A Career Change That Sparked Samantha Gray’s Teaching Passion

For many educators, the journey to the classroom begins in childhood, inspired by a favorite teacher or a love of learning. But Samantha Gray’s path to teaching took a different route — one that started in the fast-paced world of sales. 

Before taking on her current role as a kindergarten teacher with Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) in Denver, North Carolina, Gray spent “a long time” as a sales professional. It wasn’t until she took a break from her career to stay home with her fourth child that she realized her passion for education. 

“I was in the classroom so much, volunteering so much at school and doing things,” she recalled,” so I said, ‘Hey, I could sub. I have my degree. Let me jump in here and try this.’” 

From the moment she stepped into the classroom, she was hooked, immediately finding ways to translate her business experience to help students. 

“With the way that you almost are like a CEO of your own company, I manage my classroom,” she said. “I’m in charge of my lesson plans [and] I take the standards I need and apply them to the levels my children are at. There is a nice tie between a good sales background, a good communication background, and running an effective classroom.”

Embracing the Joys and Challenges of Teaching 

Since that very first day as a substitute teacher, education has been more than just a career for Gray; it’s an opportunity to be creative, be hands-on, and connect with her students in a meaningful way. 

“One of the things I really like about teaching and I like about lower elementary [grades],” she said, “is I don’t mind getting messy. I like to make slime, and I don’t mind glitter — so if you don’t mind glitter, you really should check out being a kindergarten teacher, because they let you play with these things all day long!” 

While Gray emphasizes the fun of teaching — her current classroom is decorated in a Scooby Doo theme — and finds the rewards to be undeniable, her journey hasn’t been without obstacles. 

When she moved from Michigan to North Carolina in 2021, Gray already had about 10 years of experience teaching kindergarten through second grade, but she was about to encounter a significant hurdle: her teaching license didn’t transfer. 

“I’ve had a really hard time navigating what I need to do, and my license expired in Michigan in 2020,” she explained. “I needed to start over, and I was lost as to what path to take.” 

Several questions kept repeating in Gray’s mind: Was she good enough as a teacher? Were her skills current enough? What did she need to do to continue teaching? 

Fortunately, Gray found a solution through her school and its partnership with Moreland University. Moreland is an approved Educator Preparation Program (EPP) in North Carolina, and the partnership meant Gray could get full tuition coverage for the program. 

“Moreland came along, which was very easy, very straightforward, and I have taken a ton of skills and things I’ve learned from my cohort and instructors and put them back into the classroom.” 

As Gray excelled as a TEACH-NOW candidate and applied the practical lessons she was learning to her own classroom, her confidence returned. Now, instead of questions and doubt, there is another phrase that repeats in her head: “I have the skills to do this.” 

Gray also found confidence through Moreland’s global cohort model, which allowed her to connect with and learn alongside teachers from around the world, picking up useful advice and perspectives from educators in different environments that could inform her own teaching practice. In addition to the practical learning, though, Gray valued the human connection that developed between her peer group. 

“We all keep in touch still,” she said. “They became like lifelong friends. After a certain point, you get to know these people… It’s really cool. It was totally worth it. It wasn’t the boring online class I was expecting, to be honest.” 

Gray noted that some of these digital boundaries may disappear soon, too, as one of the international candidates from her cohort is considering making a visit to North Carolina, where the two may finally meet in person. 

Balancing Work, Life, and Teacher Certification 

Like many Moreland candidates, Gray had concerns about balancing coursework with her responsibilities as a full-time teacher and parent. But she quickly found that TEACH-NOW’s flexible design could conveniently fit with her life’s schedule. 

“I picked a weekday evening that I didn’t have a kid in sports or travel sports [to do homework],” she said, “and I did end up missing a couple of sessions, but it’s very easy to make them up on your own time.” 

She also found short windows of time throughout her days to work on assignments, and she recommends that anyone else earning their teacher certification through an online program use the same strategy. Five minutes here, 8 minutes there — if you can take it one step at a time, those minutes add up to productive time spent completing coursework and preparing for your next lessons, Gray said. 

Looking to the Future 

With her certification process nearly complete, Gray is eagerly awaiting final approval from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, which could come this spring. Looking ahead, she’s considering pursuing a master’s degree, possibly through Moreland. She is also exploring curriculum planning and other opportunities to advance her career and to continue serving students in the most effective ways possible. 

No matter where her career path takes her next, one thing is certain: the transition from sales to teaching has been more than just a career change for Gray — it’s been a calling. 

“There is no way any teacher I know has ever said, ‘My job is just a job,’ or ‘just a paycheck,’” she reflected. “Every [teacher] has a passion, and they want to either be the difference-maker, help someone, or they just have these huge hearts that lead them into the classroom to take care of children that aren’t their own for 9 months straight. [When you’re a teacher], these are your kids, and everyone kind of has that same sentiment that I know. And I work with them — I’m very lucky in that respect.” 

Moreland University Supports Current and Aspiring Teachers 

If you are considering a career change to become a teacher like Gray or want to uplevel your current education career with an advanced degree, Moreland can support you with 100% online 9-month TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program and 12-month master’s degree programs. You can complete your free application in less than 15 minutes and take the next step in your teaching journey today. 

For more information about transitioning into professional education, download our complimentary resource, A Career Changer’s Guide to Becoming a Teacher. For detailed information about earning your teaching license in North Carolina, download the no-cost Guide to Teacher Certification in North Carolina.