Changing careers from an elementary teacher to ____?

Question

I worked as an elementary teacher for several years and now I don't think I want to continue teaching. What other career choices can I go into? What have other people done?

Answer 1

My brother went from a teacher to dealing blackhack to...being a teacher. Life is odd

Answer 2

I'm a cook and let me tell you I love it.  I create many dishes of my own and get to express myself in the art of cooking.

Answer 3

Nursing

Answer 4

therapist

Answer 5

Be a children's psychologist/counselor , since you have the experience already.

Answer 6

I agree with the nurse thing. My girl is a nurse and makes good money, and since you have a degree you might not have to do prerequisits. (go ahead correct my spelling) lol

Answer 7

Child Protective Services, my moms friend went to college for teaching and thats what she does now

Answer 8

you can be a hobo..thats what my unlce did..and he's happy ?)

Answer 9

It depends on what you enjoy doing.  I know others have suggested nursing, but personally, it's not a job that I could do.  Figure out what makes you happy.  (Teachers are often recruited as salespeople because of their people skills.)

Answer 10

Go back to school and get an MBA. Then you can join the corporate or financial world and start making big bucks.

Answer 11

Those who can, can...

Those who can't, teach...

Those who can't teach, administrate!

Answer 12

A good job for a season teacher is a consultant or trainer for companies that sell curriculums. This way you can travel at the expense of someone else and you can keep your skills as a teacher if you may decide later to return to teaching.

Answer 13

Depends on whether or not you're willing to go back to school...

If you don't, then you need to look for careers that would benefit from your teaching degree and experience.  Some ideas I had...

Sales.  Doesn't have to be a traditional sales position...sales support would also be good.  For example, you could go to work for a school supplies manufacturer and design promotional material for them...or you could become a textbook representative that visits teachers (or education professors) to introduce and promote new textbooks.  Of course, other sales positions would also be a good choice for a teacher...if you can convince 7 year olds to learn math or geography, you can probably convince someone to buy almost anything!

If you happen to be religious, you might find work as a children's minister or director of children's programs for a church.  You'd still have a chance to teach but your primary responsibilities would be curriculum, scheduling and training volunteers, etc...

Corporate training is another option...designing and delivering training programs for corporations.

Non-profit organizations in many fields would be glad to have someone with your experience help them design educational programs, prepare/write promotional letters, etc...  You might also look at other government entities...for example, those that provide latch-key and summer programs.

You might also look at some non-traditional opportunities to use your teaching degree...but on a one-to-one basis...tutoring students for exams (such as SAT prep. companies) or something like Kumon or Sylvan Learning Centers.  Seriously growing trend in parents providing their kids with extra learning assistance they aren't getting at school.  One of my son's kindergarten teachers nearly doubled her income by tutoring 4 and 5 year olds to prepare for an aptitude test administered in kindergarten (and used by the school district to select kids for an special gifted/talented magnet school).

If you're willing to "retool" for a new career, think about what you like doing with your time...and what you liked and disliked about teaching.  Did you like working on projects and scheduling lessons...if so, a degree in business (project management, operations management) may work for you. Did you like the technology...consider IT-related degrees.  Did you like working with the kids and the other teachers...then nursing may be a good fit for you.

If you liked teaching but just didn't like the atmosphere of a school (or perhaps were tired of relating to children), you might also think about getting a master's degree (and then even a Ph.D.) in education...and then teach future teachers.  I'm a college professor and I can't imagine a better career...flexible, loads of vaction time, good pay, job security (tenure), lifelong learning opportunities...and best of all, you're working with adults who don't (usually) pull each others' hair or throw spitballs in class!