From Paraprofessional/Educator to Tech Trainer to Learning Experience Design Operations Manager: The Journey of Lisa Longley

Lisa Longley

From Education to Learning Experience Design Operations Manager

Lisa started in fashion merchandising, then became a paraprofessional in education, and now has over 20 years of program and operations management experience. She has both domestic and international experience.

Q: How did you get into teaching?

I majored in Fashion Merchandising and after a few holiday seasons in retail realized I needed a change. A few of my friends were teaching assistants for the school district in our town and so I decided to join them. I started out as a teaching assistant (paraprofessional) and worked 1:1 with a quadriplegic student. I was his TA through 7th and 8th grade. He was on a respirator so I had to read his lips and write down the answers to all of his assignments. (It was an amazing experience!) At night and on the weekends I worked on getting my Masters in Education and my National Teaching certification. The school district paid for this as long as I worked for them for 3 years after receiving both.

Q: What did you teach? What level?

I was certified in Secondary Education and the very month I received my masters and certification the 8th grade Home and Careers teacher retired at the middle school I was already working at. I filled this position for the next 3 years and loved every minute of it! The teachers worked in teams and we all worked together to reinforce what each other was teaching in our curriculum. I worked in an inner city school so teaching my students the life skills they needed to survive in their worlds was so important to me. I taught them to cook, bake, cleanliness, how to do laundry and balance a checkbook! At the beginning of each semester when the new classes would arrive, I had them line up outside my door each day for the first week. Each student would enter the door, extend their hand, and look me in the eye and say “Hello Ms. Longley, my name is…………, it’s nice to see you today.” I hope those students carried this lesson with them throughout life and gave them a boost of confidence when meeting new people. It helped me learn 200 students’ names in a very short period of time!

Q: What made you want to leave teaching or why did you decide to leave?

Working in an inner city school was tough. There were a lot of gangs and the violence was real. 2 of my favorite students were shot during those 3 years. (Both survived) it really changed my perspective on the area I was living in and I wanted more for myself and my future. I also struggled and lived paycheck to paycheck because the salary was so low. I worked after school programs and during the summer for extra pay as well as a part-time job at Kay Jewelers to make extra money while completing my master’s degree. I was exhausted and decided that when my 3-year commitment to the school district was up I was moving south, away from the snow and gang violence.

Q: What steps did you take to prepare to leave the classroom/teaching?

When I decided to move in July of 2001, I settled on Atlanta. I did not have a job when I moved and assumed I would get another teaching job when I got there since I had a National Teaching Certification (I was in the last group that was awarded these!) The internet was just ramping up so looking for a job back then was not as robust as it is today. Unfortunately, I couldn’t even get an interview at the school districts I applied to. Like many places, “it’s all about who you know” and I knew no one. I started to learn more about the companies in the area and how I could apply my teaching skills in a corporate setting. I started applying for “Trainer” positions and landed a traveling trainer position with a home health software company on September 12, 2001. I am not sure if I would call this “preparing to leave the classroom.” I made the decision and moved forward. Sometimes taking the leap is the hardest part!

Q: What advice would you recommend to current teachers who want to leave the classroom?

My advice is DO IT! Typically teachers are always teachers in some capacity for the rest of their lives. It’s just who we are. If you are struggling to pay bills and enjoy life because your funds are limited there are other jobs out there for you! Don’t be scared to make the change! Obviously, money is not everything but sometimes we need it!

You must be sure you are up to speed on technology, Microsoft Office Suite and how to do email! (All things I had no clue about when I left!) Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and learn as you go! Most teachers consider themselves to be lifelong learners and this definitely helps when embarking on a new career in an industry you may know nothing about.

If you find yourself missing the students and classroom experience, later on, you can always volunteer to be a tutor or look in to being an adjunct somewhere.

Q: What are you doing now?

I am currently the Operations Manager for a Learning Experience Design group. I am in charge of the daily run and manage operations ensuring we meet deadlines and get quality courses launched for our students enrolled in major universities across the US.

Q: Anything else you think that may help current teachers who are in the shoes that you were once in.

Now that there are so many tools and resources you can use to find jobs make sure you do your research and really understand the type of role and company you want to work for. What is their mission? Does it fit with yours? Will the work you do be fulfilling enough? I know this is tough to come by in the corporate world when teachers are fulfilled by helping and guiding their students and companies are focused on the bottom line. Be yourself! Being authentic is very freeing and I encourage everyone to try it.

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