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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if there are any teachers out there who love their job?

94 replies

MadameGazelle · 02/03/2011 22:41

I will be applying for a PGCE Primary Education in September, to start September 2012 if I'm accepted. By coincidence I keep reading threads on MN about how difficult and stressful teaching is and how un-family-friendly it is as a career. I have 2 young children, one in Reception and one in Pre-school nursery and part of the reason I was considering teaching was the thought that it may be more family friendly. Are there any teachers out there who love their jobs, aren't about to collapse with stress and can basically reassure me that I'm not about to make a huge mistake! TIA

OP posts:
LargeGlassofRedPlease · 03/03/2011 20:38

I am a HoD - It works out at about £1/hr as the job is NEVER done. Very true about choosing school wisely.

GretchenWiener · 03/03/2011 20:39

dotn do it then imo
do what you want to - dont be pushed into promotion

have done rough school for 9 years now in a gaff where kids SIT with books open waiting to be taught

stoatsrevenge · 03/03/2011 20:45

Yes, I really enjoy it - it's always different, and always thought-provoking.
But, I do fear that I'm in danger of committing my life to the job as it takes up so much of my time.

notanumber · 03/03/2011 20:50

MadameGazelle Thu 03-Mar-11 18:02:37
"It seems that finding the right school is key."

Yes. But that can be tricky.

Jobs are pretty scarce on the ground at the moment (it really is a sellers' market in most places), so it is unlikely that you'll be weighing up whetether PerfectSchoolOne or PerfectSchoolTwo is the better option.

Also, it's very hard to judge on interview day - especially when you're inexperienced - exactly how the school manages workload for individual teachers etc.... You may end up having a nasty shock come September when the reality of the job fails to meet the ideals you were led to believe at interview.

MadameGazelle Thu 03-Mar-11 18:02:37
"I was hoping to work on a job share or part time basis after I qualify until my children are a little bit older. Are there many opportunities for part time positions for NQT?"

Ye-ess...But clearly you're narrowing your options in an already crowded market. P/T posts tend to be maternity covers in my experience as most part-timers negotiate reduced hours from an existing F/T role, and this is usually due to having children (and they then go on to have subsequent maternity leaves).

Of course it's possible for you to do this, people can and do manage it every year. But I think you need to go into it with your eyes open - it will be very tough indeed for the first few years, for you and your family.

ravenAK · 03/03/2011 20:57

I absolutely love it (secondary English).

The marking load IS ridiculous, but over the years you get better at utilising peer-marking (which is jolly effective in getting kids to raise their game anyway...) & the judicious use of stampers'n'stickers. I now 'close mark' twice per half term, per kid, on average, which is just about manageable.

I put most of the work in in writing new schemes of learning & resources, but luckily I love doing it! I usually pull an overnighter on a Friday - work from 9pm to about 4am, with a bottle of wine for company Grin.

The actual classroom teaching, after 11 years, is mostly all fun.

You do have to enjoy the company of kids & be passionate about your subject, or you'd be utterly miserable tbh. But I came to teaching late-ish (29) & can honestly say I've never been happier in workSmile.

But yes yes to all comments re: management/paperwork/Govt interference. Angry. You need to develop an acute ability to look like you're 'on message' - pepper everything you write with the latest TLAs, sort of thing...Hmm

yellowkiwi · 03/03/2011 21:09

I found it wasn't at all child friendly before my DS started school as if he got ill or there was a problem with child care the school were awful about me taking time off. Now he is at school it is nice to be able to spend time with him during the holidays, although he has to spend at least one day in school with me.

I work part-time and it was very difficult to find this job. I've been looking for another post for two years now as I really don't like my school - no luck though.

LargeGlassofRedPlease · 03/03/2011 21:19

The time off thing is just awful.

'I am a teacher therefore my own children can never be ill during term-time'..in what world?

kapok · 03/03/2011 21:20

Why aren't you asking your Hts for time off to see your own children's sports days etc? I always give pople time off for stuff like that as long as it's reasonable.

nobodysbaby · 03/03/2011 21:20

I've been teaching for nearly twenty years and still enjoy it. I work long hours at times, but it gets easier with experience. I think I'm a good teacher, I take pride in doing a good job and I can't think of anything I'd rather do.

LargeGlassofRedPlease · 03/03/2011 21:34

kapok - because it means someone has to cover your class and it goes down like a lead balloon..you know it's better not to ask Sad. You sound like a nice ht!

ravenAK · 03/03/2011 21:45

kapok: 'Why aren't you asking your Hts for time off to see your own children's sports days etc? I always give pople time off for stuff like that as long as it's reasonable.'

Sorry, but guffaw at the notion that my HT would even consider that!

I've been knocked back for a morning's unpaid leave to allow for travelling back from a major family event (only time I've ever asked).

I've also been bollocked & threatened with disciplinary action for having to miss a Parents' Evening - at which I had precisely 3 appointments, all of whom I'd rung & all of whom were happy with that - because dh was stranded on a work trip & couldn't get back to collect our kids from CM.

The sort of flexibility whereby teachers nip out to their own dc's sports events is extremely rare IME...

backwardpossom · 03/03/2011 21:51

Why aren't you asking your Hts for time off to see your own children's sports days etc? I always give pople time off for stuff like that as long as it's reasonable

Are you serious?

Wook · 03/03/2011 21:51

True, Raven, NOT family friendly bar for the lovely holiday time- Had to miss ds's nativity this year :( Fortunately his second one, not his first, but sad!
But a good job on the whole.

LargeGlassofRedPlease · 03/03/2011 21:54

ravenAK - I wasn't allowed to take DC to school on first day of reception (1 hour).

missymousie · 03/03/2011 22:02

LargeGlassofRed - I really sympathise HoD can be soul destroying just to be squeezed so hard from all directions. SLT/Kids/and team if yr unlucky. Time off as a teacher is really stressful but as HoD when you know that the work is just being stored up for you...... (kids do get ill and they get better quicker if you are with them though I reckon whatever the consequences).

If I had my time again - would always choose teaching but would never ever choose to be a HoD.

Am just a teacher this week and I love it.

Spinkle · 03/03/2011 22:03

Your own kids miss out. Me and DH are teachers. It's near impossible to see DS in plays and sports days.

I kind of resent that fact that it's made out to be flexible and gazillions of bankers are queueing up to do it - suggesting it might be easy.

Teaching is hard core. An endurance sport. The kids will chew you up and spit out the remains. Then your boss will shit on you. The the bastards from Ofsted will come and watch.

Weekends? Ha! You won't get them.

tryingtobemarypoppins2 · 03/03/2011 22:03

Spinkle would you consider having them at your school?

Original poster
MadameGazelle · 03/03/2011 22:57

Am well and truly put off now Grin, back to the drawing board for a career change rethink!

OP posts:
MajorBumsore · 03/03/2011 23:10

Madame to answer your question about part time jobs, they are like hen's teeth. Which is why I am clinging to my 3 day a week job with all my strength.

Catnao · 03/03/2011 23:16

I missed out quite a lot of posts so sorry if I am repeating. I did my PGCE at the same time as my partner when our son was just turned three. We were really lucky as our mums looked after our son LOTS for us whilst training.
Was a bit of a crap year as both training and our little boy was often sleeping at one or other grandparent's house three or four times a week.

Was a great move in the long run. I love my job. My partner likes his. We work long hours, I guess, but don't have to shell out for child care (which pre - PGCE was taking the vast part of my wage - but then my son was pre school then so guess would have been more expensive anyway; not so bad for before and after school, but still a lot).

If you want to go for it, and don't think it's just 9 - 3.30 Mon- Fri (which I know you don't!), it honestly is possible and a really good and rewarding job.

Loonytoonie · 04/03/2011 00:26

You've got to have more of a reason to train other than it being family friendly.

I'm in the middle of my PGCE training for secondary school. I have 3 dc, two of them under 5. The course is hard, hard work and you have to accept that for the year that you train, and possibly the year of your NQT employment, a lot of things are going to have to be sacrificed. The volume of work you have to cover is enormous and I feel guilty a lot of the time as dc don't do much in terms of outside interests - simply because I don't have the time or energy to take them here and there, and most nights are spent at the laptop (often until the early hours). I am constantly working, Constantly knackered. House is a tip all the time. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, but I am NOT sorry. I love the kids I'm teaching, and am passionate for my subject. It's massively challenging but very much rewarding.

I'm not trying to put you off, but I embarked on this course with my eyes wide open, and I've had a shock. I'm half way through now and every day I remind myself that I'm doing it for my family.

If you go for this, throw yourself in 100%. There is no other way. Good luck!

Catnao · 04/03/2011 00:29

What Loonytoonie said. We had a hard couple of years, and were really lucky with our parents' help with our little (at the time) boy, but it was absolutely the right thing for all three of us.

Spinkle · 04/03/2011 06:36

My DS has special needs (I blame the parents) and it would not be appropriate to have him at either my or my DH's school. Plus he is not old enough.

I was taught by my mother. The amount of shit I got from the other kids was unbelievable.

kapok · 04/03/2011 17:47

Backwardpossum - yes I am serious. I am a Headtacher and I always take time off to go to my DCs things (they are not at my school), and I let my staff have time off to do the same.

We take it in turns to cover each other.

What's so difficult about that? I never understand why other schools don't do? (I have been HT in 3 schools).

I get back in goodwill whatever is 'lost' in terms of time/money for cover etc.

Win/win innit? Smile

pudding25 · 04/03/2011 17:58

I have been teaching primary for 7 yrs (after a career change at 31) and now work 3 day job share since coming back from maternity leave (DD is almost 3). It is the most exhausting and stressful job I have ever done. You never switch off and you never feel that you are doing enough. It was hard without children but now with DD, I have to try and fit work in at any spare moment.
A typical school day is:
Get into work by 7.40am
Stay until 5.30pm
Rush to pick up DD from nursery
Go home and run around like a lunatic getting stuff ready for the next day, tidying up (minimal)
Get DD to bed for 8pm
Shower, eat and then start marking/prep for the next day.
Even if you have planning from the yr below, it needs to be amended for that year grp, improved on.

On top of all this is the fact that even though you are only there 3 days, you are still a class teacher so have all the responsibility for the welfare of the children, their education and dealing with the parents.

Apart from having the same holidays, I can't see any benefits.

I would love my DD to go to my school but unless we can afford to but £800k property round the corner, it is not going to happen.

Sorry to be so negative but I wish someone had told me what teaching was really like before I started.

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