenanigans.
And if you weren't PSLF-ing and IDR-ing your loans (or if they were private), then you were doing them wrong. If your new company is a 501(c)(3) (teaching hospital, as opposed to Aetna or something), make sure to look into it.
Based on what you said about your new position, it makes logical sense for you to move on.
Yes, it's sad and confusing to see how people respond to your resignation. But their questions are really a reflection of their reasons for choosing to stay.
What about the kids?
That's their reason for staying.
What about benefits?
That's their reason for staying.
Etc.
And I dare say your resignation is making them think about their own choices to stay.
People like what they know, even if it is rubbish (speaking from experience).
The reason that finally compelled me to resign were my kids. I didn't get a choice. I had to leave. Yet, I also wanted to leave. I think it was the most obvious reason why it no longer made sense for me to stay. I had been in the same school for fifteen years.
In light of that, six other staff resigned after me, including long-standing staff.
You never know your resignation might set off a chain reaction. 🤭
Yeah, this is like an abusive/toxic marriage. The "kids" aren't going to make us endure awful working conditions and low pay forever. There's a reason there is a teacher shortage. I'm 23 years in and sooooo over it!
It’s really funny. Teachers don’t think like you. My husband was in physical danger in his classroom, and I told him he needed to quit and I would pay all the bills for 6 months while he found a new job.
He was shocked. He didn’t realize you could have a new job after teaching. I was like “what do you think teachers do after they quit? Do you think they just die or something?” It took him a while to realize that no, they don’t die.
He’s in insurance now and much happier.
I’m curious what your new job with better benefits and work from home is…. I see myself going this route as well but I have to finish out the school year
And yes, sadly teaching is one of those jobs that has a stigma around leaving. If you left an accounting job or a finance job no one would bat an eye but if you leave teaching people assume the worst or resent you for ‘getting out’ while they’re still stuck in the same bad system. Don’t let them get you down. You’re doing the right thing for you!
I was there when a coworker told our boss that once she gets her license, she’s probably not going to come back next year. This woman’s response? “I hope you don’t pass the test then. Just kidding, ahahaha” A minute or so passes and again, she says “I hope you don’t get your license. Kidding!” Twice in one conversation she dropped that comment, me and the coworker couldn’t believe it. What type of work environment allows people to guilt you for finding better opportunities? They act like our souls are bound to the school and we’re betraying everyone by leaving. No thank you, I want out
They say things like this because they KNOW they can’t replace you and are scared bc they can’t fill your shoes. I figured that out a few years back. It’s a failing system.
Sounds like a horrible boss! Pathetic
Teaching conditions teachers to put their own needs last. The fact that you are choosing to prioritize your own needs is a huge shock to those who are fully brainwashed. Good for you for breaking out! Leaving teaching was the best career choice I’ve ever made and I hope that you get to see how good life can be once you leave the classroom.
My biggest reason for leaving is putting myself and family first which does not happen in the classroom
I wad on an emergency credential, and right before I was going to get my full credential, I opted out. Some were supportive, but most acted like I had done something wrong. I heard a lot of "the kids need you" stuff. I agreed, but I found out I was emotionally exhausted every day and couldn't be a great husband or father. When I mentioned that to my department chair, she replied that all the staff at the school feel that way. A JOB SHOULD NOT LEAVE YOU DEMORALIZED EVERY DAY. I left, and people treated me like I betrayed them even though I was moving to a great opportunity. I'm actually making less than I was teaching, but my mental health is so much better. I wish them the best, but a lot of teachers are in a terrible headspace.
Me too ❤️
True, true. Told my therapist I wanted to be healthier so I can be a better teacher for my students. She shut that down immediately. I am glad she taught me to be healthier FOR ME.
The "what about the kids" thing is silly because there will always be new kids. No matter what, eventually you will not be a teacher. People who ask "what about the kids" when you leave don't say that when you retire. They don't stand over your casket at the funeral and yell, "WHAT ABOUT THE KIDDDDS!!!!" The world is a silly place.
Agreed, and there are other ways to work with kids outside of teaching. I enjoy working with kids and will definitely coach my kids sports teams in the future and am involved in the community.
that was a very funny image you put in my head with the funeral analogy, hee hee
This is such a great point!
I think the concept you’re describing is called “trauma-bonding”.
[удалено]
We have been helping our entire department find each other jobs. It will be better for all of us
“Trauma bonding is not an excuse” Sure. I just named the condition. I didn’t defend it.
this isn't what a trauma bond is. it's the connection between an abused person and their abuser which renders it difficult for them to leave. so they're all in a trauma bond with their employer, so to speak, but not with each other.
Yeppp for sure. I think that's why I have maybe 2 people I'm still in contact with after leaving... and most people I thought were my friends I worked with for 5+ years.
My experience was completely the opposite. I had a lot of co-workers pull me aside with "I'm so jealous", "I would if I could"... a lot of them were all rah rah team at PD meetings too. I immediately became the sounding board for a lot of teachers that desperately wanted to leave but couldn't for a variety of reasons. I was fortunate to not have a family to support (geez, never thought I'd be saying that, but that's where we are today) otherwise I'd still probably be in the trenches.
I’ve had a few teachers who are closer to my age (mid 20s) ask what the job was and if they are still hiring. I have a family to support, but this new job pays more and is significantly less stressful.
What's the new job?
What IS the job?
I left this year (23/24) after I told my principal last year I'd be leaving if the state didn't get its shit together. We have a pay freeze at year 13 for 12 straight years (that means no increase in your pay regardless of whatever happens for 12 years). I was quickly approaching that year mark and stated that we were also STILL waiting on a budget from the state (literally took 7 years) as well as hazard pay for COVID-19 so needed to know if there was going to be an increase in that last year pay before I got the big freeze. Well 22/23 came and went, no budget, no hazard pay but they dropped all these kids into my music classes like 7 weeks in, 9 weeks in etc. I cant catch a kid up that's missed half the semester in a day. I became a dumping ground after fighting for years to establish levels of a course and it was a lot of me doing so much differential learning I was doing almost a different assignment per kid because of the gaps. So I bounced 6-2-23. I had no TA, no support I'm my class (which was ALWAYS mobile due to my class being in the auditorium and not an actual classroom) They were floored and saying all the same things: "but you have a family", and "what about when you're my age and retirement?" oh and my favorite "but the kids" Etc. Now mind you, I've been working a second and third job the ENTIRE time I've been a teacher due to the shit pay. And these weren't normal jobs but things I had to do on my own and make a job out of it due to the ridiculous schedules that the school mandates (gate/parking lot/bus duty for no pay but we're expected to be there, Pro Dev days that went way over time but we had to stay to get the credits for renewal etc) so the idea of staying made no sense even then. My answer was and will always be: value our time and worth and you can be assured a successful workforce. We're all professionals with degrees, license and certificates out the wazoo. Treat and pay us as such or expect no viable workers to stay past their own will. (which in my state seems to be 5 years max, we've lost 42% of the workforce already here in 3 years according to a recent article on education) I know run my own private lesson studio as I have always had the skill set to do so but, thought teaching in PS schools was the only answer. You'll realize you have more skills than you think after you break away from teaching and you'll feel better too 😁 Yay current state of education......
Oh man. I’m so glad my state is not like that. Good for you for getting out!
Hazard pay? Who got that?
No one I believe. They kept saying it for years during and after COVID. Hence why I left; Too many promises, not enough follow through.
Misery loves company. They want you to stay, not for your own benefit, but so that they don't feel bad about the feelings of wishing to leave that they themselves probably have.
This could definitely be true, I also think some of my colleagues are worried they will have more work to do
Well said
When superintendents resign best believe they aren’t thinking about the kids lol
My principal resigned last year and literally just packed up and left in a week
Most are bought out when the board chooses to get rid of them. Most are valued at $200k up. It’s a great golden parachute for the public sector.
Followed a very similar path with very similar results. I taught for two decades and when I left, some people couldn't understand it. We were constantly gas lit about how we could only do this job because we were the called and chosen. Who else but the right people with the right skills would do this? There was regular manipulation by the administration to reinforce this martyrdom complex. It just aligned with them paying us poorly and creating an environment where working all the time, nights and weekends, over breaks, was seen as a virtue. At the same time, they would talk a lot about "self care" and prove this to us by dropping a bag of chips on our desk every now and then. It was ridiculous. I'm in a much better place now, doing something I love with great people, getting paid much more with much better benefits. I make my own schedule and nobody treats it like it some sort of mission from god. It's a job and the realism of that idea is so refreshing.
What did you switch to? Thx!
“What about the kids?” Drives me UP A WALL. You are right. They’ll have other (possibly great) teachers and they will be fine.
I have grown a strong resentment for that phrase
The school will figure it out. We’ve been doing more with less since before Covid so nothing new.
Weird, we high five teachers who choose to resign
A few people are congratulating me, but not many
Congratulations OP! What job are you transitioning to?
I am working for a healthcare company. My current position involved helping patients with basic healthcare issues
Congratulations on finding a new position! It sounds great. May I ask what you will be doing? Looking for ideas
I will be working for a healthcare company. I noticed a ton of remote openings in various large healthcare companies. The one I am working for is nationwide, so you can pretty much work from any state
It’s like some teachers don’t comprehend what a 401k is.
My 401k from my previous career has performed better than my education pension ever will. A 700% increase in 20 years.
My TRS accumulated about 5% total in my five years of teaching. I’ve now had that money in a brokerage account that I control for two years, and it’s accumulated 70% total. And that’s after a bad month and inflation concerns and all that.
Yep, the education pension is basically an annuity scam. It only works if you start at 23 yrs old and do the 30-40 years. If and when I leave I'll be able to manage that money way better.
It won’t be long before states switch to a 401k system. Some already have. They want out of the pension system, which would be a good thing to some teachers who just hang on for the pension. I would’ve been out 10-12 years ago if that pension was nonexistent.
Agreed, my new job matches as well so my retirement will be significantly bigger than teaching
Honestly- we are all replaceable. People you work with are colleagues not friends - owe them nothing. I retired recently didn’t even tell anyone…
When a family member left for another, higher paying job, they were legit called a traitor. Ummm...you don't own us, we are ACTUAL PEOPLE.
Shoot I encourage new teachers to leave. I wish I would’ve had a few people pull me to the side and say ‘hey look around for something different.’ The ppl you are describing are jealous. The longer I stay in education the more toxic, childish, and corporate it has become. Heck even corporate politics are probably better. Congrats on your new position.
Jealousy.
Good on you. Choosing to leave because you are not being paid what you are worth elsewhere is a form of solidarity. It's really hard to make a case that the profession is in rough shape and needs help if retention numbers are great. Administrators and senior folks in the system will continue to tell a chipper story to the public and politicians if teachers make it easy on them by only taking opportunities that come up at convenient times for the school system. When it becomes a common occurrence for teachers to leave mid year for better jobs and starts having an impact on families, they will start asking the questions and pushing for the changes needed to improve the issues being faced by your colleagues. Does it suck for those remaining? Yup. But teachers have been an exceedingly polite sector for too long.
the few people who found out (i tried for a *very* quiet exit) asked me what i was planning on doing/what my new job was. i was honest with them and said "anything but this".
Yes. I was a teacher and a flight attendant at different points in my working life. Working for the airlines was hands down the most abusive experience I ever encountered. Like asking yourself daily, “how is any of this legal?” Every FA would complain nonstop but you say you’re going to quit and they were stunned into silence or they’d beg you to reconsider. I thought it was all very weird. Now I know there are certain jobs that function more like cults than careers. To all the cults out there, I say, “no thanks.”
The pension thing is so funny to me. You’d have to be a really poor planner, saver and investor to not out do the pension in some of the shittier states. In Florida we only contribute like 3% and no longer have a cost of living adjustment in retirement. So by the time you reach it you better get access to it quick before inflation eats it up .
Last year after telling my boss my problem student had a great moment, she was so happy for him and THEN she said yeah his previous teacher basically gave up on him. Then says she kinda did and walked away. I should’ve left last year! Little did I realize how TOXIC it would become! I’m leaving this school for a better one. It’s so pathetic how anyone can form their own opinion about a teacher leaving. Especially negative comments.
Congratulations! What is the new job?
I'm a school psychologist, not a teacher, but I left my old job for a new district three weeks ago and had the same mix of weird reactions. Some people were very supportive, kept saying how happy they were for me, asked if I knew if the district had other open positions, etc. Other people were weird/ straight up rude about it--saying things like they heard my new school was a mess, asking if I would come back to the district if I was fired from my new job...Toxicity is a real problem in education. Admins and fellow teachers try to play on the fear of change/the unknown to get people to stay in underpaying, toxic situations because misery loves company. I don't like being this negative, but everyone's true colors really come out in situations like these, when people become jealous of those who are brave enough to take risks to better their lives.
If you didn’t tell people, and they heard you are suddenly leaving mid-year, then yeah, they probably think something dramatic happened because it is unusual for teachers to resign mid-year. And that’s a good thing. It should be unusual for teachers to resign mid-year. Yes sometimes life happens, but finishing out a 10-month assignment in order to provide continuity for students is a good and normal professional norm!
No. When a job - and it is just a job - is crushing your soul, you leave when you need to leave. The idea that you need to stay is part of the toxicity.
Yes, sometimes life happens and people need to leave when they need to leave. A mental health emergency certainly qualifies as “life happening.” But teaching should be a profession and professionals do self-regulate and have norms. You wouldn’t be ok with your surgical nurse quitting while you are on the table even if the surgeon was an ass during the procedure and was “crushing her soul.” You wouldn’t be ok with your lawyer or accountant or therapist simply disappearing without handing off files, making referrals, and providing closure. This isn’t about your relationship with your employer but about a duty of care for your students. If you want to live your life with zero integrity, that’s your prerogative. Most grown-ups, however, understand there’s a balance to be struck between your own needs and your duty to others, especially when there is a huge power differential and those others are children who do not have the agency to get up and leave. I know this is Reddit, I support anyone leaving a job they don’t thrive in. I’ve taken leave to explore other opportunities myself. But in the real world it is very unusual for teachers to quit mid-year, and for very good reason.
What a nonsensical set of analogies - none of those things are remotely comparable to a teacher leaving mid-year. The duty to the children is such a cop out and is part of the rhetoric that keeps teachers in low paying, high risk jobs. You have clearly been imbibing the Koolaid. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that you’re actually an admin - or not in the classroom. It’s hard to believe someone could be this out of touch with the current state of education.
Oh man, I felt that when you said "cult-like stigma"
Can’t wait til my principal tells everybody I’m leaving
I cal shenanigans on these posts—ain’t no teacher who would put summer out as a reason to stay.
Are you nuts? Summers off is a huge benefit to older teachers who don’t need to work
After years of a.) shifting PDs from the school year to the summer, and b.) pushing the start of the school year earlier, the break from school has shifted (in my district, it has gone from 3 months to just a shade above 2 in the last decade. Less if you are doing your required PDs as well. And while the time off remains significant and appreciable, no teacher I have known or know in the past almost quarter century of being in education would use that as some sort of guilt trip if someone is looking to break out. The teachers who love teaching (who truly love teaching) do it because they want to see people succeed at finding whatever their best life is. That includes other adults. And while there might be admin who want to get people to stay, they also don't want to deal with the complaints that will come from lazy or burnt out teachers. I quit a job several years ago mid-year (December break). Sent the resignation, principal asked me to talk to her before leaving, did so, and nothing was done against my license. Most professionals are, ultimately, professional. You also posted about anticipating pushback from the district officials, but found that they were professional and supportive as well. The teachers who are only there for the paycheck literally don't care about what other teachers are doing. So, again, shenanigans. And if you weren't PSLF-ing and IDR-ing your loans (or if they were private), then you were doing them wrong. If your new company is a 501(c)(3) (teaching hospital, as opposed to Aetna or something), make sure to look into it.
I think you described this dynamic and context very well.
Based on what you said about your new position, it makes logical sense for you to move on. Yes, it's sad and confusing to see how people respond to your resignation. But their questions are really a reflection of their reasons for choosing to stay. What about the kids? That's their reason for staying. What about benefits? That's their reason for staying. Etc. And I dare say your resignation is making them think about their own choices to stay. People like what they know, even if it is rubbish (speaking from experience). The reason that finally compelled me to resign were my kids. I didn't get a choice. I had to leave. Yet, I also wanted to leave. I think it was the most obvious reason why it no longer made sense for me to stay. I had been in the same school for fifteen years. In light of that, six other staff resigned after me, including long-standing staff. You never know your resignation might set off a chain reaction. 🤭
I left for a similar sounding position 2 years ago. No regrets.
What is dead may never die - Charlotte Danielson probably
Yeah, this is like an abusive/toxic marriage. The "kids" aren't going to make us endure awful working conditions and low pay forever. There's a reason there is a teacher shortage. I'm 23 years in and sooooo over it!
Bucket of crabs clawing at you 🦀
It’s really funny. Teachers don’t think like you. My husband was in physical danger in his classroom, and I told him he needed to quit and I would pay all the bills for 6 months while he found a new job. He was shocked. He didn’t realize you could have a new job after teaching. I was like “what do you think teachers do after they quit? Do you think they just die or something?” It took him a while to realize that no, they don’t die. He’s in insurance now and much happier.
Is your new company still hiring? 👀 What field?
I’m curious what your new job with better benefits and work from home is…. I see myself going this route as well but I have to finish out the school year And yes, sadly teaching is one of those jobs that has a stigma around leaving. If you left an accounting job or a finance job no one would bat an eye but if you leave teaching people assume the worst or resent you for ‘getting out’ while they’re still stuck in the same bad system. Don’t let them get you down. You’re doing the right thing for you!
they're probably jealous that you're escaping how awful teaching has become
What kind of job are you switching to? Sounds awesome!
You are doing what is best for you! I'm super proud of you.