8 Ways to Fall in Love with Teaching Again Instead of Leaving
If you're trying to fall in love with teaching again, you have more options than staying miserable or quitting. Before you leave the profession, consider switching schools, grade levels, roles, or states. Burnout often traces to a specific fit problem, not to teaching itself. A lateral move can fix what an exit can't.
Are you changing schools, grade levels, or even contemplating getting out of education altogether?
I want to give you eight reasons to stay in your teaching career…and maybe you can add to the list with a reason or two of your own.
Over the past few years, I have watched a lot of people rethink where they live and what they do for a living. For some it was the cost of housing. For others it was wanting to be somewhere that fit them better. I understand the impulse.
Unfortunately, we are reading more and more articles about educators leaving the profession altogether. In fact, I found myself pondering the same thing…I even looked at professions outside of education. I chose to stay in education and take a position that puts me back closer to students. For the time being, we both chose to stay in education!
That perfect job may be hard to find right now in education. I wonder if any other educators feel like me, and wonder how education has changed substantially in the past two years. There seems to be a hyperfocus on what is going on in our schools, and parents and community members are more critical than ever before. The unfortunate outcome of this hyperfocus on schools is that societal issues that were once mainly discussed outside of our classrooms are now served up on a platter in our schools. Administrators and teachers are left trying to keep people safe and educate as best we can to ensure creating an environment that produces thinkers and problem solvers.
My goal as an educator is to impart information (learning) to students in order to make them become independent and compassionate problem solvers that can contribute to society.
Though there are many reasons why educators are leaving the profession, I encourage and offer the following mantra, "Let's reconnect with education, if you need a change before getting out of education, first make a switch."
The following eight reasons give rationale for a switch, with the hope that you don't leave the profession. We need you!!!
Here are all eight side by side. If you're trying to fall in love with teaching again, start by finding the row that matches what's actually wrong.
| The switch | What changes | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| New school, same district | Culture, colleagues, leadership. | Rebuilding relationships from scratch, and working inside your district's transfer window. Certification requirements usually stay the same if the new assignment is within the scope of your existing credential. |
| New grade level | Age range, curriculum, and the daily rhythm of the room. | A year of heavy prep. Depending on your state and your current certificate, an added endorsement. |
| New role in the district | Instructional coaching, literacy or math support, behavior support, special assignment. | Less direct time with students. Endorsement or advanced-degree requirements vary by state, district, position, and bargaining agreement. Some roles require them, others do not. |
| New state | Pay scale, cost of living, school culture, and where you live. | A new-state licensure application. Additional coursework, assessments, experience, or other requirements may apply depending on the state and credential. Plus a new retirement clock. |
| Added leadership duties | Reach beyond your own four walls, and a say in decisions that affect you. | Hours. Compensation, if any, varies by district, assignment, and contract. |
| Fewer duties | Time and mental bandwidth come back. | Saying no to colleagues who are used to your yes. |
| Side hustle | Income, plus an outlet with nothing to do with school. | Evenings and weekends. Check your district's outside-employment policy first. |
| Same job, new mindset | Nothing external. Your relationship to the work you already have. | The hardest one to do on your own, and the one most likely to need real support. |
1. Change Schools: Every Building Has Its Own Culture
Switching schools may provide the needed change you are looking for in education. I have found it to be extremely difficult and stressful to make this decision. I have twice changed schools within my school districts where I have worked.
One occasion I went from a classroom teacher at one school to a principal in another within the same school district. This provided a challenge and change that I needed. I could have stayed in the same classroom forever, but I was ready for a change. I understand many people like the same classroom and same grade level for their entire careers. I challenge you to hone your teaching and leadership skills at another school within your district.
The other change I made was one of my favorites. I looped from fifth grade to sixth grade with a group of students. This change took me from an elementary school to a middle school. The relationships I had with students were quite strong, and these students still reach out to me to this day. If you think about this move, what could be more powerful for students and the teacher…helping bridge the gap for these students from elementary to middle school. I think more schools should implement looping.
If your district is so small that it doesn't have another school, switching locations may be the right choice.
Instead of getting out of education, consider the fun and challenge that would come with changing schools.
2. Try a Different Grade Level
There are certain teachers that just seem uniquely suited for their particular grade level. They make connections with students and families, and take their learners from point A to point B by the end of the school year.
What's rarer is a master teacher who can change grade levels and make an even larger impact in their school. I definitely think it helps give perspective on student growth as well as your own personal teaching growth.
Changing grade levels can be exciting in so many capacities. I have taught grades 2, 5, and 6 in my 23 years of education. I have been a principal at an elementary, middle, and high school, as well as a K-8 instructional coach. These changes have given me a unique perspective on students from pre-K to twelfth grade. I think I am fortunate to have had these experiences, and I think others need to take the leap of faith and change grade levels.
I challenge teachers who might be thinking about leaving a career in education to get out of their comfort zone and make the switch to a different grade level.
3. Change Jobs Without Leaving the District
Many teachers change jobs mid-career or in the latter third of their career to a different job within the school district. These jobs may be in literacy or math support, instructional coaching, behavior adaptation, for teachers on special assignments, and more.
The day-to-day challenges of the classroom with grading, communication with parents, and planning instruction may get tedious for teachers. Changing jobs may provide that needed change. It may not be that teachers are tired of communicating with parents or that they dread the tasks of grading a stack of papers; it may simply be that the teacher needs a change.
Though my resume may make it seem like I don't stay in one job for any length of time, for 23 years those job changes have actually been progressions from teacher to principal to superintendent. I started teaching 5th grade in a school of 420 students K-5, to a K-12 principal in a district of 215 students total, then back to the classroom in a large school district of 10,500 students, then principal within that district, and finally to where I am today a superintendent of a district of 1,325 students.
Each of these job changes has been a huge learning opportunity for me. I have gained so many friendships and increased my professional learning network. All these connections and learning opportunities have helped me in each successive position.
Instead of getting out of education, consider challenging yourself with a job change that puts you in a role where you can have the impact you want to have.
4. Teach in a Different State
Yes, my current Zillow search sends me updates on real estate locations in the Monroe County School District…Key West to Key Largo, Florida! I dream. Sometimes a necessary change may come from looking outside of the state where you currently reside.
For some educators, a change in states may come with higher pay, as it once was for me with moving from Montana to Alaska. After a short stint in the Last Frontier early in my career, I made the decision to turn down a contract for $42,000 in Chevak, AK in exchange for one back home in Lakeside, Montana for $19,100 where I could be closer to my father who was having health problems at the time. Both of those figures are my own contracts from more than two decades ago. They are personal history, not a benchmark for what teachers earn in either state today.
Ultimately, for most educators it is about a location that's familiar, and of course, family, and the case for me too. But the experience of teaching in a whole new place was life-changing. Location is a huge factor for having a satisfying work and play balance in your life. Identifying what your hobbies are and what you like to do outside of work can help determine where you might want to move. For me, I either want to be by mountains and lakes or sandy beaches.
I have switched states once and plan to do so after I am able to draw a teacher's retirement from Montana. I started student teaching in Palmer, Alaska, 24 years ago. I then taught in Anchorage. I loved the mountains and adventure that Alaska provided. I would love to go back someday, especially since I have been grandfathered into the Tier 2 retirement system of the 1990's. I only need another 7 years in order to garner another retirement from Alaska. The retiree health coverage that comes with it is part of what makes the idea appealing to me, though what any individual actually qualifies for depends on their tier, their years of service, and their age at retirement, and some coverages are optional and self-paid. As I age, this sounds more and more enticing.
If you're considering getting out of education, I challenge you to think about changing states instead. It could be as life-changing for you as it was for me.
5. Find a New Way to Make an Impact
Many schools offer lots of opportunities for leadership and connection. A change could come by asking your administration for additional duties, leadership roles, participation on committees, club advisor duties, and more. Your impact on education can then transcend the four walls of your classroom.
This change may give you exactly what you are seeking. So many times in education, I have seen teachers get frustrated with decisions being made in their schools. Getting involved in helping make those decisions gives you a better perspective and a voice that lets you move things in the directions that you know to be best for your students and fellow teachers.
Personally, I searched out leadership roles and committees in every school I have been in, as I have always lived by the mantra, "Be the change." I have been on curriculum committees, behavior teams, response to intervention teams, culture committees, task forces, leadership teams, book studies, advisor for many clubs, and have coached several sports. This continued to fuel my fire and passion for education.
Instead of just getting out of education, try making a larger and more meaningful impact first, and then see how you feel!
6. Scale Back the Stressors
After a teacher has been on staff for several years their responsibilities and duties may be wide and time consuming. As teachers get better organized and have experience under their belts, many of them take on added tasks and duties in their schools. This can become overwhelming as other anxieties, worries, and other variables may decrease job satisfaction. One idea is to scale back your duties and use the word "no!" more frequently.
When you scale back your responsibilities and reclaim some much-needed time for yourself, you'll be amazed at how your love of teaching comes back to you.
I also use the mantra, "The more you give yourself, the more you can give others." This may sound counterintuitive, but it is so true. Scaling back and giving yourself more time might actually help you enjoy giving more to your students and colleagues.
Personally, I can't claim to have mastered this myself. I seem to scale things back and then gradually take on new things. I have found my plate full in a couple of different positions where I stopped blogging, stopped providing professional development outside of my district as a consultant, stopped promoting my book, stopped refereeing basketball, and more! Each of these gave me back time, but I found that I missed them, particularly writing. But the great thing was that this gave me the freedom to decide for myself exactly what I was going to add back in.
Currently, I am in a position where I have only added back the writing portion. In my new position next year, my contract is for 56 fewer days. This will give me time back to put towards family, fun, and hopefully consulting and book promotion.
Before you make the decision to get out of education, try scaling back the responsibilities you pile on yourself.
7. Grow a Side Hustle
More and more, we hear about teachers having a side hustle - a second or third job that you do in your spare time that helps supplement your income. Unfortunately, many teachers take on a side hustle simply to pay bills. Sometimes these side gigs become so successful that educators get out of the profession and make it a full-time thing. I am not promoting that right now, but if you're able to make it work, good for you!
What I am promoting is the idea of finding a side hustle that interests you while you teach and grow your retirement. Finding something you enjoy doing in your spare time is key. No one wants to work hard all day teaching, then go home and do a side hustle that isn't fun and rewarding.
I may be the jack of all side hustles over my years in education. In fact, you may think I am obsessed with side hustles when you see this list! In my 23 years of education, I have been an assistant manager of a tire store (my dad's), Fish and Game boat safety officer, basketball referee, educational consultant, blogger, mentor for a state leadership program, basketball radio announcer, office manager in an Alaskan fish cannery, and a book promoter.
These side hustles have allowed me to travel, meet new people, pay off loans, and have fun! Instead of just getting out of education, look into a side hustle that can boost both your financial and your mental outlook!
8. Reorient Your Mindset
One of the most obvious, but most difficult things to put into practice, is to simply reorient your mindset toward gratitude. There are many people out there with teaching degrees trying to get a job exactly like the one you have. Embracing a sense of gratitude for what we have and switching our mindset is one of the most effective ways to feel good about how amazing it is to have a job in education.
Recently, I have gone through the most difficult times in my education career. I was very close to getting out of education altogether. The only real solution I found was to switch my mindset.
I made a choice to get back to working closer with students. I resigned from being a superintendent and accepted a job as a high school principal. The most satisfied I have been in my career was when I was a principal. I am so excited to be back with teachers and students in a school setting!
Flipping your mindset may not be that easy. It may even require some professional help. Please understand that there is nothing wrong with that. We must make getting support for our mental well-being a common and broadly accepted practice. Erasing this stigma has been a goal of mine, and I have been working to increase the social and emotional learning around mental health schoolwide.
Instead of just turning your back on education, do whatever you need to do to change your mindset and feel that deep sense of appreciation that will make a career in teaching worth keeping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix this without changing jobs at all?
Often, yes. The cheapest switch on this list is the one that happens inside the room you already have. Rebuild a unit you have taught the same way for six years, change how students talk to each other during it, or go to a content-area conference and come back with one thing to try in October. Teachers who report the steepest drop in satisfaction are frequently the ones furthest from the part of the job they liked in the first place, which is usually the students. Getting closer to that again does not require a transfer form.
How do I tell burnout from being in the wrong job?
There is no clean test, and anyone who offers you one is overselling it. What people do report is that the two feel different over time. Some teachers find that a break, a lighter month, or one good class period brings the energy back, which may point more toward load than toward the job itself. Others find the dread is there even when the work is going well, and has been for longer than a rough season, which may say something about fit. Those are signs worth sitting with, not a way to sort yourself into a category. Exhaustion that does not lift with time off is worth talking to a doctor or counselor about rather than pushing through.
Will switching grade levels or subjects require new certification?
Sometimes, and the answer depends entirely on your state, your current certificate, and the grade band or subject you are moving into. Some certificates already span the grades you want, so the move is a conversation with your principal. Others need an added endorsement, which can mean coursework, a content exam, or both. Your state's educator-licensing or credentialing agency is the one that decides, so check your own certificate against their current rules before you commit to anything.
What should I check before applying out of state?
Two things people underestimate. First, licensure. Every state sets its own process for applicants licensed elsewhere, and recognition is not necessarily automatic or equivalent. Additional assessments, coursework, experience requirements, background checks, or a provisional credential may apply, and the specifics depend on the state and on the credential you already hold. Second, retirement. Moving states can restart a vesting clock, and if you are within a few years of a milestone in your current system, the timing of the move matters more than the salary difference.
- Leaving is not the only option - Eight lateral moves exist between staying miserable and quitting, and most teachers only seriously consider the two extremes.
- Name the actual problem first - A culture problem is fixed by a new building, a boredom problem by a new grade level, and an overload problem by fewer duties. The wrong switch solves nothing.
- Some switches need paperwork - Changing grade levels, subjects, or states can require added coursework, assessments, or a new licensure application, and the requirements differ by state and by the credential you hold.
- Check the retirement math before moving states - Crossing state lines can restart a vesting clock, which sometimes outweighs a higher salary.
- The mindset switch is real but not solo work - Reorienting how you see the job can restore it, and needing professional support to get there is normal.
Three of the eight switches on this list can hinge on adding an endorsement or a new certification area, and that means coursework you have to fit around a full teaching load. The sponsored programs on this page include online and part-time formats built for teachers who are already working. Verify that a program meets the endorsement and certification requirements in the state where you intend to teach before you enroll.
As a 5th grade teacher, in 2010 Jon won the Presidential Award for Elementary Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST). As a principal, his school won the 2012 Blue Ribbon Award. In 2018, he won the National Distinguished Principal Award (NDP). In 2019 he won the National No Kid Hungry Breakfast Hero Award.
Jon is the author of three guides published on teacher.org: An Educator's Guide to Combat Bullying & Bully Prevention; Teacher Evaluation: A Transition Guide to Exemplary Performance; and You are the Wild Card: Infusing Fun Back into Curriculum. He has authored a children's picture book that was released January 2019 titled Benjamin’s Visit to Principal Reads Office…again! (available at www.archwaypublishing.com)
- Learning How to Say No and Set Boundaries with Parents - November 21, 2022
- How to Implement a Check-In, Check-Out (CICO) Behavior System - September 26, 2022
- Teacher Core Values: 7 Strategies for Living Your Code - August 15, 2022
