To ask ex teachers what they do now?

[WhyamIBoredathome]

I would love to know what jobs former teachers are now doing and how they got into them.

I'm a secondary teacher by trade but currently on a break being a SAHM because it didn't make sense to return to work after DC2 due to childcare costs for two and long commute.

However, I had fallen out of love with teaching, or rather, with all the admin and pressure and data etc that goes alongside it. I like the actual teaching bit but as most teachers know there is an awful lot more to the job.

I'm now starting to think about returning to work, the problem is I have no idea what as, or even what field, and I could really do with some ideas from people who have moved on from teaching. Would anyone mind sharing?

What about childminding before and after school? If the children are school age you can have more.

I work in the voluntary sector. Far more rewarding than teaching.

OK so I'm still in teaching, but I'm a supply teacher (primary). I smile understandingly when other teachers complain of workload or long staff meetings or such like. My week-ends are freed up and I leave work at a reasonable time. I work with an agency so I get plenty of work.

I'm a learning designer at a Uni. I miss teaching in some ways, but I work regular hours, get good holidays and have a stress-free job.

I bought a baby signing franchise which I ran successfully for 8yrs while my children were little. Then I worked as a TA for 6yrs (PT) and just about to go back full time.

With a science background, then Primary, I do education outreach for a big STEM company. I absolutely love it.

I started a business and now I run that - I teach 6th form students still but through my business, in partnership with a theatre. I also work for a touring theatre company writing resources to go with their productions and running workshops for them. So much happier now I’m not in a school.

I’ve got an MA in Translation and to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it! It’ll delay making a decision on anything else for a year but that’s about it.

I'm a waitress now. I have a little one and the hours are flexible. I don't miss teaching but I sometimes feel I am wasting any talent I may have had.

I was a secondary school teacher teaching English; now I work as a sub-editor. I'm the only person in my office without a journalism degree/background so I do feel I've had to "prove" myself a bit, but I often get comments of how "cool under pressure" I am (I do have to resist replying, "Um, that's because this job is a holiday compared to my previous one."

I'm another self employed tutor although my children are older so I can be more flexible with hours. I'm combining that this year with a part time maternity cover teaching.

One of the things that has made the biggest differences to my stress levels since leaving secondary school teaching is the timing issue. I figured out (eventually) that the fact that my entire life was having to run to someone else’s schedule was making me miserable. Currently, my 6th form students come to me Tuesday-Thursday 10-4 and Friday afternoons, and then I fit other things

Oops!

I fit other things around that. Not having to rush around sorting DC and then sit in rush hour traffic then jump on the Bell-driven treadmill of the school day has made a huge difference. I feel like i’m a better mum, a nicer person and much much calmer. Looking back, I was like a wound spring most of the time.

Not quite leaving the profession, but I decided after I qualified that I didn't want to teach and got a stop-gap job as a sales assistant, quickly went into being a retail manager. They liked that I was used to admin and planning, was good at floor running and sorting out difficult customers. I felt I used a lot of what I learnt, just not perhaps how I envisaged using it.

Now looking for a more office based job.

I felt a bit like you after DC2. I took a break then returned but went to a small private school. The day is longer but so are the holidays and the data/paperwork pressure are less brutal. I also work part time (0.6) which helps.
The classes are smaller and it's just generally a better gig.