7 things I let go of when I left my permanent job

In 2019, I resigned my permanent teaching role and embarked on a new journey. After a wonderful adventure on my travels to USA, Central and South America and qualifying as a Career and Life Coach it was time to cut the strings and start afresh. 

Here are some things I noticed as a result of loosening my grip on books, paperwork, having a permanent job and beliefs that I had to be ‘a certain kind of teacher’. 

I let go of…. 

• Books, notes and things I thought I’d never let go of - I left so many resources in my classroom and never needed them again. I don’t need that clutter in my life!

• Fear about what parents might think - Yup - I am a person, I’m just like them - so it’s ok for me to be me - and not just a teacher. That mindset change was liberating!

• Thoughts that I was tied to a particular place - I’m now more free to sub where I wish and to relocate to Donegal if I wish - that’s pretty cool!

• Weekends and evenings at my laptop researching school stuff and writing plans. Perhaps the best part of the change. 

• I lost this (rather than got rid of it) but - the comradery that happens as being a part of a school team - sad, but yes, that’s gone now.

• The need to keep things ‘that might come in handy’ for junk art or particular pupils etc. I spend a lot of time now letting go of things I no longer need.

• Paperwork - writing it but also schemes that I had printed over the years. That info got shredded!

There are many advantages to trying something new. I was terrified at first but as time passed and I found my feet and began uncovering a new pathway things got easier.

If you’ve changed the way you work as a teacher - comment below - what did you notice?