These Aren’t the Reasons

Big news! Today is my last day working at my current school. It’s the end of the semester and I’m headed for a new adventure working with Illustrative Mathematics to write high school curriculum. I’ve been using the 8th grade stuff this team wrote with some of my students with disabilities and it’s amazing. Ed Reports agrees with that claim. 

I’ve written about why I wouldn’t quit teaching in response to those articles from people who quit teaching that make the rounds every once in a while. (So did a few other people.) Well, here I am writing a post about quitting. But just this job, I’m not giving up on this career. It’s too important and I love it too much. 

Here are the most common responses I get from people when I tell them I’m leaving and the honest answers (not everyone gets a full, honest response). 

I bet you’ll make more money!

Nope, about the same, without all the vacations. With 11 years in the system, a masters and 45 graduate credits beyond that I make good money teaching (thanks MA teacher unions). I’ll also make good money at this job. 

You get to work from home?!? I’m so jealous!

As an introvert with hermit-like tendencies I’ve already started taking precautions like signing up for group exercise classes. (If you live nearby we should hang out. If you don’t live nearby you should visit, Salem is a fun city.) I enjoy working with students and having a lunch group of adults to chat with. But the potential for fostering tiny puppies is an appealing aspect of being home all day. 

Wow, curriculum writing!

It’s an important job, but it’s not better than teaching. Teaching is an essential job. I hope teachers’ jobs will be a bit easier when they use the curriculum I’ll be writing. 

So if these aren’t the reasons why I’m leaving, you might wonder what’s left? In my exit interview the HR director asked if I was overworked. I realized that because I’m good at setting boundaries on my time I wasn’t overworked, I was spending all of my work time doing things I didn’t love - with no time left for the things I do. I hope that I will love this new job (I already know I’ll love all the amazing people I get to work with and I’m confident that the work they do aligns with my values) and that down the line I will get to teach the curriculum I wrote somewhere I can focus on all the aspects of this profession I love.