Teachers need other teachers because teaching is one of those careers that can also be an identity. People say, “I work in retail, or I work in business.” But we say, “I am a teacher.” Furthermore, teaching is not a job that can be done in isolation. We need other teachers for various reasons, from practicality to camaraderie to our very sanity. The truth is that this a job that only another teacher can understand. Only another teacher can truly comprehend the trials, challenges, overwhelm, joy, triumphs, heartbreak, and heart-warming moments that our unique profession entails. That camaraderie is how we survive the insanity that is teaching. It’s the thing that makes it possible for us to stay as long as we can, and it can be one of the things that makes it so hard to leave.
When we leave the classroom, we leave our teacher friends. We leave the people we have so many shared experiences with, the people who’ve listened to our rants, offered helpful advice and resources, shared our jokes and eye rolls, grabbed our mail and copies, and watched our classrooms while we ran to the bathroom. In some ways, these extraordinary people understand us (at least parts of us) better than our families can. Even if we don’t leave teaching, we lose them for at least 9-10 months out of the year. Because classroom teachers almost never have the time or energy for a social life during the school year. That ridiculous sacrifice and lack of work/life balance is what drives so many of us out of the classroom in the first place.
As a private practice teacher, leaving the classroom doesn’t mean we stop needing other teachers. Entrepreneurship offers many wonderful opportunities and has enabled me to create a teaching career that truly works for my life and values. But entrepreneurship can be hard and lonely. Just as much as teachers need other teachers, entrepreneurs need other entrepreneurs, and for all the same reasons.
We need each other to bounce ideas off of, ask questions, share resources, and share stories. We need each other for encouragement, support, and accountability. We need each other to share our trials, challenges, triumphs, heartbreaks, and heartwarming moments with. Nobody understands the rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship like other entrepreneurs. Nobody understands teacher entrepreneurship like other teacher entrepreneurs.
That’s why Community is one of the most important parts of the Private Practice Teacher®. That’s why there is an ongoing community option for every budget and level of training I’ve created.
The first level of community is our free private FB group, Private Practice Teachers. In this group, I share as many free resources and training opportunities as I can. I also encourage members to do the same. Next, once you join one of my live programs, you have a home with us for as long as you wish. There’s never an extra charge to stay connected.
When you join the T2E (Teacher to Entrepreneur) Mindset Bootcamp, you are welcome to stay in our Community Group for as long as you wish. I want you to build and maintain relationships with the other teachers there. We grow together during these courses, and I want you to continue to have that support for as long as you want and need it because I want you to be successful.
Finally, when you join the Jumpstart Program, you remain a member of our PPT community. We have live group meetings every Monday (except for holidays) all year round because we want and love our community. We do continuing education for each other, and you always have access to any paid training classes we offer at no charge. In this group, we have found our new community. We have found our teacher entrepreneur besties and coming together is not only good for our continued professional growth, it’s so much fun and good for our teacher souls.
Ultimately, I want you to have everything you want for yourself. I’m happy you found us, and I want to help you on your journey wherever you happen to be. It’s like I tell my students when we no longer have class together, “I won’t reach out to you uninvited because I don’t want to bother you, BUT I will always be available to you and happy to hear from you!”
Best wishes always,
Rachel