I'm quitting teaching, I've decided, AIBU?

Well done on lasting so long!

Good advice too. I especially like relaying back your notes at any meeting.

@Teenagehorrorbag for most teachers, teaching IS a vocation. Most teachers will say they love the actual job of teaching but quit because of all the other stuff: the bullying (amongst staff), the ridiculous paperwork, the inane target setting, the long hours, the toxic culture, ofsted and more.

I agree with your theory.

Seen the insecurity of incompetent SLT and HTs who know no other way of life. Bullying is part of being a pupil and becomes part of being a teacher/management. The cycle continues on and on…

I also agree with the other poster who says they are threatened by you if you’re competent and skilful. You’d think they’d want teachers like that but many are simply threatened and want yes men.

I got out a few years ago after ten years of teaching. Never again will I teach.

It may be worth finding value post in a different school first as you say you essentially like what you do and give that a go. I do really feel for you. Supply work is an option too. This is now much more controllable than it used to be.

I am wondering how many ‘extra’ maths teachers will materialise- will those who consecutively leave be counted?

If my last school is anything to go by, they'll be PE teachers, Classics teachers or any of the other few subjects that are oversubscribed and be told they'll be teaching their specialist subject, but end up teaching mostly Maths with maybe 1-2 hours of their actual subject per week thrown in.

I’m so sorry @Delilahhhh but glad to hear you are OK now. The OP doesn’t sound far behind either.
I feel so sorry for teachers and children who want to learn too.
I attended a very rough school and the experience made me determined if I had children they would not go through anything similar, thank goodness we are looking at Uni stage now.
There doesn’t seem to be any viable way forward either with private schools likely closing so even less opportunities to move.
I really wish you well OP there will be so many jobs you are already really well equipped for.
I am wondering how many ‘extra’ maths teachers will materialise- will those who consecutively leave be counted?
Money clearly isn’t an answer here and I despair all the fantastic ‘committed to teaching and children’ type teachers are feeling they need to leave.

It breaks my heart to keep reading these threads on here. Teaching is a vocation, and if it's so awful there will be no-one left to teach our kids A bit like the nhs....

I agree with an earlier poster that teachers are not taught how to manage colleagues. Even headteachers can reach that level with no clue, and prior to academies had never had anyone to answer to. I moved from an HR role in a national private company to a small p/t job in a local secondary school when i had children, it was a massive culture shock! Like the dark ages - but you can see why as there' s no oversight.

I'm not sure academies are the right solution for education in the UK, but they will at least hopefully provide some support and training going forwards.

I'm happy to be paid less initially if there's a prospect of it improving. I already earn much less in adult Ed... Thanks. Was it easy to progressfeom an entry level admin role up?

I did take a pay cut just to get out, have since been promoted to similar upper teaching salary level. But was in a lucky position to be able to do this, I know it’s very hard to quit for a lot of teachers. I had to think about transferable skills and get creative with a new CV

Are you earning a graduate level wage though? Or did you go in and work up?

Go for it, I promise you will not regret it for a moment. I left and am never setting foot in a classroom again.
I applied for admin jobs in HE and charities, there’s lots of positions out there. Good luck x

@thequickbrowndog I’m an ex secondary school teacher. Don’t regret quitting for one minute! Took a while to stop having nightmares about the job after I left. Go for it!

I left about 5 years ago, managed to get redundancy, had enjoyed the job for about 17 years in FE college....a new vile evil toxic manager was brought in...she was clueless and a nasty bully plus a crap teacher....am happy I got a deal to leave and she left a few months before me....over promoted to a university job now.....If i ever saw her cross the road, am sure my foot would slip on the accelerator....still despise the woman, so many good staff left because of her behaviour. i now do gardening and part time tutoring.

Go work in special. It's much nicer, even ta's and teachers are treated equally :-)

Id like to think I'd similarly be a good and skillwdemployee but I can't see how to get into an organisation or which one! I'd be happy aiming at 35 these days!

Oh Wow!! I've looked at some much lower paid L and d roles and not felt qualified! I haven't got the cipd certificate or relevant experience.

Well done. It's so hard to see how to do it.

@FriendlyRobin I don't want to be too outing but I think my natural next move within the company would be into an L and D role that would match UPS.

Don't get me wrong, I've been lucky to find myself in this position in an organisation with great potential for career progression. But maybe it's not luck, maybe by teaching experience has actually made me a valuable employee. Getting my foot in the door was definitely the hardest thing to do, but now I'm here, it's great.

I got out of teaching and was never happier. I didn’t start teaching till I was 36 having been a mature student,
My theory - Most teachers have no experience in any other field apart from teaching.
They go to school till they’re 18, they go to Uni, then they start teaching.
So they’ve never had any real “ life “ experience work-wise. Consequently a lot of them still have a school mentality, quite narrow minded and parochial.
I couldn’t believe how terrified most of them were of the Headteacher - particularly in Primary School.
Just my thoughts, but so glad I got out of it in my early 50’s.

I left classroom teaching and didn't look back. The relief I felt was incredible!

I spent some time as an administrator and was then approached with an invitation to become a tutor. It doesn't pay as much and the hours are sometimes odd but it was the best move I ever made - lovely students, nice parents and a great feeling of job satisfaction. There is life beyond the classroom!

Thanks miaweee that's something I'll look at.

I've wondered about trying to leap Into L and D but it's a different career path.

@FriendlyRobin creating educational content online. There are places out there who actively want ex-teachers.

Hi!

Teacher here! There are some freaks in teaching. That’s the conclusion I have drawn after 28 years. Here’s what I would do

1. Use you time before the start of term to sort out your paperwork/ CV so that you can hit the ground running with job applications in September. If you’re core you know you’ll have choices at least.
2. Once you’re back in September see HR and ask them to hit you with ALL the support available - counselling, one to one, how to lodge formal complaints.
3. Make an appointment to see your union rep to look at your options so that you can be certain you’re going by the book.
4. If you’ve decided that it’s time to leave your current school put your energy into your planning, marking and teaching. Nothing else matters. Attend meetings when required but write down everything which is said to you and relay it back to them so that the bully clocks what you’re doing.
5. Do not engage in workplace chat. Leave as early as you can.
6. Spend your time off doing stuff for yourself to boost your self esteem and improve your job prospects.

Enjoy the process of disengaging from a toxic environment. Consider how this came about so that you don’t find yourself there again. X

It's so frustrating everyone seems to drop down into quite low wage jobs.

Its so hard. Just when friends and family are jumping "up" or settling into flexitime higher level jobs we're ending up looking at entry level jobs.

Good for you making that decision, wish I could finish, I’m dreading going back. I’m home/family liaison so deal with parents and poor attendance etc. I don’t want to sort out anyone’s lack of parenting anymore! I’m done but can’t quit yet.

Do some private tuition! Fewer hours more pay and you have your own business!