I am a certified teacher, should I feel ashamed that I don't want to be in the classroom anymore? Suggestions?

Question

After 5 years of teaching, I’m exhausted. I earned a math license and two masters degrees and don’t’ want to teach. It doesn’t seem to fit my personality anymore. I took last year off from a full time teaching position and want to take another.

I have been substituting through an agency that has been sending me to a charter school regularly. The staff has been asking me a lot if I will be teaching at the school. But to be honest: I am tired of teaching and all of the politics and I do not want to teach at any K-12 school (I’ve had a bad experience at the last school I taught). I am contented with substitute teaching now because I like kids enough and can go when I have to and don’t have to lesson plan. I am planning on getting in a long term tutoring position and start a small business venture in the evenings. It may not make that money but that is okay. But I want out of the K-12 circuit, should I feel ashamed that I am neglecting a teaching position. Any other alternate career suggestions?

Answer 1

Teaching is a burn out career - and some burn out before others.  Being the driving force day in day out is exhausting.  If you find something else you want to do - do it. Don't spend the rest of your life full of regrets.

Answer 2

not at all-it took me 4 years to see that it wasn't the route for me. It is better to have gone down the road and tried than to not have and have had regrets...you can always go back to it at a later time, but a master's degree (or 2 :-) are very applicable to other avenues...use them! nurture your business venture and watch your "planning and lesson plans" apply to how you approach this venue, it is amazing how interchangeable and how much people see other assets of teaching (i.e., public speaking, organizational skills, leadership) in other non-academic atmospheres! good luck!

Answer 3

Why feel ashamed. It is quite clear that this isn't for you. This isn't something you have come to on a whim, you have given this 5 years and are being honest with yourself.

As to career suggestions that is for you and you alone to decide. You need to do what YOU want with YOUR life.

When I once found myself in a similar situation of not really knowing what I wanted in life someone suggested that I try envisioning my perfect day. Make yourself comfortable and clear your mind then start imagining... what would your perfect day be... how would it start.. where would you be... what would you be doing.. who would you be with. Don't hold back, feel it, smell it, live it from getting up in the morning until going to bed at night.

When you have finished think about it. What are you saying to yourself about your life, aims and ambitions. You may feel your perfect day is unattainable but it might start you on a journey to getting somewhere close.

Answer 4

You are perfectly normal to feel this way.  American Education has not been fixed and you are a casualty of this problem.  Pursue your dream of owning a small business.  You gave it a good, solid five years so now you can test the waters of the entrepreneurial world.  You may be too introverted and analytical to deal with the chaos of the classroom; the business world may be more up your alley.  I wish you the best in all you do.  Good luck.

Answer 5

No, because in the long run you are not only doing a discredit to yourself but also to your students. They can sense when a teacher is passionate about what they are doing and really cares about the children and making a difference in their lives versus a person who is just there for a paycheck. The latter turns many students off from learning for many years to come and colors their experience with the educational system. You live your best life; find your passion and find a way to make that your life's work. You and the world will be much better for it. :-)

Answer 6

if you truly our done you can quit, but i must ask, what are you planning to do then? go back to school get a part time job somewhere? you'll also have to think about that you can go into being a substitute teacher if you still like teaching and not have any planning to do. i hope it works out in the end, good luck!

Answer 7

You only have one life to live.  I see no shame in leaving a job you are unhappy in to pursue other avenues. The national average, I believe, is that approximately 48% of teachers leave the profession within the first five years of teaching, so you are definitely not alone.

Good luck.

Answer 8

With a math degree you can be an actuary.

Answer 9

In order to teach one must have control in her or his class room and in this day and age  that is a big impossible dream.

Answer 10

You shouldn't be ashamed at all.  Teaching is one of the hardest jobs out there.  Furthermore, I think we have been seeing the fall of the public ed system for some time now, particularly with the standardized testing craze.  Now is the time to get out, while you are still alive!  :)

I'm in the same boat as you...difference is, I only stuck it out a year and one summer school session.  I took a couple years off, and now I'm subbing, just because my husband and I need the extra income.

The only suggestion I have to you is to go ahead and do something you will love.  No point in sticking with this field too much longer, or you're going to have a hard time rolling that retirement over.  I already threw in the towel on teaching, and my husband is considering getting out of the service....we are seriously considering looking into ranching, because that is something we both would love.