I want to quit teaching, how do I become a teacherpreneur?
This is my current story. And I am guessing that if you are reading this, it may be yours too.
I just want you to know, you are not alone.
We spend years dreaming of the perfect classroom, teaching job, school, co-workers, perfectly well-rounded and behaved group of students that LOVE learning…(wait…kids aren’t little robots??).
We soon find out that our dream job isn’t all that we had pictured; debbie-downer co-workers, micromanaging administration, overbearing parents. More tests, data sheets, meetings, and new curriculums are thrown at us each school year. We spend much our time putting out fires between children, soothing the upset child, and parenting most of the children. I was puked on last week…That was never a part of my vision as a teacher. But it comes with the territory.
We Are Always Teachers at Heart
I LOVE my teaching job. We become teachers because teaching is a rewarding and fulfilling career. We want to help and be there for the child that doesn’t have a solid home life and to make a difference in every child’s life. As teachers, we love and appreciate the challenges put before us. Teachers are caring, supportive individuals who give everything, and take nothing.
This is what we were made to do. It takes a certain special someone to have the acceptance, patience, and drive to be a great teacher.
I can bet that we have all hit burnout at some point in our career. I know that I can usually push through it by finding some way to recharge and discover the drive to teach inside myself again.
But what happens if we can’t overcome the burnout? Where do we go from here? What do we do when we feel pulled in 31 different directions…meetings, curriculum, upset parent, noncompliant child, spreadsheets, lesson plans, emails, unreliable technology, recess problems, scheduling conflict, the crying child, copies, the dreaded evaluations…not to mention your own children, home responsibilities, doctor and dentist appointments, dinner, afterschool activities, school functions…and the list goes on. And never ends…
Pictured above is my drive and passion to be able to spend more time with my family while still providing. I am not saying that I expect this ride to be easier, but I will have the flexibility to spend more time with my kids during these precious years, attend my son’s school events without granted time off, volunteer in his school, and be my best (less divided) self. I want to take my daughter to a playgroup….on a Tuesday morning! Because playgroups are only during regular business hours. I want to still have my summers off. Yes, I want my cake and I will eat it too!
I have put a lot of consideration into my plan for the past and next several months. I want to share with you my findings and thoughts and hope that I am able to help you too! Here is my EPIC tip to becoming an amazing teacherpreneur.
Become a Teacherpreneur
In October 2018 I made the decision that I NEEDED to make a change. I knew that I was made for something different. I love the children I am teaching and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to teach and get to know them as the little human beings they are….but I needed more. Seeing these kids grow from a beginning kindergartener to a first grader is a REWARDING and AMAZING experience and feeling…But I needed a change. I want to be able to be there for my own two children and be able to support them in ways that I can’t with a contracted job.
I have always followed many teacher blogs for inspiration, ideas, and free stuff. One of the teachers I follow is Kayse Morris from Teaching on Less. For those of you who know Kayse, she is a fun and knowledgable role model to follow. For those of you who don’t know Kayse, you need to go find her right now! Check Kayse’s blog out here.
Kayse has been a part of the TpT and teacher community for a while. She is a “big time” seller on TpT and knows the tricks of the trade. Just as I started to look into how I could sell teaching resources online, Kayse started to adjust the vision of her company to help others sell their teaching resources online. What first hooked me was Kayse’s youtube channel videos. Kayse’s fun personality along with knowing that she started off as a classroom teacher (just like me) made me believe in her and that I could do this too!
Woah…..JACKPOT! My teacherpreneur idol…wants to help others sell their own resources on TpT…and is willing to give the secrets?!?!
I thought it was too good to be true.
But it isn’t.
Sell Your Teaching Resources Online
Transform Your Resources
I couldn’t have found Kayse at a better time.
In November 2018 Kayse launched her course, Transform You Resources, helping teacherpreneurs to build their online business and presence. When I discovered this, I KNEW I NEEDED to be a part of this. When I don’t do something I know that I need to, inside, I feel some serious FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out, in case you were wondering).
Before starting this course, I KNEW I needed to make a change. After going through Transform Your Resources, I KNEW I could make this change. I have never felt more fired up about making a change in my life. I mean, I started a BLOG…Wait, what?!
Kayse and her course encouraged me to continue on this path knowing that I CAN DO IT! I have learned and are still learning the “secrets” and skills to help make my “teacher-business” successful.
Continued Support and Inspiration
Along with the Transform Your Resources course, the membership includes and AMAZING facebook group as well. Even after we have gone through the entire course, we still support each other in this group. I have never met (virtually) a more supportive group of talented teacherpreneurs. We are all doing this together! The feeling of camaraderie is astonishing. Anytime anyone in the group has a question, accomplishment, or motivational inspiration, we share! Between Kayse, the moderators, and EVERYONE in the group, no question is left unanswered and I have learned so much. I can’t possibly say enough for this group.
I WILL make more than my teaching salary, I WILL be able to raise my children, I WILL live the life I love…I am not going to say that I am not nervous, because I don’t know what the next several months of my life will bring. The unknown makes me nervous, and it also inspires and encourages me. But I feel that I have gained (and are still gaining) the necessary skills to be successful and my best self.
I feel confident that I CAN DO THIS. And that YOU CAN TOO.
If you are at all feeling like I have been, check out Kayse’s course Transform Your Resources. This journey I am on has been amazing, and I can’t wait to see what my future brings. I am more motivated than ever to make this change and I couldn’t have done it without Kayse. She is a true teacherpreneur, mentor, motivator, and instructor, and if you are at all doubting that you can make it…just don’t. Get to know Kayse at Teaching on Less and download her free First 10 Steps to Selling Your Teaching Resources Online here.
But So Many Teachers Are Doing This
One of my concerns about becoming a teacherpreneur and selling my teaching resources has been, “But so many teachers are doing this? Hasn’t it all been done before?” Kayse quickly put my thoughts at ease. There are many sellers selling their teaching products. But only a handful know the secrets to be discovered and successful. And “NO” it all hasn’t been done before, because “no one has seen you do it” (Kayse Morris). Kayse knows the secrets. Kayse knows the business. There is room for everyone on the playground.
Can you transform your life and become a teacherpreneur while still teaching? Yes! I am doing it right now. Transform Your Resources has helped me to find my passion and a way to do what I love. This course will help you too.
I would love to hear about your experiences. If you are in a similar situation and would like to share, please leave it in the comments below. I am also happy to answer any questions or provide insight (the best I can). You can also email me at amanda@sparklinginprimary.com if you do not want to post on the blog.
Blog posts you may like:
What You Need To Know About Play-Based Learning
The Sensory Bins Master Guide & a Freebie
Dear First Year Kindergarten Teacher, I’ve Got You!
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to stay in touch! I will post updates about my journey. If you would like to check out my TpT store to see how I am building my dream with Transform Your Resources, you can do so here.
We are all in this together!
Amanda