The Show Notes
You may have thought about a job in curriculum design or curriculum development and could easily explain what that job entails. But have you ever thought to search the terms “learning experience designer”? Sounds intriguing, right?
That’s what our guest, Jennifer Ketron thought too! Jennifer was a brilliant teacher who had taught for eight years when her husband got a new job and they had to relocate.
The idea of starting over at a new school, new grade level, and in a new community was a little overwhelming. So she took the opportunity to explore a new world in instructional design.
In just three months after taking From Teacher to Instructional Designer, she landed a job. Listen to hear how the content in the course helped her become an easy choice for her new job!
The Beginning: A Very Good Place to Start
When Jennifer was in the classroom, there was so much about the job she loved. She loved developing relationships-with students, parents, and colleagues. She loved creating lessons that helped students engage in subjects that they might normally not be drawn to. Jennifer loved being there for those “aha” moments for her students.
So what would cause a teacher like this to consider anything else? Even with all the joy she felt in the classroom, burnout was setting in. Jennifer also knew she wanted to be more flexible as she and her husband considered growing their family.
And in the midst of this process, the pandemic hit, forcing all schools to transition to an online format.
Creativity Sparked in Crisis
So many schools and teachers have struggled to transition to an online learning platform. But Jennifer and her team were so excited to create materials that were engaging for their students. Each day they collaborated to put all the student’s lessons on a Google slideshow. They embedded instructional videos, created interactive features like drag and drop, and utilized Google forms.
Jennifer and her team got amazing feedback from their students and their families. Students actually looked forward to attending class online. Jennifer noted that her strength of adapting the curriculum to a new online format was so valuable! She even started meeting with colleagues over Zoom to show them how to integrate the strategies in other classrooms that were working for her students.
No Time Like the Present
As the school year wrapped up, Jennifer and her husband were faced with needing to relocate for her husband’s job. While they were grateful for the new job, the idea of starting over in a new school was so emotionally taxing. Jennifer decided to stop putting off pursuing a new career. She made the brave decision to not go back to teaching in the fall.
As she researched new opportunities, she came across one of my YouTube videos where Kim Tuohy of Belvista Studios interviews me. Jennifer signed up for the course and dove in after watching this video of that conversation!
How the Course Prepared Jennifer for Becoming a Learning Experience Designer
Jennifer did not waste any time in consuming the content in the course. Jennifer mentioned that her desire for more growth beyond the classroom was instantly affirmed. I absolutely knew what Jennifer was going through! What Jennifer needed was someone who understood what she was going through but also had found fulfilling opportunities on the other side!
One of Jennifer’s favorite parts of the course was the interview with our certified resume writer, Angela. In this video, Angela helps you identify exactly how to take your teaching resume and format it for an instructional design job. Jennifer was able to implement a ton of what she learned immediately and started applying to jobs!
Another valuable piece of the course for Jennifer was learning how to develop a portfolio to present when you apply to instructional design jobs. I cover all of the tools you can use to create work samples that will allow you to show off what you are capable of creating.
The other element of the course that Jennifer noted was that the course taught her how to network to find opportunities in instructional design. Jennifer shares how she was able to connect with several instructional designers to get input, feedback, and even contract work to get started! Jennifer was able to put this work in her portfolio, which was a major boost to her confidence as she was applying!
And in just three months, Jennifer got a job offer, making $20K more than her last teaching position! We can’t wait to hear what she loves most about her job once she dives in!
Key Takeaways to Consider As You Pursue A Career in Instructional Design
Jennifer shared a couple important reflections about what it took for her to believe she was ready to become a Learning Experience Design Associate.
- You’re 100% qualified to be an instructional designer as a teacher. It’s common to deal with imposter syndrome when considering a new career. But just like Ethan, Jennifer said that the team who hired her was specifically interested in her because of her teaching experience.
From Teacher to Instructional Designer will help you become familiar with all the key terms and technology you need to know about instructional design to feel confident when you apply!
- Developing a portfolio is key to getting noticed. Jennifer also shared a few of the jobs she applied to were not even considering people who had not submitted a portfolio. It doesn’t need to be perfect it just needs to have samples of what you are capable of. The course will help you create this too!
Does any part of Jennifer’s story resonate with yours? Do you have similar strengths too? Or does her new job and the salary sound super intriguing? If you’re ready to explore the possibility of pursuing a career as an instructional designer, I want to hear from you! What questions do you have? And how can I support you?
If you’re ready to dive in, be sure to grab the course using the coupon on the checkout page before it disappears! And don’t wait, because the price of the course will be going up soon!
Ready to Become an Instructional Designer Too?
If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to take a screenshot and tag me on your Instagram stories @teachertransition and tell me your biggest takeaway!
Want to know what other work opportunities you might love beyond the classroom? Click here to get the FREE Top Jobs for Teachers download.
A Breakdown of This Episode:
- [2:59] Listen to Jennifer share about her very favorite parts of teaching.
- [6:15] Discover how Jennifer actually discovered her love of creating digital content through this Covid season.
- [12:21] Listen to Jennifer describe the most impactful parts of the course in her own words.
- [19:44] Find out how Jennifer got her foot in the door with some contract work in instructional design.
- [25:24] Why Jennifer could feel confident about not hesitating to head in a new direction.
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Connect with Jennifer
Resources Mentioned in the Show
- Ready to dive into YOUR career in instructional design? Click HERE to enroll in the course- From Teacher to Instructional Designer today!
- How to Rewrite Your Resume Training with Angela
- 3 Options to get Support with Your Resume
- Wondering if you’d like working in instruction design? Take the “Would I Enjoy Being an Instructional Designer” Quiz to find out!
- Click HERE to watch The Bel Vista Studios Interview on Youtube with Kim Touhy
- Episode 12: When I Knew It Was Time to Quit Teaching
