Let me start off by saying I am quite happy where I am in my career at the moment. I love my school, my students, and my co-workers. I am not looking to jump ship any time soon.

However….

Lately I’ve been struggling with figuring out what my next step is. Where do I go next? I feel very frustrated that, at least in my board, it seems there are very few leadership opportunities beyond administration (My reasons for not wanting to be a principal are fodder for another post). I mentioned this at a leadership track workshop earlier this year and was shot down by well-meaning workshop leaders who told me there were plenty of opportunities! I could be a department head, or chair a subject council, or work on a team or task force, or become a learning coordinator.

The thing is, I’ve been a learning coordinator. I’ve been on a task force. I’ve chaired a subject council, and I’ve been a department head (acting, but still a department head). I’ve even been lucky enough to teach a course at a faculty of education. I didn’t mention all that at the workshop because even as I write it, it sounds kind of obnoxious.

I’d be interested in being a learning coordinator again if something popped up for which I was qualified, but those positions have been reduced.

At the risk of continuing to sound obnoxious, I feel like I have a lot to offer–or will have a lot to offer in the next few years–in terms of ideas about assessment and evaluation, curriculum, instructional technology, and differentiated instruction, but I don’t know what to do with it. I can’t become a learning supervisor or SO without being a principal first, and I can’t apply for jobs outside of my board without losing all my seniority.

I’m feeling a bit antsy and I feel like I need a good career coach.

If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears.