Teachers training should I do it?

[bashoono25]

I'm looking to retrain after being a stay at home mum for 2 years. Should I go into teaching? I don't want something that will take over my life. 🙈

[PurpleDaisies]

If you don’t want something that will take over your life, teaching is about the worst choice you can make.

Do you know any teachers?

[sixtimes]

Teaching is all encompassing and all consuming. When I first qualified 20 years ago, was single and child free and was able to give it the time it demanded. I'm now married with kids and went part time when my first child was a baby. I don't regret it at all as I could not commit the levels of energy or time it needs. I now work 3 days a week but spend a fair amount of my 2 days off and other evenings working. Also, I was very lucky to get the part time post - they are very few and far between.

[Pinkflipflop85]

If you dont want something that takes over your life then run far far away from teaching.

It's not the sort of career you just get in to on a whim!

[bashoono25]

Thanks - that was my fear with the part time posts. I wouldn't want to do full time but can you just walk into a part time post?

[bashoono25]

Yes my friends are teachers. They are busy. Is it worth the long hours? My friends are always busy and seem important.

[noblegiraffe]

No you can’t just walk into a part time post, teaching is notoriously bad for flexible working - the percentage of part time teachers is much lower than the national average despite teaching being a female dominated profession.

It’s also very hard to find part time training routes.

[bashoono25]

What's good for flexible working?

[Selfsettling3]

Teaching will take over your life.

What appeals about teaching?

[bashoono25]

The pay and working with kids.

[fedup21]

I don't want something that will take over my life.

There are thousands of different jobs in the world. What on earth would possess you to go into teaching if you don’t want something that will take over your life?!

Have you spoken to any teachers lately?

[Selfsettling3]

Per hour at the start I worked out I was earning less than minimum wage per hour. Teaching is very different to playing with children.

[fedup21]

The pay and working with kids

As long as you are aware that the scope for progressing up through the pay scale is extremely limited due to school budgets being so tight.

[bashoono25]

@selfsettling enlighten me. Not in a sarcastic way either. Genuinely.

[fedup21]

enlighten me.

What exactly do you want to be enlightened about?

The 60 hour working weeks or that it’s not just playing with children?

How much school-based voluntary work have you done?

[Tippexy]

Teachers do long hours during term time, this much is true.

Sometimes they seem to think they are the only profession that does long hours, at least on Mumsnet.

[Selfsettling3]

Do you want to teach primary? Which key stage? Secondary? Which subject? This will make a big difference to experience but ultimately children are date and you need to make them all make progress or be at the stage level despite different starting points.

[fedup21]

Sometimes they seem to think they are the only profession that does long hours, at least on Mumsnet.

For what it’s worth, I have never seen a teacher post that they think they are the only profession that does long hours.

I was simply surprised that the OP is primarily interested in a job that doesn’t take over her life and I wouldn’t particularly recommend teaching if that’s your criteria.

My DH works in IT-he works 9-6 and WFH 3 days a week. The role is very flexible and he can make up time as and when if he needs to go to things at the kids’ school and can easily be at home if the kids are ill/have a snow day/Inset etc. He doesn’t work in the evenings or at weekends and has 6 weeks holiday to take when he chooses (as well as a birthday day off!) and be gets paid £20k more a year than I do.

If I was looking to train in a completely new role starting from scratch, I’d say something like that was much better in the ‘not taking over your life’ stakes.

[Downton57]

@Tippexy please don't turn this into a teacher bashing thread. The OP asked if teaching is a good option as 'work that doesn't take over one's life' and teachers are quite rightly saying no, it really isn't. There are lots of other jobs the teachers could have said exactly the same about, but the OP didn't ask about those.

[bashoono25]

I've worked as a teaching assistant.
@fedup21 what is his job in IT. Can you elaborate? It is something like that I would like. Flexible. I'm not looking for an easy job but my kids come first. I will not compromise on that.

[fedup21]

He is a developer/analyst-sorry, I’m not quite sure exactly what he does!

He did an MSc in IT when I did my PGCE-so the same amount of training for each of us. His work/life balance is much better though.

[fishonabicycle]

My stepdaughter moved to teaching because she wanted to start a family. She loves it, the holidays suit her and she says the hours are less than her previous job in research.

[bashoono25]

@fedup21 wow. Thank you

[BackforGood]

Should I go into teaching? I don't want something that will take over my life

Just reiterating that the answer has to be 'no' if you don't want something that takes over your life.

I'm not looking for an easy job but my kids come first. I will not compromise on that.

During Term time, teaching is one of the least flexible jobs there is (outside of being in the armed forces of working on the oil rigs where you are literally away from home for weeks or months at a time).

@Tippexy
No-one is saying that - nor have I ever seen it on MN. People are answering the OP's question.
She hasn't asked about being a hedge fund manager or being a chef (both of which I believe have incredibly long hours) - she asked a specific question about teaching, so teachers are answering it.

[fedup21]

she asked a specific question about teaching, so teachers are answering it.

Yes, exactly.

[mamaduckbone]

Teaching and not taking over your life are two things that shouldn't really be said in the same sentence.
Holidays - great
Pay - OK
Work/life balance - none
Fitting around a family - nope, not in term time.