Teachers in Transition – Ep 262: You’ve Been Found Worthy: Lessons from A Knight’s Tale

What do stained glass, jousting, and Geoffrey Chaucer have to do with your next career move? More than you think.

In this episode, Vanessa uses A Knight’s Tale to explore what it means to reinvent yourself without erasing who you’ve been. From burnout to “changing your stars,” we break down how hope, identity, and real-world strategy (hello, skills gap analysis!) can guide you out of survival mode and into something that finally fits.

You’ve been weighed. You’ve been measured. And you have not been found wanting.
 
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Keywords: teacher burnout, career pivot, A Knight’s Tale, podcast, job search strategy, Chaucer, skills gap, subject matter expert, networking tips, identity after teaching, stress

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Transcript

Hi, and welcome back to another episode of Teachers in Transition! I'm Vanessa Jackson I spent over two decades teaching in the performing arts in Texas and Alaska, left teaching after I got one of those ‘can-t-unsee-the-abuse-moments to go work in the staffing industry for a Fortune 500 company. and now? I work for teachers.  I help teachers transition to new careers and out of toxic situations so their work doesn’t drain their soul. I’m spending this summer framing my message surrounding wellness and career transition through the lens of my favorite summer activity: movies.  

Today we’re diving into one of my all-time favorite movies: A Knight’s Tale.

This isn’t just any medieval romp. It’s inspired—very loosely—by Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Loosely as in: it’s literally a knight’s tale, and Geoffrey Chaucer himself is a character. But then it kicks off with Queen’s "We Will Rock You", and features a sassy and often naked Paul Bettany as Chaucer. So yeah… t not your high school lit class Canterbury tales .

There is exactly one year in the life of Geoffrey Chaucer that historians cannot account for.  This movie is set in that year, so while it isn’t the actual Knight’s Tale from his Canterbury Tales, it is an imagining of it.  That’s the energy we’re bringing today.

If you haven’t seen A Knight’s Tale, let me explain. The movie stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, a peasant’s son who seizes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pose as a knight and compete in jousting tournaments. With the help of his ragtag crew - including aforementioned Geoffrey Chaucer (played with wild charisma by Paul Bettany), his loyal friends Roland and Wat, and Kate, a blacksmith breaking into a male-dominated field - William sets off to "change his stars."

Along the way, there’s romance, betrayal, and a whole lot of lance-splintering action. (that was actually spaghetti noodles) William falls for the noble Lady Jocelyn, builds a reputation as an unbeatable competitor, and wins the hearts of commoners and royalty alike.

The movie is set during a mysterious gap in the historical record of Chaucer's life, adding a playful "what if" spin to what if this is how Chaucer spent that undocumented year?

It was released in May 2001 by Columbia Pictures and runs just over two hours. Critics were mixed, giving it a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences have always loved it, earning it a solid 79% audience score. It walks that fine line between goofy and glorious. It has quite the cult following

Today, you can stream it on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video, and if you don’t mind a few ads, you can catch it free on Tubi. It’s also available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV, and probably many more.

But beyond all of that, it’s a story about reinvention, resilience, and reclaiming your place in the world - which is why it resonates so deeply with me. This movie was so motivational to me at just the right time in my life – that my son is named after the main character – William. 

Because at its core, this movie is about becoming more than the world says you’re allowed to be. William is a peasant’s son who reinvents himself as a knight. Not through trickery, but through skill, loyalty, and grit. Sound familiar, my teacher friends?

There’s a moment in the film when the Lady Jocelyn, a feisty noblewoman who is no one’s fool, explains why she loves visiting cathedrals. She says she goes to see the stained-glass windows, calling them "a riot of color in a dreary, gray world."

That line lands differently when you live in a state of burnout. For so many teachers, the work once felt like a mosaic of joy, connection, and meaning - a riot of color. But over time, that brightness gets muted. The system demands more while giving less. Hope becomes scarce. Creativity gets boxed in by mandates and metrics. And joy? It feels like something you have to earn, not something you're allowed to feel.

But Jocelyn's words are a reminder: that riot of color still exists. And it might be buried under fatigue and frustration, but it hasn’t disappeared. You are not gray. You are not used up. You are a stained- glass window waiting for the light to shine through again.

So, if you’ve felt dulled or dimmed lately, let this be your call-in. Your spark is still there. The world needs your color. And it's time you get to see it too.

Later in the film, there’s a moment when the team helps William write a love letter to Jocelyn. As they wrestle with the words, Kate talks about hope.  And it lands. 

“Hope guides me. It is what gets me through the day and especially the night. The hope that after you're gone from my sight it will not be the last time I look upon you.”

That line doesn’t just belong in a love story. It belongs to anyone who's ever had to white-knuckle their way through a hard season. Hope isn’t some fluffy concept—it’s the thing you cling to when everything else feels uncertain. Hope is what gets us through. July and August are months full of hope for teachers and students.  And hope is important to have.  It just can’t be all that there is. 

If you’ve been getting through the nights on hope alone, I want you to hear this: I see you. That’s not weakness. That’s survival. 

But Kate doesn’t just talk about hope as endurance, she names it as a guide. A compass. A flicker of light pulling you toward something better, even if you can’t see it clearly yet.

If you’re at the edge of change, thinking about a new career, dreaming of a different pace of life, hope can do more than keep you afloat. It can be the first step toward building a life that fits. One that honors who you are now, not just who the system trained you to be.

 There’s a powerful moment near the end of the film where Prince Edward, who’s been moving in the background for much of the story, steps forward. William is being arrested, exposed for pretending to be a knight. But Edward intervenes, not just to free him, but to knight him for real.  And here’s the thing: it’s not about status or bloodline. It’s about character.

William treated people with dignity.  He treated Edward with respect when he showed mercy and allowed Edward to finish an earlier duel with his honor intact after getting injured.  Later, he crosses paths with Edward again as people are starting to learn who he really is and duels with him when everyone else was withdrawing.  In his speech to William, he specifically talks about how the people on his team stand up for him. And how that says SO much about him.  Whether they were nobility, stable hands, blacksmiths, children, or strangers, he treated everyone he came across with respect. He built a life of integrity, and because of that, people stood up for him. His crew went to bat for him. Chaucer risked his name for William. Even the future king recognized something in him that couldn’t be faked.  It’s a major source of conflict within William in the movie that he has to compete as Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland instead of as William Thatcher from Cheapside.  And it is hearing himself announced as Sir William Thatcher that allows him to win the day at the end. 

That moment tells us a lot of how networking really works—not as slick self-promotion, but as reputation. It’s the way you’ve shown up over the years, how you’ve made people feel, and the bridges you’ve chosen to build rather than burn. We’re taught in teacher training that the kids remember how we make them feel more than anything else.  Spoiler alert – it’s not just about kids. 

I’ve had networking boosts from people I’ve known since elementary school. Which is a pretty great reminder of why kindness matters even when you’re ten. You never know who will come back around later, not to do you a favor, but because they remember how you treated them.

So maybe you don’t have a trophy case or a fancy title. But if you’ve shown up with heart and respect? If you’ve helped other people without needing credit? That’s your resume. And it might just be the thing that opens your next door.

And while we’re talking network, I’ll bring that Kevin Bacon game around again.  All the primary actors in this film have a Bacon score of 2.  This means ONE actor between them and Kevin Bacon. Those actors have also gone on to be in some of the largest franchises we’ve seen on the screen – Star Wars, The Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Game of Thrones.  And HERE’s a fun fact: Chaucer’s real-life wife was sister-in-law to the Black Prince’s  (historically, Black Prince Edward) brother. So yes—real connections existed.  

Geoffrey Chaucer in this movie acts as the networking herald. He hypes William, crafts his origin story, and helps him stand out.  One of my favorite moments in the movie is where Chaucer has announced William as they arrive late to the ring and everyone stares at him awkwardly.  Roland looks around and gives a prompt to the crowd in the form a rousing “rawr!!!” then the rest of the crowd joins in the cheers.  This movie was filmed in Czechoslovakia and the extras didn’t speak English. They didn’t know when to cheer until Mark Addy (Roland) prompted them.  It was so funny that they left it in. 

You don’t need to fake nobility - but you do need people who see your worth and can speak it into rooms you are not yet in.  And you need people out there to prompt the cheers and RAWRs!

You  already connected to opportunity. Let’s make sure people know what you’re good at.

There’s a montage in the movie, set to "Low Rider," where William trains, learns, and adapts. Side note: this whole soundtrack slaps!  William doesn’t just throw on armor and hope for the best. He works on everything here and there throughout the movie: his joust, his swordplay, his etiquette, even his dance skills. It’s funny, it’s fun, and it’s often played for laughs, but also it’s strategic. And later, you watch him zero into where his strengths truly lie – the joust

That’s a skills gap analysis in action.  What is a skills gap analysis, you may ask?. 

A skills gap analysis is just a fancy way of asking:
👉 “Where am I now, where do I want to go, and what do I need to learn to get there?”

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Pick a Target Role.
   Don’t overthink it. Start with something that excites you—even if it feels like a long shot. Maybe it IS as an instructional designer, project coordinator, edtech trainer, coach, or operations manager. Give your brain a name to chase.
2. Read Real Job Descriptions.
   Pull up 3–5 listings for that role. Look for repeated skills, tools, and language. Do they mention project management? Canva? Facilitation? SQL? Note it all.  Word Clouds can help with this. 
3. Make Two Lists.
   On one side: things you already do (even if you call them something different in teaching). On the other: skills or tools you don’t yet use regularly.
4. Translate Your Experience.
   A big part of the gap is just language. “Managing behavior plans” might be “data-informed client support.” “Creating lesson plans” could be “curriculum development” or “training design.” Start connecting those dots.

Maybe you want to pivot into instructional design or coaching or project management. Let’s name what’s needed and start learning.

There’s a moment in A Knight’s Tale when William becomes so dominant, so consistent in his wins, that Count Adhemar - the film’s resident snob and our villain – is watching him tactically. He asks his advisor, “How am I supposed to beat him?” And the advisor, deadpan, replies:

“With a stick. In his sleep.”

That, my friend, is what happens when you own your lane.

William didn’t just fake it till he made it. He trained. He learned. He kept showing up. He became a professional in all but name—and eventually, even the system had to recognize that.

That’s where your skills gap work leads. Not just to knowledge, but to identity. You stop saying “I’m just a teacher trying to pivot,” and start saying:

“I’m a learning designer.”
 “I’m a project manager.”
 “I’m a wellness coach.”
 “I’m a [insert new title here], and I know my stuff.”

In job search terms, that means showing up as the expert - not waiting for permission or to be invited. Share your story. Write posts on LinkedIn. Create a simple, clean portfolio that shows your range. This might include before and after shots of things. Ask for testimonials that reflect how you work and what you bring.

You don’t have to wait to be discovered. You just have to start showing up like you’ve already arrived. The goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to be seen - as the version of you who already exists, just in new armor.  

In case you’ve forgotten, there’s a scene in the movie where Kate has made William a new suit of light armor. Everyone scoffs at it at first – including William.  Historically speaking, these suits of armor were so heavy that they would use cranes and pulleys to lift jousters on to the horses and if a man fell off, he literally could not get up without help. The other knights laugh at him as they seem him walk out in that light, shiny armor, but that scoffing disappears quickly when as he quickly mounts his steed without help.  In fact, it gets dead quiet with disbelief.  

You can do that too in your own way. But it might not be without its challenges.

There’s a moment in the film when William’s two identities collide. He has been found out. Adhemar plays dirty, exposes his lack of nobility at birth, and suddenly everything he has built seems like it might fall apart.

Jocelyn and his friends beg him to run. They love him. They’re trying to save him. But William won’t leave. Everyone thinks it is pride.  It’s not out of pride. It is out of an alignment to his sense of self. 

He says something without saying it: If I run, I say that I’m ashamed of who I used to be. If I stay, I get to be all of me - peasant, knight, and everything in between.

And then—cue the Right Stuff moment—his friends come around the corner in slow motion, shoulder to shoulder. They’re walking into danger with him, knowing full well he will be arrested and they might be in danger too. That’s what solidarity looks like. That’s what having a “crew” means.

Here’s why that moment matters for you:
 The journey from teaching to something new is rarely a clean break. It can be messy. Emotional. Full of imposter syndrome. You may feel like you’re faking it some days, or like your past disqualifies you from your future.

But what if your strength isn’t in erasing who you were, but integrating it?

You don’t have to run from your past. You get to bring it with you. Your classroom skills, your relationship-building, your leadership under fire - all that comes with you into your new chapter.

And when it gets hard - and it will get hard - you’ll need your people. Your crew. The ones who remind you that you don’t have to walk into your next jousting match alone.  The ones that prompt the rest of the world to cheer with their RAWRS!

That’s the messy middle. But it’s also where your story starts to deepen. Because when your old self and your future self finally shake hands? That’s going to be life-changing.

 This isn’t just a movie about jousting. It’s a movie about reclaiming your life. Your joy. Your story. So let me paraphrase this important movie quote:

You have been weighed. You have been measured. And you absolutely have been found worthy.

Not because of test scores. Not because of tenure. Because of who you are. And who you’re becoming.

If this part of the journey—the messy middle—feels scary, just know you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Whether you’re looking for guidance, community, or just a place to start, we’ve got self-paced courses that walk you through the exact steps of a job search: from discovering your next direction to resumes, interviews, and everything in between.

And if you’d rather talk it out? I’d love to hear your story. Reach out anytime. Sometimes clarity begins with a single conversation.

You’ve given enough. It’s time to build a future that gives back.

That’s the podcast for today! If you liked this podcast, tell a friend, and don’t forget to rate and review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Tune in weekly to Teachers in Transition where we discuss Job Search strategies as well as stress management techniques.  And I want to hear from you!  Please reach out and leave me a message at Vanessa@Teachersintransition.com  You can also leave a voicemail or text at 512-640-9099. 

I’ll see you here again next week and remember – YOU are amazing!