I quit teaching to work at Costco and I'm much happier. I never thought I'd leave my dream job, but these 5 things drove me out.

• Janelle Schuurman taught elementary school for 11 years before quitting. She now works at Costco.
• She says that while teaching was her passion, she couldn't get past certain parts of the job.
• She says teachers need to be supported and paid fairly so they can stay in the classroom.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Janelle Schuurman, a 35-year-old former teacher from Michigan. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I was a teacher for 11 years. I dreamt of being a teacher since the time I was in kindergarten. I actually remember thinking, "I'll just stay here until I'm old enough to be the teacher."

But I reached my breaking point in 2022, and now I work at Costco because I got so burned out from teaching elementary school.