AIBU to not want to teach because it would mean working with other teachers?

[cakeoclock]

Ok, my hard hat is on and I'm ready for the onslaught, but here goes! I had a great career before my DCs came along, I loved working and was good at my job. I worked in a great environment, had really good people working with me and we all got on in and out of work. Fast forward 4 years I have been and will be for the forseeable future a SAHM, I love it and will stay home until my lo goes to school at least. Afterwards I could stay home if I want to but lately I have been thinking about future careers. I wouldn't want to go back to my old role as I would never see my kids! So here's my problem, lots of people have suggested teaching and I would love to make a difference to kids, I think I have a lot to give and I am willing to put in the hard work, but there is one big problem, other teachers! First I should say my DH is a Deputy Head and I have lots of good friends who are teachers and when I tell them my worries they tend to agree! My oh worked abroad so we were in close quarters with the school and I have done voluntary work in a few schools and I have never come across such moaning, b&tchy people in any other setting. On their own all lovely people, get two together it's a nightmare. Seriously teachers talk about work on nights out, at people's parties, in the park, probably bed if they are married. My OH wouldn't but knows not to on pain of death! I know teachers take the p out of kids, parents and anyone else they feel like. Most have never worked out of a school setting so have no idea what the rest of the world are up to. So AIBU to not want to teach because I don't like teachers or should I bite the bullet and hide in the loos at lunchtime?

Lol at paragraphs I'm on my iPhone and am a total idiot on it. Would have to brush up IT skills!

You sound like a couple of people on my PGCE course In their case, I'm hoping it's just beginner's nerves and bravado and they will turn out not to be so.......... um, can't think of a nice synonym.

You are teacher-bashing despite being married to one. You seem to like repeating that you don't have to work. Maybe you could do something else. You don't sound much of a loss as a colleague.

I've lived and worked in several countries in and outside Europe and in my vast experience some people are boring, bitchy, narrow-minded twats, some people are wonderful, salt-of-the-earth types and the majority of us fall somewhere in between.

Perhaps, if you are not going to grace the teaching profession with your talents you could occupy yourself looking up "misanthropic". Your DH sounds a peach of a manager btw

I don't think anyone should become a teacher just because it would give them more time with their children. When I was a teacher i met some lovely colleagues. I don't think you would be a good teacher if you would be unable to get on with other teachers. I feel sorry for your husband that he is never allowed to talk about his day at work.

at the thread heading!

Oh come on all you pinched mouths - there's much parody in there!

Actually, I think there is something in what you say. When I first became a teacher I went to work in the school where I had been a pupil and I was initially shocked that the public 'face' of teachers was not what I encountered in the staff room. For some naive reason, I had expected the staff to be the calm, reasonable people that I remembered from my teenage years and was surprised to find they could be as bitchy and petty as everyone else.

So I think your viewpoint may be based on what we hope our teachers are like in rl. Somehow we want them to be 'better' than everyone else, because we are trusting them with the most precious people in our lives.

I have also come across teachers making unkind remarks about pregnant teenagers in a school where I have worked and bitching about former colleagues, but I think this comes down to some people being kind and other people being less so. You experience that in every work environment.

I have also met some absolutely amazing teachers, who are kind and generous and who adore their jobs and genuinely love working with children. If you are fortunate, you will work in a school where there are more kind people and fewer bitchy ones.

Truthfully, I am not sure if this is the job for you. There are plenty of teachers who don't love teaching but still do an excellent job, but if you are considering entering this profession, you will have a happier work life if you love what you do. Given that you have the luxury of time and choice, I would advise you to find a career that you will love, rather than one you have negative feelings about before you've even started.

I worked in a different profession before teaching. A lot of the teachers I work with did. Why do you think that you are so different?

In my experience, schools are very, very different from each other. The different environments are shaped by location, parental involvement, leadership style...a whole host of other factors.

At my school, we do talk about the pupils and parents in the staffroom with the door closed. We do this because we work in a challenging, inner city school where we are regularly dealing with difficult, emotionally needy children with difficult home lives and often challenging parents. If we didn't let off steam and provide a supportive network for each other in this way it would be incredibly lonely and depressing. As it is, although it may shock outsiders to hear us, we have a gallows type sense of humour which we all understand for what it is - a way of releasing the pressure. We are all too aware of how much we love and care for the children in our care and how a lot of our venting is born of frustration that our children are not achieving their potential for reasons often beyond our control.

When we go out (and we rarely do together) we don't talk about work. We talk about normal things like normal people do (which we are) such as our families, things we have done. holidays, crap TV...etc.

I don't understand the post. If you want to teach, then teach. If you don't, don't, but choose a better reason for your decision, because yours is totally nonsensical.

I wouldn't want to go back to my old role as I would never see my kids!

Ha ha- and you think teachers do!?

You seem to be making massive generalisations based on the teachers that you know; teachers are only people-the same as nurses, doctors, lawyers, binmen.

As you clearly don't have to work-why not let some poor sod who actually wants to teach and who has a mortgage to pay take that sought-after PGCE place.

OP, please don't think about going into teaching if you neglect to even put paragraphs into your post.

Hard to read in both its layout and content.

Helpful hint: pick a different career, use your imagination.

And I quote:
"AIBU not to want to teach because I don't like teachers."

What you really mean is:
AIBU not to want to teach because I don't like the teachers that we socialise with or that are our friends"

That's what you mean, isn't it? Unless in the 2 voluntary posts you held you managed to meet every single teacher in the world?

If it's the teachers you socialise with you don't like, then what the feck are you doing with them?

It's not like school, being grown-up you know. You do get to choose who to be fwends with. (sic)

Most people that want to go into teaching do it because they admire the professional; they know it is a very special job and they also hopefully know it takes a certain type of person to be the teacher that makes a difference and changes lives for the better. Those people that try to get into teaching to prove that they can do it better (the 'how hard can it be?' bunch) or because they have a misguided agenda tend to either fall at the first hurdle or drop out later when reality bites.

The very idea of you teaching in your own little bubble, ignoring colleagues as you feel you are somehow the better person, beggars belief.

Should say 'admire the profession'

Lots there about you and your likes and dislikes.

Not much about what you could bring to a school , teaching a subject you love and want to share, or how you can stand out from the crowd and make a real difference.

Part of any job interview process will include a judgement about how you and your skills would fit into the existing team. Sounds like that might be an insurmountable hurdle.

"I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member" :o

Sorry but I have to agree with the op to some extent. Generally ime teachers see themselves as a hard-done-by breed apart.

This thread demonstrates how some people (teachers) take themselves very seriously!!

That in itself might put me off working with them.

YANBU to not want to go into teaching. It is a total myth that it is family friendly, people seem to have this misconception that teachers can stop work at half three and spend the rest of the afternoon with their own kids. It is totally not the case.
Teaching is a hard job that requires a level of dedication that you clearly would not be able to give to it. If you want to return to work you would be better off going back to your old career but part time. At least you said it was a great career and you know you will enjoy the work.

YAB totally U to make sweeping judgements about an entire profession based on your own very limited experience. Also as I said it is a hard job and a bit of light hearted staff room moaning and banter is what gets people through a tough day. Yes, teachers can tend to talk shop a bit when a group of them get together, but that's the same for any other group of people who have something in common. Two City traders probably talk a bit of business when they get together.

It sounds like the teaching profession will not be that much worse off without you to be honest.

It's terribly sweet of you to 'want to make a difference' and all: but please, sweetie, just keep away from teaching my kids, OK? I'd rather like them to be taught by proper teachers, you know, ones who actually want to teach and like teaching.

Don't worry, you wouldn't need to spend lunch times hiding in the toilets anyway, you'd be far too busy preparing your afternoon lessons!

Seriously, some days, other than during a quick 15 minute sit-down in the staffroom to eat my lunch, the only other adult I speak to whilst at work is my TA. You're in your own classroom, alone, most of the time, trying to fit about 12 hours of work into a 9 1/2 hour day (I'm in school 8-5.30), in addition to doing the actual teaching part! I love my job, but it can be a very lonely profession in some respects.

Have you considered pole dancing?

It is quite solitary, pays well, flexible hours and good pay.

I would kill for the majority of colleages wanting to yak about teaching/education/ideas/share resources when outside of work.

It points to a major interest in the job and the recipients of ones effortd.

If that is the norm in the UK then my (wholly educationally related) homesickness will now become tinged the deepest green possible.

And you would be giving pleasure to many people who are probably quite socially inadequate, if you want to look at it that way too.