Cheer me up

[AllWashedOut]

I left teaching secondary science over a decade ago. Haven't worked in a full-time, long term position since. Now finances are up in the air and I know I will need a proper paying job. Teaching is my only applied professional qualification (I did research before teaching). I'm 43 which to me seems too late to be requalifying as something else. I've signed up to a TSST course (as recommended here when I posted last year) to re-enter as a maths teacher. I like the idea of entering a shortage subject and possibly give me leverage to teach part-time.

Please, are there any positive stories from teachers who've re-entered the profession?

[Gremlin78]

I'm not a teacher who has re-entered the profession but I am an nqt and am 41 - it's not too late to change career!

[PenOrPencil]

If you can offer science with maths schools should bend over backwards for you!
Our newest physics teacher got all he asked for, eg part time and teach top sets only.

[Handbaghag]

Have you thought about signing up for tuition, marking, part time or supply? There was obviously a reason you have up in the first place. I would imagine going back is a very hard decision?

[AllWashedOut]

Thank you for the replies. The reasons I left were pupil behaviour, no time to deliver the quality of teaching I wanted, no support/backup from upper echelons of the school esp around poor behaviour. Going back is indeed a hard decision as there was nothing like the relief I felt in the days, weeks and months after I left. After many years in the wilderness (bringing up children and living in a rural part of the world with no high quality work) and a strong desire/need for financial independence, I'm tempted back. I think I'm a more level headed person, I'll have support from a counsellor, and if I can add maths, I hope I'll be able to work part time (thanks PenOrPencil for the optimistic news about your colleague).

[AllWashedOut]

In the time since I worked in school, I have done tuition, done after school clubs and even taught online. I have enjoyed each of these for different reasons but none of these remotely brings in the sort of money I want at this stage of my life unfortunately.

[likeafishneedsabike]

I’ve re-entered. I spent a decade doing teacherly things without being on a permanent teacher’s contract and rarely earning enough to pay tax (so not enough!)

The benefits outweigh the drawbacks , for sure. However, I chose my current school after touring about a dozen Pre-application. I can’t stress enough the importance of choosing the right school I’m which to re-start your teaching career.

[KickAssAngel]

Have you thought about private? I always thought I'd never do that but after relocating for DH's work I kind of feel into a job at a private school and I love it. I get so much satisfaction, better relationships with students and I really feel like I can deliver to the top of my ability. Surprisingly, it's far more left wing and inclusive than I expected.

[AllWashedOut]

I'll take your advice and check out some local private schools. I hadn't thought of that explicitly and it does make sense. Thank you.

[astuz]

I went back, but only took 2.5 years out. I left due to horrendous work-place bullying and at the time I left, I didn't ever want to go back into teaching, BUT, after doing an awful lot of research, teaching had far more pros, so I decided to suck it up.

Like you I felt I was too old to re-train (same age as you), I know people will say "you can do what you want at any age, start a new career at any age", BUT, the return on the investment gets less the older you get. Everything remotely interesting that I looked at required years of training eg. another degree and/or starting at the bottom of the pay ladder, i.e. back on about 22K. I just wanted to get a job and earn money. TBH there wasn't anything else that really grabbed me either. If I'd had a burning passion to do something different, then I would probably would have pursued that.

Other cons were: I was looking at office-based jobs, so I wouldn't have been able to leave until 5pm, and my DDs do loads of after school activities that mean I need to leave work earlier (which I can do in teaching, the downside being having to take the work home). Getting childcare in the school holidays would have been a ball-ache.

To get back into teaching, I did some supply first, decided I hated supply, especially being controlled by the agencies. So got a temp, maternity, part-time cover job in a school directly, and it was at that point that I landed on my feet. The school is lovely, management are so supportive, and I'm still working there now.

The key is to find the right school.

I wouldn't say I enjoy it, but the money is good, meaning I can live the lifestyle I want (a lot of travelling/holidays!), and it's definitely not boring. Workloads were very high when I first started back, like being an NQT again. I couldn't have worked full-time when I first started back (I am now).

With private schools, it depends where you live - I would really suit working in a private school, but there are hardly any of them round here. I've managed to get to interview a few times, but never got a job. They always seem to want someone who is offering to coach a sports team, and I'm not at all sporty.

[likeafishneedsabike]

Couple of things to watch out for with private. Pension - a lot of independents are opting out of TPS. Also hours. PP has mentioned the sporting expectations (fixtures can be miles away) but there is also the question of the school day length. Contact time until 5pm is a real possibility. It’s all compensated by longer holidays but IMO is only viable if you can afford to have your children at the school with you (depends on the staff discount!)