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Help. Leaving the teaching profession. Who has done it and now what do you do?

28 replies

Emmastone123 · 05/02/2017 14:39

27 and live in central London. Have been a teacher for 3 years and hating it - currently at a private prep school. Finding the parents a bit of a nightmare, but not only that, just finding the actual teaching exhausting. Voice hurts at the end of the day and finding no energy to actually be 'me'. I suffer from anxiety and find teaching quite a 'personal' career, so just find my anxiety levels are sky high as I take everything so personally.

Would need a job that pays at least 29,000 a year, give or take and something that invovles people. Am happy to retrain but I'm so struck! Looked into training as an antenatal teacher as I'm I obsessed with babies, but it takes two years...

Any replies and suggestions would be much appreciated! Smile

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MrsGuyOfGisbo · 05/02/2017 15:07

Call centre?
www.totaljobs.com/salary-checker/average-call-centre-salary

How much do Call Centre jobs pay in different locations?
Location
verage
Range
Monthly change*
Jobs
City, London £32,500 - view jobs

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GoodMorningSunshine · 05/02/2017 15:23

Hi OP

Sorry to hear this, but you've got to do what's right for you? Had you looked into the Antenatal Teaching with thedaisyfoundation.com?

Highly recommended Smile

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f83mx · 05/02/2017 15:25

Look at the Civil Service graduate schemes, cross country positions, decent enough starting pay, varied jobs.....

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70ontheinside · 05/02/2017 19:47

How many schools have you worked in? Maybe a different school would be a better fit?

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GimmeeMoore · 06/02/2017 21:14

What's an antenatal teacher sounds a bit woofy,all ommm and natural birthing?

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temporarilyjerry · 07/02/2017 11:36

A former colleague has just begun to work at a recruitment agency.

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JenniferYellowHat1980 · 07/02/2017 21:36

Would you not have to be a midwife first to train as an antenatal teacher?

You probably don't want to hear this but I stopped teaching last year. I'm working in a low paid NHS job and thinking that realistically I'm better off getting back into teaching. There are limited prospects in my current role and I have no professional autonomy or input.

You may be luckier than me in that there are no well paid jobs that I could transfer my skills over to in my area.

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HuckleberryGin · 07/02/2017 21:38

I work as an Adviser for a teaching union.

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Emmastone123 · 08/02/2017 06:27

Thanks everyone. Yellow hat I appareciate your honesty! To be honest, what you've described is my fear - leaving and getting into a job where I have no autonomy or prospects. I've worked hard to become established but I'm just really not enjoying it. London may be better but you have a good point.
I have tried other schools and this last one was a kind of make or break in my head. Hope I can come to some conclusion in my head, as I'm aware the grasss is mostly not always greener!!!
Just about to trudge off now for an early morning prep session... boooooooo

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HarryTheHippo · 08/02/2017 06:33

I'd retrain now when you're young. Being 40 and looking for a different job is so soul destroying.

What are you interested in? Ed psych? Ot? Social work?

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GimmeeMoore · 08/02/2017 19:35

If you go into NHS in unqualified role you'll probably find it culture shock
antenatal teacher isn't a protected title or profession.its unregistered and unregulated
I can't see the career progression other than train as midwife
Liking babies isn't same as being NCT teacher.youll have limited autonomy and prospects

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grandmainmypocket · 08/02/2017 19:47

I suffer with anxiety and from my experience what I would say is most jobs which pay well will involve some level of stress. I appreciate teaching in a private school has its own set of demands.

Look for something you enjoy but also look at getting support with the anxiety. I apologise, i know it doesn't answer your question but it's what I've learnt from my experience.

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Emmastone123 · 08/02/2017 20:23

Thanks guys... harry, the problem is I don't know! Lots of people have mentioned OT, anyone on here know much about that? Can offer some insight?
I am fully aware the grass isn't always greener.. it's most usually browner! However, I just feel I really don't enjoy what I do....ultimately. The sad thing is I've lost my patience with the kids and I don't think it's fair to be a teacher and not really enjoy it.... especially on the children themselves...

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slug · 08/02/2017 20:55

I'm a learning technologist. I work in a university putting teaching materials online. You don't have to be massively techy, most of us are former teachers, former administrators or the occasional refugee from IT.

If you are comfortable with technology (no coding needed) it's worth having a look at. The advantages are, you already have the basic skill set, it pays OK and you get lunch breaks. I mostly work with lecturers, though I still talk to students a fair bit. I also do a fair amount of training.

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GimmeeMoore · 08/02/2017 21:00

As a graduate you'd be able to do an accelerated postgrad in OT
OT train in health and social care,work with adults,children.usually specialise after a rotation. Usual NHS t&c eg 4week,usual mon-fri 9-5 potentially some late and or early starts in hospital acute teams. It's hierarchical like all health care,and majority ot specialise in physical health e.g. Orthopaedic, stroke, neuro, paediatric etc. OT also work in local authorities, and mental health setting

OTs often say they feel misunderstood and stereotyped with basket weaving jokes

OT training includes biology/anatomy and placement in hospital settings

You won't get a bursary you'll need to take a student loan

From 1 August 2017, new nursing, midwifery and most allied health students will no longer receive NHS bursaries. Instead, they will have access to the same student loans system as other students. This applies to new students on pre-registration courses (those which lead to registration with one of the health professional regulators).

Students who already have a degree and are planning to undertake a nursing, midwifery or allied health profession subject as a second degree will now also have access to student loans through the student loans system

New NHS bursary Courses affected:

Nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning and disability)
Midwifery
Dietetics
Occupational therapy
Orthoptics
Orthotics and prosthetics
Physiotherapy
Podiatry/chiropody
Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
Speech and language therapy
Operating department practitioner
This change applies only to new students.

New students are defined as starting a course:

for the first time on 1 August 2017 or later

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JenniferYellowHat1980 · 08/02/2017 21:04

I hear you re losing patience with the kids and feeling it unfair on them to stay on teaching. It's called professional integrity.

Over the last year I've done a lot of research into other careers.

OT. I did some shadowing but felt that I didn't love it enough to get £60k into debt to do it. That said, the repayment per month would be small on band 5. The other issue with training to become a health professional is the very low income whilst training: around £800 a month which of course has to be paid back. With OT specifically, I think it was the feeling that the field is the poor relation to physio when I saw an OT and a physio working collaboratively. Perhaps that's because I aspired to be an OT as a teenager (my science teachers couldn't have given less of a shit though - I've now got a distinction non access to science).

Radiography - felt very detached from the patients, particularly the sonographer who slammed the door on 'hangers-on' (i.e. relatives) waiting with patients to be seen. I'd been standing in that spot not long before with my dying DM.

Nursing I haven't done any shadowing of. I fancy certain areas of it but not the generalised training.

I have actually had a really good day at work today. I like being busy but because of the geography of my area, sometimes I'm not. Today I really was!

Independent school - I'm currently teaching the other couple of days at a non-selective girls' school and am shocked at the low standards and lack of money for anything.

If it were practical I'd go into physio or train as a SALT now. I'm also considering a specialist SEN qualification in sensory impairment.

Sorry about the ramble. I'm not that much clearer a year after leaving!

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JenniferYellowHat1980 · 08/02/2017 21:05

I meant I aspired to be a physiotherapist as a teenager.

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GimmeeMoore · 08/02/2017 21:17

I don't mean to despirit you but you need to be emotionally resilient for NHS career
If you suffer anxiety and take things personally the NHS will be a tough career decision with all the pressure on frontline staff
If you can,I'd address the anxiety before embarking on career change and shadow an ot, find out about the training

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hackneyzoo · 08/02/2017 21:19

I did an p/t MSc in psychology and am now working as an assistant Ed Psych and will train as an Ed Psych if/when I get on the doctorate. The assistant work is brilliant, really varied, not stressful, I work with families, teachers, children, delivering intervention, assessment and training. Pay isn't amazing, but will be on a par with teaching once qualified, and for now, the doctorate is funded.

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HarryTheHippo · 08/02/2017 21:54

I'd love to do that Hackney. Ive got a good psych degree and teaching experience.

Do you sometimes feel the school won't follow up recommendations/ that there isn't the funding etc?are there many older people training?

I suspect by the time I get around to it the doctorate won't be funded. (and we'd have to move. And placements...)

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hackneyzoo · 08/02/2017 22:14

Harry, yes sometimes schools don't follow up recommendations for a wide range of reasons, funding, staffing, having a different agenda...so it's still frustrating, but I feel that I am able to advocate more for the children and families I work with and it's useful to work closely with the school, but be separate iyswim.

I think the average age on the doctorate is 28 or 29. I haven't got on it yet and am 37, so will be 40+ if I do get on and qualify....but that's my worry, funding isn't secured for 2018 and there's no guarantee it will be.

I do know you are allowed to do placements in your locality and some unis in London let you skype for tutorials and do your placements in other parts of the country...

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HarryTheHippo · 09/02/2017 04:01

We're similar age but I don't have the ED psych assistant experience. Have you applied already? I know it's competitive.

Im not in London (used to be at the point I started my psych conversion) but that interesting!

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YorkshireTree · 09/02/2017 14:11

I became a civil servant. It's easier work (although technically challenging) and it pays more. Less stress and I don't take work home.

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hackneyzoo · 09/02/2017 19:59

Harry I'm not in London anymore, am in the NE. TBH where I work there are lots of trainee EPs who are on the course and the assistant experience is not necessary...I just saw the assistant post advertised and went for it as I was so fed up with my teaching post and had resigned with nothing concrete to go to anyway...so was very lucky!
As long as you have experience that shows you applied psychology in your day to day practice that is what matters. I couldn't face applying this year after finishing MSc whilst working last year...but will next year. 100 applicants for every 10 places in Newcastle, where I'm applying.

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einalem1984 · 09/02/2017 22:11

From personal experience I know how hard teaching is and how it can take over your life! I have a couple of friends who gave up teaching because they wanted children and wouldn't have a work/life balance. It's also worth bearing in mind that maybe the school you're at is wrong, you could change schools? If you enjoy looking after babies could you train as a midwife?

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