To want to train as a teacher

You do not need to be physically large to exert control! small and powerful does exist!

I think you should give it a go if you’d like to! I don’t think there’s as much demand for primary teachers, so maybe check that for the area you live in. I’m a secondary teacher. I’ve had some horrendous experiences over the years, but I’ve been at a great school for a few years now and I love my job.

Teacher of 26 years here. 25 in state secondary. The last I would say, 8-10 years have been incredibly tough for us all.

You do make a difference. Some students will remember you for ever and you really can change lives. It can be lots of fun, you learn loads, and work colleagues can become really good friends.

The workload is never ending, and the mental load can be incredibly heavy. Teaching skills, getting experienced, good subject knowledge and strong behaviour management are key. You will need good support systems in and out of school, and huge resilience to mitigate against it all. The holidays are when you crash and burn, and usually get ill...

I would say, do the training, see how you get on. You might love it, you might bear it for a while, you might really hate it, but you wont know unless you try.
As someone else upthread said, do not expect it to be for life, most young teachers leave within 5 years. You will gain bags of life experience and transferable skills though!

Good luck.

We do need good young teachers in schools!

I left teaching a few years ago after 20 years. I’d never go back.

I was advised not to train 25 years ago. I didn't listen and, 25 years on, I'm glad I didn't. I enjoy my job (mostly) but you need the right department in the right school etc. Go for it.

OP - what’s your uni subject? Ima secondary school teacher and think that in many ways it’s more manageable than primary. If you love your subject and choose your school carefully it can be fantastic. As a counter to all the doom and gloom on here I’m about to start my 31st year of teaching- 20 at the same school and absolutely love it. Looking forward to going back in September.

What about becoming a private tutor in a subject you enjoy? Home-education is at an all time high, and will likely get higher still.

Managing SEND in mainstream is very hard. Somehow you still have to get them to expected!

I used to be a teacher - there is a lot that I miss - kids are so fun, every day is different, when it's going well it's the best job in the world. But the conditions are extremely hard these days - it is not the job it used to be and I wouldn't recommend it.

Is teaching really that bad? AIBU to think I could enjoy it?

Yes is that bad. I enjoyed some of it like teaching children to read, curriculum design and organising school trips but the relentlessness of it, parental neediness, constant busywork because policy says so, displays, the constant feeling that you must do better to the point where nothing you do is ever good enough etc etc did me in and I left mainstream primary teaching less than four years after qualifying.
Do it if you have no family, friends, hobbies or life and can devote every evening, weekend and at least half of your holiday time to work.

Definitely, I worked in mainstream for about 10 years the SEN Provision is too depressing.

I do find the workload manageable, and I honestly dont think the teacher pays is bad! (Like everyone else says) its Autism/SEMH, boys only - which makes things easier, the kids are absolutely awesome, obviously there is difficult staff but that's everywhere right? I'd say if you are an empathetic nurturing type then work at a SEN school 😊

Staff in special schools are often very supportive of both students and one another. Special schools can be incredibly life enhancing places.

SEN support in mainstream is so often the opposite.

If you have SEN experience, have a look at OT training as well as teaching.

I’m a HLTA and I’m often told to train to be a teacher as I don’t get paid much but teach classes. BUT, I don’t have to plan and I walk away at the end of the day. I see the burn out, the lack of respect from chn and their parents and the constant goalpost shifts from the government and Ofsted and I don’t want that. It already affects me but not on a personal level as I’m not a class teacher.

I'm a Primary Headteacher and have been in teaching for twenty years, so I'd be a hypocrite to say don't do it. But it's HARD. In this current climate we are being asked to work actual miracles and I'm quite certain every one of my staff has been sorely tempted to literally stop what they're doing, walk out the door and never come back.
But it's very bloody rewarding much of the time. If you can cope with a job you never switch off from during term time, I'd say go for it.

You can PM me op - I can give you some honest advice and yes I would say do it but only in the right school

And smaller classes, no pressure on grades etc

Im a teacher at a SEN school and its waaaayyyyy better than working in mainstream schools. Less politics etc. Do it.