Why I Left Teaching, A Career I Still Love

Content Warning: This episode discusses emotionally charged topics that may be difficult for some listeners. Please take care of yourself and listen when and if you feel ready.In this raw and honest episode, I'm sharing something I wrote back in September 2025—a four-page document I never published, explaining why I left teaching. Again.I've left the profession three times. Gone back, left, gone back, left. And this time, I'm not going back.This episode is different from my usual content. There's no structured lesson plan, no tips or strategies. Instead, I'm speaking directly to teachers who are struggling right now—especially neurodivergent teachers, BIPOC teachers, and LGBTQI+ teachers navigating an increasingly hostile political climate.I read the letter I wrote to myself and to you, talking about:What the last few years of teaching have felt likeWhy masking my frustrations became impossibleThe disconnect between what teachers need and what the system demandsHow the current political environment is making teaching unsustainableWhy prioritizing your own wellbeing might be the only reasonable answer right nowI was a good teacher. I loved my students. And I still had to leave.If you're teaching right now and feeling trapped, exhausted, or questioning everything—this episode is for you. You're not alone.Take care of yourself.Subscribe to Empower Students Now for conversations about equity, neurodiversity, mindfulness, and student engagement.