“You have to keep learning. Part of the thing post-pandemic that has kept me happy is that there's such cool software that nobody knew about, because we weren't focused on that because we didn't need to be—because we weren't having electronic rehearsals, and we weren't dubbing. I learned so many new things. I think happy teachers are people who love to learn. It's like, ‘Yes, people, we're curious. It's cool. Let's do it.’
“I am pursuing my administrative degree. That is not because I hate teaching. I'm actually petrified of leaving the classroom because I love it, and I'm good at it, and I just love the kids. This isn't work. I've actually never called it ‘work.’ I say, ‘I'm going to school. I've got school tomorrow. It's a school night.’ I work part-time at Trader Joe's. That's where I say ‘work.’”
“I'm afraid to leave the classroom, but I also see some teachers who I think I can help find their happiness again. And then, also, I'm going to work a little bit longer. So this is my rationale: I'm forty-two. My daughter's two. I'm going to be sixty when she graduates from high school—or at least sixty. She's going to need to go to college and she's going to need some money for that, right? So I'm going to be working a long time (….) So when I'm ready to go [do domething different], I want to already have the degree and just be able to go (….) Then I'm going to be ready to take on something different and learn more.”