Educator Forever

Teachers often feel “stuck” with their options when wanting to move beyond the classroom. However, there are so many things you can do while still working in education. I want to give you an overview and expand your ideas of what it can mean to work as an educator outside the classroom or in a typical school setting. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing six flexible jobs for educators and why they...

Making the decision to work beyond the classroom is such an exciting time and trying something new and different. But if you’ve solely worked in the field of education, some of the “business” aspects might be unfamiliar to you, such as pitching yourself. As teachers, we don’t have to sell our services, except to maybe our students, so that idea might be uncomfortable for you. So, if you’re venturi...

I’ve said it on the podcast many times before, and I’ll say it again: you have vital skills that non-teachers don’t have. Utilizing those skills is what sets you apart from others, especially when starting your own business. My guest on today’s episode, Cindy Weaver, found a need for online course creation and used her teacher skills to start her own business.   Going through many stages in h...

Our career path can lead us down many different roads and can often lead us right back to where we started. The important thing is that you follow what you feel is right for you at the moment. My guest on today’s episode, Tatum Moser, is a personal friend of mine who shares her journey in education and starting a new career path that eventually led her to start her own ed-tech business, Mindly Gam...

Many teachers will say that teaching is a passion of theirs, which is why they put so much time, energy, and creativity into their careers. But many of them also have a passion outside of teaching. So what’s more perfect than combining both of your passions in order to make a difference in the lives of others? My guest on today’s episode, Dr. Mark Anthony Gooden, was able to do just that. Mark sha...

If you have an idea for a new business, get started! It’s never too late to change careers or try something new. My guest on today’s episode, Jessica Lattimore, is living proof. After beginning her teaching career at 40, she now is creating her own education business after retirement. She’s sharing how building a classroom community contributes to student learning, and how the mistakes you make pr...

There are lots of reasons why someone switches jobs and changes career paths. For some it’s financial reasons, for others it’s the challenge of a new opportunity, and in the case of my guest on today’s episode, making the biggest impact on students and teachers. Sara Marye, a successful business owner, shares how first sharing her resources on Teachers Pay Teachers transformed into being CEO of Th...

The question I get asked all the time is: Should I go into curriculum development? My answer is always to try it out! When I was looking for a way to work beyond the classroom, curriculum development was the right fit for me, and it could be for you as well. There are many benefits to working in this field, but you’ll first need to make sure it’s the right fit for you. So in today’s episode, I’m s...

Returning to school from the summer can bring up a lot of different emotions in you. You might feel excited about starting a new year, but you might also experience the back-to-school dread. Whatever you’re feeling, you’re not alone. With my own personal experience with back-to-school dread, I know it can be difficult knowing what steps to take to move forward, so I’m sharing 3 steps that will hel...

Just because you got your initial degree in education doesn’t mean you have to end your career in education. As humans, we have lots of different passions, so why not explore them? That’s the philosophy my guest on today’s episode, Natasha Carrillo, had. Natasha started as an educator but explored her passion as a financial coach, which she shares her journey with and advice today. We’ve discussed...

Whether you’re looking for flexible work in education or trying to redefine what it means to be an educator, this episode is for you! Moving beyond the classroom or just adjusting your role in education can be hard to imagine. I know it was for me. However, it can be done with a few action steps and reminders.  At Educator Forever, we implement what we call the 4 C’s. This is an ongoing proce...

Many teachers have dreams and ideas of starting their own education business, but have hesitations that are stopping them. Some of those include their own mindset while others feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, which I totally get! Starting an education business myself meant I struggled, but learned from my mistakes. Therefore, I’m sharing some advice and 4 questions to consider when...

Although there are a lot of deep systemic issues within the education system, one thing it does have is a sense of teacher community. You’re surrounded by individuals who all have the same career, passion for helping kids, and lifelong learners. However, when stepping away from the classroom to pursue other endeavors, finding a community that you belong to becomes increasingly more difficult.&nbsp...

My guest on today’s episode, Paul Teske, is the epitome of following your passions that lead to new learning experiences. His open mind, different way of thinking, and ability to use both his creative and analytical side has provided him with different opportunities in his life. He’s sharing how all of his learning experiences resulted in his current endeavor of being the founder of a consultant g...

A person’s experiences, background, and passions, all contribute to their journey in life. For my guest Maria Alejandra Lopez, she was ready to make the most of it. Being bilingual, she has used that ability, along with her love of learning, to create her business, Bee Bilingual Designs. She shares how being the artist of your own life can paint the most beautiful picture for yourself and others.&...

For many teachers, having a side hustle might just be for additional income, but for others, it’s a path towards working beyond the classroom. In my experience, when I first started my side hustle, I felt energized by the new opportunity. If you’re looking for a way beyond the classroom, I’m sharing 3 steps that get side hustles for teachers off the ground.  Before you get started, it’s impor...

Many teachers take on side jobs to supplement their income, but with hard work, you can develop your side hustle into a growing business. That’s exactly what my guest, Samantha Baldwin, did. Samantha was a teacher looking to make extra money when she used her skills to pave a new path. On today’s episode, she’s sharing how she went from being a teacher to starting an education business using Educa...

Many of us constantly wrestle with the idea of leaving teaching, but don’t know if we can actually move on from what we know. If you’re anything like me, you got into teaching because you love it and are there to impact students in a positive way. But over time, the act of teaching can be exhausting and draining. So if you’re struggling with the idea of leaving teaching, I’m sharing three clues th...

As teachers, we know that professional development is part of the job. It helps us learn and grow as educators. But is it always helpful? No. The education system has some real problems but they never get solved because we’re focused on the wrong things. That’s where my guest, Tiffany Smith comes in. She’s sharing how her professional development business is not only real, but focuses on teachers....

Teachers work tirelessly all year long and prioritize the needs of their students over anything else. So it’s no wonder summer is a time for rest and rejuvenation. But in order to have true summer self care, it’s important to be intentional about how you spend your summer. To help you be intentional, I’m sharing 4 tips on how to rest and have complete summer self care. Each of these 4 tips tap int...

When it comes to a new career, sometimes our biggest enemy is ourselves. A lot of self-doubt and uncertainty creeps in our minds when we want to make a move. However, asking for what you want is honestly the best way towards a new career. Although it’s simple, it can sometimes be the hardest thing to do through saying it out loud. Therefore, I’m giving simple advice on how to ask for your next car...

It’s known that the journey we take, experiences we’re a part of, who we meet, and skills we acquire all shape what we do in life. That’s been true for my guest Jasmine Gibson. Her journey to education and working beyond the classroom has been determined by the opportunities she’s created and been a part of. She’s sharing how she went from teaching to having a career in curriculum development.&nbs...

Many people are thinking about working outside of the classroom, but aren’t quite ready to take the leap. Figuring out your next career move can bring out a lot of emotions and uncertainty of overwhelm and if it’s even the right move. To give you some direction, I’m sharing 5 ways to discover alternative jobs for teachers. Unfortunately, figuring out your next career move doesn’t happen instantly...

Being happy and safe in your body seems simple, but for most, it’s not. Instead, tools are needed to understand and build a voice towards emotional advocacy and self regulation. One way to do that internal work is through the act of writing. My guest on today’s episode, Mary Kethya Khuon, founder of Write & Release, is sharing how to use writing to improve teacher wellness. Writing is a tool t...

I’m all for supporting teachers in finding new careers in education, but I’d like to stop using the phrase 'transitioning teacher'. It implies that being a teacher and the skills and experiences you’ve gained aren’t valuable, when in fact, they are! Although society might view you as “just a teacher”, I’m here to show you how to reframe that mindset. Instead of thinking of yourself as a transition...