Teachers in Transition: Career Change and Real Talk for Burned-Out Teachers
Vanessa Jackson
278 episodes
1 week ago
Send us a text In this powerful kickoff to a 3-part Captain America series, Vanessa Jackson unpacks what makes Steve Rogers more than just a superhero — and how his journey mirrors that of so many teachers today. From being paraded as a symbol to reclaiming his purpose, Cap’s story is one of values, conviction, and courageous action. Vanessa explores how educators, like Cap, often feel reduced to performance — test scores, politics, or being treated like glorified babysitters — instead of bei...
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Send us a text In this powerful kickoff to a 3-part Captain America series, Vanessa Jackson unpacks what makes Steve Rogers more than just a superhero — and how his journey mirrors that of so many teachers today. From being paraded as a symbol to reclaiming his purpose, Cap’s story is one of values, conviction, and courageous action. Vanessa explores how educators, like Cap, often feel reduced to performance — test scores, politics, or being treated like glorified babysitters — instead of bei...
Send us a text In this powerful kickoff to a 3-part Captain America series, Vanessa Jackson unpacks what makes Steve Rogers more than just a superhero — and how his journey mirrors that of so many teachers today. From being paraded as a symbol to reclaiming his purpose, Cap’s story is one of values, conviction, and courageous action. Vanessa explores how educators, like Cap, often feel reduced to performance — test scores, politics, or being treated like glorified babysitters — instead of bei...
Send us a text In this deeply personal and emotionally charged episode, Vanessa Jackson steps away from her usual format to examine the civil trial of Abby Zwerner, the first-grade teacher shot by a six-year-old student. This is not a story about politics—it’s a case study in ignored warnings, failed leadership, testing culture, and the trauma teachers are expected to survive in silence. If you’re an educator, this episode will feel painfully familiar. It’s a mirror held up to a broken system...
Send us a text Summary: Burned out? Buried in makeup work requests? Wondering what life could look like beyond the classroom? You’re in the right place. This episode of Teachers in Transition is your triple shot of validation, strategy, and possibility. 🎒 Vanessa breaks down: Why homework packets (especially for family vacations) are burnout fuelA practical way to simplify packet prep using a Custom GPT for lesson planningThe hidden emotional toll of teacher guilt—and what we can learn ...
Send us a text Feeling like your resume’s written in a foreign language? You’re not alone. In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa dives deep into the language barrier keeping educators stuck in the classroom—and gives you the tools to translate your teaching experience into powerful, job-winning impact statements. From resume red flags to real-world rewrites, you’ll learn how to shift from “classroom warrior” to corporate-ready candidate—without selling your soul. 🎯 Key Topics: Wh...
Send us a text This week, we dive deep into a viral story that’s about so much more than a stolen Hello Kitty Funko Pop. We explore boundaries, respect, and why burnout isn’t just about exhaustion—it’s about disillusionment. Plus, Vanessa shares a simple brain hack for instant momentum (spoiler: it involves a sticky note) and walks you through two powerful frameworks—Finding Your Element and Ikigai—to help you uncover your next career step. Oh, and Rush is going on tour… again. In This ...
Send us a text In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson celebrates cracking the Top 250 in Apple Podcasts Career category 🎉 — and dives into a jam-packed episode covering toxic leadership, classroom chaos, Halloween hacks, and how to discover your personal brand that can actually open doors. 🚩 Red Flag Radar kicks off with a jaw-dropping Reddit story featuring a gaslighting principal, zero mentorship, and why some teachers are sprinting for the exits — for good reason. 🎃 Tea...
Send us a text Explore how Ghostbusters can help teachers reframe burnout, build resilience, and take bold steps toward a new career. In this week’s episode of Teachers in Transition, we’re looking at the 1984 movie Ghostbusters through the lens of teacher burnout, career change, and rejection resilience. If you’ve ever felt slimed by endless rejection emails or haunted by the fear of leaving teaching, this episode will resonate. Just like the Ghostbusters reinvented themselves after losing t...
Send us a text You’re already paying the price - now it’s time to count the cost. In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa pulls back the curtain on what it really costs to stay in a job that’s slowly burning you out. From sleepless Sunday nights to surprise pizza party scams, we’re exploring the Three Coins every teacher spends—Time, Money, and Stress—and what it means to start reclaiming them. You'll hear: Why burnout isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a debt you've been paying in sile...
Send us a text Feeling burned out and overlooked? In this episode, Vanessa shares how to build a Custom GPT that writes your lesson plans and the resume fixes every teacher needs to land interviews outside the classroom. Save hours, cut the stress, and start building your next chapter. In this episode, you’ll learn: 🛠️ How to create a Custom GPT to generate lesson plans faster📂 What to upload and how to train your GPT (without the tech overwhelm)💡 Why your resume might be getting ignored—and ...
Send us a text Burned out and job hunting? Vanessa shares a powerful story, a time-saving hack, and a no-fluff resume detox to help teachers transition careers with clarity. Learn what to keep, cut, and reframe for your next chapter. In this episode of Teachers in Transition, host Vanessa Jackson tackles two traps many teachers face when planning their exit strategy: The ever-rising bar of expectations that leads to chronic burnoutResume overload—how to cut the fluff and showcase what really ...
Send us a text What if the problem isn’t just how many balls you’re juggling—but the whole game itself? In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson breaks down a powerful framework to help burned-out teachers stop doing all the things—and start identifying what actually matters. You’ll learn how to tag your tasks as glass, rubber, lead, or hot air—and why that color-coded system could save your sanity. Then we zoom out into the 2025 job market. What hard and soft skills are in ...
Send us a text Stop Saying “Someday” + Teacher Career Transition Tips from Knight and Day Ever notice how “someday” sounds like a plan… until it becomes your excuse? This week, I’m diving into the utterly bananas spy movie Knight and Day—and pulling out some surprisingly relevant lessons for teachers on the edge of burnout. Between Tom Cruise’s calm chaos and Cameron Diaz’s underestimated genius, there’s a message every teacher-in-transition needs to hear: If you keep waiting for the right ti...
Send us a text Hey friend, this one's personal. If you’ve ever said, “Maybe I’ll just stick it out one more year,” this episode is your invitation to something different. Not a lecture. Not a pitch. A real workshop. A pause. A chance to breathe. In this short episode, I’m sharing: What I mean by the “Invisible Backpack” and why it keeps you stuckThe truth about “just one more year” (hint: it’s still a decision)The 5Ps Framework I created to help you sort the chaos and find clarityBut more im...
Send us a text What does a ridiculous comedy bout dodgeball have in common with the emotional rollercoaster of being a burned-out teacher? More than you think. In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa uses Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story to explore the hidden truth behind teacher burnout, resilience, and identity loss. From flying wrenches and Globo Gym gaslighting to career pivots and Average Joe’s community, this metaphor-rich episode will help you name your exhaustion, reclaim y...
Send us a text To Live Would Be an Awfully Big Adventure (Especially After Teaching) In this heartfelt episode, we head to Neverland, but this isn’t just a nostalgia trip. It’s a wake-up call for teachers who feel like they’ve become someone they don’t recognize. We unpack the 1991 film Hook and its surprising resonance for burned-out educators, creative souls, and those contemplating a career transition. From the chilling moment Peter is asked, “Have you become a pirate?” to the empowering ...
Send us a text What can a sci-fi comedy teach us about burnout, imposter syndrome, and teacher career transitions? A lot, actually. In this episode, Vanessa Jackson—former educator turned career transition coach—dives into Galaxy Quest to explore how pretending can lead to reality, why martyrdom in teaching needs to end, and how your “teacher skills” translate far beyond the classroom. This episode is for every educator who’s ever felt like the “plucky comic relief,” every burned-out teacher ...
Send us a text What do stained glass, jousting, and Geoffrey Chaucer have to do with your next career move? More than you think. In this episode, Vanessa uses A Knight’s Tale to explore what it means to reinvent yourself without erasing who you’ve been. From burnout to “changing your stars,” we break down how hope, identity, and real-world strategy (hello, skills gap analysis!) can guide you out of survival mode and into something that finally fits. You’ve been weighed. You’ve been measured. ...
Send us a text In episode of Teachers in Transition, career coach and former middle school teacher Vanessa Jackson uses the cult classic Groundhog Day as a metaphor for the emotional and professional loop so many educators feel stuck in. Vanessa dissects the 5 stages of grief not only as they appear in Bill Murray’s iconic time-loop comedy, but as they show up in the lives of teachers contemplating an exit from education. Listeners will discover: Why Groundhog Day is more than a comedy...
Send us a text Teachers in Transition – Episode 260: What School of Life Teaches Us About Time, Teaching, and Taking the Leap What if the best career advice came from a forgotten 2005 TV movie starring Ryan Reynolds in red Chucks? In this episode, we unpack the under-the-radar gem School of Life—a story that holds unexpected wisdom about purpose, time, and finding joy in teaching. Why Mr. D’s lessons hit harder than any PD you’ve sat throughWhat this movie reveals about teacher grief, ...
Send us a text What can a 2004 sci-fi film teach us about modern AI—and our careers? In this episode, Vanessa Jackson breaks down I, Robot, explores the Two Wolves metaphor, and reveals how teachers can use AI ethically to reclaim time, clarity, and direction offering real-life ways to work with AI instead of fearing it. 💡 Not sure what your next step should be? Start with the DECIDE Workshop. 👉 https://teachersintransition.com ✨ Book your free discovery call to learn more. Fol...
Teachers in Transition: Career Change and Real Talk for Burned-Out Teachers
Send us a text In this powerful kickoff to a 3-part Captain America series, Vanessa Jackson unpacks what makes Steve Rogers more than just a superhero — and how his journey mirrors that of so many teachers today. From being paraded as a symbol to reclaiming his purpose, Cap’s story is one of values, conviction, and courageous action. Vanessa explores how educators, like Cap, often feel reduced to performance — test scores, politics, or being treated like glorified babysitters — instead of bei...
