Why I Left the Classroom Behind...

46% of new teachers don't make it past five years in the profession.  Hearing that statistic for the first time, I was determined that it would not happen to me.  Here I am, almost five years later and I'm part of the nearly half that don't make it to tenure.  Though it is such a disheartening statistic, I don't view it as my downfall.



This is my story of why I left the classroom behind...

Often on a daily basis, I'm asked if I miss teaching.  It has become a difficult question for me to answer.  It is not black and white.  I simply can't answer yes or no.  There are so many aspects of the teaching profession that I'm so glad to leave behind.  ...and then there are those days that I miss the classroom immensely.

I will never miss the endless mounds of paperwork that teachers are forced to complete on a daily basis.  I don't miss the late hours spent grading 60+ papers.  I'm not one bit sad to leave behind the stress of lesson plans, test scores, and teacher evaluations.

...but I do miss getting to work math problem out every single day.  Seriously, that wasn't a joke.  I miss decorating my classroom and the excitement of the first day of school.  I miss celebrating with students when they finally understand a math problem and the happiness that spreads across their face.  I miss being a mentor, a role model, a friend, and sometimes even a Mom.  I long to encourage students, listen to them, and play a part in offering them guidance.  I miss giving advice, helping them see their potential and what the world has to offer.  I miss my students.

After four years in the classroom, God closed the door.  Right in my face.  I was blindsided and left with the decision to either pursue another teaching position or to move on.  A large portion of last summer was spent job searching and soul searching.  The realization started to occur that the classroom wasn't for me.

Being a teacher was four difficult (but also rewarding) years for me.  I struggled, I grew, I struggled some more and finally I discovered that I had a different calling. I was in the wrong place.  I was called to do something else.  I had different dreams to fulfill and God introduced me to my new journey in the form of a pink slip.  What seemed like a slap in the face was really just a blessing in disguise.  This setback was just a setup for my come back.  A come back that was going to place me right where I belonged.

I left the classroom behind because God called me to.  God placed a fire in my heart that could not be tamed.  I was breathed a new dream that had me impacting the world in a different way.  A school teacher was no longer in the plan.

I miss teaching.  I miss my students.  There are days, I wonder about going back into the classroom.  ...and then I'm reminded of the joy I receive in my new field and the new possibilities I have.  I am reminded that I can't encourage students to strive to reach their dreams, if I don't do so myself.

I left the classroom behind.  Not because I wasn't cut out for the job.  Not because of the lack of pay, benefits, or respect that teachers receive.  I left the classroom behind because of my students.  I want to show them how God takes our passions and weaves dreams into our hearts.  I want them to know that they are created for a reason, they must discover it, and then pursue it.






These are only a few of the students who touched my heart these last few years.  I only hope I impacted them, the same way they did me.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Ultimate Plan

My March Madness

Dear Teenage Self