Is teaching really that bad?

[letmepeeinpeace]

I'm looking into training to be a TA which may lead to teaching (not sure yet). I'm finding mumsnet does not find teaching a positive career and I'm finding posts saying 'don't do it' 'I teached for a few years and it was hell'. Is it really THAT bad?!

[Imfinehowareyou]

Yes.

[madhamsters]

Sorry but if you say "teached " instead of "taught" it might be hell.

[Cataline]

Yep. Awful! You put your heart and soul into it and it destroys you. I left recently and have never looked back.
I now have a job where I'm treated and respected as an intelligent and capable human being and I can do whatever I like with my eve I go and weekends.

[Cataline]

*evenings!
Bloody fat fingers

[Wait4nothing]

I love teaching - but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone - it’s full on and I’m only managing because I’m part time. I also can’t see myself doing it as I get older. It really does take over your life and has a detrimental effect to your mental health - even if you live the classroom bit!

[LadyLooLaa]

I do it. I love it. I have done it for 15 years. I don’t think I can sustain it. I can’t afford to leave it.

[Foxedme]

It's rewarding, but extremely hard work and you will never ever have enough time to do everything that is asked of you. The pressure now, compared to what it was 5, 10, 15 years ago is immense. Also worth noting is that the children seem to come to school with increasingly poor behaviour.

If you don't have kids and you can totally devote yourself to the job, it's not so bad.

This is an honest opinion. I'm not a negative person.

[HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone]

Yes! I'm supply at the moment looking to go back full time shortly and dreading it. Supply made me realise how much of the job is rubbish that has nothing to do with the children it has been amazing to have the chance just to teach again. I wouldn't do it again but unfortunately I have no idea what else I would do if I didn't teach so back to the madhouse for me...

[CraftyGin]

I’m a teacher and I love my job. I don’t recognise most of the descriptions of teaching that I read on Mumsnet.

[PinkAvocado]

I found it hard to teach full time in the state sector pre children and I certainly wouldn’t be able to recommend it as a career. it massively impacted my home life and I was deeply unhappy by the time I decided to leave. It wasn’t always like that.

[letmepeeinpeace]

I'm presuming TA work is easier but mumsnet (again!) say the pay is shit!

[Toolchest13]

I teach in FE. It’s great most of the time

[BobbinThreadbare123]

Teaching is balls. Far too much effort for increasingly little reward, both monetary and job satisfaction.

I stopped teaching and now do a job I actually get some respect in. Nobody has sworn at me, spat at me or thrown anything at me. Nobody speaks to me like I'm shit off their shoes anymore either. It's great.

[HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone]

In recent schools I have seen:
TAs who have little lunch time as they are either on first aid, duty or doing support groups.

TAs doing interventions before the school day begins at 8.30.

TAs expected to lead clubs at lunch or after school.

TAs being left in charge of classes without support.

All for rubbish pay.

[DandelionAndBedrock]

DP works in the City, and I work similar hours to him (for about 25% of the pay). No children yet, so it is easy for me to pretend I don't notice the long hours. My colleagues with small children are permanently exhausted and worried about dropping the ball.

Yes, it can be sole destroying and full of paperwork, but I'm getting quite good at compartmentalising and forgetting about that for the 6 hours I can actually interact with the children. I'm fortunate that my class are utterly delightful, though. Have heard horror stories that would make me think twice about certain schools.

[Jayfee]

I always loved teaching.

[peterpanwendy]

I started out as a TA and with the money side it is tempting to do initial teacher training. I went from being a TA to an NQT in 7 months and it's hell. I adore my job 8:30-3:30 and I am good at it, however everything else is hell. It's unsustainable, the money is not good enough for the workload and the work load is extreme. As sad as it is I wouldn't recommend it and I don't see myself doing it forever.

[Hannahfftl]

Ta work is hard too, and for such a pittance. I am a TA because I adore children and I am passionate about educating them. However I often end up taking work home/ staying after school because the workload is ridiculous and to enable me to support the children throughout the day I must complete other work unpaid.

I do intend on training to be a teacher, however I won't be going into this with Rose tinted glasses as I'm sure you won't after a period as a TA.

[cookiesaurus]

I love teaching! I've been teaching for 11 years now and whilst it isn't easy it does get a bit easier with each passing year. It would be nice if we could have a few years without any curriculum changes etc to allow us to have a bit breathing space! I teach A Level in a school and the marking is onerous but the students are delightful. I guess it depends on your tipping point / ability to manage stress and demands on your time.

[OneOfTheGrundys]

It’s the behaviour (secondary) that is the most wearing of all for me. I worked in prus before returning to mainstream and managing low level disruption is way more annoying for me than the high level stuff I worked with for years.
And the nagging, constant suspicion that you won’t be supported by parents.

[PumpkinPie2016]

I teach in a large, fairly average comprehensive school. I love my job - the kids, on the whole are great and I really like my school.
I lead a key stage in my subject area this year which I am also really enjoying.

The job, however, is an extremely demanding one and at times it can be very stressful e.g. for me, the most stressful thing at the moment is prepping my Y11 class for the exams - think I am more stressed than them!

I wouldn't do anything else though

[NovemberWitch]

I like teaching and have been one for decades. The current demands are such that I’m now a happy supply teacher, and the 1/3 paycut was a fair trade to dump the stress, politics and stress.

[Fizzandpeanuts]

I love teaching, always have and always will. It is hard to always read about people talking negatively about the job, yes is is full on and stressful but it is also highly rewarding, full of joyous moments and also has a range of progressive career opportunities, for those that wish to progress. There are some terrible schools who have poor leadership, these are often the cause of the sadness linked to teaching but the children are still deserving of the best we can provide. You cannot teach unless you love the job and throw yourself fully into interaction with the children. They are the whole reason for the school after all! There will be those that agree with me and those whom do not. To make your own choices you need experience in a school to see if it really is for you.

[physicskate]

I loved teaching at my first school, but found my boss very soul destroying. The only thing that makes teaching 'worth it' is the job satisfaction. Once that goes, it really is that bad. Second school, my boss was outstanding but the kids were... hm?.. wolves in sheep's clothing?? Pattern with schools repeated until my fourth and final school. I've just escaped with nothing to go to (except ivf) and no idea what to do next...

[physicskate]

Agree with fizz that you shouldn't be a teacher unless you feel really idealistically and the children's experience really drives you... get out if that isn't how you feel. The pupils deserve your all. I was just sick of getting it thrown back in my face...