Transforming from a teacher into something new is not as simple as saying goodbye to your last class of students, and heading off into the sunset of Summer vacation. Perhaps not surprisingly, nothing at all happens to you over your first summer after retiring. Nothing. It feels like every summer you’ve ever experienced in your career. You’re exhausted in July, and you finally unwind by the start of August. For me, the transformation started with a whisper, when I saw my first back to school ad.
A More Relaxed August
At first, it’s thrilling to not have to start planning for the next school year once mid-August rolls around. Those ads don’t make you groan anymore. You smile to yourself. You have a much longer summer for the first time!
You hang out with your friends and family. There are no trips to the dollar store or the business supply store. You have no excuse to shop for a back to school outfit or new shoes. You’re saving money and your time is your own!
For the first week of school, you might even plan a holiday or special dinner out of town. But, unless you have friends who have already retired, it starts to dawn on you that your friends won’t be around in the Fall to hang out with during the day. This is different.
The Shift Away
Then, it really hits. For me it was mid-September. There was a loss that needed acknowledging. No matter how eager I was to retire, I was no longer a full time teacher. I wouldn’t have a new class to get to know this year, plans to write, parents to call, or staff meetings to attend. There was no compliance training to watch, or IEP’s to write. My Fall was going to be vastly different from now on. Ooph!
When it hits, it’s a lot to process. It’s the loss of a whole way of living, a well-worn rhythm to your life that’s gone now. Some things I was happy to see the back of (calling irate parents and piles of marking) but other things, such as the relationships with my students and my colleagues, felt like genuine losses.
Honour Your Career, Your Old Identity
If you’re retiring at the end of this school year, consider being gentle with yourself and taking some time to honour your past before you move on.
Here are some ways to honour your past:
- I took all my old class photos and notes from students and organized them by year into a binder.
- I cleared out my old lesson plans and shredded the paperwork.
- I had all my papers in an old filing cabinet, and after recycling them, I was able to let that ugly cabinet go and make more space.
- Try a new haircut and/or hair colour (I did purple)
- I found daily journalling to be helpful for processing all the feelings.
Take Your Time To Process This Change
You don’t need to rush to figure out who you are now, or what you will do. You have time to figure that out at your own pace, when you’re ready. But, don’t skip “the saying goodbye part” of retiring. Honour what you’ve accomplished, and who you’ve become. Acknowledging this allows you to close the door on that part of your life and prepare to open a door to what’s next.
How did you say goodbye to your career when you retired? Comment below.
Retired, And Now What? 