I'm Quitting Teaching. Here's why.

It's time for tea. You've read the title. You know where this post is headed. But let's start from the very beginning.

The Beginning (Or skip to the Where I am NOW if you don't want the full story)

My family is Mormon, and when I was born, my grandfather blessed me as a baby, saying I would become a teacher.

I began teaching my family's dog Lisa when I was five. I got a discount at the local teacher supply store because I kept going with my mom to buy posters of the digestive system and those adorable apple pointer sticks.

I loved learning so much that I attended community college and high school at the same time. I couldn't get enough of school apparently.

I graduated early and went to university, where one of the five majors I studied was education (yes, I changed my major five times, and no, I didn't end up with teaching).

I moved to Europe to work for a European program called Erasmus+, where I trained young adults on cultural inclusion. It was like teaching on steroids, as these were week-long trips with full-day sessions.

But WAIT!!! My visa was about to expire and I needed a job. I randomly interviewed at a school near by and... it worked. I began teaching middle school history at the American School in Warsaw, Poland. I LOVED IT.

After a year, the school needed a health teacher and said, 'Well, you're already somewhat of the school counselor, so why not?' I agreed and said, 'Sure!' I LOVED IT.

At the start I was making 3,500 PLN, equivalent to about $750 a month, and at my highest pay, I earned 5,000 PLN, just breaking $1,000. I needed to earn more to avoid eating ramen for the rest of my life.

Since I had to create health resources for my new health class, I decided to upload them on TPT. Couldn't hurt, right? I made $3 in two months, then $10 per month, then almost $100, and I became genuinely excited. Teachers seemed to like what I was making! This made me wonder, What if I really put time into it?!

Where I am NOW

Fast forward to now, I work part-time teaching and the other part creating resources for LifeFluent. I'm tired. I have ALL THESE IDEAS but not much time to pursue them. I can't dive into developing activities because of everything going on. As you know, teaching isn't just about teaching; it's also communicating with parents, grading, and more.

I LOVE teaching, but I don't love everything that comes with it. I tell my students to pursue what they love.. but do I live by that?

When I truly reflected on my desires, it became clear: I want to dedicate everything to LifeFluent. I want this to be my full-time job, my purpose. I want to take all these ideas and create a curriculum so packed with learning and fun that it’s a no-brainer for every health classroom.

I want to take the leap, and I feel confident this is the right move for me and LifeFluent. I'm quitting teaching, but I won't stop making teaching better for others. I mean... Look at my life, look at how many times I wrote Teaching, Teacher, Learning in my life bio. How could I cut teaching/education out completely? It's part of who I am. I will teach, and create, but for now it will be outside of the classroom.

What's next?

With all this new time, you can expect more health activities, games, escape rooms and hands-on learning. You can message me anytime if you need something for your classroom, and I'll make it happen! I genuinely want to support the teaching community. There is so much I have in mind that I can't wait to share.

Lean on me!

Thank you for making this possible. I couldn't do this without passionate teachers like you who strive to create a more interactive and enjoyable classroom experience for students.

I can't wait to see what's next for LifeFluent.

Thanks for following along!

Katie