What Leaving Teaching Looks Like a Year Later

Is it a good idea to quit teaching? A reflection a year later

In December 2022, I taught my last class I would ever teach. It ended up being subbing for a teacher who had already peaced out. It felt kind of fitting, knowing that I would no longer be seen as a glorified babysitter. I did not have a job lined up after leaving teaching, and I had just turned down a permanent contract at a private school. But at 35, I knew that leaving teaching was right for me because I couldn’t let my life amount to the shell of the human I had become.

Is leaving teaching easy?

Since I started writing my Leaving Teaching Guide, I’ve had people reach out to me with similar stories about leaving teaching. It is so heart-warming to know that you hear me. I know I’m not the only one who has come to the reality that even though leaving teaching in Australia is hard, staying is even harder. Leaving teaching is not going to be easy (but trust me, you have transferrable skills that make you a great asset to any role). So I thought I’d share with you all some of the thoughts I’ve had since leaving so you can get an idea of what your life will look like ‘on the outside’.

Since leaving teaching in December 2022, I ended up getting a job for an education brand that started in January, 2023. It was the perfect fit for where I was at. It is a digital product design role, where I would get some experience in a bunch of areas such as user experience design, product ownership, and project management. The company signed me up for a course in user experience design, which is great because it gives me a certification that I’ll be able to show off when looking for my next role.

I had previously been teaching art and design, and I have a passion for that but I really had no idea what kind of role would interest me outside of teaching so this was a good starting point. Now that I’ve spent a year in that role I feel like I know what I’m passionate about. So below is what I’ve realised since leaving teaching:

Teaching responsibilities are completely unrealistic

In my new role, I have consistently been told that I’m such a hard worker. I never complain, I’m always happy to help out, and I own responsibility. Why? Because I still do half as much work compared to how much work I was expected to do as a teacher. I’m literally just happy to be here. There has never been a day in 2023 where I felt as stressed as I felt on an average day teaching in Australia.

Whenever I was expected to do something that was considered more than a “usual day of work” in my new role, I found myself rewarded with benefits such as five star accomodation for work trips, lunches and dinners out, and even an end-of-year bonus. It is a completely different world.

No one in the ‘corporate world’ has any idea how difficult teaching is

Have you ever said something out loud to group of people and they all look at you like you’re crazy person? It is only then that you realise that the experience that you have had is not normal at all. That is exactly what it is like working in an office. Even though the majority of people I work with have children, it seems that nobody has any idea just how much effort (and hours) goes into teaching in Australia. Whichis one of the main reasons for leaving teaching.

It’s almost laughable listening to the complaints that people have in the lunchroom in an office. This one time, our top-of-the-line espresso machine in our multi-million dollar renovated office broke down. We had to go across the road to get our coffees from the very nice coffee shop for a whole week (our company opened up a tab so it was on the house). The struggles, right?

Thats right – everything you’ve heard about the outside world is true. People in office jobs have *gasp* lunch breaks where they have time to sit down, eat their food, and chat. I don’t want to upset you too much but they also have bathroom breaks. It is bananas.

You get your life back when you’re working from home

My job in 2023 involved me mostly working from home. What I discovered was that the amount of time that you end up getting back is exceptional. Think about it: if you spend 30 minutes getting to work every single day, that is an hour that you get back. Then there is all the time it takes to get ready to get settled into your role every morning (wait for the bus or the training, chatting to your coworkers, making yourself a cup of coffee). All of that takes time. You don’t have to worry about that when you work from home.

I feel like I have far more energy working from home because I don’t wake up worrying “what am I gonna wear today?” or “How am I going to get to work?”

And my own time? I break up my day with walks to the park, baking, crocheting, and art. It is honestly a dream to have my life back. I feel like it has also prepared me for a life outside of work because it’s so important to have a purpose and identity outside of your job.

But… Working from home takes self-control

I definitely have spent a lot of this year sitting on the sofa watching TV. And I kind of wouldn’t have it any other way. I love working from home. I love being able to get my chores done, watch my favourite shows, and live my life the way I want to. Because let’s be honest – the majority of desk jobs can also be done at the sofa. But you really have to make sure that you do actually get your work done.

One thing that I find really really helpful is that I always make a to-do list in the morning and I always make sure that I spend the entire morning focusing on my work before having lunch. I have a dedicated office room and work desk where I spend the morning. It isn’t until I have my afternoon coffee that I will consider sitting somewhere else like on the sofa or in my room.

But it is nice to not be monitored so closely. Since leaving teaching I feel far more respected. You are not constantly getting moderated or having someone sit in on your class. You are treated as an expert in your field. It is not like teaching in Australia, where they treat you like you can’t be trusted to do anything right.

I don’t think I could ever give my life back to a job again

It is no secret that my favourite job would be no job. My dream is not to work. That’s why I’m working towards financial independence. But what I have learned is that I could never give myself to a job again. And that is what teaching is like. To be a teacher you really need to let it consume your life. Even if you are one of those teachers that manages to leave work at home you will still never have the freedom that you get from working from home from or having a job that isn’t life or death.

The freedom of never having to supervise an after school class, or a field trip, or having to watch like a hawk as small children eat their lunches. I feel like I can finally let out a sign of relief, because if a button on a website doesn’t work, it is not the end of the world.