To my friends, I need some spiritual guidance about my career path?!?

Question

I teach ESL and have taught the literacy level (beginning level with little or no English) for 4 years. The teacher who taught the highest level inour school, intermediate high, is retiring and I can apply for the position if I want it.

My cunundrum is that I will have to leave my present class to a new teacher, and they are very attached to me. I feel as though I will be abandoning them and I am afraid that they will be angry and upset with me. This happened to me when I was in law school, and it pissed me off. On the other hand, I am geting a little tired of teaching the lowest level, it is very very difficult to get students "launched" and once they are launched, they go up to the next level, and I get more students who are in the same boat. I feel like if I don't change, I will burn out or get stale.

Please advise me. I also feel a little nervous about changing levels, which is probabl a reason why I should do it. Of course I may not even get it, who knows?

I am surprised by the number of answers I am getting from Christians. Thank you, and I appreciate your kind words. I am a pagan Witch, just so you know, and I thank you again for the sincerity of your words.

Answer 1

Lady Morgana, this may sound selfish but, you have to do whats right for you sometimes in this life.

If you neglect what your heart is telling you is right because of what other people would like you to do, it will only make you unhappy and quite probably lead to you becoming angry and resentful.

Please believe me when I tell you that I don't intend this in any way to disparage your choice or to turn this as a focus on myself, but I'd like to bring up something important thats happening in my life right now...

When I split from my first husband in 2001, there were many reasons (which are really unimportant for this topic). At the time, I had been spending quite alot of time on the internet and I met a great many friends.

When I left him, I left the country for a time. While I was in the United States (as you know I'm Canadian), I met my new husband face to face. I knew the moment I saw him that this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And now I can't imagine not doing so. Even spending a single day not talking to him makes me feel like my day isn't.... "right" for lack of a better word.

He is part of me and I am part of him. My best friend, my lover, the most wonderful man I've ever known. I didn't know men could be like him.

And its for that reason, that I KNOW its the right thing to do, I'm going to leave behind everything I have ever known, and loved, in my entire life to be by his side in another country.

Sometimes you just know what the right thing is to do. Denying it is like denying who you are.

You already know your answer, and you know your choice, but you're making yourself feel guilty over choosing it.

Don't. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Even if some people might be hurt in the process.

So you need to ask yourself one question... what would make you feel like the most complete person?

Answer 2

(((((((((LM)))))))))

First off dearest, you can only do what makes you happy at the end of it all. Life, often feels like it is not worth living if you are not happy. If you feel that you are stuck in a rut, well, that rut is only going to get deeper and then you really would be stuck in it. You have mentioned this to me before and I feel the same as I feel then. This is a great opportunity for you that you need to jump up and grab tight with both hands. Who knows when you will get another opportunity to teach a more advanced class, at least at the school you are currently at.

Feeling nervous is a very natural feeling, that will not go away until you are established in your other career position. You might often have doubts, 'Can I do this?', 'Is this the right path for me?', etc. and just remember. Not only do you have a loving husband, who I am willing to bet, will love and support you no matter what, but you also have a great son, and a lot of wonderful contacts here on YA that are more than willing to listen and share their advice.

And if your current class is a bit disappointed that you will not teach them the remainder of the time, remind them that they will have you soon, at a higher level. Who knows, maybe that will give them incentive enough to try harder! :-)

So dear, I guess what I am trying to say is that only you know what is truly right for you. Talk to Mother Earth, and see what she thinks about it, who knows, maybe she will also give you the guidance that you need. In my opinion, I think it is what you have ultimately been working for since you started your career.... as a lawyer. This new job is right for you, and remember, you will always be stuck in that rut, unless you yourself does something to change it. So take a hold of life with both hands and make sure to hold on tight, it might be a bumpy ride.

Much love and many blessings,
Megs

Answer 3

I would be inclined to go for the new position as it sounds as if you need a change and you won't be good to anyone if you get stale or burn out from teaching at the present level. I'm sure there new teacher will be good and you can always tell your present students that they can call on you if they need any help.
One of my good Friends had taught year one for the last 9 years and this year she started teaching year 4's and at first she was apprehensive but now she is happy she made the change and she feels renewed.

Answer 4

(((((Lady M!)))))

I can share with you but a few things that i have learned.

The only thing constant is change.

Fear is a primary emotion. Either fear of something you are going to lose, or fear you will not get something that you think you need.

In this case i think it is safe to say that the fear is that you are going to lose the connection to your current class.....which by the way is unfounded due to the fact that you are going to be teaching an intermediate class, therefore getting to be with all of them again!
I am sure too that change is always a little scarey.....to say the least. But do not discount your abilities, you are a very caring and worthy person capable of handling the responsibility...people like you and i, my friend, tend to be scared of success.....just go for it!

If you get it, then you know it is the will of the Goddess, if you do not get it, then perhaps this is not the time.
But please, do not sit around and do the "mental masturbation" thang before you even apply for the position.

Sister, i am sure you will make the choice that is right for you. I would encourage you to apply....you never know unless you try.

Tonite would be a wonderful time to sit outside and meditate on the moon.....

Blessings and Confidence to you my friend.

BB
)o(
Trinity

Answer 5

I have been teaching for over twenty years and I went through a similar dilemma when I was considering a change after 18 years. I had been teaching middle school at the same school for 18 years. I was attached to the very "at-risk" community and in many ways the community was attached to me. Any place I went, people recognized and talked me. I had students from the same families and even got to a point when I had students who were the children of former students! I felt that if I left, I would be abandoning my "mission/purpose" so to speak. I knew I was making a difference, but events in my life seemed to be pulling me in a new, different direction. I did make the change to a new school in a new community. I knew I made the right decision when on my first day at the new school, one of the students (called clients at the Residential Treatment Center) was one of my former students! I had him in 6th grade--and now, as a 9th grader I was able to help him at his most troubled time in his life. I make a difference everyday, and am a peace with my decision.

My advice: make the change. Talk to your "beginning-level" students. Tell them that you look forward to seeing them again (as their teacher) when they reach the intermediate-level. Tell them how much you look forward to seeing how much they have learned and that you also look forward to helping them learn even more as they progress.

Blessed Be.

Answer 6

Lady Morgana,

This is a hard call, but if it were me, I would take some time to really think about what you want in your life and what are the goals you want to accomplish. Is the job you have right now helping to fulfill those goals or do you feel like you are just marking time? Do you feel happy and content or do you dread going there in the morning? Could you imagine yourself doing that job indefinitely or does the very thought make you queasy?

I agree that it is very important to take in to account how this move could affect the children, but how often do you get this type of opportunity? If you don't take it and end up becoming burnt out and unhappy, how is that truly going to benefit those children in the long run? Sometimes we have to take care of ourselves and our needs before we can effectively take care of the needs of others. If you really want this job and think that it could be a much better fit for you, then I think you aught to take it. You have the right to be happy and perhaps your job move can open up your current job to a person who will see it as their dream job. That can only be a good thing for the kids.

You are the one who is going to have to live with this decision, so no matter what any of us recommend to you, you need to trust your own inner knowing about what is truly best in this situation. I wish you the best of luck in what ever you decide to do.

Blessings,

Vitamin

Answer 7

With wildlife biology, you could work as a game warden, conservation, educator, field biologist, and wildlife manager and many other things and grad school is also an option to pursue your education further. From when I was little to mid-high school I wanted to be everything: kindergarten teacher, chemist, chef, politician, foreign service officer, business women, icecream man (I was like six), and so many other things. When I got toward the end of high school, I had to see what I wanted to actually really do. Throughout high school, I became fascinated with Korea, started taking language courses during high school, and wanted to be able to live and work there. I took one economics class and knew I did not want to go into business. I shifted my focus to wanted to become a teacher (and as a foreigner it would be teaching English). If one is an education, English or linguistics major, as an English teacher, you get paid more. I didn't major in education because that's general and not related to teaching English and a different education system. An English major would have a lot of essays which I wanted to avoid. So I was left with linguistics that study of language and all its possibilities. I do quite enjoy the major and I have a concentration/certificate in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) and I take my electives in school out of the child development department. I feel like this is the best combination for me as I want to teach English in an elementary school in South Korea now that I am in my last semester of college. I have applied and should know by sometime next month if I got a job as a public school teacher in South Korea for the February semester (The start of the school year for them). What is funny is the first occupation I ever wanted to be was a kindergarten teacher and now I will be a elementary school teacher. Go with your gut and think what has interested you throughout your life. Think about what you truly want to do after college. Then find a major that can help you work toward that. If you do not know what you want to do, pursue your interests and then you can pursue different careers. You need to look inside yourself and go with your interests. If you pursue your interests, you will be happier in the long run.

Answer 8

Go for the change. The students you have now may feel abandoned, but they don't have enough English to stalk you effectively. Meanwhile, there will probably be some of your old students in the higher level class and they'll be happy to see you again.

Everyone will miss you if you burn out and have to leave. They'll miss you even more if you burn out and have to stay. You won't be the same.

Btw, as long as I'm answering your question, here's the song I promised you, which oddly kind of fits the question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IYqWFWVqes

Answer 9

Hmmm...This can be difficult, I recently found myself in a similare situation where there was a possibility I may need to leave the children I'd worked with for three years. The prospect was frightening to me as I felt I may let them down and that they may not behave for the next Club Manager that came along. I don't think it helped that I'd had an assistant leave and so children were telling me I couldn't leave.

It never happened as the position whent to someone else. But I did explain to my children that everyones lives change for one reason or another and that sometimes, in order to grow, we have to move one, no matter how much it may hurt at the time. And that in time they too will be faced with similar situations in their lives.

It is hard, not just for the children, but for yourself. But you have to say to yourself:

Am I being stifled as I am now?
Can I grow and become stronger and better emotionally and spiritualy if I stay?
If I stay for the sake of the children, will I feel resentful in th long run?
If I move on to the next level what are the future prosepct like in comparison to now?

As painful as it is, sometimes you just have to move on. In time they will understand and it will also teach them that in order to grow, to spread your wings and fly you must leave the comfort zone and move on.

Blessings to you and good luck, what ever you decide.

Cerri

Answer 10

Maybe some of your students will feel that way about your leaving but that's the way things go, that's life. We may not like changes or people coming and going from our lives all the time but that's how it works and they better learn it soon. You are trying to find a way that'll make you happy, don't feel bad for trying to change,otherwise you'll be tied up to something all your life. It's OK to feel a bit scared or maybe guilty but you don't have to, you're doing nothing wrong.
Good luck!