Grieving the Classroom, Reimagining My Role

Grief is a word we often reserve for death, the loss of a loved one.
But we can also grieve past versions of ourselves.
Former roles. Former careers. Former identities.
Even the chapters we chose to close.

That kind of grief is real, too.

I didn’t expect to mourn my identity as a teacher as much as I am now.
After more than a decade in the classroom, I stepped away, partly because of how I’m wired, but largely because of the current state of education.

And for my mental health, it was the right decision.

As an empath, teaching drained me emotionally. The overstimulation, the expectations, the growing weight of what educators are asked to carry, it all became too much. I had outgrown the role. Or perhaps the role had become too much to bear.

Two years ago, I completed a Master’s in Public Health, hopeful I could bridge the gap between education and well-being.

My capstone project focused on exactly that:
School-Based Mental Health Services + Mindfulness-Based Interventions for teachers, a dual approach to reduce burnout, stress, and emotional exhaustion.

The research confirmed what so many of us already know:
Teachers are not okay.
And when teachers aren’t okay, students aren’t either.

Burnout is contagious.
Presenteeism is real.
And the classroom climate suffers when educators don’t have the support they need.

Now, midway through what would have been my 13th year, I find myself missing it: the students, their families, the connections, the community.

I still feel the pull.
But I’ve also found clarity.
While I may no longer be in the classroom, my purpose hasn’t left.
I’m committed to supporting educators in a new way, applying my skills in public health and change management to build healthier, more sustainable systems for teachers and students alike.

We can’t keep asking educators to do more with less.
It’s time to give back to the profession that gave so much to me: with data, empathy, and real solutions.

To every teacher reading this:
I see you.
I admire you.
And I’m still in this with you, just from a different seat at the table.

If this resonates with you , or you’re exploring the space where education and public health meet, I’d love to connect and collaborate.