The Significance of Spring in Schools

By. Teresa Marchant

In my school district, March 1st is a significant day. It is the day when teachers formally notify our administration of a “planned separation from the district”. You may or may not have a similar day in your district. I know I’m not alone when I say this time of year makes me think about the future.

Questions go through my head, such as: Do I want to continue teaching until I reach full retirement age? Teach until I can receive my pension?  Or start a second career? I’m sure many of you ask yourselves similar questions, and wonder what your options might be too.

Moving in to another position may be a great way to renew your passion for teaching. You may want to consider discussing this privately with someone who is in a similar situation. Find out the pros and cons and what positions are available.

For those lucky enough to have a state teacher pension, you may consider the cost of teaching in order to gain this benefit. My state now requires educators to meet either a specific age or a certain number of years. For some, 30 years seems like an eternity!

Second careers are an option for others who meet the years of service, but feel young enough to still work. By tailoring your professional development you may find opportunities to learn new skills and possibly find a hidden passion that is similar to this field.

There are other educators who might be considering finishing the year and getting out of the education field entirely. This is a difficult decision that takes a lot of thought and consideration. Please make this important decision on a good day in the classroom, and not on a bad day, as we all know that we often experience both.

So how do you have a good day?

Plan and be prepared for the worst. This may sound terrible coming from an educator, but hear me out. For example, today I was almost 100% certain I was going to have an unruly class after a holiday. However, it turned out to be a fantastic day!

Look for positive experiences. Try to find at least one good thing that happened today and write it down in a journal so you can look back and remember great teaching moments.

Surround yourself with positive staff members. You can also reach out to blogs and groups that can support you.

If this year is your first, tenth,or twenty-ninth, you are doing work that matters and you make a difference every single day. March 1st will come and go and will take many teachers with it, for those of us that choose to stay- we will continue to impact the students we teach and find ways to remain positive.