Can someone troubleshoot my big xmas day life decision?

[waytheleaveswork]

Had some time this week to reflect on the past year. I've been a teacher for 10 years, same school for the last 8, and realised I need a change. I've been very unhappy with my job for the past 2 years even though I know covid etc is partially to blame.

I rent a flat. No DCs. 30k in savings. I'm 33.

I'd like to hand my notice in, leave in April, do supply for a few months and generally take some time to reassess my work. But wondering if it's madness to throw away a permanent job.

Insane, or should I be bold and go for it?

Grateful for any thoughts, and shout out to anyone else having big epiphanies today!

I could have (almost) written your op. Different circumstances - single parent, much older, but need a BIG push. When I was your age, I quit my teaching job and did supply for a term and ended up getting a great (teaching) job that I'm still in. I would never have got it if I hadn't been brave enough to be free for the midterm grab that happens when jobs come up but no-one is available.
I'm currently debating leaving at Easter v sticking it out until August. Rent plus child plus skint says that's the sensible option. My heart tells me nothing good comes from sticking with sensible...

@Itonlytakesonetree

I could have (almost) written your op. Different circumstances - single parent, much older, but need a BIG push. When I was your age, I quit my teaching job and did supply for a term and ended up getting a great (teaching) job that I'm still in. I would never have got it if I hadn't been brave enough to be free for the midterm grab that happens when jobs come up but no-one is available. I'm currently debating leaving at Easter v sticking it out until August. Rent plus child plus skint says that's the sensible option. My heart tells me nothing good comes from sticking with sensible...

Thank you - and thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences. So grateful to the MN hive mind.

It's true that all the seemingly mad decisions have been my best....

And best of luck with whatever you decide x

Consider on line tutoring, plenty of home Ed families use them, private or companies.

Definitely try a new school. I wanted to quit teaching but applied for two new jobs - very different schools to one another and very different to the one I was in. The job I got proved to be really different and I have been working there 6 years now. Try a different type of school / sector / start up etc?

Try the Facebook group - life after teaching. Exit the classroom and thrive

Lots of teachers in similar situations.

I have a few teachers who have left recently one to teach aboard, another having a 3 month sabbatical.
30k is a years salary for most, so id go for what you're heart is telling you.

I would do it. You have no dependants. You hate your job. Get out. But don't drift. Give yourself a plan of action and a budget. Use some of your savings to spend a couple of months exploring what you'd like to do instead. Maybe go to a career coach or life coach. Explore work in a different kind of school. There's no shame in looking at positions in less deprived areas, or in a smaller school or the private sector if you need a different atmosphere in order to thrive.

I’d try a new school first.

Fantastic situation you're in - commitment- free, some money behind you, a profession, great skills and experience!

I took a great redundancy package, including £70k payout. It was gone in 2 years, because it was 2 years' salary.

I was 45, so the menopause had hit me and I didn't cope well.

You're years away from that.

You're also in the 'experienced and young' golden age for getting another job.

But.

It's frightening and hard being out of work.

I will never again trust an employer - multiple revenue streams is the ideal, no one thing you totally rely on.

My recommendation?

Go part time. So you still have income & current relevance on your CV - but you've gained the luxury of more time.

Use that time to set up your own business. Independent teaching, training and coaching are a great solo business move. Build it. It'll take time ...

Then when it's established and earning, take the huge leap and leave the teaching job.

Stay on great terms with employer & colleagues - your network is an asset.

Alternatively, look to leap into another part time role while you build your business.

Or polish up your CV and LinkedIn profile (LinkedIn is ESSENTIAL) and register with recruitment agencies and kick off the new year with a fresh start.

Whichever you choose, it's clear teaching as an employee no longer has your heart.

As others have said supply teaching during summer term could be tricky especially as you’ve worked out you need to do three days a week supply to cover outgoings. A 0.5 permanent contract in a different school/college would be similar (as paid during holidays/sick pay etc). You could move to a 0.5 role and have financial security including during the Easter/half term/summer holidays whilst deciding what else to do. Just another perspective. I wish you luck OP.

I did this. It totally reignited my love of teaching when you can just crack on without all the other rubbish.

I was back in full time teaching within 18 months but in a different setting (SEN) and I love it.

I would say do it! My situation is different (I'm not a teacher) but I did have a significant career change in my late 30s. The only way I could get the headspace and bandwidth to figure out what I wanted to do, was to step off the hamster wheel first.

It's terrifying and I felt so conflicted walking away from the career I'd spent years building, but it was absolutely the right thing for me & I'm so much happier.

That's not to say that you should/want to walk away from teaching, but I do think you need the mental break to allow you to figure out what you want to be doing!

Good luck 😁

@sweetbellyhigh

All the naysayers omg

Your gut is talking to you loud and clear.

Leave!

Life is for living, not enduring.

Clearly you are an educated and sensible person, you will absolutely work again.

Please don't sacrifice your life to misery out of fear of the unknown.

Yes! I can't believe how many people are saying you should carry on slogging away in a job that makes you miserable and stressed, because your pension might suffer slightly or whatever. You need to live your life now. Take a bit of time out, if supply can keep you ticking over then great. It sounds like you're heading for burnout anyway, so very sensible to get out now - your long-term wellbeing is at risk otherwise. I can imagine if you've always been on a career trajectory then stepping off that seems scary, but many of us have never had that in the first place and still do interesting jobs and are financially stable.

I've been teaching supply in Scotland since the summer. I wanted an easier year as we have a lot going on at home.

It's been fab - I've worked in primary secondary and special schools and loved most of it. Secondary was brutal tho - the behaviour 😬

I've been asked to stay long term at a special school after Xmas with a view to a permanent post so im doing that.

Btw the supply wage was greater than what I normally earn as they factor in marking and prep time plus holidays (if you do more than two days a week in the same school it's classed as long term) - was making about 2-300 a month more which helps cover the holiday shortfall.

I've really enjoyed waltzing out at 3.30 with very little responsibilities!!

I hope you can make it work and find something you love doing along the way. Being in different schools gives you a flavour for if you like the school and the staff but you hear about lots of other vacancies and options too!

I'd say be bold.

You are still young, and haven't got a mortgage or children or other major commitments as far as you've told us.

It won't be hard to get back into teaching if you decide to, you've got supply and tutoring and examining and similar jobs to fall back on.

Your pension won't suffer too much if you take 3, 6 or even 12 months working job to job to decide, and if you are careful with your 30K you can use it to pay rent up front if you need to and may well manage to have that 30K intact at the end of this exploratory phase.

I think you will regret not doing what your gut is telling you more than you will regret taking this time out in 2022.

Just do it!

I did, and I never regretted it. You have years of experience as a teacher. You will always find work of one kind or another.

Can you take a term's sabbatical if you don't want to just leave altogether? Could be worth asking.

There are so many options I'd you fancy coming back to a parallel job - teaching abroad, online teaching, tutoring, special needs teaching, advisory teaching at the local authority...

You are young and free. Go for it!

Go for it! Look around for adventure. Best thinking is done while you are busy so try everything you think you might like. Canoeing. Skydiving. Hiking up mountains. Traveling to where you haven't been yet. Visiting places you've always wondered about. Look over that next mountain. How exciting your life will be. Enjoy it all. Congratulations.

Can you clearly, in detail, articulate what is wrong with your role and making you so unhappy? If not, then I'd say stay where you are until you can or you could jump out of the frying pan into the fire. New roles won't definitely be easier and starting a new role comes with its own stress.

Good luck whatever you decide.

@KatherineJaneway

Can you clearly, in detail, articulate what is wrong with your role and making you so unhappy? If not, then I'd say stay where you are until you can or you could jump out of the frying pan into the fire. New roles won't definitely be easier and starting a new role comes with its own stress.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Yes - I teach a lot of A level, but with much larger class sizes, and students being pushed to take it through the increased change in leaver's age to 18, there are now huge pressures for the same results yet the goal posts have shifted.

I've also been in the same dept for 8 years - they are wonderful people but it is very disorganised and our schemes of learning need development. I do a lot of extra work beyond my role but it's not creating meaningful change.

But more than that, I just feel I am done in this current school and need a change.

My 'advice' would probably go against anything sensible you'll hear but it's what I would do. Do a CELTA or Trinity TESOL, put everything you want into storage and go overseas and teach EFL until you decide what to do next.
Of course with your qualifications and experience you could also look at working in an International School for a year or so.
Speaking from experience.... it can be an addictive lifestyle and you may find it difficult to adjust when (if) you return.

I'd get out. Life is too short to do things you 'should' do. No dependents and a few quid in savings....you could do anything!
My son went backpacking with barely anything to his name, lived cheaply, found a job in a city he loves, and has settled there.
Life is for living, and you have transferable skill.
The very best of luck to you!

I'm a teacher and I felt like you after maternity leave. I just couldn't face going back. I left a permanent post with no real plan apart from going on supply and seeing if it was the school or teaching.
Turns out I still loved teaching just not at the previous school.
I now love where I am. Despite the manic workload of lockdown, remote learning and homeschooling my own kids.
I could not have gone on any more where I was.

YOLO

Are you on fb? If so, find life after teaching exit the classroom and thrive group.

You will find that yes you can do this if you want to and they'll help you with ideas for jobs etc

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and encouragement!

On a practical note, if you want to leave in April, did you not need to hand your notice in by the last day of this term?