The entire field of education is suffering. But add in moves and the instability of being a military family, how are military spouses doing it? Are they doing it?
Balancing military life and career goals is a difficult juggling act—one military spouses have been trying to figure out for decades. Teachers are the backbone of our education system. They are the heroes of the seen and unseen work. They are the ones who dedicate their time and energy to their jobs and more importantly, their students. Military spouses who are teachers struggle with things like updating licenses and certifications, moving during the school year, and maintaining licenses during each relocation. This takes a toll on spouses professionally. With each move comes a new job application.
Frequent moves also impact teachers in a personal way. Knowing that your job and connections are for a temporary amount of time makes goodbyes even more difficult. Becoming connected to students, and knowing you’ll say goodbye to them in a matter of years is hard for teachers.
But are military spouses passed by for job opportunities because of their frequent and inevitable moves?
How to make it work
One Air Force spouse, Lindsey Rhoads, shares her experience. “I was never asked about being a military spouse during my interview process. Just my seriousness about moving to the desired opening if I was offered the job,” Rhoads said.
“I did ask my first principal after I had been teaching for a few years how she felt about hiring me knowing it would be only for a few years. She said, that for quality teachers, a few years was not a factor in her decision to hire me. Which made me feel just as valuable as non-military spouse teachers!”
The cold, hard truth? The education system is hurting for good teachers in many states.
While many military spouses struggle to find jobs or with the transfer of their licenses, many find jobs in education in some way whether as a paraprofessional, teaching online, or substituting.
Some states also offer funding or assistance as seen through the Education Commission of the United States, Teacher License Reciprocity. This is set up to provide reciprocity for teachers transferring their licenses between states.
Rhoads shares advice for military spouses considering education as a career path. She explains that one of the biggest pros for her has been teaching in different settings, states, and environmental circumstances. Because of this, she gets to know and teach students from all backgrounds.
“If teaching is your passion, don’t let the military lifestyle hold you back! You learn so much and become so diverse in your experience because of moving around and the variety of students you can reach,” she shared.
“Know that there are many ways to be in education now (substitute teaching, online teaching, curriculum writing, volunteering in your children’s classroom, etc.) that you can always find something even if you are only somewhere for a short time.”
Being a teacher and a military spouse has many positives. Many teachers can quite literally bring their children to work with them. They aren’t at the mercy of their military member’s irregular schedules for childcare transportation or school drop-offs. They can involve their spouses in celebrations or special military appreciation days. Typically, administrations are supportive of family life and schedules. Military spouses who move during the summer, though often pressed for time, can utilize the break in their school years to adjust to a new job.
There’s no denying being a military spouse impacts careers. Juggling military life and professional life is no small feat. Above all else, military spouses show up to their classrooms daily all over the world, ready to shape the minds of their students.