Redefining Support for Teachers Leaving the Classroom with Educator Forever
Whether you’re in the process of leaving the classroom or just want to explore jobs for teachers other than teaching, having the right support is key. Read on to learn more about how Educator Forever is redefining support for teachers pursuing alternative careers in education.
In 2018, after moving back to the United States after teaching internationally for many years, I knew that I didn’t want to go back to the classroom to teach full time. Nor did I desire to jump through the hoops necessary to gain certification in the state where we were residing. My daughter was under two years old, and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with her.
The uncertainty left me feeling exasperated and defeated. I felt like I needed a kind of support for teachers that didn’t really exist.
Fortunately, I met Lily Jones, the founder of Educator Forever, while working on a small contract for an ed-tech company. After enrolling in the Educator Forever Network, I realized that I could expand my impact and tap into my passions as a multi-passionate educator. I no longer felt confined by the limitations society placed upon me as “just a classroom teacher.”
While working flexibly in education over the past seven years, I’ve experienced success, setbacks, taken big risks, and grown in monumental ways. I’ve gained skills working as an instructional and wellness coach, curriculum developer, education writer, and trauma-informed education consultant.
Putting it on paper simplifies the common phases I went through, which include impostor syndrome, overwhelm, and exhaustion. But if it weren’t for the Educator Forever Network, I wouldn’t have had the confidence and support to be able to listen to my inner voice, shift my career choices to meet the needs of my family, and stand in the truth that I am an education expert.
Finding the unique support for teachers changing careers from the Educator Forever Network propelled me into a world of growth that I never imagined while teaching in the classroom. Whether you are currently teaching, on sabbatical, beginning to work flexibly in education, or designing the education business of your dreams, the Educator Forever Network is here to transform what it means to support teachers while recognizing that support looks different for everyone.
Support for Teachers on Your Terms
Educator Forever is built on the philosophy that teachers can do anything. Teachers deserve options, support, and a community that truly understands the realities of teaching and what the day-to-day life of a teacher is like.
The Educator Forever Network offers robust weekly programming that allows educators to customize their experience. Whether you are looking to connect live with fellow innovative educators multiple times per week or you want to access our recordings on your terms, the choice is yours.
Here’s what that support and a transformative community – run by and for teachers – looks like to us:
Wellness circles to nourish and renew.
Our wellness circles are run by a certified Trauma-Informed Peer Support facilitator. During wellness circles, Network members prioritize their well-being through activities like gentle somatic movement, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and resilience-building practices.
Even more, Network members get the chance to experience the same empathetic listening that they are expected to show others every day. Teachers do so much to support others, and at Educator Forever, we believe taking the time to nourish yourself is equally important.
Networking opportunities.
Whether you're new to flexible work in education, transitioning out of the classroom, or exploring ways to use your expertise to build a sustainable and joy-filled life, you'll find people here who truly understand your journey. Educator Forever makes professional networking feel natural and fulfilling, and gives you the confidence to get visible on your journey to embrace the education expert that you are!
Weekly job leads to remove stress from the job search.
Stop doom-scrolling and start applying to the curated job leads we share every week on our Network platform. We find and post hundreds of remote jobs each month! Our job leads feature flexible, meaningful roles beyond traditional classroom teaching, including remote opportunities in education consulting, curriculum development, instructional coaching, education nonprofit roles, and more.
By letting us take the lead, you’ll spend less time searching for jobs and more time setting yourself up for success to land the jobs. This job support for teachers leaving the classroom is key to reducing overwhelm and boosting confidence.
Coworking for accountability and inspiration.
According to the American Society for Training and Development, there is a 65 percent increase in the likelihood of completing a goal if a person shares it with someone else.
Educator Forever’s coworking sessions fulfill the need for accountability as Network members focus on accomplishing their goals alongside each other. Coworking sessions support participants in gaining community and support as they work on projects such as their resume, cover letter, applications, or client work.
Creativity workshops to gain tech skills.
Tapping into your creativity is a core component of staying inspired to reach your goals. Our creativity workshops are designed to get your creative juices flowing and increase your confidence with creative tech platforms.
During the sessions, Network members get creative advice and inspiration to use Canva for curriculum projects, business endeavors, websites, portfolios, social media, and more.
Weekly Educator Forever Network community calls.
Our live community calls offer a supportive space to reflect, learn, and grow together. Whether we're sharing career wins, discussing challenges, or diving into transformative topics like burnout, boundary setting, or gaining confidence as an educational expert, these gatherings remind our Network members that they’re never alone.
The energy is uplifting, the conversations are honest, and the connections last well beyond the call. Network members benefit from career, mindset, and skill-related content and enjoy networking with other inspiring, like-minded educators. It’s the ultimate support for teachers leaving the classroom!
Mindset and skill-building workshops.
These interactive workshops are designed with educators’ evolving needs in mind. Whether you're dreaming of a new direction or refining your current path, the tools and strategies shared are practical and actionable. From rewriting your résumé with confidence with support from an expert editor, to creating meaningful learning experiences, every session centers educator voice, wisdom, and agency. Network members have the chance to enjoy workshops on various career and mindset-related topics such as job applications, curriculum development, goal setting, and more.
Get The Best Support for Teachers Beyond The Classroom
Ready to take the next step in your education career with the support of an inspiring community? Join the Educator Forever Network and get the inspiration and guidance you need to reach your goals.
About The Author
April Brown (M.Ed.) is Educator Forever’s Director of Learning and Development. In 2015, April began designing curriculum and writing articles for an EdTech company as a side gig while she was teaching in Placencia, Belize. After having her eldest daughter in 2016, April was eager to use her unique experience teaching and leading in mainstream and alternative settings in the United States and internationally to work remotely while still making a difference in education.
The Educator Forever Network empowered April to leverage her skills as a compassionate disruptor and out-of-the-box thinker to excel as an instructional/well-being coach, adjunct instructor of Trauma Supportive Schools and Mindfulness courses, curriculum developer, and writer for publications such as PBS SoCal, Education.com, and Britannica for Parents. April resides in Southern Vermont with her daughters and husband and is the Director of Learning Support at a small progressive independent school serving preschool through eighth grade. She is an advocate for teachers and students – inside and outside of the classroom.