Thinking of training to be a primary teacher.

[mankyscotslass]

Can any teachers out there be honest with me? How hard is it? Is it worth it in terms of job satisfaction or am I setting myself up for stress and heartbreak?
I have been a SAHM for 5 years, but have recently been able to help out on occasion in eldest DS school. I loved it, and it made me think about career options when youngest Manky starts school in 3 years time. I wanted a career change,I was previously in a totally different field.
I have no degree, but am educated to Scottish CSYS standard, so I would be doing the degree and training along side each other. Am I nuts?

[jennifersofia]

The good bit - v. satisfying in the feeling that you are actually helping someone (or more than one person even!). Can be fun. Children are interesting. Never ever boring. V. engaging.

The bad bit - 60 hr wk (2nd yr teaching, but many colleagues who have been teaching for 10+ yrs still work 50 hrs). Never ever feeling like things are finished. Can feel v. stressful.

If you loved it you should go for it, but be prepared for lots of work!

[ScaryScienceT]

If you know what is like and are comfortable with the classroom enviroment, then you are half way there.

I don't thnk the actual training is very traumatic. When I did my PGCE, I pretty much stuck within my previous life of 'office hours'.

[PanicPants]

It is very hard work. I work a full day at school (I get there at 8am, leave at 5 to pick up ds from cm, feed him, bath and bed)

Then start my preparation for the next day - on avarage between 8-10pm spent working each evening. Not forgetting recording keeping, planning meetings etc which are all on top of that working day.

Then, when you have a co-ordinator responsibility you will have extra on top of that, although in your first year you won't have to do this.

I couldn't train (which is harder than once you qualify) and have a family.

Having said that, I do like my job, but wish I'd known what it was like before training.

Also it's worth knowing that the amount of work/pressure can vary from school to school.

I'm in primary btw

HTH

[mankyscotslass]

Thank you all for your opinions...I am seriously considering it as an option. A big thing for me is the fact that I love reading and finding things out and watching "light dawn where it was dark before" for my kids when we are doing something. I want more kids to be able to lose themselves in reading/learning. Maybe I am just dreaming and the reality will be awful!
I really need to look into what's involved I think. Thanks again!

[OverMyDeadBody]

Hi,

Just saw your thread and wanted to offer some advice from my own experience. You might want to look into whether there are actually any shortages of primary teachers where you want to end up working and how often jobs actually come up. From my experience I moved back home after doing my PGCE and NQT year and searched in vain for a year to find work, aparantly everyone wants to work in the schools round here and far too many people are training as primary teachers. Was competing with 200+ other applicants for every job.

I gave it up and started my own business.

If it's inner city schools you're after, you'll be fine though

[constancereader]

Go for it, I loved my job. The children were great and I miss them a lot now I am a SAHM. I will go back to it at some point.

I found that once I became more experienced my workload dropped considerably. This could have been because I worked in a school where the head was very keen on only doing paperwork if it was of benefit to you or the children. So planning etc was kept to a minimum with no repetition.

OverMyDeadBody is right about checking your area for jobs, they are stopping the BA course in my local college due to an over supply of teachers.

[Blandmum]

It is very hard work while you train. It is a very hard job once you have trained (I'm in secondary) It is, in spite of the work (and people telling you what an easy time teachers have!) the best job I have ever had (and I've had lots of different jobs)

[tigerschick]

I agree that it is very hard work - and that's not counting having to put up with all the "you get 13 weeks holiday" and "9-3 isn't a full time job" comments.

I found my first 2 years really hard work and put this down to my inexperience. Then I moved areas, went on supply and discovered that, yes I had been inexperienced but the way the school was run/worked was contributing massively to the hardship. What I'm trying to say is that it varies a lot from school to school and there is no guarantee what kind of school you could end up with.

If you really do feel a 'calling' (for want of a better phrase) then it can be truely rewarding and a fantastic choice. If not then I'd rethink. But you say that you are looking at training in 3 years so you've got plenty of time to think about it

[spookykitty]

hi mankyscotslass I'm looking to retrain as a teacher once DD2 is at school so 3 years for me too, I suppose I am luckier as I have a degree already so just need to do teh one year post grad course, I actually had an interview for Strathclyde Uni but got pregnant with DD2 so declined it. I can't quite decided between Primary or Secondary right now bt as someone said we both have plenty of time to think about it.

[mankyscotslass]

Thanks again everyone!
I have decided to help out more in school (if I am wanted), as often as possible and re-asses in 18mths time. I never thought about lack of jobs, will definetely investigate, thanks for the tip.
Good luck Spooky! I think primary will be where I go, I want to instil a love of learning from an early age.
Some of the CH4 programmes this week have horrified me, it's so sad, there just arent the resources. I think the steps in Scotland towards smaller primary classes are great.
Although I think ultimately it comes down to parental involvement and encouragement, I feel teachers can inspire too.