The Career Transition That Keeps Educators in Schools Without Keeping Them in the Classroom

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Education has a regrettably high turnover rate. Teachers enter the profession with the best of all intentions, but naturally enough, experience burnout. The job is very hard. The pressure is higher than many people on the outside realize, and the pay hardly reflects the importance of the work.

Historically, teachers who have felt burnt out by their jobs have simply churned out entirely. This is bad in that it keeps public education constantly short-staffed.

By creating pivot opportunities, educators can stay in school systems without being stuck in the classroom.

This article will take a look at pivot opportunities that keep the education system healthy while giving educators themselves more options.

School Counselor

School counselors play a pivotal role in the education process. Their responsibilities can vary considerably based on the age level of the people they’re working with, as well as the priorities of the district that they are in.

In general, however, they provide an important mix of personal and educational support.

Many students will form close relationships with school counselors during times of need. For this reason, a counselor might be the first person to identify an at-risk student and connect them with resources that can improve their situation.

They are also well-positioned to help students identify things that they are passionate about. Guidance counselors, at their best, are able to figure out what makes a student excited and then recommend schools, classes, trainings, etc. that will help them meet their goal.

​It’s both rewarding and impactful work that can touch every single student in the school.

How Can Teachers Pivot Into School Counselor Roles?

In most states, you’ll need to complete a master’s degree in a school counseling program. You will then most likely need to complete an exam and pass through various other credentialing and licensure requirements.

It may sound like a lot of work, but in reality, you may be able to do it in less than two years.

​What’s more, many school districts provide tuition assistance for educators who are looking to get a master’s degree in a relevant field. This makes it both more affordable and less time-consuming than many people at first assume.

Social Emotional Support Careers

There are also a wide range of social emotional support career paths within the school system, which can often be accessed on the foundation of a degree in education, followed by an additional credential.

Generally speaking, to become a school psychologist or social worker, you will need to get a master’s degree in those respective fields, which will be at least somewhat time-consuming and cost-prohibitive.

That said, both avenues do have advantages, particularly for people who are open to flexible formats. Online learning opportunities, for example, make it more accessible for people who would like to learn while maintaining a family and professional life.

It’s also good to remember that your school district should provide some element of tuition assistance that will further assist with your objectives.

It’s usually not total financial support, but it can make the process of credentialing your way into a social-emotional support career more affordable. It generally takes the form of a monthly educational stipend.

Some school districts will also allow teachers to donate tuition support to one another. In other words, a teacher who may not ever be interested in going back to school could donate their credit allowance, making it easier for someone else to do it.

Speak with your school admin department or even your teachers' union to find out what options are available to you.

Specialized Classes

Most schools also have classes that fall into specialized categories, for example, library, music, art, etc.

​These courses can be an excellent opportunity for people who do not want to leave the classroom entirely but are looking for something different.

The effect is similar to that of opportunities we’ve already described. You will still work with kids, but the level of responsibility will be different.

Academic Specialists

If you’re not interested in the school counseling route, there may be other career paths that are equally viable pivot options.

Academic specialists work on targeted school skills, for example, reading, math, STEM, etc. In this capacity, you’ll still work in a classroom environment, but you won’t have to manage a homeroom, and you’ll get to focus on subject matter that you find the most interesting.

It’s not a total pivot, but it can provide a sense of relief for teachers who were feeling burnt out under the stress of managing their own caseload of kids.

​Most content specialists are focused more specifically on the subject matter that they are teaching and may work with the entire student body.

Admin

Finally, there are also many administrative roles that are worth taking a look at for teachers who still want to work for a school district but would prefer to find their way out of the classroom.

​Admin jobs are generally very strategically oriented. In these positions, you may not interact with children at all, which is admittedly a very different experience than many people are after when they first become teachers.

There are some exceptions to this. For example, principals, vice principals, and possibly even superintendents may have many student interactions while still focusing primarily on leadership and structure.

Curriculum design professionals, on the other hand, will focus more narrowly on developing learning strategies that are both high impact and carefully aligned with the needs of the district.

Admin jobs can feel like a big transition to people who are used to more hands-on interactions with students, but they have several advantages.

One of them is financial. Administrators may make up to twice as much as classroom teachers. They will most likely be working summers, but it’s a trade-off many professionals are happy to make.

Administrators also arguably have a wider impact. Teachers might interact with 30 to 50 students per year, while administrators make choices every day that impact hundreds of people.

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Do you think enough is being done to help burned-out educators stay in education in a different role?

What kind of support might have helped you keep going during your hardest season in education?

What kind of role would let you keep making an impact without carrying the same level of burnout?
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Do you think leaving the classroom always means leaving your purpose behind?

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