5 Types of Being ‘Stuck’ in Your Teaching Career

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Check out the 5 different kinds of classroom challenges representing different types of being ‘stuck’ in your teaching career and how you can get out of them.

Are you feeling ‘stuck’ in your teaching career? If you are, you’re not alone. At Exit Stage Teach, our team supports teachers in helping them transition into new careers. We work daily with educators who feel this way—uncertain about what to do, unable to move forward, and fed up with living in no man’s land.

For some, ‘stuck’ lasts a few months, a short-term pause before they find clarity and get moving again. But for others, it can go on for years, significantly impacting their mental well-being, health, and overall life satisfaction. It’s the latter that we see the most with teachers who want to leave teaching for a new career.

Personally, our team has also spent several years ‘stuck’ in our teaching careers, and some of us still are. We all know too well and remember just how bad it felt. It can feel like living in no man’s land, caught in a holding pattern, going nowhere, frustrated, stressed, and increasingly unhappy.

So, if being stuck is so common, how do we get unstuck? That depends on the type of classroom challenge you’re facing. So let’s look at the 5 main ways we get ‘stuck’ in our teaching career and how we might get ‘unstuck’.

#1: “Lost Lesson Plan” Stuck in your teaching career

The first type of stuck is when everything feels unclear, like when your lesson plan goes missing, and you can’t see the path forward. As a teacher, you might feel lost, unsure of what career paths are available outside of education, and uncertain about how to start exploring new opportunities. This often happens when your identity is tied up with being a ‘teacher’, particularly if teaching has been your calling for many years.

“Lost Lesson Plan” fix?

Unlike a misplaced lesson plan, clarity won’t just reappear on its own – if you’re in this type of ‘stuck’, you need to work with someone to move things forward. Don’t wait to wake up with clarity one day, or you’ll be waiting a long time.

Seek out professional help. Contact career coaches who specialise in helping teachers transition to new careers. Consider talking to a counsellor or psychologist if your sense of identity is deeply shaken. We can often bring with us trauma from the classroom as well and this is where you need professional help. Get the support you need, at Exit Stage Teach we offer a range of wonderful practitioners who can support you in a number of ways to transition outside of the classroom Check out our Resources Page to get in contact.

#2: “Classroom Management” Stuck

A different kind of ‘stuck’ is when you know what you want – you can see it, picture it, feel it – but whatever you do, you can’t seem to get there. Maybe you’ve applied for numerous non-teaching jobs, but you’re not getting any responses. Or perhaps you’ve gone through interviews only to receive rejection after rejection. It’s like having a great lesson plan but struggling with classroom management; you can’t get your students to engage and participate no matter what you do.

“Classroom Management” fix?

If you don’t know what’s not working, you can’t start to fix it – so the first step is asking for advice. Don’t assume your skills and experience as a teacher are not valuable; they are. Reach out to professionals who can help you translate your teaching experience into terms attractive to other industries. Get your resume professionally written and practice your interview skills with a coach. Our blog post, “Resumes for teachers wanting a new career,” offers more insight into how to tailor your resume. Our blog posts, “How to leverage your teaching skills for new job opportunities,” and “Top 10 Transferable teaching skills for a new career”

#3: “Overloaded Teacher” Stuck in your teaching career

Teachers in this category get stuck in action – trying to change what isn’t working by doing something different. You might take on new roles, subjects, or extracurricular activities frequently, hoping each change will be the answer. Or you might be enrolling in new courses and certifications without a clear end goal. It’s like trying to manage an overloaded schedule, hoping that adding more will solve the problem. You seem to be trying a whole lot of new things but never actually achieving or deciding on anything.

“Overloaded Teacher” fix?

Einstein said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If you recognise and can relate to this pattern, stop.

Instead of making reflexive jumps, use the time to take stock. Reflect on who you are and what you want, then plan a path forward. Work with someone who can help you clarify your goals and create a strategic plan to achieve them. Check out our Blog on Exit Stage Teach and read about other teachers who have transitioned out of teaching. Read posts on our Exit Stage Teach facebook group and think about what it is that you want to do when you leave teaching. Then, create a plan with a step-by-step process of how you can leave teaching for a new career.

#4: “Endless Marking” Stuck in your teaching career

This is one of the easiest kinds of stuck to get really stuck in… for years! You have ideas, and you’ve researched them – read books, done quizzes, and written lists – but you’re still not sure. You might feel overwhelmed by too many options or paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice. It’s like having an endless pile of exams to mark, feeling like you’ll never get through it all.

“Endless Grading” fix?

The ‘overloaded teacher’ needs to stop doing and start thinking, but the ‘endless markers’ need to stop thinking and start doing. Experiment. Dip your toe in different waters by volunteering or taking a short course related to your interest. Set up low-risk, low-cost ways to test out new careers in the real world. Ask others what it’s like to work in their job.

#5: “Test Anxiety” Stuck in your teaching career

The final type of stuck runs through every other kind. Anxiety about career decisions is normal, especially when transitioning from teaching to an entirely new field. We fear making the wrong choice and the unknowns that come with it. It’s like having test anxiety, where the fear of failure paralyzes you. We fear we won’t be good enough, we fear we won’t make enough money. We fear we will just end up back in teaching.

“Test Anxiety” fix?

First, reduce uncertainty by researching and contacting people in your chosen fields. The more you know, the less you fear. Educate yourself on everything you can about the field you want to move into. As teachers, we are natural researchers, and we need to use this skill now. Secondly, confront your fears. What’s the worst that could happen? How can you mitigate those risks? Imagine staying in your current situation for the next 1, 5, or 10 years. What will that cost you regarding mood, health, and relationships? Doing nothing has risks, too. Ultimately, you can always go back to teaching; this should be the safety net that you can move back to if you need to. Some teachers do go back, and it’s ok!!

Good luck getting unstuck! And if we can help you, please reach out!!

Career Coaches We Recommend:

At Exit Stage Teach, we are searching for the perfect resources for you. We ensure that the businesses we recommend are of the highest quality. That said, you might not always find the right ‘fit’ for you with our suggestions. We recommend you do your due diligence when sourcing businesses to work with or courses to study. Sometimes, what works for one person won’t work for another. We continually update our lists and are grateful for your feedback. We want to recommend helpful and exceptional support for our community.

Resumes, Cover Letters, Selection Criteria, Resignation Letter

Kate Langford – Leading a team of 15 and servicing Australia-wide and NZ in her businesses, Kate Langford brings a deep understanding of what it takes to leave her career as a Teacher behind and find a new role in a different industry! It can be overwhelming and daunting when you are unsure what transferable skills you have, especially how to create a resume that is NOT based on teaching! If you want help with this transition, want to gain confidence and get the tools to make it happen, get in touch www.katelangford.com.au/book-appointment

Kate would like to offer our Exit Stage Teach Community 15% off all services using the code: KLCCEXIT at checkout.

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Jane Beams, a teacher just like you, left the classroom to pursue a career in Coaching. Jane works with teachers, leaders and schools, empowering them to live happier, calmer and more balanced lives, both professionally and personally. She supports teachers in school to find a balance and reach a happy place in their teaching careers. She also helps those teachers who want to move on from the classroom, supporting them on the journey to transition into new careers.

OFFER FOR THE EXIT STAGE TEACH COMMUNITY – Use Promo Code MOJOME23 and Jane will organise a discount for you.

To contact Jane head to www.janebeams.com.au

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Career Change Coaching with Stephen

Teacher turned career coach, Stephen Christofakakis has extensive experience working in the corporate world after working in the classroom for years. He now supports teachers in navigating the transition out of the classroom into new jobs. Stephen helps teachers create systems and processes to find the jobs they deserve. He offers coaching services to help stressed and burnt-out teachers find clarity, purpose and fulfilment in their next career through a streamlined approach. By helping you develop a system for your job search and a process of daily action that will move you faster towards landing the role you want.

Mention Exit Stage Teach to receive a discount and customised service.

To work with Stephen head to https://careerchangecoach.carrd.co

Or please reach out to Stephen on Facebook and/or LinkedIn (Stephen Christofakakis)

Start your own Business Support:

Lauren Veling is a Brisbane-based designer and coach offering specialised services in Website Design, Brand Creation and Business Consulting specifically for teachers. Lauren is a teacher herself and knows what it takes to balance starting a business while teaching and eventually transitioning out of teaching to a new business. Lauren understands what it takes to turn a business into a career and how your transferable teacher skills can benefit your newfound business.

www.laurenveling.com

Contact Lauren