To dread going back to teach

Ive met some awful teachers and ive met some bloody good ones .

But over the past 20 or so years ive noticed that some parents think teachers are there to parent their children there teachers they teach things .
I also saw a mum flip at a teacher once because the teacher told her child off for being rude in class and didnt get a sticker for her chart she wanted the teacher to be sacked on the spot not even joking .

But i do feel sorry for some teachers because now days theres so many genders what if they get it wrong and little jimmy is a cat or little mary has no gender or 4-5 year olds change in the class room for pe will the parents think this is bizarre behaviour .
Id rather work at asda .

I can see a lot of teachers leaving the profession .
GOOD LUCK TO ALL FOR THE NEW TERM.

About to start my 27th year and 22nd at the same school. Once you are back in the swing of it you should feel better. I also survive by teaching part time if that's an option.

I'm starting my 13th year tomorrow. Secondary teacher and head of department for a core subject.

I always feel jittery/anxious just prior to the September term starting. It's the same every year and has been in all 3 schools I have worked in. I also get the back to work weird dreams - no bloody idea how as I don't even sleep well for 2 nights before I go back!

That said, I know I will be fine once I get going. I always am. INSET Mon/Tue will be hardest for me personally - my colleagues are nice people but I'm not sure I fit too well socially. So making small talk is tricky. Once the kids are back Wednesday and I am back in my zone, I will be fine.

I still love teaching and being in the classroom. I love leading my department and focusing on curriculum, teaching and learning. That's the key for me.

If you still love the actual teaching, could you drop a day or change school? If not, then definitely have a look for something else - there are so many options out there.

I hope the start of term goes smoothly for you.

I handed my notice in and so not going back this September.

I thought I would be feeling upset by it but I have nothing but relief.

I am getting all of the emails still and I’m still good friends with my colleagues and so I’m hearing all of the anxiety and stress that goes along with it and feeling so good about not going back.

I absolutely love teaching and I am planning to have a couple of years off and then decide whether to go back.

I am going to miss the holidays but I feel they were the main reason for keeping me in a job that was causing me so much stress I was becoming ill.

To have my evenings and weekends back is hopefully going to actually work out much better for my MH.
I have also booked my first ever holiday abroad and it’s so cheap compared to the school holiday prices!

Once you are back and see the students you will feel much better but I would consider taking a year or 2 out and just having that break.

Of course you need to think about how many years you’ve been teaching and how easy it will be for you to get another teaching job.

I know someone who has been teaching for 20 years and is struggling with ill health due to the stress of the job.
She has another 20 years before retirement and isn’t sure she can cope doing the job for that long but she’s worried that if she leaves and regrets it, she is going to find it difficult to get another teaching job which pays her current salary.

You're welcome to retrain to teach if you think it's so easy. I believe there are plenty of vacancies.

Yes.

I was on tes boards.

I'll pm you as outing

I haven't slept properly since Wednesday. Hate the going back to work anxiety!!

I left teaching a few years ago (taught for 14 yrs) and I still get anxiety dreams about being back in the classroom!

I moved into working in higher education and I love it. There's loads of ex teachers in all sorts of roles on my campus. Our skills are recognised and valued. I can certainly recommend it.

If you get less than 3 weeks off your employer is breaking the law! I'm also wondering what kind of job you do where you have days free to patrol school car parks. 😂
Final thought...did you know that teachers don't actually need to be in the school building to be working? There is a lot of admin and preparation that can be done at home and on computers.

I did 13 years and it nearly broke me. I spent 4 years back at uni retraining and loving my new career! Never too late for a change.

Is it more teaching in general or rather the school you're teaching in? Perhaps a change of scenery is what's needed to make your mind up for sure.

All the best op, and positivity

It can be hard leaving teaching, with long notice periods and uncertainty about the future - but do it anyway! When you write your new CV, emphasise the transferable skills you have acquired: multi-tasking, managing different groups of people, conveying information in an easy, relaxed, comprehensible style, delivering projects in frequently difficult conditions, that sort of thing. Teachers can be seen as bossy loners, so do what you can to come across as a team player.
I signed up with various agencies and did several temp jobs to get back into the workplace, and that helped.

I hope you're not teaching English!

@LindaCrochet perhaps you should teach!
Personally I love teaching but it definitely depends on your school. No one should feel anxious going in to work - life is too short. And that’s got nothing to do with being ‘lazy.’

The holidays are definitely a huge perk for me, but term time is so pressured and I don’t get to choose my holidays or get to go to my own kids’ sports days or plays in the daytime. So you take the rough with the smooth there.

I go back on the 4th. It is hard because it was my little girl’s due date but we lost her, so life goes on.

I can't wait to get out. 1 more year till we can stop paying childcare fees and I can leave! I'm counting down the days...

Off topic, but @ilovesooty, were you on the old TES forums?

I work for a government body and currently supporting a project in a junior project management role.

I always feel apprehensive at the start of September- I think that's normal.
I really do forget how to do it, but one day in and it's fine!

I left teaching 7 years ago and retrained as a Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor. My teaching skills come in very handy.
I absolutely love my new role.

Can I ask those of you who have left and are happier in a new job what you do now? I want to throw myself into retraining this year but don’t want to get it wrong and am maybe suffering a crisis in confidence. I am starting my 17th year. There are still so many things I love about teaching but feel like I need this to be my last year. I can’t keep telling my own children I can’t do xyz on an evening because I need to work.

I'm looking forward to going back!

As much as I've had fun with my 3 kids, I really miss being able to pee without someone yelling though the door at me!

Apprehension is normal pre September return!