Why I’m Leaving Teaching & Why It’s Ok to Want More

Tell me why you want to leave teaching. This question is a part of every interview, informational chat, or discussion I’ve had since starting my career transition.

I know the question is coming, yet every time I struggle to convey my reason. All the emotions that went into my decision, all the time and reflection that was part of the thought process. It’s a challenge to condense my answer into the short response format the interviewer desires when they pose that question.

The answer is in my head. As soon as the question is raised, situations and memories are stirred in my mind, playing out like a movie reel, flickering one to another quick as lightning. If they could see the scenes playing out in my brain, they would know, they would understand. The characters and situations on my mind’s screen portray the rationale so clearly, the audience would be able to feel the emotional current as well. 

Why do you want to leave the school system? My answer comes down to a simple, four-letter word. MORE. A straightforward response with a complex undertone. 

When Teaching Isn’t Enough

Truly, I think everyone’s reason for leaving can be summed up with that little word, though it’s what follows that may differ. More time. More balance. More respect. More autonomy. More money. More challenges. More opportunity. More support. More freedom. More appreciation. More for themselves. More for their family. More peace. More.

But those are not my reasons. Do not get me wrong; having more of any of the previously listed benefits would be amazing. You will not find me turning them down if offered to me. I certainly find those advantages appealing as I apply for positions. However, for me, my focus is seeking more growth. 

It is in our very nature that we seek to grow and evolve – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. To make improvements, to search for understanding, to be successful. That is what I want, the opportunity to grow. 

John D. Rockefeller said, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” And that is why I’m leaving; to go from good to great. More.

Leaving Teaching When You Love Education

From a young age, I loved school. In elementary school, I enjoyed answering questions, learning multiplication facts, going to recess, getting dysentery on the Oregon Trail, competing in class spelling bees, and listening to my teachers read chapter books to us. Like others, I took control of my classroom of stuffed animals and taught them their ABCs, to count, and most importantly, to behave. 

Over the years, my love of school continued, staying constant throughout even as I earned my master’s degree (although middle school was touch and go for a while). I loved learning, collaborating with others, hearing diverse and different viewpoints, and found excitement in the competitiveness that can come with high achievement. I discovered I appreciated being around different types of people, learning through observation and gaining understanding of who they were. 

Once I moved from the student to the teacher, my love for school continued but assumed a different form. Now there was the excitement of setting up my classroom, getting to know my students, working with my team, keeping up with best practices and current trends, and learning new strategies and techniques to help learners find success. 

Then, as a school counselor, my experience changed again as I worked to find solutions beyond my individual set of students to create programs that would impact students and staff schoolwide. Still, I valued collaborating with others as we worked to address challenges that encompassed the whole school population while still respecting and targeting individual needs. There were meetings upon meetings, struggles and challenges, disheartening situations, more data than one could imagine, and spreadsheets, lots of spreadsheets. Even so, I loved it.

The years continued and, at some point, I noticed that my time at school didn’t seem as fulfilling as before, the love had started to fade. A time of reflection and introspection led me to understand that all these years what I thought was a love of being at school, was something else entirely. It wasn’t about loving school, it was about loving what school represented: learning, collaborating, challenging, growing, understanding, and evolving. 

Opportunities Outside of the Classroom

While I was still doing meaningful work, it lacked a challenge. There are limited options for growth or advancement in the school system, especially if you are uninterested in becoming an administrator. We talk about that lack of options in Classroom to Boardroom. That option holds no appeal for me.

So now that I have this realization, what do I do? How do I honor that desire and passion for growth? Well, here I am, eagerly seeking my next opportunity, excited about developing new skills and growing professionally. 

Since embarking on my journey to transition out of schools, I feel energized professionally – a spark that was missing – and it excites me. This process is completely unfamiliar and unknown, overwhelming at times, but it feels right. I am already finding success as I enjoy the journey.

Even though I haven’t acquired my next role yet, this experience has already given me so much I didn’t know that I was looking for but am grateful to have found. More challenges. More friends. More community. More knowledge. More connections. More skills. More excitement. And of course, more growth. I’m growing professionally and personally. I’m taking courses, learning new skills, contributing to a community, and giving back to others in whatever way I can right now. 

My goal, aside from finding my new career, is to become a Classroom to Boardroom success story. I aspire to be one of the individuals who have discovered their next path. By sharing my experience, I hope to be an encouragement to others who might be seeking something more, whatever their more may be.

So why am I looking to leave? For more.