Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

Leaving the Classroom Podcast: 5 Unexpected Delights of Leaving the Classroom | 58

In this episode of the Leaving the Classroom Podcast, host Kristi Oliva discusses the unexpected delights of transitioning from a teaching career to a new field.

Tune in to find out:

• The newfound flexibility and control over her schedule that Kristi experienced after leaving the classroom, including the simple pleasures of going to the gym during the day and enjoying her coffee without rushing.
  
  
• The joy of rediscovering weekends and holidays, as Kristi no longer had to spend her free time grading, lesson planning, or worrying about the upcoming week.
  
  
• Kristi's personal growth and learning opportunities in her new role in instructional design, which challenged her in exciting ways and reignited her passion for continuous learning.

 Listen to the episode here:

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here. 

Enjoy the podcast transcription:

Kristi Oliva  

Welcome to Leaving the Classroom. This is a podcast for teachers who are ready to transition out of the classroom and into a new career. Each week, I'll share stories about what I've learned moving from education to the corporate world. I'll answer the most common questions and share my best tips to help you get started. If you are considering leaving the classroom, this show is for you. 

Hello everyone, welcome to Leaving the Classroom. I'm Kristi Oliva, and I'm so glad you're here. Today we're talking about something super positive, the unexpected delights of leaving the classroom. Whether you've been thinking about making the change for a while, or you're just curious, this one's for you. 

Let's get into it. So, let's start with a big one, flexibility. When I was teaching, my day was completely controlled by the bell schedule, as I'm sure yours is, too. But once I left the classroom, I realized just how much control I had over my own time. No more rushed lunch breaks or waiting for the next bell. I remember the first time I went to the gym in the middle of the day. It was such a small thing, but it felt so liberating. And then there was the simple pleasure of enjoying my coffee without gulping it down between classes. That's a kind of flexibility and freedom that really changed my day-to-day life. So what would you do with a schedule that's all yours? Think about that, because it's more than just a perk, it's a real lifestyle change. 

Next up is one that every teacher dreams of, but rediscovering your weekends and holidays is not underrated. I used to spend my Sunday nights grading, lesson planning or just stressing about the week ahead. But after leaving the classroom, my weekends became mine again. I vividly remember the first weekend when I didn't have to think about work at all. I was actually able to relax without all that lingering guilt of unfinished work. It was like I got a piece of my life back that I honestly hadn't even realized I had lost. 

Okay, now let's talk about personal growth and learning. When I left teaching and stepped into a new field, instructional design, I suddenly found myself learning all sorts of new things and challenging myself in ways I never imagined. It was a whole new world of possibilities. For example, when I moved into corporate training, I was thrown into projects that were completely outside my comfort zone, but I loved every minute of it. It reminded me of why I got into teaching in the first place, which was I just loved learning. And now, I was learning again, but in a totally different and exciting way. 

Next up, work-life balance. We all want it, but it's so hard to find as a teacher, and I struggled with that a lot. But once I transitioned into a new career, I actually found that balance I had been craving. Suddenly I had more time and energy for things I loved, whether that was spending time with my family, getting to know new hobbies, or just taking better care of myself. One of the best parts was finally having the time to pursue some hobbies I had put on the back burner for years. That's what work-life balance gave me, and it can give you the same. 

Last but not least, appreciate your skills. As a teacher you have built up a ton of useful skills, communication, organization, problem solving and many, many more. Now I didn't realize how valuable those skills were until I left the classroom. When I transitioned into program management, I was amazed at how naturally my teaching skills translated. Managing people and projects honestly came pretty easily, and it was incredible to see how my teaching talents were recognized in a completely new environment. It's such a great feeling to see your abilities valued in ways you might not expect. 

So, the five unexpected delights of leaving the classroom are flexibility in your schedule. Number two, rediscovering your weekends and holidays. Number three, personal growth and learning. Number four, work-life balance. And number five, appreciate your skills. It's about more than just walking away from the challenges of teaching. This is about stepping into a whole new set of opportunities that can really enrich your life. 

If you're thinking about what's next, I've got something that can help. Take My Career Clarity Quiz. It's designed to help you figure out your next steps, and it's a great way to start narrowing down your options. And hey, before we wrap up, let me tell you what's coming up next. In the next episode, I'm going to talk about one of the biggest fears teachers have when leaving the classroom, losing their sense of identity. We'll dive into how you can navigate that and find a new sense of self outside of teaching. You won't want to miss it. 

And I'd love to hear from you. What are your thoughts on today's episode? Are you already on the other side, or are you still thinking about making the leap? Share your story with me. I might just feature it in an upcoming episode. You can reach out to me at [email protected] or find me at Instagram @leavingtheclassroom. 

Thanks so much for joining me today. Remember, you're not alone in this journey, and there's a whole world of amazing experiences waiting for you. It's time to take the career change that will change your life. It changed mine. See you next time. That's all for this episode, but you can find more at idolcourses.com or subscribe to the podcast. And if you are ready to leave the classroom, use my code classroom100 and get $100 off enrollment to IDOL courses Academy.

Send your stories or questions to [email protected] or share them with me on Instagram @leavingtheclassroom.