The Importance of Mentors for Teachers Leaving The Classroom
Whether you want to find flexible jobs in education or start an education business, knowing where to start can be challenging. This is one reason the importance of mentors for teachers leaving the classroom is clear: a mentor can help you determine a plan for your next career moves.
When you’re thinking about leaving the classroom, there are countless directions you could go in. But the most important thing is to take action. You also don’t need to figure everything out on your own!
There’s a reason so many schools have a coaching and mentoring program for teachers. Professional mentoring is a critical part of improving your skills and achieving your career goals. Just like mentors for teachers can help you grow in the classroom, mentors for entrepreneurs can help you prepare for alternative careers for teachers.
Keep reading to explore three reasons why mentors for teachers leaving the classroom are so important.
3 Examples of the Importance of Mentors for Teachers Leaving The Classroom
#1 - You need to learn from people who have done what you want to do.
If you want to work in curriculum design, you don’t need to read countless articles about the theory behind curriculum design. Instead, you need to learn from someone who has experienced success working as a curriculum developer.
Or if you want to build an online tutoring business, you don’t need to learn from someone who runs a restaurant. Instead, it can be most effective to learn from someone who has built a similar service.
It’s important to be selective about where we take advice from. If your uncle, who has never built a business before, is giving you advice on how to start your education company, you should take that advice with a grain of salt.
This is why mentors are important. When you find the right mentor who has done what you want to do and has first-hand experience to share, their insights can be invaluable.
Someone who has built a successful education company can give you more effective guidance because they have been through a similar experience. Seeking guidance is important, but it’s also important to be intentional about who you are going to for mentorship.
#2 - You need an outside perspective.
The importance of mentors for teachers doesn’t stop at getting good advice. Professional mentors can also be an important reality check and sounding board for your ideas.
When you start your journey beyond the classroom, everything can feel overwhelming. It’s hard to know where you should focus or not focus. For example, you may want to keep tweaking your resume over and over, but there comes a point where it’s better to move on from endless revisions and actually apply for jobs. A coach or mentor can help to provide an outside perspective and guide you to see the bigger picture.
When you feel stuck or unclear about which direction to take, getting outside guidance is key. Sometimes you can’t make the best decisions when you’re so close to the issues at hand. But even when you need an outside perspective, again be mindful about which perspectives you’re turning to for advice and guidance.
#3 - You need a cheerleader!
This might be the biggest example of the importance of mentors for teachers leaving the classroom.
Trying new things can be hard! Whether you are growing an education business or starting a new chapter of your career outside of the classroom, there will be moments when you feel like giving up. This is a completely normal part of the process! If changing your life for the better was easy, everyone would be doing it!
In those hard moments, you need a coach or a mentor to pick you up and encourage you to stay the course. And in celebratory moments, you need someone who truly understands the effort and heart you’ve put into your pursuits too. The best mentors and coaches are there to provide support in good times and bad.
Mentoring Resources for Teachers Leaving the Classroom
Ready to take the next step in your education career? Then it’s time to start looking for your mentor!
If you’re looking to build an education business that matters, Educator Forever’s Grow Your Education Business Accelerator is designed to provide you access to mentorship from successful education business owners and share other business resources for teachers.
I’m extremely lucky to co-teach the accelerator with Allison Williams, founder of Tutor Tots Online. Allison took the very first round of the accelerator in 2020 and has been able to grow and scale her online teaching business. Together, we have supported nearly 100 educators to build profitable and rewarding education businesses. We’d love to support you too!
Whether you’re looking to start a business, work in curriculum design, or expand your impact through flexible work in education, we are here to support you and cheer you on.
Have questions? Contact Educator Forever any time to learn more about our programs!