To retrain as a secondary school teacher?

[stevie69]

Just that, really.

I know that only I can answer that question but I was kind of hoping for some input from some current teachers on what the profession is really like.

I'm currently an accountant and the pay differential would not be negligible if that helps at all.

Big thanks in advance.

I’m secondary. What do you want to know?

I am too. Have been in for 12 years and looking for a way out. It is not what it was when I trained but I can't deny that my salary is 'good' (as in I would struggle to get the same as I'm not trained in anything else!).

Yes. The money is good (although I would imagine would be a pay cut for an accountant, certainly initially) - but having said that, it is much harder to move up the pay spine now than it was when I was an NQT 15 years ago.

The holidays are good. Can’t deny that - even though we work in them, you do get the freedom to choose when you’re working and when not. But in term time it’s like being in a tunnel. I work every night for two hours and at least half a day at weekend; this weekend it will be all of Sunday just to clear my backlog. Add in pressure for exam results (which is immense and totally unrealistic), constant data analysis/admin tasks and the general pressures of teaching teenagers and you can see why a lot of teachers are trying to get out.

Go into the Staff room board here and read some of the posts on there-this has been asked a few times recently, you might find the replies useful.

Well, I guess the things that are coming into my head are:

Do you enjoy it?
Is there really low morale across the whole profession?
Are teachers leaving in droves? Or is that just hat he media would have me believe?
What's the best bit?
And the worst?
Would you choose the same career if you knew then what you know now?

Sorry for all the questions. These are just the current things on my mind

Been doing it ten years. It’s become awful in recent years. Both me and DH are looking for ways out. Don’t do it.

@Holidayshopping

Thank you. I didn't know about the Staff room board.

I'm in Ireland so can't comment on the English system, but i can offer the following massive piece of advice on secondary teaching in general:

If you aren't a confident person who can happily stand in front of critical (and sometimes intimidating) teenagers without getting freaked out/angry, then it's not for you.
If you don't love your subject area and havea passion for it that you really like to get enthusiastic about, then it's not for you.

However, if you like young people and can tolerate a bit of fun, if you love your subject and can't wait to start, then it's the job for you!
In Ireland we have a problem with people getting into teaching solely for the 12 weeks summer holidays. A lot of them aren't able and it's torture for them every day (and unfair on the students)

I enjoy it only because I work in a school with sympathetic management who care about their staff. They make the rest of it bearable. It is so dependent on your school and sadly schools like mine are becoming the minority.

I’m a maths teacher. Wouldn’t recommend it unless it really is your calling.

Constant pressure on results. Teenagers who don’t care and think the world owes them a favour. Constant raising of the bar meaning low ability kids don’t stand a chance. Working 12 hours every day, plus several hours at a Sunday to plan lessons and do marking.

However pay and pension isn’t bad and you get 13 weeks holiday so I’m sticking with it for now!

I'm a secondary teacher, 11years experience and I'm trying to get out too.

I worked as a secondary teachers, it's the politics that ruins the job. I had a good relationship with most of my students, improved overall GCSE results for my subject but still got negative feedback from senior leadership team. I was young and the kids thoughts I was 'sound' which worked for my lessons and results but I think meant my 'face didn't fit' with the senior leaders. I'd return in FE lecturing rather than secondary.

(I have worked in FE too and found it more friendly and supportive in stuff, though admittedly it could vary from one place to another). Left teaching on mat leave and 4 years on picking up a master's and exploring another career path knowing I could return to teaching if it doesn't fit.

I have been teaching for 20 years and for the first time I want to leave. I used to love the teaching but now we even have to teach how SLT tell us - the new English Lit exams make me want to cry.

What subject?

Do you enjoy it?
The vast majority of the time
Is there really low morale across the whole profession?
It depends on the school and who you speak to.
Some people have very good reasons for being down with low morale and treatment of staff isn't good in places. Equally I've worked with my fair share of negative nancys who are all to quick to complain about anything and everything to the point where SLT would do something nice and the nancys would be starting on how it's not nice at all because there's clearly an agenda.
Are teachers leaving in droves? Or is that just hat he media would have me believe?
Yes they are. Recruitment and retention is a big issue.
This may be an unpopular opinion but I know of some who have left because they've essentially (and rightly) been told to raise their game and don't like that.
Others are leaving largely due to workload and the pressures of external accountability measures, behaviour etc.
What's the best bit?
Being able to use subject knowledge daily. It's quite a creative job. The moment when you see a pupil get something and they're so proud of it. The camaraderie you get in a nice school.
And the worst?
The obsession with data and tracking and endless record keeping to prove we are doing our jobs
The loud (very) minority of parents want to unreasonably demand one thing after another and are fuming because you have their child an orange highlighter and everyone knows on Tuesdays DC uses yellow. Not only that but they emailed you at 1147pm on Tuesday to inform you of the trauma you inflicted but you couldn't be bothered to reply so it's 9am and they're on site demanding to see the head (probably because someone on MN said to.make a formal complaint).
Would you choose the same career if you knew then what you know now?
Yes.

Don't do it! Every teacher I know is trying to leave the profession.

Do you enjoy it? - Most of it!
Is there really low morale across the whole profession? - In some places yes but you will find most people are generally positive. There are always aspects of a job that people don’t like whatever profession you’re in!
Are teachers leaving in droves? Or is that just hat he media would have me believe? - At my school now and at my last school we’ve had a lot of retirees because they were schools where there were a lot of “lifers”. Nowadays lots of teachers move around a lot so younger teachers move schools. That’s said, several younger staff have moved on to different career paths too. It wouldn’t surprise me if new teachers getting jobs in tough schools as a first job gave up after a few years. I’d say try getting a job in a relatively decent school to start with and then move to a more challenging one if that’s what you want.
What's the best bit? - When a kid tells you you’ve made a difference or when a kid actually understands something you’ve taught and gets a passion for your subject!
And the worst? - disengagement, marking can be depressing when kids don’t pay attention to what you want them to do and when a kid decides (normally before they set foot in the room!) that they don’t like your subject therefore they won’t try. And when parents then go “oh well I wasn’t very good at X when I was at school so we’re not too concerned....”
Would you choose the same career if you knew then what you know now? - 50:50 - yes but at the same time teaching has got me interested in child psychology so I might have gone down that route?

On a good day it’s the best job in the world. However it’s not the job it was. The new GCSE has sapped the joy from my subject. The pressure to get results is immense. Funding cuts have really had an impact. Not enough TA’s and limited resources. Term time is manic. I work part time and am in awe at those who work full time. Then you have the lovely holidays that makes up for it but the contrast in pace is something I have never got used to. Tbh I think the pay could be better. I think a lot depends on the school you end up in. Some have terrible behaviour problems with weak and unsupportive management. You really need to go and observe for a week or so before making a decision.

I also agree with MaisyPops post!

Have you not watched the current BBC fly on the wall documentary ‘School’

I'm secondary and mostly I have enjoyed my job.

Not tonight though - I honestly feel utterly exhausted and broken

There is a thread about venting over on staffroom where I and others have posted our frustrations - take a look.

The onus on pupils to work hard/revise seems to have completely gone and it is all on staff to everything in their power and more to get the pupils to target. The fact that they won't revise/attend revision/do class/homework is irrelevant.

Loved it til about three years ago, thought I would be a lifer! Going to try and find another school before I leave though to see if it's any less shit. Everyone with five or more years experience is desperate to leave (I do supply so i see the world a bit).

I teach in further education and as you already have accountancy as a profession why not try your hand at teaching accountancy in FE. You don’t need teaching qualifications to start and most colleges will put you through the TQFE qualification.

For me the main advantage of FE is that students want to be there and are interested in the subject which is a huge advantage.

Don’t do it. I’m so glad I got out

(I was primary but I don’t imagine secondary have it any better)

You will never be bored (except when marking).

The days go so quickly...morning meetings, monitoring forms/issues, 5 lessons with break and lunch duty then sort out behaviour issues etc after school, then home to mark and plan.

When you are tired or not in the mood it's a killer, but when it goes well it is fantastic!

Poorly paid to start with...Might be worth moving every 2 years or so and negotiating an extra mainscale increment.

But...there is a teaching crisis so it's easy to find jobs.

Morale depends on the school. My school has supportive SLT and fab morale. The only problem is it's in an expensive area (SE) so it's difficult to attract staff.