The Classroom Exit Strategies Podcast

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...

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...

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 bec...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 a...

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...

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 in...

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 w...

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 despera...

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 importan...

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 sp...

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 t...

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 app...

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 pitfa...

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 goin...

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,...

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...

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’...

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 b...

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...

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...

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 th...