The Classroom Exit Strategies Podcast

Finding a career that you love is the goal of every teacher thinking about transitioning out of the classroom, but how do you know which one is right?In today's episode, Jenny Melrose shares her experience including what led her to leave the classroom and how she became a successful online entrepreneur...twice!  She also gives insight into why pivoting was so important for her business and how it allowed her husband to pursue his dream career.

As you are contemplating leaving the classroom, I know you've considered a multitude of alternative jobs for teachers.  Maybe you've thought about…opening a TpT shop, but then you worry either it isn't going to be a viable long-term option or the investment of time now is going to take way too long to pay off in the form of a full-time income.starting an online teaching or tutoring business, but you worry about the fact that you don't want to relive the “virtual” teaching episode of 2020, you've never created your own curriculum from scratch, and you would have to find consistent clients for it to be sustainable.But what if I told you there was a way to marry these two things (virtually bypassing the “I am broke” waiting period) and create multiple streams of income almost immediately.  Would you want to know how?Well, that's what today's episode is all about.

After leaving the classroom, one of the most common questions every teacher has to answer is why I quit teaching. And the truth is, there are an infinite number of reasons that teachers might leave.But as my friend Joey Udovich shares in today's episode, the final decision can be truly heart-wrenching. Her decision had nothing to do with hating teaching and absolutely everything to do with her mental and physical health.Discover how Joey came to terms with her decision, whether or not she plans to return to the classroom, and learn how to recognize warning signs in your own life.

For the past two episodes we have been digging into two of the most common fields of interest for teachers who are looking to leave the classroom, but want to stay in the field of education.  We started with educational consulting, and then we looked at instructional design.  Today we're going to spend some time discussing the last option in this vein and that is curriculum design. Curriculum designer jobs are very similar to instructional designer jobs and after last week's episode, I want to make sure that I explain the differences between the two.While many people use instructional design and curriculum design synonymously, there are some specific differences we are going to talk about as well as…What curriculum design is & the roles of curriculum designers All the nitty gritty about curriculum design like salary, requirements, & necessary skillsHow to find jobs in curriculum design

In the last episode, we spent some time learning about educational consulting and whether or not that career might be something of interest to you.  But in this episode we're going to look at another ideal job for teachers who are considering leaving the classroom. If you've ever wondered about instructional design and if that might be a good option for you, be sure to keep listening because we're going to talk about what it is and everything you need to know about transitioning from teacher to instructional designer.And don't worry if you aren't familiar with the term because this entire episode is devoted to deciphering what this career is all about as well as how this might just be the perfect fit for you.

One of the questions I get asked all the time is what types of jobs are out there for former teachers?  Well, there are about a million different options because we all know teachers have a WIDE range of skills.  But there are a few that are ideally suited for teachers with classroom teaching experience including today's focus which is educational consultant jobs. So over the next few weeks, I'm going to be breaking down several of the best jobs for former teachers that are perfect for those who want to stay in the realm of education and use their classroom teaching experience.Be sure to check out all of the resources, links, and websites listed in the transcript of this episode.

We all want to receive good evaluations...it just comes with the territory.  But what if you get a bad teacher evaluation from an administrator and you've already been considering quitting teaching?  Should you just consider this your sign that it's time to move on?  Well, maybe.Today, I'm talking with my friend, Katy Henry, who is an assistant principal in Indiana. She is sharing her insight as an administrator on how you can use evaluations to help you make the right decision about leaving and how to handle your potential resignation as a classroom teacher.

Have you found yourself in an extremely negative mindset lately regarding your career as a teacher?  Maybe you've thought or even said these words out loud, “I hate teaching!”When you went into the field of education you had great aspirations for how you would change the lives of children and how you would make a positive impact on the world.  Yet here you are in this moment wondering how you became part of a system that isn't what you thought.This is a common thread in many discussions I've had with teachers over the last several months and years.  Most of us genuinely wanted to have a positive impact on the lives of the children who walked through our classroom doors, but somehow along the way, we found ourselves facing constant pushback from those needing specific numbers and test scores.And since the pandemic of 2020, the very best teachers are leaving the profession daily to pursue other things.  So what should you do if you know that you can't leave the classroom right now, but you've gotten to the point where your daily mantra is “I hate teaching?”Well, that is exactly what we are going to discuss!  We are going to look at 5 things you can do to overcome the “I hate teaching” mentality.

As a former teacher, you possess so many unique entrepreneurial skills and qualities. And while starting a business may be enticing to some people, it can also be a scary thought. A multitude of questions swirl around in your mind including...Can I actually start a business of my own?Will I be successful?How will I know what to do?Where will I get customers?These are all valid questions, but ones that can ultimately, paralyze you to the point you stay frozen with fear. Unless they don't and you allow the grit and determination you have in your soul to move you toward your goal.Today on the podcast, Lauren Denny from Simply Stained Shop is sharing her journey from teacher to successful entrepreneur. And as with most former teachers turned entrepreneurs, she didn't start out with a plan to leave the classroom.But her story is unique in that she has not only created a successful business with her husband, she now employs her mom, dad, and others, has a podcast, and runs a ranch! Learn why she chose to leave the classroom, how determination and support pushed her farther than she thought possible, and what she has learned along the way.

On this podcast, we talk about so many different facets of leaving teaching including mindset, productivity, career options, entrepreneur actions steps, interview tips, and so much more. But today we're going to discuss an often overlooked but super-important list of tasks you need to complete BEFORE leaving the classroom for the last time.  Even if you're still on the fence about whether or not to leave teaching for another career, you're going to want to listen because these tasks are important for you to think about, too.In fact, completion of these tasks can be the difference between a nightmare of problems that keep you trapped in a gridlock of back and forth conversations with your former district and a smooth transition into your dream career.

Once you've decided that you want to leave the classroom, the next big question on your mind is, “What career am I going to pursue?”  Well, there are two different ways you can go…the employee route or the entrepreneur route.  The entrepreneur route means that you go into business for yourself.  Maybe you start a website, a boutique, a virtual assistant business, an online tutoring business, a photography business, or a TpT shop.  The career is irrelevant; the important thing to note is that as an entrepreneur, you are going into business for yourself.The employee route means that you choose to work for another individual or company.  Again, we are less concerned with who hires you and more interested in how to get you hired for the job of your dreams.So in today's episode, we are going to focus on the employee route and how writing a teacher career change resume will help you land some of the best jobs for teachers outside of education.  The cool part about what I'm sharing is that these tips will help you in getting hired for ANY position.  But we are going to spend the majority of our time unpacking some of the specifics you might not have considered when you began thinking about landing the best jobs for teachers outside of the classroom.So let's discuss the 15 things you need to do to design a winning teacher career change resume and land your dream job outside of teaching.

Leaving the classroom seems like it should be easy!  You just hand in your teacher resignation letter and that's that…but unfortunately, it isn't quite that simple.  The truth is, finding the right words to say in your letter of resignation and figuring out how you want to actually tell your administrator that you're quitting your teaching job is complex at best.So in today's podcast episode, I'm going to help you prepare the perfect teacher resignation letter to your principal (following my “BE” formula), help you compose a script of what to say when you turn in your letter of resignation, and give you two different teacher resignation letter examples you can use.

The teaching profession has lost more amazing teachers over the past 2 years than ever in the history of the profession.  But it's no wonder when you look at what we deal with on a daily basis from the constant upheaval of accelerated learning, virtual classes, in-person classes, and hybrid classes to sub shortages, lack of support from administration, and backlash from parents.So many teachers are ready to walk away from the classroom for good, but is it the right decision for you to quit teaching mid year? Well that's exactly what we're going to discuss in today's episode!  So, let's look at the 6 things you need to consider before you quit teaching in the middle of the year and how this decision could affect the rest of your life.

So many teachers desire to do something outside the classroom. Some want to pursue a side hustle, while others are looking for a more permanent. Yet, few teachers ever take the leap. Fear is a strong emotion that guides MANY of our decisions. But that anxiety can be shifted into productivity to help you become a teacher business owner who flourishes if you know what to do. In today's episode my friend, Lindsay Flood, joins me to discuss how she has become a successful teacher business owner (to 2 unique businesses) while teaching full-time, learned to give herself grace, and allowed failure to be her greatest teacher.Lindsay also spends time sharing encouraging words for you as well as tips to improve the amount of time you do have to devote to your business.

Fear manifests itself in many different ways, but ultimately, the reason MOST teachers will never leave the classroom even if they say, "I want to quit teaching" is because they would rather stay stuck doing something familiar (even though it makes them unhappy and causes them unending stress) than step out of their comfort zone.Obviously, we all like to be comfortable.  To quote the infamous Sheldon Cooper, “It's called the comfort zone for a reason.”We all desire comfort.  There is familiarity and rightness in the world when we're comfortable.  But the truth is, sometimes the familiarity of our comfort zone causes us to stay in situations that we've outgrown.You get to decide whether you will let fear of leaving your comfort zone keep you stuck in your teaching job or you will take the leap of faith required to step into something that brings you joy and fulfillment.But the reality of doing that is so much more complicated than just saying, "Let's do this!"Fear is quite complex and can take many forms.  In the case of most teachers there are 5 common fears that keep them stuck in their current teaching position, and if you're struggling with leaving yourself, I guarantee you will find one of these is your justification for staying.

As a teacher, one of the hardest things about growing an online business is making investments in your teacher business.  You want to be a good steward (not frivolous) with the money you have, but you also want to make sound business decisions.  While making your money stretch as far as possible is a good choice, there are going to be some non-negotiable expenditures.  These investments will be well worth your time and money because they will set your business up for success.So in this podcast episode, we are going to unpack 5 of the best investments you will want to make at the outset of your online business venture (even if you aren't making any money yet) that will pay dividends in the long run.

Working from home or pursuing a career outside of the classroom is a dream for many current teachers, but the fear of not making enough money keeps them stuck in their current position.They want the flexibility and freedom a different job would present, but they're worried they can't afford to quit teaching because doing something else might mean a tremendous pay cut.Is this you?  Do you desperately want to leave the classroom, but you're afraid of walking away from the security of your paycheck?  I get it!!  The idea of leaving your job to start your own teacher business or begin another career can feel utterly terrifying.  And because fear is such a strong emotion, it overrides rational thoughts and we allow it to dictate our choices.But that stops today!  Because in this podcast episode, we're going to discuss how budgeting, expenses, and quitting are linked and how quitting can actually provide you with more money!

Understanding how having a teacher side hustle is an important part of your overall classroom exit strategy is something we spend a lot of time discussing.  However, have you ever wondered about the dark side of side hustles?Ok, so maybe it isn't quite as suspenseful as all of that, but knowing that there are some pitfalls you will encounter while growing your teacher side hustle is important.  In today's episode we're talking about the five things you need to avoid (like the plague) when growing your teacher side hustle and what you should do instead.

Have you considered leaving the classroom in order to grow your teacher business, but you are afraid to take the leap? Well, you are in good company!The idea of leaving the classroom to pursue your own business as an entrepreneur is becoming more and more common. There are so many options for you to pursue. But what if you are a single parent who provides the sole income for your household?My special guest on the podcast today is Tanya G. Marshall, The Butterfly Teacher. She shares her story of becoming a single parent unexpectedly and how she found herself in a very toxic environment because she was trying desperately to become a better provider for herself and her son.Tanya's passion for encouraging other "wannabe" entrepreneurs is absolutely contagious and her insight into helping you grow your teacher business is invaluable.

Have you ever considered becoming a virtual assistant for teachers, TpT sellers, or former teachers turned entrepreneurs? As a current (or former) classroom teacher, you possess so many skills that would make you perfect for this!My friend Melanie Ramos, from Melanie Ramos Creative, is chatting with me today about how she successfully transitioned from burned out classroom teacher to thriving teacher entrepreneur thanks to her career as a VA. She shares how this option is ideal for teachers who want to find a side hustle or career outside of the classroom that will bring in money relatively quickly by using skills you already have. In fact, as Melanie has learned, this is a viable business choice that can easily replace your full-time teaching income.

Setting boundaries in our lives is absolutely crucial, but it's typically not something we think about until we're totally exhausted and overwhelmed.  And contrary to the belief that setting boundaries is restricting, knowing how to set boundaries as a teacher before you leave the classroom is actually one of the most important steps for you.The truth is, you need to make sure you are setting appropriate boundaries around your classroom teaching in order to make space for working on your side hustle, thinking about your exit strategy, or learning new skills for a career outside the classroom.So putting certain safeguards in place to protect our time, preserve our mental health, and shield our hearts is pivotal.  That's why this episode is about how to set boundaries as a teacher that will set you up for success if and when you choose to leave the classroom!

Transitioning from classroom teacher to work at home mom is tough!  You need to make sure you have a solid understanding of exactly what your new position is and what you need to accomplish each day.  This will help you set realistic goals and better define your role to your spouse or significant other so that you are both on the same page.To help you do this, I want to warn you of 6 of the pitfalls you will inevitably encounter and what you can do to avoid them to make this transition from teacher to work at home mom as smooth as possible.

As teachers, we're all familiar with the current buzzword “growth mindset” and many of us have used the term to teach our students about effort and the power of the word “yet.”  But do you apply the same logic to your own life? If not, are you willing to learn how to shift your mindset in order to be successful?I hope you answered yes to that last question because in this episode, we're going to talk about what mindset is, the two different mindsets, and how to shift your mindset, regardless of where your natural tendencies may lead.

Growing a strong TpT business is hard work, and in truth, it can feel really overwhelming at times.  But in this podcast episode, I spent time with Nicki Dingraudo, of The Sprinkle Topped Teacher, talking about everything from building positive relationships with customers to how your mental health impacts EVERYTHING you do.Nicki has such a gift for cultivating real relationships on social media, in her classroom, and in her business.  So we discussed how having a healthy attitude toward social media and actually making meaningful connections on social media can have a huge impact on your bottom line.  And of course we talked about what to do (and how to respond) when you get negative feedback on TpT for products you worked so hard to develop. 

Teacher decision fatigue is a very real epidemic. According to findings from Philip W. Jackson, elementary teachers have between 200 and 300 exchanges with students every hour which equates to approximately 1200-1500 interactions per day!  And most of these cannot be anticipated ahead of time, thereby resulting in extreme teacher decision fatigue.  But how is this affecting your ability to leave the classroom & quit teaching?  Well, that's exactly what we're going to cover in this podcast episode!  Along with 3 ways that you can push through the decision fatigue in order to make a clear decision that aligns with your specific needs.

We're going to address one of the biggest questions teachers who are thinking about leaving the classroom currently face and that is “Should I quit teaching or will leaving the classroom make me a quitter?”I hear from teachers constantly who feel stuck in their current teaching job, but are too fearful to step into another career because of what others will think about that decision.  Maybe that's you.  Maybe you've seen the heated arguments on social media or listened to the hushed whispers in the hallways at school about teachers who want to leave being “sell outs.”  Those conversations keep playing like a broken record through your mind making you question your motives and your decision.But let me be the voice of reason.Whether you choose to quit teaching or stay in the classroom until you retire, you have the ability to make your own decision.   And that's what we're going to discuss in this episode!

How do we determine whether we have a business or hobby for tax purposes?  Well, if you're anything like me, you figured if you made any money...it was a business.  While that is sort of true, there is more to it than just deciding you have a business.In today's episode, Janet Stelly, CPA, joins me and unpacks the nine critical factors the IRS considers when determining whether you're running a business or a hobby before sharing the essential action steps you need to take NOW to ensure you're leveraging all of your allowable tax exemptions.According to the IRS, the goal of a business is to make money whereas the goal of a hobby is for recreation.  In other words, while business owners are working to make money, hobbyists are just having fun.  At first glance, that seems like a fairly insignificant difference, but there's one crucial distinction between the two...tax exemptions. If you have a hobby, you can still make money, but you can't claim ANY expenses...every dime you make is taxable.  However, if you run a business, you're allowed to claim MULTIPLE exemptions for the things that are necessary to run your business from supplies to education...even if they're the same things you would need for your hobby.Suddenly, the difference becomes quite clear, and you can see just how important it is for you to be running your side hustle as a business and not as a hobby.

Whether you're a work at home mom building your teacher empire or you're still teaching and want some tips for productivity, today I'm sharing some of my best scheduling hacks.  The truth is, we all need to have routines in place to maximize our productivity, but the daily routines makeover ideas I'm sharing with you will give you a glimpse into how I manage my work at home mom schedule.While I'm not perfect, I've figured out a few things that make my day go much more smoothly including how to block my schedule into chunks and how to establish environmental triggers that tell me it's time to work!!  I also share my 3 secrets to being intentional with your schedule so you won't get derailed.

If you've ever thought about a teacher career change that would involve potentially creating a blog or a website, then grab a pen and some paper because this episode is full of actionable steps that walk you through how to find success blogging.My friend Rebecca, former elementary school teacher and founder of ProudPoliceWife.com, shares her inspiring story of leaving the classroom and how she has surpassed her teaching income with blogging...even though she had no idea what she was doing when she started.We discuss skills teachers possess that make them perfect for blogging, how to monetize your blog using multiple streams of income, and why teacher can blog about any topic they want.

When I first started my blog and my Teachers Pay Teachers shop, all I knew for sure was that I wanted to help other teachers by providing tips & resources to help them be more effective classroom teachers.  But, I had absolutely NO idea what I was doing as a business owner. So I found others at a similar point in their own businesses and observed what they were doing & the conversations they were having.  I noticed a lot of conversations about filing for LLCs.In all honesty, I didn't even know what the acronym meant, but I knew it was something legal and therefore meant expensive.  All I could think about was the fact that I was working sooooooo hard for what little bit of money I was making and I certainly didn't want to spend it all working with an attorney...just so that I could add a fancy LLC to the end of my business name.It wasn't until I met Andrea that I learned why forming a Limited Liability Corporation was vital for my business (and how it protected my family) and how being a "small business" didn't release me from needing to know the important legal stuff.So today, Andrea is answering all of the questions you might have about forming an LLC for teacher business owners, applying for a business license, and the other legal things you didn't know you needed to know!

One of the most difficult things for a teacher, who is thinking about leaving the classroom, is starting a resume that isn't too "teachery." It can be hard to think about the type of skills you possess that aren't related to teaching because you've been in education since graduating college.  But you actually have a TON of teacher transferable skills that make you the perfect candidate for your dream job!So today we're going to look at…The 10 most impressive teacher transferable skills you already have that make you the ideal candidate for your dream jobWhich resume buzzwords you want to use (and which resume cliches to avoid) in order to get the jobWhere to find more resources to help you on this resume-building journey

Most teachers, who are contemplating leaving the classroom, have the same question...What is a good second career for teachers?  You went to school to be a teacher and most likely, you planned on retiring as a classroom teacher.  So how do you even begin trying to find a different career path?Well, that's exactly what we cover in this episode.  I'll give you 6 tips to help you discover the perfect job even if you say..."I hate teaching!"  After listening, you'll know what action steps to take to help you narrow down the job market into the ones that match your ideal career path.

Setting big goals has always been a scary undertaking because the same negative thoughts keep circling in your mind.  “What if I fail? What if I put everything on the line and the world hates what I have to offer?  If I set small goals and things don't work out, it's no big deal…but if I set a big goal and things don't work out, I'm a failure.”Michelle Griffo, from Apples & ABCs is no stranger to goal-setting.As a classroom teacher for 11 years, she learned how to set goals for herself and for her students.  But it wasn't until she stepped out of the classroom & became a full-time teacher entrepreneur that she realized how just how scary it was to acknowledge those big goals and actually chase them wholeheartedly.

Should I start a teacher side hustle?  As teachers, that's a question we've all contemplated because let's face it, a teacher's salary isn't always enough to cover the bills.  So we find ourselves weighing the pros & cons of adding a teacher side job to our daily activities because we need to supplement our income.In this short, power-packed podcast episode, we discuss how to know if adding a teacher side hustle is a good choice for you and what you need to consider when making this decision.  (You might be surprised with my answer!!!)  Join me now to learn when you should jump in with both feet and when you should hold back.

Have you ever looked at something you've seen a million times, and suddenly you realize it isn't what you thought?Well that's exactly what happened to me recently.  In the education world, there's always been a circle of life...new teachers come, more experienced teachers retire.  But in the last year and a half, there have been more teachers resigning & leaving the classroom than ever before.Sure, the pandemic was a huge factor, but the truth is, this has been coming for a long time.  So what are classroom teachers to do?  Should you stay in the classroom or should you open your mind to the possibility that there's another path for you?This podcast is designed to meet you at that scary crossroads...to give you confidence to choose your own path and permission to follow that path confidently.