Hello! Retired Teacher Here

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I am a retired teacher. I was an elementary teacher for 17 years. I was a high school teacher for 15 years.

I am also autistic but was not diagnosed until later in life, when I was 59.

Aside from a year that I spent in graduate school and 5 years that I spent employed in non-teaching jobs, most of my working career has been spent in education as a teacher.

I retired this year. The first month was great. The 2nd month was so-so. I was going nuts by the 3rd month. Since I have a strong work ethic, am not married, and have no children, I think I need to return to work. My therapist agrees.

Since I tend to be a reclusive introvert when I am not at work, working as a teacher gave me all of the socialization I ever needed. Now that I'm no longer working, I've been staying at home. The longer I have stayed at home, the less I have wanted to interact with anyone.

I started therapy a few months ago as a way of connecting with someone else. I am currently enrolled in a teacher retraining program and am studying to become a special education teacher with an endorsement for autism. I plan to reenter the teaching profession when the next school year starts in August.

In the meanwhile, I have joined this site because my therapist has told me that I need to "get out" more. She ultimately wants me to start dating (shudder). Aside from having to spend time with someone outside of a non-work environment, I really have no interest in this level of intimacy because I enjoy being a bachelor and particularly like my privacy.

Dating would disrupt my sense of routine. While I understand that there are people on the spectrum who aspire to have busy social lives and/or a significant other; I have never been one of these people.

You seem to have a way of life that you like to live without disturbing others. Besides, you have enough experience to guide your behavior. be yourself

Welcome!

I retired early this year. Things are going great for me. My investments are looking good.
I spend my time golfing and gardening. I've also been working on my cooking skills.

Good luck getting back into teaching.

welcome to wrong planet.

Welcome!

I was a teacher briefly when I was young. I had to stop because my chronic illness made it too difficult, but it was a nice job.

(Have you explained to your therapist that you don't want a romantic relationship?)

Welcome to Wrong Planet.

If you want to go back to teaching, I see no reason why you shouldn't do that. When you retired you are probably getting retirement pay. If you choose the correct career path, you might even receive extra money. And then some day when you can no longer work, you can live quite comfortably. When I retired, my wife was working. She was happy working. So I encouraged her to continue working. She worked for another 10 years before she finally retired. It was a good decision. She liked to work and that was O.K. with me to let her continue doing what she enjoyed.

So you are retired. Do what makes you feel good. Enjoy your retirement, even if that means going back to teaching. That is what you feel comfortable doing.

welcome! glad you found us. There are many here who have life experience and insights to offer, many you will relate to a lot and a few that will leave you puzzled. You are among friends, each of us is so different in our individual neurology and the way it affects us. Its a lot to sort. I find this a very kind and welcoming group. Bet you will too!

There's a national shortage of special education teachers. This existed long before the Covid pandemic and what has been termed the "Great Resignation" among teachers. Some districts are offering a $10,000 signing bonus. Others offer enhanced salaries.

What's really sad is that I live close to Arizona. I've seen jobs in Arizona that offer 50% less in salary than what I received last year as a high school teacher. I've also seen jobs that offer considerably more than what I made but will have to take into account the local cost of living.

Welcome to the wrong planet! I used to work as a teacher in my 30's but had to give it up after a couple of years. I found it too much hard work for someone with my social skills and had to change career. I am impressed you pulled it off for 17 years as an autistic person.

Edit: I see now that you worked totally 32 years as a teacher. Even more impressive!

Last edited by BillyTree on 29 Dec 2023, 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Welcome to WP. I hope it provides some of the social interactions you are looking for.

It's a shame you couldn't find a special interest or two to keep you occupied in retirement. I retired in 2011, when I was 56, and I am so much happier now!

Is there a stack of books and magazines you should be reading? A list of movies you would like to watch? Some kit you would like to build? Some recipe you want to master? A practical home or car maintenance class that sounds useful and may or may not turn out to be interesting?

Oh, and being around people... Instead of teaching a class, maybe take few? Join a local charitable organization? Etc.

Personally it would be easy to argue I am wasting my time...but I like doing it!

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

You are retired and get a retirement salary. But if you play it right, you can keep your retirement salary and also get a paycheck from your new career. This is done by changing your career path slightly. For example you might go from a public school teacher to become a private school teacher. Anyways, you do not want to lose your current retirement benefits but only get more benefits.

Welcome to WP