Any secondary English teachers around?

[Pretendbookworm]

I’ve just finished studying at university for an English Literature degree. Ive been studying part-time for 6 years while working as a carer for the elderly, the dream has always to be an English teacher. I had some amazing teachers when I was at school. I was a really lonely child with mentally ill parents. Books and a passion for reading and then talking/debating about them really helped me get through some tough times. I would love to see that light bulb moment myself, to have lively discussions with pupils about the texts and get a debate going. Tbh I just love to talk about books and wider meanings behind them. I would love to help encourage other pupils to find a love of books.

But....

Oh my god in the news every week. Teachers quitting. No work/life balance. It’s scaring me off. Is it really that bad? Does it get easier at all? Should I run for the hills? My problem is I have spent a year looking at other options, going for interviews etc and no one will have me as I only have experience working in care. So I’ve decided that despite the negative press I will follow my dream. Am I making a big mistake?

When it's good, it's great - and when it's bad, it's really bloody horrid.

Have you spent any time in schools recently OP? That's an important step in making the decision.

My instinct is that you are idealising the job somewhat , but most people do before they take it up, so that's not unusual!

What percentage of English teaching in secondary schools do you think involves talking about your love of books and the wider themes behind them?

It might not be as much as you are hoping for.

No don't, it's shit and the marking is horrendous!

noblegiraffe I did GCSE and English A-level, and the majority of the lessons on literature were about what the author meant, what were the themes, what relevance is the time when it was written, etc. That’s almost entirely the whole subject. Then it’s putting it into the context of how to pass exams on them.

piggywaspushed I have got a school experience day booked. Unfortunately due to timings etc it isn’t until after I have to send off applications. I can always withdraw them though...

RemusLupins oh yeah that’s the same for my current job. Just last night I was physically attacked by a patient, I have bleeding scratches down my arm. That’s not even that unusual. I have bodily fluids thrown at me or smeared down my arms on a weekly basis. On my feet for 12 hours. Hard work isn’t a stranger to me. But it’s always been physical hard work. But some days working in care I have a laugh with the patients, they can’t help being ill, some days it feels almost criminal to be paid for it because I just enjoyed being there and I’ve been privileged in some of the experiences I’ve had. I know how to take the bad with the good. It’s just very scary changing career.

Don’t do it. All you do is teach to a horrible shitty exam spec (AQA here).
Your try to foster a love of literature but really you are still teaching paper 1 section q 3 etc exam skills on a day to day basis.
And then they fuck your kids over by setting a question on the porter in Macbeth 🤯
It can be great but it’s hard work and the planning and marking take over your life.

I've name changes for this

I'm a secondary English HOD, been teaching for 12 years. I have two going dcs (well, primary age) and have always worked ft. I love it. But I am in a great school which has a sensible approach to workload which I think is key. It's a great job a lot of the time.

I actually love the new exam specs......much better than the days of controlled assessment...

But you won’t be an English Literature teacher, you’ll be an English teacher.

And possibly drama and media.

noblegiraffe yes I realise that. I have spent time looking into it rather than just daydreaming. I feel like you’re just trying to poke holes in what I’m saying rather than offering any helpful advice or your own personal experience as a teacher.

To be fair noble, she is right to an extent. The lion's share of what we do is Lit teaching. Even the Lang exams are taught through reading text.

I think it's more likely OP is idealising how much students might hang off her every word : that sounds a bit Dead Poets, hence why I asked about school visits..

OP, one day in a school is not enough to know what the job is like these days. An awful lot of the places you apply to (shortage or no shortage) will expect more than that out of you, to be honest.

Oooh, I posted that before the defensive comment!

@noblegiraffe I don't teach drama or media and neither do most members of my dept. Both Lang and Lit involve discussing texts and analysing language so it's seems a bit nit picky to comment as you have. I'm a HoD so obvs large elements of my job are not about teaching literature, but for a classroom teacher then a lot of it is.

piggywaspushed I know how my first post came across, but I’m really not that unrealistic. I’m talking about the really good moments that I remember from my school days, the highs that I remember and would love to experience from the other side. Most of them were at GCSE or a level though. I also remember a lot of drudgery during the lessons (for everyone involved) and even thinking to myself ‘I feel sorry for the teacher’ when I was at school as a kid. It’s that and the marking and work life balance which is making me hesitate. I was just outlining the main reason for wanting to go for it - the good times, and what I’d enjoy about the good times. Even if the fleeting. And only last 1 week of the year.

Even the Lang exams are taught through reading text.

Yeah but that’s not about inspiring a love of books...

If I said I wanted to become a maths teacher because I love maths and the beauty of proof and logic and I wanted to share this love with kids, it would not be unreasonable to point out that a lot of the day will be actually spent slogging through adding fractions with recalcitrant learners.

I don't teach drama or media and neither do most members of my dept.

I said possibly, not definitely. It certainly seems to tend to land on the English department though.

I have two friends who are teachers. They both love it. They both say finding the right school to work in is the key.

I think this might be a difference between maths and English in that we genuinely do discuss what we love every day! And , actually, across the ability scale, kids will do that. The backbreaking stuff is the marking, the behaviour management etc.

Ps I like media! would rather eat my own spleen than teach drama

noblegiraffe my issue is I feel that you’re starting from the assumption that I am all rose-tinted glasses about the professional when the entire subject of this thread is literallyabout balancing the motivations of being a teacher with the reality. Like it’s in the OP. We know. I know.

I did go into teaching because of love of my subject and, honestly, that is the one thing that hasn't changed. My frustrations with the job lie elsewhere ...

I am a secondary English teacher working in an outstanding school and really am not happy. In my opinion, the job has changed so much for the worse over the last decade. The workload, the constant assessments, the horrible way I am spoken to (by senior staff, students and parents), the sheer amount of work to get through for the Literature Spec (which I really don't think is manageable for weaker students), poor behaviour in lessons. I also can see how the mental health of colleagues and students has deteriorated over the last few years.
I guess everyone on here will have different experiences; I used to love it, but now I don't think I can do more than another year.

You try to foster a love of literature but really you are still teaching paper 1 section q 3 etc exam skills on a day to day basis.

^ This.

It can be very rewarding, but it's important to remember that most kids don't love literature/language the way you do and up to GCSE, will mostly be taking your subject because they have to.

That said, there are always sixth-form colleges and selective schools, and independents.

I think it's a case of getting some experience so you go into it with your eyes wide open, OP, the same as any career change.

English teaching is hugely rewarding but can be hugely stressful too.

I am not a teacher but work in a school. Reading your post I wondered if you have considered being a librarian? If the school environment appeals then be a school librarian. Our school librarian is amazing and has managed to make the school library one of the busiest around. She has different book clubs (including a staff one) and is incredibly passionate about encouraging a love of reading with even the most challenging of students.

Just a thought ......

Some elements are amazing. But the freedom I had when I started teaching 25 years ago is long gone. We do the same texts, over and over, year after year - Macbeth, Christmas Carol, Inspector Calls - and budgets are so tight that my school does very little modern fiction at KS3. I used to think that if English was an option, it would have a really high take up. Now I reckon it would be a minority subject in no time.

Hey, what’s the worst that can happen? You hate it and go back to being a carer.

From what you’ve said, if you don’t at least give it a go it sounds like you’ll regret it later in life.

Studying for six years to get your degree at the same time as working in a job that not everyone could do demonstrates that you have a strong work ethic and determination to succeed. Bloody good on you.

I work in secondary but don’t teach English. I know a lot of teachers though - some would say they hate it and can’t wait to leave and others enjoy their job despite everything. And very much depends on the individual school and its leadership.

Good luck - I really hope it works out for you.

Not sure why you’re being a patronising arse to me when you asked if you were making a big mistake and I basically said the job wouldn’t be all Captain my Captain.

If you know everything already, then why bother asking?