Why Leaving Teaching?

In July 2024, I resigned from my tenured teaching position with LAUSD. I’d already been out of the classroom for two years, on an unpaid leave of absence following the birth of my second child. I’d intended to return to teaching, but as I began applying to positions, I slowly began to accept the reality: I was not going to reasonably be able to balance the demands of the job with my responsibilities to my family. I quit.

I wasn’t alone in taking this leap: post-pandemic, teacher turnover has reached new highs, with as many as 55% of educators considering leaving the profession. While I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who remain in the classroom, the challenges, workload, and cultural climate have made the job unsustainable for many of us, especially parents.

I created this newsletter as a place to share stories, advice, and wisdom from those who’ve left the classroom. While there are a lot of resources out there for transitioning educators, most are tied to a specific product or service, creating a piecemeal landscape for educators navigating the already tricky transition out of education.

Leaving Teaching offers a free and independent space for transitioning teachers such as myself to navigate everything from the job application process to the grief that often comes with leaving the profession. There is nowhere else on the internet like this.

This is a reader-funded publication, so I rely on your generous but optional support to keep this resource free and available to everyone. For a full and transparent breakdown of our monthly expenses, read here. If you believe in this mission and appreciate the content you find here, consider supporting this work. Become a member to receive exclusive perks, or give a one-time Tip Jar donation. Everything helps!

My goal is to send some inspiration and good vibes to your inbox and if you’re a transitioning teacher, cheer you on in your journey. I’m hoping we can create a community where we freely share stories and resources to support teachers—current and former.

About Me

I’m Lauren Quinn, a writer, editor, mother and former high school teacher. My nonfiction writing has appeared in Los Angeles Times, The Believer, Guernica and Best American Travel Writing. You can check out my work here.

I hold a Master’s of Education (and $60k worth of debt!) from UCLA. I taught preschool in Hanoi, Vietnam for two years, and high school English in Los Angeles for seven years. I lived in Northeast Los Angeles with my husband and two children. I’ll always be an Oakland girl at heart.

Contact

I welcome ideas for posts, recommendations for interviewees, resources, or really anything at all you’d like to share.

Reach out to me at leavingteaching [at] mail.beehiiv [dot] com