Why I Quit Teaching (And Why I’m Not Going Back)

I never thought I’d be writing this, but I’ve quit teaching.

For a long time, I told myself to push through. That things would get better. That the workload, the pressure, and the constant feeling of being “on” would eventually ease.

But it didn’t.

Instead, I reached a point where I had to be honest with myself: I wasn’t happy, and I couldn’t see a future where I would be.

So I made the decision to leave—without having another job lined up.

Making that decision was scary, but it was necessary.

Teaching isn’t just a job. It becomes part of your identity. Walking away from it feels like losing a version of yourself, as well as stepping into the unknown.

Right now, I don’t have all the answers.

What I do have is a plan to figure things out.

Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be:

• Working out what careers I can move into

• Updating my CV and learning how to present my skills differently

• Applying for jobs outside of teaching

• Sharing what works, what doesn’t, and what I learn along the way

This blog is going to document that journey.

Not from the perspective of someone who has already figured it out—but from someone who is in the middle of it.

If you’re a teacher thinking about leaving, or you’ve already taken that step, you’re not alone.

Let’s figure this out together.