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How to Transform Your Teaching Career Into Something New

This week I'm chatting with Lisa Harding, CEO of Teacher Career Transitions Academy, about how educators can successfully transition to careers outside the classroom.

Born into a family of teachers but taking a different path herself, Lisa shares her journey from educational technology executive to certified career coach dedicated to helping teachers recognize their transferable skills and overcome imposter syndrome.

Whether you're considering leaving teaching, looking for a side hustle, or planning for post-retirement opportunities, this dynamic conversation provides valuable insights and practical steps for your career journey.

Key Points Discussed:

• Common misconceptions teachers have about changing careers and overcoming imposter syndrome
• Current career paths that are excellent matches for teachers' skill sets
• How to rebrand classroom skills into corporate-friendly resume language
• A step-by-step process for transitioning out of teaching
• Practical exercises to identify your transferable skills and career options
• The importance of networking when considering a career change
• and so much more!

Even if you're not looking to leave teaching right now, this information is incredibly valuable. Many of us will eventually move beyond the classroom, and understanding your options can actually reduce stress and provide peace of mind.

Resources Mentioned:

• GRAB THE FREE DOWNLOAD Teacher Career Transitions Directory: 200+ careers for transitioning teachers with job summaries, core skills, and salary ranges
• Learn more about Teacher Career Transitions Academy

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

In this week's episode, I share something deeply personal that has been on my mind since I left the classroom full-time two years ago. The truth? I never stopped loving teaching or my students - I simply needed more flexibility than traditional school structures could offer.

The Flexibility Crisis in Education

Let's be honest - teaching has become an all-or-nothing profession. You're either in the classroom full-time or completely out of education. This inflexible system is driving away talented educators who love teaching but need options that accommodate:

• Young children at home
• Aging parents requiring care
• Personal health needs
• Work-life balance

In this episode, I explore four potential solutions that could enable teachers to remain in the profession while enjoying more flexibility in their schedules.

They include:

1. Reimagined Sabbaticals
Not just unpaid leave, but structured breaks (6 months to a year) with:

• Partial pay possibilities
• Guaranteed retention of tenure
• Maintained healthcare benefits
• Return-to-position guarantees

2. Expanded Job Shares
Allow two excellent teachers to split one full-time position:

• Flexible scheduling options
• Maintained benefits (critical improvement needed)
• Reduced burnout
• Preserved institutional knowledge
• Collaborative teaching partnerships
• Less disruption for students

3. Reduced Load Contracts
Common in higher education but rarely available in K-12:

• Teach fewer classes/sections
• Perfect for experienced educators
• Opportunity to bring back retired teachers as mentors
• Reduce burnout while maintaining connections

4. Administrative Support Systems
Address the number one complaint: "I love teaching - it's all the OTHER stuff that wears me out"

• Dedicated admin support for paperwork
• Help with data entry, reporting, emails
• Grade management assistance
• Parent communication support

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

Is your classroom filled with anxious, distracted students who can't handle minor setbacks? Research shows technology is rewiring their brains, and not in a good way.

In this essential episode, discover the stark difference between phone-free and phone-accessible schools, learn how the "attention economy" deliberately creates addiction, and get practical strategies for every grade level to build resilience and focus without fighting constant battles over devices.

Key Insights:

• Why the "attention economy" is deliberately engineered to hook young minds
• Four neurological impacts: social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction
• Grade-specific strategies that work even without school-wide phone bans
• Evidence-based activities that build resilience through appropriate risk-taking

Whether you're witnessing technology's toll firsthand or concerned about rising student anxiety, these actionable approaches will help you create an environment where students can develop the social skills and emotional regulation they desperately need.

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

Are you dragging yourself to school when sick because writing sub plans feels overwhelming? Discover how to set yourself (and your substitute teacher) up for success with these practical strategies from a former teacher-turned substitute!

Episode Highlights:

• The Self-Care Connection: Why creating effective sub plans is essential for your wellbeing
• Substitute Teaching Insights: Lessons learned from 5 months of subbing in various schools and grade levels
• 7 Key Strategies to ensure your classroom runs smoothly in your absence

The Self-Care Connection

Taking time off when needed is essential for teacher wellbeing, but many educators avoid absences because preparing for a substitute feels more stressful than working while ill. This episode reframes substitute preparation as a crucial self-care practice.

A Substitute's Perspective

After 20+ years of classroom teaching, Grace gained valuable insights from substitute teaching across:

• Grade levels from TK through 11th grade
• 11-12 different schools
• Various school cultures and resource levels

7 Strategies for Substitute Success

1. Create a template with your master schedule, important routines, and student information
2. Plan review activities rather than new content
3. Provide clear tech instructions or designate student tech helpers
4. Establish a buddy teacher system who can check in and support with challenging students
5. Set up incentives or consequences for student behavior during your absence
6. Have emergency activities available for unexpected situations
7. Document policies in writing regarding phones, computers, seating, and other classroom procedures

Final Thoughts

Remember: You are a human first and a teacher second. You deserve to take time off when needed without stressing about classroom chaos. With proper preparation, both you and your substitute can succeed!

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

For free and paid resources to help students of all ages deal with test anxiety visit:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Grace-Stevens-Happy-classrooms

Feeling overwhelmed by school testing season? Dread seeing students suffer from crippling test anxiety? This podcast episode for educators of all grades is for you!

🌟 Learn the one skill you should be teaching all year to ensure test-taking success!

💡 Discover how to create a calm, supportive testing environment in your room.

🎯 Shift the focus to what students can control and where you can find the "done for you" lesson plans to support you.

📣 Understand how to effectively communicate with parents to set students up for success without excessive pressure.

🥳 Learn the best strategies to boost student confidence and eliminate surprise testing stressors.

🎙️ You will find all this and more in this podcast episode for teachers of all grade levels to help your students overcome testing anxiety and perform at their best.

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

In this eye-opening episode, we dive into the science behind limiting beliefs and how they specifically show up in education and the lives of passionate teachers. Learn practical strategies to identify, challenge, and transform the unhelpful stories you tell yourself about teaching that keep you stuck in burnout cycles.

Key Points

• 🔍 Limiting beliefs are thoughts that restrict our potential and happiness
• 🧠 Our brains are pattern-seeking devices that filter information based on our beliefs
• ⚠️ We should evaluate beliefs on whether they're resourceful, not whether they're "true"
• 💡 With awareness comes choice - we can reframe unhelpful beliefs
• 🔄 Your brain will find evidence to confirm what you already believe (confirmation bias)

Common Teacher Limiting Beliefs

1. "I have to do it all to be a good teacher" → "I am most effective when I focus on what I do well"
2. "Saying no makes me selfish or unhelpful" → "Setting boundaries is an act of self-respect"
3. "If I rest, I'm lazy" → "Rest fuels my ability to show up as my best for students"
4. "If students/parents aren't happy, I'm failing" → "I can do my best, but I can't control others' feelings"
5. "It's my responsibility to fix everything" → "I can provide guidance and support, but I can't fix everything"

3-Step Process to Overcome Limiting Beliefs

1. Identify the limiting belief when it appears
2. Challenge it by seeking contrary evidence
3. Replace it with a more empowering belief

Quote to Remember

"We see the world not as it is, but as we are. Most of us see through the eyes of our fears, our limiting beliefs, and our false assumptions." - Robin Sharma

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

Ready to cut through the noise and focus on what really matters in education? Dr. David Franklin, creator of The Principal's Desk community (230,000+ educators strong!), shares his candid take on what schools need to leave behind in 2025 - and spoiler alert: teachers, you're going to want to hear this!

🌟 Episode Highlights:

1. 📊 Stop Blaming COVID
- It's time to move past using COVID as the default explanation for challenges
- Focus on current solutions and moving forward
- Different regions had vastly different experiences - some schools only closed for 2 weeks

2. ❤️ Relationships vs. Rigor Debate
- The false dichotomy needs to end
- Good teaching has always included relationship building
- Need to restore focus on professional expertise and academic excellence

3. 🎯 Quick-Fix SEL Solutions
- $$ Multi-million dollar business pushing packaged solutions
- Can't change school culture with 20-minute programs
- Good teachers naturally create positive classroom cultures

4. 📝 Behavior Management Matrix
- Clear, consistent consequences are crucial
- Matrix helps everyone know what to expect
- Supports both teachers and students
- Creates safer learning environments

5. 🤖 AI in Education
- Stop avoiding AI - it's here to stay
- Need to teach responsible use
- Prepare students for real-world applications
- Similar to calculator and Google adoption

💡 Key Leadership Tips for Administrators:
- Be visible on campus
- Do supportive classroom walkthroughs (not evaluations)
- Leave positive post-it notes with specific feedback
- Let teachers take risks and innovate
- Stop requiring lesson plan submissions
- End restrictive dress codes

🔗 Connect with Dr. David Franklin:
- Facebook: The Principal's Desk
- Website: principalsdesk.org
- Email: david@theprincipalsdesk.org
- Book: "Advice from the Principal's Desk"

💪 Bottom Line: Creating positive school cultures isn't about quick fixes or checklist items - it's about supporting teachers as professionals and focusing on what truly impacts student learning.

#TeacherPodcast #EducationalL

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)

Send us a text

Teacher pop-quiz: If you could never wear a t-themed t-shirt again, would your wardrobe empty? In this powerful encore episode, we dive deep into the dangers of making teaching your entire identity and how to reclaim balance in your life. Whether you're struggling with burnout or feeling guilty about setting boundaries, this episode provides practical strategies to help you separate your worth from your work.

Key Takeaways:

• Why wrapping your whole identity in teaching leads to burnout and relationship strain
• The problem with attaching your self-worth to measurable outcomes in education
• How to maintain your sense of self when transitioning out of teaching
• Practical steps to create more balance and nurture non-teaching interests

🎯 Action Steps:

1. Create your personal role inventory beyond "teacher"
2. Schedule non-teaching activities with the same commitment as school obligations
3. Find 15 minutes daily for self-care and personal development
4. Conduct a simple time audit of teaching vs. non-teaching activities

💫 Quote of the Episode:
"Teaching is a verb. It's what we do, not who we are. It's not an identity." Yep. You can quote me on that!

To join us this summer, www.gracestevens.com/balance - ACT FAST - only 30 seats available!

Want PD that teachers crave and actually use? Have your administrator visit www.gracestevens.com/admins

Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand course, Balance Your Teacher Life. You can go the self-study route or join a cohort with group coaching for Summer 2025.

Check out all the details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance

📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here

Wanna get social?
https://www.tiktok.com/@gracestevensteacher
https://www.facebook.com/GraceStevensTeacher
https://www.Instagram.com/gracestevensteacher

Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)