Talk To Yourself As You Would Talk To One Of Your Students

This week’s interview comes from Katie Bruce, who I connected with on Facebook. She made the uncommon leap from teaching into tech (not to be confused with edtech!), so I definitely wanted to hear her story. Thank you Katie!

Introduce yourself! Give us your name, location, number of years you spent teaching, what subject and grade level you taught, and number of years since you left teaching.

My name is Katie Bruce. I currently live in Memphis, TN. I was a teacher for nine years. I taught kindergarten and lower elementary in South Korea for four years. In Memphis, I taught third grade for four years in the Orange Mound neighborhood. My last year of teaching was spent conducting a “pod” of children in my neighborhood because we were all confined to home during the pandemic, and it was my daughter’s kindergarten year. It has been almost three years since I left teaching. 

Why did you become a teacher?

I had a windy path. I have degrees in psychology and studio art. When I was in college, I wanted to be an art therapist. However, after graduating I did not want to immediately go back into school for a master’s degree. My husband knew someone who taught English as a Second Language in South Korea. He encouraged us to apply; we did and got the jobs. We sold almost all of our stuff and moved across the world three months after graduation. I knew I was good with children from completing an applied behavioral analysis practicum where I worked with intellectually different young children for a semester. I enjoyed my time with them, and it was very rewarding to see them grow and experience joy when they gained new skills. 

After three years in Korea, we had our own beautiful child… and I wanted to move back to the USA. The next year my husband applied for the organization Teach for America; he got the job and we were placed in Memphis, TN. I was able to stay home with my child until she was two and a half, then I applied for Teach for America as well. I was selected and I moved forward with the steps I needed to become a certified and licensed teacher in the state of Tennessee. 

Briefly describe your experience teaching. What did you like about it? What did you find challenging or unfulfilling?

I had two starkly different experiences, so I’ll focus on how it was teaching in America. I loved making connections with the kids and their families. It was extremely rewarding to work with a child who was struggling in an academic area, work with them over time, see them grow and achieve their goals. Being able to witness their pride, and sometimes disbelief, was huge for me. Being a literate person can change one’s life. Where I worked, in the Orange Mound neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee, some of my student’s parents did not know how to read. I knew I was really making a difference by teaching them that they can learn how to read and build a better future for themselves. 

I found it challenging to not have the resources we needed to do my job. A simple example is having copy paper and making copies. I had to go out to Kinko’s many times and print things with my own money. I also did not enjoy the neverending work. Nights and weekends were consumed with creating lesson plans, grading, and thinking about the one kid who needed some new shirts… I did not like how I had no boundaries between my personal life and my work life. I got burnt out.

What brought you to the decision to leave teaching? What was the breaking point?

COVID was the catalyst that pushed me to leave teaching. I was going through some very trying personal things, and then the idea of having to teach third graders from my home, while my own daughter needed help with her own virtual kindergarten experience–it was too much. So I quit in August of 2020. That school year, 2020-2021, I spent “teaching” a pod of eight children in my neighborhood. They all came to my house, and I assisted them with their virtual learning. Then we did fun education activities or I tutored them with reading and math. 

What plans, if any, did you put in place before transitioning out of teaching? How and to what extent did you prepare for your transition? What fears, if any, did you have and how did you face those?

I was terrified to leave teaching. I hadn’t had any other experience in my work history outside of being a waitress and bartender. I am fortunate that I have a partner who was supportive of all my decisions around leaving my job, and he was able to support us during the lulls of no paychecks. 

Because I served with Teach for America, I was given an educational grant. I decided to use that money to go back to college to become a cybersecurity engineer. I started classes while I was working with the pod, the first year out of teaching. I joined a degree program that offered certificates as well as course hours, so I was able to get several IT certificates within the first year of starting classes. 

What specific factors did you have to consider in your transition? Did you have financial responsibilities, such as dependants, student loan debt, etc? Is there any type of privilege that aided your transition, such as a spouse or family member who supported you, contacts in other industries, an “in” on a job, etc? 

Oh yes, I am just like most people who have bills to pay! During COVID my student loans were put into deferment and I left them like that. I have a ridiculous amount of student debt. [As a first-generation college graduate], I did not have the privilege of having anyone guide me through the process of college. As an 18-year-old, future-crushing student debt was far from my mind. 

We had living expenses of course, and we had a young child [and had] to make sure she had everything she needed. I was able to pick up shifts waiting tables and helping with events here and there. I did yard work for people. I did freelance web design. I even had a side hustle where I sold rare houseplants (during the height of the pandemic house plant craze). I was willing to do almost anything to bring in some cash when I was still without a job. Luckily, my husband was still working. He is a teacher too.  Supporting a family of three and a dog on a teacher's salary was tough, but we got through it for about eight months.

Tell us about your first year out of the classroom. What lessons did you learn? What successes did you have? What challenges did you face? What, if anything, would you have done differently?

I’m going to count my true first year away from teaching, so the year after the COVID pod. I struggled a lot with depression and self-doubt the first year. I didn’t know how I was going to get into the world of tech, if I was smart enough. Who was I kidding? I had imposter syndrome. However, I had a super clean house that first year! I had so much guilt from not making money that I felt I had to constantly be productive–even though I was studying my butt off for my classes every day. 

If I could go back, I would tell myself that it’s okay to take a break. We don’t always need to be “working” to be growing. I’m my own worst critic, and harder on myself than anyone else. I would give myself more grace. 

What are you currently doing for work? What do you like about your current career or job?

I currently work as the cybersecurity coordinator for a mid-sized corporation. I did it! I got into the world of technology! I started there as an IT analyst about two and a half years ago and have been able to get promoted to my current position. I really love being able to solve complex problems. I also like that now I know for a fact that I am smart. I don’t struggle with imposter syndrome any longer.

What skills and knowledge from teaching were you able to utilize in your new career? What gaps in skills or knowledge did you have, and how did you address those?

Teachers have so many transferable skills under their belts. They have to be excellent communicators, leaders, awesome with time management, organized, adaptable, creative, and empathetic. They have to analyze student data, and so many more things. 

I regularly use these skills all the time at work! 

What, if anything, could have kept you in the classroom? What, if anything, could ever lure you back?

I don't see myself going back to teaching. I think if teachers were paid better, it would have been harder for me to leave. I still enjoy being around kids, but not as a full-time job. 

Finally, what advice, tips or wisdom do you have to share with current teachers considering a career transition to tech? Is there anything in specific you wish you’d known or prepared for?

There are a lot of free resources available out there to teach yourself a new skill. You don’t have to be perfect at something to be doing it. As long as you put yourself out there and are trying, then you are going to improve. Leverage all those transferable skills you have as a teacher towards your new career. Join a community. It helps when you have others to help learn from and cheer you on. Don’t forget you can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t let the idea that it’s not possible get into your head–everything is possible. Talk to yourself as you would talk to one of your students. You can do it!

This interview has been edited for clarity.