It is that time of year when contracts start rolling out and decisions start getting made. Teachers around the state, and around the country, need to decide what their plans are for next year. Return? Quit teaching? Change positions? Change schools?
Since 2020, my colleagues and I joke more and more about finding new jobs for the next year. We have mostly stayed, only losing a few teacher friends to the allure of a different career. But I also see year long leaves of absence turn into a permanent change when new jobs pay better or cause less stress. And, while I love my school, I know there are teachers in every district who just feel like their school or their job just is not the right fit for them.
Luckily, if you are a teacher right now, you are a teacher working during a teacher shortage, which means you have choices. You do not have to stay in a job or in a school that is not a great fit. Here are some options:
Change grades- Sometimes the challenge of a new grade or a new curriculum can shake up your year enough to make it exciting again. We can all fall into a rut with what we are doing year after year if we don’t make some changes. Even better, see if you can loop with your current students; it could help deepen those relationships while still giving you a fresh challenge.
Change jobs- Maybe it is time to move out of the classroom. While it is always sad to lose quality teachers to jobs outside of education, there are plenty of non-teaching jobs inside schools to fill. Maybe moving into a coaching or administrative position would be the change you need. Working with the teachers in your building to make them better teachers directly impacts students too.
Change schools- Sometimes we all have to admit that the problem is our environment. Personalities clash, philosophies don’t align, work responsibilities burn you out. It is not a sign of defeat that you need to move on from a school to find a better fit. And if you do need to move on, a better fit is out there.
Pursue National Board Certification- Not ready to leave the classroom, but still in a rut? Pursuing National Board Certification could respark that love of teaching you started with. It is the best professional development you will ever experience, and I was so inspired by every teacher I met throughout the process.
So, should you stay or should you go? Only you can decide what is best for you and your family, but I hope if you are looking for something new or a better fit, you find it in this next year. Your future students are waiting for you.
Photo by Leeloo
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Rachel Perugini
I am originally from Pennsylvania where I earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Shippensburg University. In 2012, I moved to Arizona to teach on the Navajo Reservation; I liked the state so much I decided to stay. I taught language arts, reading, and journalism for three years at Many Farms High School. During that time, I earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction for Reading. In 2015, I moved to Flagstaff where I currently teach 10th and 11th grade English. I have been an avid reader all my life, so I love that my job gives me that chance to read amazing books with my students all day long.
Comments 1
Changing positions for me was a huge factor in getting me to stay in the classroom! The last year I taught 2nd grade, I felt that I too was in a rut. I was just tired of teaching 2nd grade and wanted to spend more time doing the fun stuff! When I switched to middle school Career and Technical Education, it was like a breath of fresh air.