The Adventures After Teaching Podcast

Joanne Howard
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Sharing inspirational stories from teachers who have chosen to walk away from classroom to successfully transition to a new career. Advice, tips and ideas for exhausted teachers who know there's a difference between "giving up" and "having had enough". Join me to explore all things teacher burnout, career and business coaching and get plenty of ideas for your very own adventure after teaching.

  1. 1d ago

    “Be Brave Now”: Finding the Right Place Sooner

    "I feel more valued, I think, than I ever have in my whole career."  After more than 20 years in teaching - moving school every couple of years as a military family, and retraining along the way from secondary English to primary - Helen reached a point in her career where she knew something wasn't right anymore. At the time, it felt like a positive choice to move on rather than burnout; but with hindsight she realised how normal she'd let the exhaustion become, dreading Mondays and living for the holidays. Now working for the police as a Learning & Development Standards Officer, Helen has found a role that leaves her feeling more valued than she ever has in her career, with a flexibility and autonomy she didn't know was possible. The work still feels important to her, she's surrounded by great people, and - for the first time - she's found herself feeling ambitious about what comes next. In this episode, we also talk about:   A moment of realisation - "I don't want to be a teacher anymore"Normalising exhaustion and clocking it only in hindsightThe excitement of jobs board browsingA workshop that changed her thinkingPractical support inside the AcademyThe application process with the policeCreating an interview presentation that stands out Flexi-working, feeling valued, and finding ambition she never hadThe art of the reframe Links: Teacher Jobs Board  Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  2. Aug 11

    Making a Difference in a Different Way: Life as a Learner Success Coach

    "I can't continue like this where my entire identity is wrapped up in being a teacher."  After nearly 18 years in primary education, Rhonda had known for a while that something needed to change. She still loved teaching - it was never about that - but she'd reached a point where she felt like she couldn't sustain the way she was working in school while also being present for her own two children. It wasn't a decision that came overnight, and it took some of the Academy’s early resources to show her just how much her sense of self had become tied to being a teacher. Now a Learner Success Coach at a remote-first company upskilling workforces in AI and data, Rhonda supports apprentices through their courses. She's getting to do the school run as she’d always wanted to, working somewhere with a genuinely friendly culture, and giving herself the grace to learn without expecting to know everything on day one.  In this episode, we also talk about: Sensing for years that teaching wasn't sustainable long-termSeeing the bigger picture - even when there are still bits of teaching you loveA squiggly journey out Handing in her notice before securing a new roleRejoining the Academy and what that shiftedUsing Gold membership for tailored supportBeing unsuccessful first time round - and reapplying after learning from feedbackShowcasing experience that you might not expect Adjusting to remote work (plus all the perks that it brings!)Hoping to be somebody else’s workplace ‘buddy’ someday Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  3. Aug 4

    Slowing Down to Speed Up: A New Chapter in the Heritage Sector

    "There are lots of jobs out there for people with the skills that we have as very experienced teachers."  After 30 years in teaching - working across EYFS, KS1, forest school leadership and running pre-schools - Anne had loved every bit of it: learning new things, supporting others, and being in "the thick of it" in the classroom. But last year, burnout caught up with her, and she found herself asking, "how much longer can I keep going?" For the sake of her own health and wellbeing, she knew this wasn't the right path for her moving forwards. Now working as a Learning and Participation Officer for a national heritage charity, Anne has swapped exhaustion for early morning walks by the sea, beach meditation, and evenings that finally, actually end. She's letting go of her fixer instinct, learning to sit on her hands, and discovering that things don't have to be hard to work.  In this episode, we also talk about: The surprising range of roles open to EYFS teachersWondering what comes next after decades in teachingWhy age doesn't rule anything outSlowing down to speed upGoing through it together, not aloneLearning to put yourself firstLanding a competitive role in the heritage sectorMeditation and beach walks as daily non-negotiablesThe variety - and energy - of life in a new roleLetting go of the overachiever and learning to restLinks: Project Management Fundamentals Training Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  4. Jul 28

    Ready for Something New: Leaving Teaching Well

    "I wouldn’t have known how to even get going.” After 15 years teaching reception Hannah loved the job but found herself craving a new challenge. Ready for a breath of fresh air, she just didn’t know what that next step might look like. Now lecturing at a college, Hannah has found a different rhythm entirely. There's room to listen to a podcast and drink a coffee on the drive between placements, colleagues who've come from all kinds of backgrounds rather than just teaching, and a pace of life that finally leaves some space to breathe. In this episode, we also talk about: Not knowing where to start"Riding the rapids" when considering career changeBalancing a career move with salary expectationsNot waiting for the "perfect" moment to leaveLeaving teaching positivelySupport from bite-sized career change contentTransferable teacher skills in similar rolesSubject expertise in a new roleA varied week: assessing and teachingLife as part of the college ecosystem Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  5. Jul 21

    Off the Indecision Roundabout: A New Life in Learning and Development

    "I can have an impact on hundreds (of children) through the teachers I train and develop."  After seven years in teaching - including several as Head of Maths - Becca reached a familiar tipping point: a passion that had quietly turned into exhaustion, and a nagging sense there had to be more to life than work. She recognised herself in the "indecision roundabout" from an Academy workshop, and knew that without taking an exit, she'd stay exactly where she was.  Now working in Learning and Development, Becca has her days back in a way she never expected. With the commute gone and a four-day week, she's got the energy for evenings out and weekends that actually feel like weekends. She's also discovered she can still make a difference to the children she used to teach - just from a different angle, at scale.  In this episode, we also talk about: Using part-time supply teaching to create space to thinkNavigating the grief of leaving a childhood dream jobWhy the CV and LinkedIn training changed everythingBoosting confidence for interviewAccessing a new vocabulary through the Project Management Fundamentals trainingUsing LinkedIn to catch fast-moving rolesTrading a reliance on school holidays for genuine work-life balanceRediscovering hobbies after teachingStaying motivated on the career change journeyLinks: Project Management Fundamentals Training Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  6. Jul 14

    The Penny-Drop Moment: Realising You Don't Have to Be a Teacher

    "It's really hopeful, it's really positive - and it's so much better than teaching." After 11 years in the same secondary school - training as an RE teacher before moving through humanities and eventually leading PSHE - Rachael hit the burnout so many teachers recognise: slow-building, then impossible to ignore. As a noise-sensitive introvert, she realised the problem wasn't ability, but fit - and that the parts of the job she loved (leadership, communication, managing people) didn't require staying in a classroom. Now a Suicide Prevention Officer with Papyrus, Rachael has her evenings and weekends back - closing her laptop Friday and not thinking about work until Monday. With control over her own calendar and meaningful work that doesn't consume her, she's found something unexpected: excitement about the week ahead. In this episode, we also talk about: The personality mismatch she didn't see coming in teachingHow leading PSHE opened the door to a completely different career pathTurning job hunting into a structured, focused processLearning to trust flexibility after years of rigid routineWhy foundational work - values, finances, a skills audit - speeds everything upHow the Academy community kept her going through the hardest partsAn interview that felt right from the startThe variety that comes with the new roleFeeling connected in a national organisation ("it doesn't feel like it's as big as it is")Content warning - this episode discusses suicide prevention as part of Rachael's professional role. Please contact Papyrus for support if you're worried about a young person. Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  7. Jul 7

    Two Loves, One Role: From Classroom to the Creative Industries

    After years as a primary class teacher and PE leader, Lauren knew it was time to leave. The decision came down to her health and wellbeing, and stepping away from teaching meant stepping into real uncertainty - trying different things, juggling multiple roles at once, and figuring out what she actually wanted. Now working with young people as a Programme Manager across the creative industries, Lauren has found a role that gives her everything teaching couldn't - variety, creative thinking, and the feeling that she's finally using her brain in the way she always wanted to. In this episode, we also talk about: Navigating a "squiggly" exit from teachingWorking as a chaperone in TV and film - and what it revealedWhen task-switching gives you energyAttending our free summer event before joining the AcademyPutting theory behind practice with the Project Management Fundamentals courseUsing mindset resources to make the transition wellGrowing in confidence on LinkedInUsing the interview booklet to reframe transferable skillsEarly worries - and how they played outHighlights from the first yearMoving from fixed-term to permanent - and what's nextLinks: Project Management Fundamentals Training Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

  8. Jun 30

    The Grief and the Relief: From Classroom to L&D Adviser

    "Two emotions can exist at the same time. The grief can exist with the relief." Bex went into teaching straight out of university with her identity firmly attached to it. Quickly finding the environment ‘all-consuming’ and ‘energy depleting’, she spent 12 years in and out of the classroom - always getting pulled back in as she struggled to separate from a career she’d worked so hard for. Following a period of self-reflection, and taking some time to ask who she actually was outside of the job, Bex decided it was time for a new adventure. Now a Junior L&D Adviser at an accountancy firm, Bex has found something she didn't expect: calm. She works hybrid, has time for yoga, her dog Percy, and the people who matter to her - and with CIPD Level 5 on the horizon, she's excited about what comes next rather than feeling trapped. In this episode, we also talk about: Why leaving doesn't mean you've given upGetting caught in the "part-time teaching trap" and why it doesn’t work for everyoneLiving for the holidays whilst in teachingFinding structure during a career breakUsing LinkedIn to make purposeful connectionsVariety in an L&D roleEnjoying a less hectic work environmentAdjusting to desk-based work after years of being on your feetAsking the right questions at interview - including the ones that feel scaryShifting away from the "job for life" mindset that teaching can instilGetting to know yourself Interested in exploring a career in Project Management? Sign ups for the September cohort of our Project Management Fundamentals course are now OPEN! Limited spaces available ✨

See All (118)

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Sharing inspirational stories from teachers who have chosen to walk away from classroom to successfully transition to a new career. Advice, tips and ideas for exhausted teachers who know there's a difference between "giving up" and "having had enough". Join me to explore all things teacher burnout, career and business coaching and get plenty of ideas for your very own adventure after teaching.

Information