I’m Leaving The Classroom – A New Chapter Begins

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Published onDiscussion95 Comments on I’m Leaving The Classroom – A New Chapter Begins

On the first day of this term, all the way back in early January, I handed my notice in. Next week, the final 4 days of term, will be my last at my current school and my last as a permanent classroom teacher.

From the beginning of May my new chapter will be working alongside Ewan McIntosh as part of Notosh – and hopefully having the chance to work with you!

For a very long time I have considered a change in career – I want to be in a position where I can help more schools and teachers, to have more of an influence on the “change” we all talk of. I want to see good ideas affecting more learners. I want more time to research ideas I have and explore their impact on learning. I want more time to write. I want more time to extend and develop different projects. I want more quality time with my family.

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For the last 5 years or so this blog and Twitter have been amazing at getting my ideas out to you – my fellow classroom practitioners and educators, but I want to work even more closely with you. And to do it full time without the myriad of pressures we face as teachers diluting my efforts.

Easter 2010 saw me begin my most recent chapter, working as a Deputy Head Teacher. I had some very low times, some of the lowest points in my teaching career. It has made me look at what I want from my working life and this change is exactly that!

I am thrilled to be joining Ewan who’s work and voice in the education community I have long admired. When I first began writing a blog, his was one of the first I explored – and unbeknownst to him, it quietly shaped the reflective and open process that blogging became for me.

Just to say in closing that I am so grateful for all of your support over the last few years, here and on Twitter, this is a major turning point for me. I hope you will continue to join me as I take those steps.

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Pic: next chapter!! by Ramon Boersbroek – Attribution-NonCommercial License

95 comments

  1. Good Luck Tom! For 5 years now since I joining twitter you have have inspired my learning that I have shared with my students. My students have engaged in world projects, explored technology for sharing their thinking and gave me confidence at sharing my learning too. Looking forward to continuing learning from your experiences and online sharing.

  4. Wow – sounds like an amazing new chapter for you. What a cool guy to be working with too! All the very best and I hope you dont miss the classroom too much, I’m sure your kids will miss you…

  8. Best wishes to you. I just joined the email list for NoTosh and I am looking forward to continually learning from this group into the future.

  13. You are not the first to say that here – thankyou for the kind remarks I really appreciate them.

  20. Good Luck with everything Tom. What you say about having low moments really rings a bell and I can identify with your decision to change your path. May the force (of good teachers) be with you always and may you succeed in this new venture as you did in the previous one!

  21. Tom,
    I left the classroom 4 yrs ago so I could begin connecting previously non-concentric circles and spreading the passion for transmedia journalism technologies in the classroom. It has been great being paid by the university to help teachers, students and schools transition to the 21st century.
    I continue to follow you and Ewan with great interest.

  22. Best of luck Tom! I appreciate all of the stuff that you share and I can only imagine the stuff that will be developed when you and Ewan are working together.

  23. Tom – congrats on your new position. I’ve enjoyed learning from you and look forward to continuing that in the years to come. I’ve followed Ewan for a couple of years and the two of you would be a great combination for success. Be well and I’ll stay tuned!

  28. As someone who has recently moved from the commercial world into the teaching profession I understand what change means and how exciting it can be. I will look forward to seeing what comes next from you. All the best in your new direction.
    Regards
    @mrjraisin

  31. We have plans to be in classrooms pretty regularly – just not in one school! Thanks for your support

  34. That will always be in the forefront of my mind – always has been – when I speak to other teachers, thanks for the good wishes. Hopefully we can catch up again sometime soon

  38. Yes difficult times – you learn a lot about yourself – thanks for the good luck wishes

  44. Thankyou Cristina so grateful for your kind words – I am all set to continue to be that person you described!

  45. Thankyou Cristina so grateful for your kind words – I am all set to continue to be that person you described!

  49. Hey Dorothy thanks for your good wishes – I hope that I will be in an even better position to share good ideas with you all

  50. What a major coup for the “educational overseers” as I like to call all the respected peeps I admire looking from the outside in. What a shame education from the inside cant accommodate peeps like thy good self in both roles. Onwards and upwards eh?!?!?

  51. The ride is great so far! Good luck with all your preparations for the fall – I hope that it goes really well

  53. Thanks Jenny really grateful for your good wishes 🙂 maybe we will meet (finally) sooner than expected after all

  54. Thanks Darren – your good wishes are much appreciated. That nagging just needed to be listened to – Ewan and I are very excited by what’s next 🙂

  57. Perhaps I will be in NZ sometime soon! Good luck with your own change in direction and thanks for the good wishes

  58. Thanks for your comments – and yes I am also keen to explore those reflections on being a deputy headteacher and share the thoughts behind it all. Cheers for the nudge and I hope to write something soon.

  60. Good to hear from you Anne – thankyou for the kind comments. I am all set to continue sharing the projects and work Ewan and I get up to

  61. No definitely not a farewell – I think I will be in an even stronger position to enjoy and share things I learn with everyone

  62. I am pleased to hear you have found things inspiring – I hope I can continue that

  65. Just catching up with your news, Tom. Well done for putting you & your family first…hold on tight 🙂 !

  66. Just catching up with your news, Tom. Well done for putting you & your family first & enjoy!

  68. Thumbs up from Denmark!
    Thank you for all the inspiration till now. We will still be following you and your work 🙂

  69. Hey Tom

    Have always appreciated your thinking and expect to still see it visible after your ‘change’! Stasis is never a good place to be so best wishes for an active future. Not a thanks and farewell but a thanks and great what’s next from me 🙂

  70. Congratulations Tom on your new position. Working alongside Ewan will allow a dynamic, innovative and forward thinking pair of educators continue to inspire us all. Nearly four years ago, I joined twitter and you were one of the first people to follow me. Since then I have followed your tweets, your online presence and your generous sharing of work in the classroom.
    All the best, enjoy your new position and keep on networking with us.

  71. Congratulations Tom!!! Great move – should have seen it coming ; )
    Very excited by what you guys will do next – and looking forward to reading, hearing, seeing, and being part of it.

  72. Good luck, Tom. It is frustrating being restricted to the classroom or even one school when you feel your ideas are bigger than that. Like you, I’ve discovered I need to do more than teach; in my case, I wanted to run my own business so went part-time and I’ve never looked back. Just reading the other comments, it’s amazing how many other passionate teachers are considering doing the same. More needs to be done by the authorities to keep us all, I feel.

    I’m very interested in your experiences with being a deputy-head, as I’m still not sure if I might go for headship some years down the line. Would you be able to share some of the things which have helped you make up your mind that headship isn’t for you? Or was it simply that the new job offer was too good to refuse?

  73. How exciting Tom! I always enjoy reading your ideas – inspiring. I am also leaving the classroom this week to study for my Master of Teaching. Would love to do what you are doing. Can’t wait to hear more fantastic ideas. We’d love to see you in NZ at a conference or two! Enjoy your new challenges.

  78. It’s a brave leap Tom, but I’ve got a feeling following your muse will lead to only good things for you and your family. Wishing you every success my friend!

    Cheers,
    Darren

  79. Good luck with the move Tom. I totally understand why you feel the need to make this change. I constantly feel like I’m dividing my time between too many fronts, and know exactly where it is that I want my head space to reside in. If someone threw me an opportunity like yours, I’d do the same. You will continue to be as influential as ever.
    Jenny : )

  80. Tom, just a quick message to say good luck with your new post! Like many of the people who have replied i too feel it’s time to step away from the classroom into something which enable a greater impact on fellow educators and schools. Your experience, skill, enthusiasm and aspirations have helped many of us, and im sure will continue as u move into this next phase. Your blog is brilliant. (wish i was good at tech stuff…am getting better though thanks to twitter!).

  81. Tom, I too am leaving the classroom after many years as an educator teaching many different grade levels to pursue a job change as an educational technology consultant that will impact the larger community. Your blog post came into my radar just as I began making preparations to let everyone know that I won’t be coming back to the classroom in the fall. I wish you the best in your new position…here’s to new adventures! I will be “riding the ride” along with you!

  82. All the best with your next step. I can totally understand why you are doing it. I have greatly appreciated being able to explore the resources you have created as a practicing classroom teacher, and being able to share them with my team saying “these come from a real classroom teacher” has been very helpful.
    I look forward to seeing the next chapter unfold from the opposite side of the world.

    Dorothy

  83. Good luck to you Tom! For me, leaving the classroom was bittersweet and there are times when I still miss it, but I know the instructional technology work I do is valuable and enables teachers and students to take their own “next steps”. Look forward to learning with and from you as you begin your new chapter.

  85. Congratulations, Tom!
    It is with enormous gratitude that I say that! You were one of the most inspiring, hard-working and humble person I saw on Twitter – and trust me, I am very cheap with compliments in general.
    Good luck in your new adventure!
    @surreallyno

  86. Wonderful news! You have already accomplished as much for the edtech community exceeding the bounds of a mere mortal teacher. I look forward to many more invlauable contributions springing from your new position. All the best!

  87. Well, this certainly big news! I have enjoyed learning from you these past few years and it looks like I have much to look forward to! Ewan is my other mentor across the ocean and has inspired much of what I try to do in the classroom. I look forward to your journey! Best of luck.

  88. Hi Tom,
    Great stuff. I look forward to continue to follow your adventures. I know you will temper your advice & encouragement with the memory of the ‘myriad of pressures teachers face’.

    best wishes

  89. Hi Tom
    Good luck with your next chapter. I will look forward to more inspiration from you. Maybe you could make your way over to one of our NZ conferences for teachers I think all of your NZ tweeps would love that.
    What I like most about what you are doing is that you are putting you and your family first. At the end of the day they are what define us the best.
    Take care and enjoy.
    @melaniem8

  90. A massive step Tom. I’m sure it will be an excititng time for you. As a VP myself, i found your comment about having some of the lowest points in your career in this role quite interesting. I think that I too have also experienced this and was thus wondering if the position is a poisoned chalice?
    As a colleague put it, I spend my time shovelling up other people’s s***. Is it the position that leads to people wanting to leave the classroom sooner? It has that effect on me many times!
    Good luck in your career change. Having met Ewan in Cape Town and shared his Optrex eye spray in Heathrow he seems Like a ‘good spud’ and full of wonderful enthusiasm!

  91. I wish you all the best in your new venture Tom. Exciting times lay ahead and I am looking forward to hearing all about the work you do. Your voice will just be as powerful and inspirational out of the classroom setting as it has been within it.

  92. Sadly, my nine years as a principal included some of my lowest years as an educator (knock on wood). I learned it was not for me and I am happier focussed on classroom teaching. Good luck in the future.

  93. I wish you the best, Tom. I did the same 2 years and 4 months ago to join Promethean, after teaching during 16 years.
    Best regards

  94. Wow! A brave step to take and a great one. This means you can concentrate on the work that really excites ou and get a chance to inspire even more people. Go for it Tom!

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