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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want to leave teaching?

440 replies

Timetochangeisnow · 22/11/2014 11:03

AIBU to want to leave teaching?

I'm a Primary School teacher. I love working with children, it's incredibly rewarding and no two days are the same. What I don't love however, is the mounting pressure and constant paperwork and pressure. There is barely time for anything outside of teaching and evenings and weekends are taken over with marking, planning, analysing pupil progress etc. the job in the classroom is increasingly difficult too and I think I need to leave before I have a breakdown.
I am finding I am enjoying the things I used to love less and less. I'm even having dreams about school so can't even escape at night.
I think it's particularly pronounced this year and I have some very difficult children that make every single day a battle.
I think I want out of the classroom now but would still like to remain either in a school or in education.

if the pay was better I'd be a TA no question

I'd consider retraining or studying again but I'm the main breadwinner and we have to renew our mortgage next summer!

Has anyone done similar? I don't know what's out there etc and haven't found anything online the last few months.

If anyone can point me I the right direction or has felt similar and stayed in teaching after feeling like this would be good to know!

OP posts:
Stealthpolarbear · 22/11/2014 11:05

Do you know for sure that other jobs would be easier

WorraLiberty · 22/11/2014 11:06

Is there an option to go part time? Would that pay more than being a full time TA?

nostress · 22/11/2014 11:06

Try teaching in a private school? Smaller classes, better behaved kids...

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 22/11/2014 11:07

How about being a supply teacher, all of the joy of teaching and none of the paperwork?, isn't it £150 a day or thereabouts? [round our way]

I'm a TA and yes I agree, the pay is shocking!

Original poster
Timetochangeisnow · 22/11/2014 11:09

It's not about being easier so much as I can't cope much longer. I'm crying everyday because things are so tough and the thought of going in makes me feel sick.

OP posts:
caravanista13 · 22/11/2014 11:10

My daughter left teaching for exactly the same reasons. She found a job with a children's charity, presenting to children in schools. Perfect!

Original poster
Timetochangeisnow · 22/11/2014 11:11

Supply would be fantastic but my fear is because the work is so unreliable they wouldn't give me a mortgage!

OP posts:
Original poster
Timetochangeisnow · 22/11/2014 11:12

Any chance you could pm me with a few more details? I'd love to do something like that!

OP posts:
Hatespiders · 22/11/2014 11:19

I was a primary teacher for over thirty years, and towards the end of that time I felt almost as overwhelmed as you do. It's an incredibly stressful job and, yes, the admin and paperwork are horrendous. I bet it's even worse nowadays with Ofsted inspections (I only suffered one of those and it nearly killed us all on the Staff!) I took early retirement eventually (you could in those days!)
For the sake of your health (mental and physical) I'd consider giving up. You'll be one of hundreds of exhausted teachers in the same boat.

You're right that supply teachers find it hard to get a mortgage because it isn't permanent ft work. I have a friend who discovered this.
Good luck, OP I really feel for you.

Ionacat · 22/11/2014 11:20

I've left. I now sleep at night and have my life back. Biggest thing is I'm trusted to do my job now, no one keeps checking up on me, I'm not expected to evidence everything nor am I micro-managed. I loved teaching (and was good at it) but I couldn't go back. Friends who teach in the private sector enjoy it. Long hours but less paperwork. Look for jobs on TES in other workplaces all sorts of things come up. I did take a pay cut though but it was worth it.

poisonintheblood · 22/11/2014 11:23

Supply will give you a mortgage.

mummymeister · 22/11/2014 11:27

the grass is always greener on the other side Timetochange. you will be giving up a job with a good and reliable pension and school holidays which if you have kids might be important.

I am self employed now having been in Local Govt for over 20 years. the work was hard, not 9-5 lots of out of hours expected and attendance at committees that went on endlessly. but, I got a decent pension pot, the same salary in my bank account every month and 5 weeks guaranteed holiday a year. Now, I work many, many more hours, I cant take holidays except in term time due to the nature of the job and I don't have financial security as I never know how much is coming in from one quarter to the next.

be very sure of what you are going on to before you jump ship. think about things like annual leave, salary and pension. I don't know whats important to you so couldn't give any better advice. but, if you have a hefty mortgage and need £X every month be really really sure before you change.

The best advice I ever got was "we take our baggage with us" If you are feeling tired and stressed then why do you think this will be any better away from teaching. at least you are tired and stressed and able to meet the mortgage payments.

going self employed was the best thing I have ever done. BUT - a big but - had I known then how difficult it would be to manage and how much harder I had to work, I don't think I would have jumped out of my Local Authority job so quickly and would have planned better.

plotmissinginaction · 22/11/2014 11:34

Health comes first. Teaching made me sick. I'm glad I got out but I wasn't the main breadwinner.

sniffle12 · 22/11/2014 11:35

YANBU. I took the leap and I've never been more sure in hindsight that something was the right thing to do. Two years on sometimes I still pinch myself as I leave my job at 5pm on Friday knowing I don't even have to think about the W word until 9am on Monday.

However I was lucky to be in the position where I could afford to take a £16,000 job to get some experience towards a different career. But it was for less than a year and I've now managed to find something better paid. I'm sure if you did supply just to give yourself the flexibility to attend interviews/not have a notice period, networked with the schools you were supplying at, and applied like crazy for related jobs (charities, youth work, pastoral, intervention, etc), you would have something within a year if not less.

ApocalypseThen · 22/11/2014 11:37

I used to teach at primary level. I retrained and went into a totally different area. I've had several different jobs since, and every one of them has been easier than teaching. And I'm in Ireland where it seems the life of a teacher is easier. But there is nothing like the emotional energy teaching takes. It's exhausting and draining.

fredfredsausagehead1 · 22/11/2014 11:39

Are there any other careers you fancy? Could you hang on in until your mortgage is sorted. Just knowing you're going to get out will help you psychologically, also is there. Much support for you from your head, could you talk about how you're feeling the strain?

MaryWestmacott · 22/11/2014 11:48

You definately should explore teaching in the private sector if the pressures on the state sector are too much. (Even if they do want the same amount of marking and paperwork, it'll be for 1/3 less children at least so should be a lot easier to get through).

Keepcalmanddrinkwine · 22/11/2014 12:01

Teaching has changed so much in the last few years. I feel exactly the same as you, working harder and harder to still not be good enough. It's all consuming and there is so little of me left for my own kids I am starting to think that even the holidays aren't worth it as I spend the half terms working and a big chunk of the longer holidays too. I scared I will burn out and I didn't sign up a job that is so tied up in paperwork and data.

You are not unreasonable to think of leaving at all, but although money isn't everything, it's shit not having any, so you need to plan your escape very carefully.

AsBrightAsAJewel · 22/11/2014 12:07

"Try teaching in a private school? Smaller classes, better behaved kids - I'd challenge that last bit! Not necessarily true from my experience!

OP - YANBU. I'm close to retirement, but if I wasn't I'd be considering it. It isn't the job it was, it isn't the child-focused job I signed up for, the impact on teachers' health and well-being is appalling, the ridiculous demands and need to keep re-inventing the wheel.

But before you jump, do try a change in school. Schools can be so different and if you find one that is good and the right fit for you it can make the negatives of the job more bearable. It isn't necessarily a state / private issue.

rollonthesummer · 22/11/2014 12:13

I feel exactly the same and am only hanging in there because I'm part time; that's the only thing that makes it bearable.

Having taught for a long time, what upsets me is it didn't use to be like this and doesn't have to be like this. None of the things I now 'have' to do, benefit my class in any way-it's just paying lip service to stupid ideas. LOs, WILF, success criteria, observations, mini plenaries, 3 part lessons, 5 part lessons, talk partners, lolly sticks, working walls, climate walks, book scrutinies, changing curriculum, changing levels (from 3 sub levels to 6), highlighting learning objectives (in the right colour), writing two stars and a wish for every piece of work for children who can't read, photographing, printing out, marking and sticking in practical work as evidence of the children doing it. Pages and pages of planning-submitting in advance every stupid question I'm going to ask which group.

None of that makes the children learn better. I'm sick to the back teeth. You may notice I haven't mentioned PMR as someone will leap in and say everyone has to do that on any job. I'd love it to be a positive meeting where I say is like to develop my skills in x but it's not. It's always a stick to be used against you so they don't have to give you a pay rise. Other jobs are probably the same though.

rusticwomble · 22/11/2014 12:24

I am so sorry for your change of heart , OP. This is a career I was thinking of embarking on actually, so its interesting to hear about the experiences of others.

Hairtodaygonetomorrow · 22/11/2014 12:27

There have been several such threads like this lately and it makes me really sad, in general my children have had such excellent teachers in their state primaries and it is a shame so many feel utterly burdened by the load especially as I know in the main they love children and love teaching.

The only thing I would say is that this belt-tightening, doing more for the same money, bureaucratic overload is not unique to teaching, I am a lecturer and it is just the same. Loads of my colleagues feel overloaded and stressed. I think you either get out or find some way to accommodate the stress (by caring less in my case). I now say no to all the extra things I used to do to make the learning experience better for my students, no to all non essential attendance at meetings, no to 'can you just...' extra stuff- it's sad and not collegiate, but my everyday workload is bordering on unmanageable and the only way for me to carry on has been to realise that my employer simply doesn't care about me or my wellbeing at all, and to set really strict boundaries around what I do and don't do-including lowering standards where necessary.

Perhaps this won't help, and if your sanity is at stake, best jump to something that is similar to teaching but just enough different to make it bearable- once you have had advice from the mortgage company and broker- I would get concrete advice on this, don't assume anything before you make life changing decisions.

Sianilaa · 22/11/2014 12:32

YANBU!

I left secondary teaching 4 years ago now. I was very lucky, my children were small and I was able to stay at home.

I have now got a new job in Children's Services at a local council, looking at their data. Flexible working, working from home 2 days a week, 29 days annual leave plus bank hold and only a £3k drop in salary from where I was on M6.

I suggest keeping an eye on the TES and jobsgopublic websites for jobs such as non-teaching pastoral or support staff, council-based jobs such as school admissions, children's services, educational welfare, etc? That's what I started looking at.

Stealthpolarbear · 22/11/2014 12:59

Yes hair. It's worrying how many good teachers are leaving.

Xenadog · 22/11/2014 13:29

Teaching isn't a job it's an all-consuming phenomenon. Maybe try the indie sector as the pressures are different but I have seen a swing to more bureaucracy in my years in indie which reminds me why I left state ed. I'm also toying with the idea of being a TA. I know a few people who have done this and love it. To make up your money you could always tutor a couple of nights a week - still be far less work than classroom teaching.