What new career should a burned out kindergarten teacher pursue?

Question

I may go back to teaching later, but I need a break.

JoyB, noone who had spent anytime in the classroom would call it a low stress job. A full time police officer was stationed outside our wing (at a regular public school) and often had to be called in. Children these days are not disciplined at home. I often had to call for help to restrain children - throwing chairs, slicing each other up, screaming obscenities and trying to have sexual relations with each other because they'd seen their older siblings doing it on the couch. And their parents lie for them and scream and curse and show up at conferences high if at all. Not all parents, and not all children, of course. But more and more every year. And child welfare shows up once a month to remove a child from the classroom because they're being abused at home. The principal's management technique is to scream at teachers in front of all the staff that they need to improve and by the way, we're cutting the budget and you can't have enough text books for everyone in the class.

Answer 1

OMG - I can't believe that anyone would consider teaching a low-stress, don't usually burn out, career.

When you are a teacher, even in a nice affluent school, you have to ALWAYS be ON. You need to be on your A game ALL the time. No hiding in your office on a bad day. And when you are sick, no just calling in, you have to pull your sorry sick butt out of bed and make plans to send in. Not to mention all the drama that NCLB brought. Of course you are burned out.

I loved working in a teacher supply store. Pay was low, but I loved the environment.

You might want to try a private pre-school (NOT daycare). Generally you'll have supportive parents. Again, less pay - but I think less stress.

You can always try museums, organizations, etc. that provide educational materials to write curriculum.

If you want to get out of teaching altogether, then pull skills off your resume (organization, planning) and apply them to a field that is 180 degrees away, but you've always wanted to try. (For me, I think I'd like to get my feet wet in an Interior Design Firm, even if was just a receptionist)

But please, consider returning to teaching. And always take time for yourself.

Good Luck

Answer 2

I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you, and that we are losing a teacher (hopefully for only a little bit). I wish I could just say that you should move to a different district and bump up to 1st or 2nd grade.

I work for Mad Science on the side. Not sure if you have a science group in your area. A children's museum or perhaps a YMCA children's program would be an option. With your experience perhaps you could be a director or assistant director.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Try doing a job that you think you would enjoy. I'm a psychologist, but I always wondered if I could do 'waitress work' ... so I got a job at an IHOP that was near several hospitals ... so I was a 'good waitress' and also knew how to treat many of our 'different' patients ... and then I went back to being a psychologist ... but I've got the 'best job' in the world, now ... I answer questions here on Y!A, and 'give my help' away for free!

Answer 4

wasn't this an episode of "How I Met Your Mother"?

Lilly took a break from being a Kindergarten teacher to work with Ted in his office. I guess Ted's boss did not read "Everything I needed to know about life I learned in Kindergarten" b/c he did not play well with others and when Lilly tried to teach him a lesson, he took it out on the employees. Ted had to beg her to go back to teaching b/c classroom rules don't apply to the real world.

So get an Office Job. I hear they're hiring at Dunder Mifflin's Wilkes Barre, PA office.

Answer 5

Normally I would say do something completely different from teaching, but since you are thinking about returning after your sabbatical, how about checking with your school district if they have an opening in the curriculum office?

Check with school curriculum publishers if they need instructors who go and introduce new curriculum's to schools, or help develop Elementary curriculum's, and be part of a curriculum advisory board.

This will still keep you in the educational arena without being in a class room setting, possibly making it easier to return to the classroom when ready.

Answer 6

How about health care? Nursing pays well (RN) and there is always job security. If it is kids you are burned out on, then you don't necessarily have to work in pediatrics. There are many different nursing specialties you can choose from. There is a big shortage of nurses in the US right now.

Answer 7

Take a personality/career test. It lets you know what jobs would suit you I think local colleges give them, check with your college's student support services program.

Answer 8

As a fellow teacher, I'd say you're best qualified to be a prison guard.

Answer 9

Librarian

Answer 10

It depends. A lot of kindergarten teachers like the creative aspect of working w/early childhood, work with all subjects especially the arts, singing, painting etc. If so, you might consider arts related jobs.

It would be good to pursue career counseling. Kindergarten teaching is considered to be a very low stress job and doesn't usually burn people out. Some teachers choose it for this reason, the hours are basically part-time. In jobs such as social work, emergency medicine, high school teaching, nursing, people often report burnout. You may want to explore with a counselor your current frame of mind, what factors have contributed to burnout and sort that out before considering a job that will probably be more stressful and certainly longer hours than your current one.The counselor can also help assess your interests, skills, past jobs, personality style, and what you value in a career.
EM -Your job does sound stressful. My reply was based on friends who are teachers and moved from upper elementary to kindergarten and found it to be fun, interesting and non-stressful. (These are in urban schools ) I actually have spent a lot of time in classrooms volunteering in public schools and have a sense of what they are like. Every school setting is different and conditions range from excellent to horrible. Best wishes in finding a great new job.