Why I Left the Classroom to Plant New Seeds

I started my teaching career right out of college in 2021.

If you remember what schools looked like then, you know it wasn't the traditional "first year" I had imagined. I was teaching at a charter school, navigating a world of online classes, in-person sessions, and the constant back-and-forth of hybrid learning. As a Florida Certified Biology Educator (6-12), I was ready to dive into labs, but instead, I found myself trying to build connections through screens and socially distanced desks.

I eventually moved into a Title 1 school, a place where the work is heavy but the rewards are life-changing. I loved being there for my students. I wasn’t just teaching them about mitosis or cell membranes; I was trying to be a steady, supportive force in their lives during a time of total uncertainty.

I was lucky to have supportive administrators who saw the human side of the struggle. I’ll never forget one of them saying to me:

"They just need someone to love them."

That became my North Star. I saw every day that when a student feels truly seen and supported, the rest follows. They don't just learn; they thrive. I truly thought I would be that teacher who stayed until retirement, hanging up my lab coat only after decades of service.

The Turning Point

So, why did I decide to leave the school and the students I loved so much?

Caring deeply for your students takes a toll. Over time, I started to feel the weight of a changing school culture. It felt like the focus was shifting away from the individual child and toward numbers and data points. I saw students being treated more like a a test score than human beings with unique sparks.

The freedom to actually teach—to let a student’s mind explore and follow their own curiosity—was being replaced by a "one-size-fits-all" pressure. I wanted to do more for the students who were getting lost in the shuffle, but the traditional system made it harder and harder to be there for them in the way I knew they deserved.

Starting STEM Seeds Academy

Deciding not to return to the classroom was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. But as a mom, I needed the flexibility to be there for my own family, and as an educator, I knew I needed a new way to follow my passion.

I started STEM Seeds Academy to get back to the heart of education. By building this small business, I finally have the freedom to help students as individuals. Here, we have the time to ask "Why?" until the answer actually clicks. We have the space to let a student’s mind wander through the beauty of science without a rigid clock or a bubble sheet to worry about.

I’m still that teacher who believes that love and support are the foundation of learning. I’m just doing it on a different stage now—one where your child is never just a number.

Written by Cayla Dementov (Owner/Founder of STEM Seeds Academy)