What’s Next?

I have to admit; as a young teacher I really didn’t think about retirement. I LOVED my career and did not want to step out of the classroom. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else because I absolutely loved working with young students. It was my passion.

For the first 24 years of my career, I worked with some of the absolute best administrative teams. Principals supported my passion for technology integration and encouraged me to step beyond my classroom (*not leave it, just expand my horizon.) With administrative support, I began to create and deliver instructional technology training sessions to co-workers. I even created several professional development classes to offer at local educational technology conferences. I found that I loved sharing my passions with teachers! It was a whole new world. I even decided to pursue a position in our district as an official Instructional Technology Specialist, and was elated when I was accepted and added to the official list. (Being on the list, was different than actually having the job. It took me a two years to do that!)

During that time, I dealt with a new administration that was less than supportive. In all of my years, it was the first time I considered walking out the door and giving up my retirement. At that time, I began really thinking about what was next for me. What would I do when I left teaching? What other careers was I ready for?

Over the next four years, I continually puzzled over my “What’s Next?” I scoured the web for suggestions, doing web searches like “Jobs for Retired Teachers,” and “Careers after Teaching.” The results were basic and suggested things like museum curator, tutor, retail, or entrepreneur. Nothing sparked my interest or sounded like something for my future. A former principal suggested I get a degree in Radiology. I couldn’t see myself in that role. I even considered some sort of job on a cruise ship! That didn’t seem too realistic.

Anxiety began to build and there were many sleepless nights. I knew I was ready for a change, but what was it to be?

During the COVID lockdown, I decided to join LinkedIn and peruse the job offerings. I build up a profile and scoured my email contacts to see if I could connect with anyone! At this point, I still had no idea what I wanted to be “when I grew up,” but knew with my 30th year starting, I had to come up with something.

And then I made some incredible discoveries! There were some people out who were will to provide support, encouragement and help for teachers transitioning out of education! I connected with these wonderful people, followed them on LinkedIn, listened to their podcasts and scoured their sites. Through them, I found out that I can continue to be an educator, but in a very different setting. I discovered that I can take the best parts of my teaching career (creating/designing lesson materials and presenting to audiences) and turn that into a new career!

I’m beyond grateful for these people, and want to give each of them a shout out!

Ali Parrish Cheshire

Ali was my first discovery! She has a wonderful website called Teacher Transition. Here I found a free copy of a resource called “Top 10 Jobs for Teachers.” She also has a quiz called “Identify Your Next Dream Job.” It was with these tools, I realized that I could be an instructional designer and a trainer. Yes, it was definitely life changing for me! I found her podcast, ” Teacher Transition Podcast,” and found Ali and her guest to be inspirational. Ali also offers several courses you can enroll in for a fee. I was hesitant at first, but can tell you they were game changers for me!

Ali has definitely been a huge support and motivator. She is very apporachable and has answered my every question. Her suggestions and advice is very much appreicated!

You can find Ali at LinkedIn, Instagram, and at her website. Definitely check her out if you are looking for your next step!

Sara Stevick

Sara Stevick is my second amazing discovery! I caught a posting on LinkedIn that she was offering FREE webinars for teachers looking to transition into new careers. Now, I’m all about free help, so I signed up. Sara in an instructional designer for a large corporation, but was once a classroom teacher! She has walked the walk and talks the talk! Through her webinars, I’ve learned that I have the skills I need to become an instructional designer. I’ve learned how to reword my resume and LinkedIn profile to really illustrate my career goals and the vital skills I have to offer. I’ve learned how to build a portfolio and seen great examples.

Sara is very personable. She’s easy to talk to and truly enjoys supporting others. Her experience, advice and support have meant a lot to me. I strongly encourage you to connect with Sara at LinkedIn, to check out her website and webinars!

Lisa Spinelli

I found Lisa Spinelli by accident. We shared some mutual connections so I saw a post about a book that she had just published, “Teachers To Trainers: Apply Your Passion and Skills to a New Career.”

A book just for me! I’ve been pursuing instructional design with Ali and Sara, but I’ve been training teachers for years! The book caught my attention and I purchased it immediately!

I responded to one of her posts about the book, and she responded immediately. Her words of encouragement were very helpful. Since then, I’ve found that she also is very supportive of transitioning teachers. She’s been featured on several podcasts, including “The Accidental Trainer,” and “Instructional Designers in Offices Drinking Coffee.” She has great advice and she’s definitely someone to connect with!

Lindsay Woodard

Lindsay Woodard has a great podcast, “Step Away from the Classroom Podcast.” Her goal is to be a coach and mentor to those stepping outside the walls of the classroom. She and her guests share

stories of their transitions. It’s inspiring to hear others who have successfully made the journey and willing to let others learn from their experiences.

Lindsay is another person on LinkedIn that I have found to be a great resource. She also made the transition from teaching to find a new career she loves. Her podcast seems to stem from her desire to support others who are also making the move. I would definitely recommend that you check out her podcast and connect with her on LinkedIn!

LinkedIn has been a great resource for finding not only these ladies, but other resources as well. If you don’t have a LInkedIn profile, create one today. Then connect with each one of these coaches, and take advantage of all they have to offer! You can also connect with me! I am just walking through the doors into this adventure, but I’m willing to share all I have discovered!