To Stay or Not to Stay — That is the Question

Episode Transcript

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:00:00]:
Last time on Year One, Jenna learned why the last few weeks of the school year can be an especially challenging time for teachers.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:00:08]:
Today they were like, so are we going out for extra recess? And I was like, no, no, we're doing math. And they were like, what? Why? Because we're learning. That's what school's for.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:00:19]:
On this episode, with almost a full year of teaching under her belt, now comes the big question. Will Jenna stay in teaching? This is Year One from Carnegie Learning, a podcast that chronicles all the ups and downs of one teacher's first year in the classroom. I'm your host, Kanika Chadda Gupta. Since the start of this podcast, we've been building towards the answer to one crucial question. Will Jenna, someone who has dreamt of being a teacher since she was little, still pursue teaching as a career? Episode by episode, we've experienced all the ups and downs alongside her. And while I'd love to build up the suspense a little more, let's be honest, the answer has always been clear.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:01:07]:
Teaching is definitely what I know I'm supposed to do. Like, I know I'm supposed to teach. I don't see myself ever doing something that's not education related. Do I think I'll be in a classroom my whole life? I don't know. Because, you know, as everyone knows, our education system is very flawed, and there are a lot of factors that cause teachers to leave, and maybe I'll feel that burnout in a few years or if, like, there's a bad situation or anything. Like, who's to say? I can't look that far ahead. But I do think that, like, education and connecting with students and connecting with academia has always been at the forefront of what I've seen myself doing. So whatever that might look like, but I don't myself leaving the education world.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:01:50]:
But where Jenna will be teaching suddenly became the question when a school she'd applied to the year before reached out to interview her.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:01:58]:
So last year, I applied to a bunch of different places, obviously, because you just gotta cast your net wide. And this was a school that I was really interested in. And I did the whole interview process, and then I got a call from them saying that they went with another candidate. Reiterated to me that, like, you know, if anything comes up, like, we will let you know because we really enjoy talking to you and we would love to see you at our school. And I thought that was just them being like, oh, nice, whatever. Just trying to keep that line of communication. Don't know if they'll actually follow through. And then I ended up getting the job that I currently have, which I was very excited for.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:02:33]:
And quite literally the day after, I got a call from that same school saying that they had another position open and they were wondering if I would be interested in that one since I've already done the interview process. And I told them no because I had already signed for the job that I have right now. It wasn't an offer offer, but, like, they were already trying to get me back a few months after they had told me no. So the fact that they reached out again a year later, my brain was just like, I have to, like, I have to give it a shot.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:03:05]:
While the job opportunity is exciting, Jenna's conscious of what that means she'd be leaving behind.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:03:13]:
There was not one part in my mind that was like, I want to search for a new job. I want to start over. That was not my mindset at all. Like, I was fully ready to have another school year at this school and see these kids walking through the hallway like, I love my team. I don't want to start over. I'm a first year teacher. I feel like I owe it to myself to give it another year to feel like I have something under my belt. And then I talked to my family, my friends about it, and they were like, well, you can't even make that decision until you have a decision to make.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:03:41]:
And I was like, well, shoot, you have a point. So I applied for that position. It's a fifth grade position. And I did the interview on Monday and I haven't heard anything yet, but I'm supposed to hear by tomorrow. And I don't know. My brain's in kind of a crazy place right now because this literally all happened within the span of a week. It's just a whirlwind. Like, I didn't want this.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:04:03]:
I didn't picture this, but it's like an opportunity that I can't pass up because it's something that I'm interested in. And also it's like, enough money that, like, I wouldn't have to have a summer job anymore unless I wanted to have a summer job. This upcoming summer, I have to have a job so I could pay rent. Like, that's the situation. But in the future, I'm like, if I save and I'm making that much more, I would be able to, like, enjoy a summer vacation, even if it's offered. I don't know what I'll do yet because I do still believe that I would feel like I'm a first year teacher. All over again. Because I essentially would be a first year teacher all over again.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:04:38]:
It would be my first year in fifth grade. It would be a brand new school. My principal was really supportive and she was like, we love you and we want to keep you, but if you feel called to go somewhere else and that opportunity presents itself, then that's what you need to do. And that was just like a very supportive response. So then I was excited again on this side. And then it hit me, I was like, if it actually goes through, then I'm going to have to tell my teammates. And I love my teammates. And I don't, like, I don't.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:05:03]:
That will break my heart. I was telling my mom, I keep ping ponging back and forth between, like the excited, oh, this could be super great for me. Versus the dread of like closing this chapter and saying goodbye to some of the people that have made my first year of teaching run as smoothly as it could have. If I get a call tomorrow, I literally do not know what I'll say. My brain is going a million different places.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:05:31]:
After a sleepless night and a lot more back and forth with her friends, family, and boyfriend Liam, Jenna finally got the call from her potential principal to be the next day.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:05:44]:
I had a missing call from the school, so I missed that call. And then I called them back and she offered me the job. And I was like, oh, my gosh. So she told me all about it. She told me like, what I'd be teaching and, you know, all these different things. And she told me that I needed to let her know yes or no by the end of the day Friday. And then I immediately went to rehearsal. Liam and I are in a musical right now, which is kind of silly, but we went to rehearsal and I was sitting there at rehearsal and I was like, I know I'm going to accept the job.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:06:10]:
I should just accept it. And Liam was like, I'm not telling you what to do. You do what you need to do. And he was like, but I know what I would do. So I was like, you know what? I know I'm going to accept it. I'm just going to do it right now. So she literally told me to text her. So I texted her and I was like, officially accepting.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:06:27]:
Just had to check in with a few things, like, thank you so much for this opportunity. Very excited. And then we immediately went on stage to go run something. So I was like, adrenaline. And then I immediately started getting all of these texts from these teachers at this other school being like, we're so Excited to have you. We've heard nothing but good things. Like, if you want to come by and see our rooms, like, if you want to come by and talk, let me know. And I was like, I have.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:06:50]:
Like, holy cow. Like, this is just, like, an overflowing amount of support. So, like, I feel really good about it, and I'm really excited.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:06:59]:
Once the adrenaline and excitement wore off, Jenna's thoughts turned to sadness because she had to break the news to her co workers.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:07:09]:
I was excited, but also scared because I knew I was gonna have to talk to my coworkers. I was gonna have to let them know that I accepted the job. I told my friend Jenna first, because I was like, I was gonna tell everyone at once. And then I was like, no. I. Like, if it were flipped, it would mean a lot to me if she told me first, because we're like, we've been in it since the beginning together, and we've gotten really close really fast. So I was like, I'm just gonna go talk to her. So during my prep, I walked in her room, and I literally was like, I have news, and you're not gonna like it.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:07:37]:
And she went, stop it. So then I told her everything, and she gave me a big hug, and she was like, I'm really sad, but, like, I get it. I was like, I need to tell the others, but I wanted to tell you first. She was like, you want to go right now? And I was like, yeah, I guess so. So this was during our prep period, and I walked down there, and I was like, hey, can we hold a little meeting? And then immediately everybody knew because, like, you only, like, bring everyone together for that sort of news. It's either, I'm thinking about leaving. I'm leaving, or, like, I'm getting surgery, like, something bad is happening, like, something big. So pretty much everyone knew immediately, but they were all really supportive too.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:08:13]:
They all were like, no, that's an opportunity that you can't pass up. And they were like, if we thought you were going somewhere, that wasn't going to be a step up for you. We would do everything in our power to make you stay. But, like, from what you're saying, it sounds like it is going to be an advancement for you. It sounds like it's going to be something that you're going to benefit from. So, like, as much as we're sad that you're going to be leaving, you got to do what's best for you. And they said they would still invite me to go get margaritas whenever they get margs. So that's a win.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:08:44]:
With her co workers now aware and just a few weeks of teaching left, the only ones left to break the news to was her students.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:08:54]:
I, like, sat them down at the carpet and was like, so I'm talking about next year. Wanted to let you guys know that, like, I won't be here. And I told them my whole. My whole spiel and all of that. And I had some that were really, really emotional. And then I also had some that really didn't care. They were just like, okay. And then there were a group of them that actually, it was so funny.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:13]:
I, like, texted everyone that I knew this because I was like, this is hilarious. They started chanting traitor at me. Not, like, in a mean way, but, like, in a joking way. And it was. It was just so funny. I had, like, four criers. And then some other ones were, like, trying to be brave, and I could tell that their eyes were watery and they were trying to wipe their tears and stuff. And then, like I said, some of them did not give two peers in the world.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:36]:
Like, some of them were barely even listening, and they were like, oh, okay. So it's just to each their own, you know, it's how they. It's how they cope.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:09:46]:
Having now made everyone aware at school, Jenna is finally able to turn her thoughts to her next job. All the differences that it'll bring, but also the hope she'll carry with her from her past year.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:09:59]:
This whole year, I've constantly been reflecting on, like, oh, I'm going to do this differently, or, oh, I'm going to have this expectation set way sooner than I did this year. But now I'm like, yes, I can take those overall lessons with me, but I won't really be able to copy paste my thoughts onto the school year anymore. Yes, I've learned broad things like, you know, I need to follow through with expectations. I need to set those expectations as soon as possible. I really need to make more time for community building at the beginning of the year. So that way we have that foundation and don't get in all these little crazy, you know, bickering moments with each other. It's definitely a very bittersweet time for me. It's like, I can't wait for this year to be over.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:10:39]:
But also at the same time, I'm like, I gotta soak it in because I'm not gonna be in the same environment next year. And especially my co workers, definitely gonna soak in every moment with them that I can.

KANIKA CHADDA GUPTA [00:10:53]:
This is Year One, an exploration of one teacher's first year in the classroom. Brought to you by Carnegie Learning. Join us for the rest of the series as we follow Jenna through every moment. And be sure to follow Miss.MacNulty on Instagram and TikTok. For additional exclusive content, free teaching resources and more. Visit yearonepodcast.com. Next time on Year One. As the school year comes to a close, Jenna has her final moments with her students before the summer break begins.

JENNA MACNULTY [00:11:26]:
I was like, and all of you are not allowed to leave today until you give me a big hug, because that's what I need from you before you leave.