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.

You wil get different answers from everyone but these are mine. I am secondary - maths. I work in a deprived area in the country but in a strict but fair school that is very supportive of staff.

Do you enjoy it? Yes, I absolutely love it, every day is different, yes it's tough but every day I have something brilliant happen.

Is there really low morale across the whole profession? No, no there isn't. You have people with low morale in all places but I don't see it massively in my school.

Are teachers leaving in droves? Or is that just hat he media would have me believe? I am unsure about leaving in droves, but we are really struggling to recruit.

What's the best bit? The kids, every day is different and if you work with those who are deprived you know that you are really making a difference.

And the worst? Marking, admin, things I dont think have any impact on children but I have to do anyway.

Would you choose the same career if you knew then what you know now? YES!

Have you watched the new documentary called “school”, that’s why I’d never make it as a teacher!

I wouldn’t do it personally. I’m a FE tutor in a college and to me it’s far preferable. Friends who work in secondary are on the verge of a constant breakdown and are desperately seeking a way out whereas I actually enjoy my job . I mostly teach adults and I honestly think it makes all the difference.

I was pre-warned before I did my PGCE to avoid secondary at all costs by a relative who had taught secondary her whole adult life and was just about to retire. She explained how terribly the education system had deteriorated since she first started teaching and that she’d honestly think anyone was crazy to want to get into it. From what friends have told me, it has somehow got even worse since then.

Have taught for 30 years and am counting down the weeks (150, yes it’s sad that I know this) til I can get out at 55.

All the fun of experimenting with things in the classroom has gone (it has to be right first time because a) results expected b) kids are generally MUCH more unforgiving and not on your side than years ago).

The relentless drive for improvement is laudable, but when you see:

1. the same initiatives come around again (renamed/repackaged but didn’t work the first time)
2. similar groups of children failing because the financial backing isn’t there for support
3. children who need specialist support being chucked in with the rest because inclusion is king (nobody benefits)
4. certain subjects marginalised because they aren’t currently en vogue (producing one-dimensional learners)
5. children stressed to the max because of expectations placed on them by parents, teachers, further and higher education, tutoring, friendship groups, whatsapp/snapchat/whatever current online media so that they are self-harming or anorexic or hiding in corners or acting out and thumping each other and just generally very mentally unwell
6. children are being parented by adult-childs who are uninterested and permissive and spineless and let them stay up all night on their gadgets so that they look like death in the morning, assuming they make it in / or conversely being helicopter-parented so that they are unable to make a rational decision for themselves and need their parents to stand up for them and sort out every little problem so that they have zero resilience or problem-solving skills
7. when teachers are expected to play the role of social workers, psychologists, police, administrators, referees, etc. before they even get to the ‘teaching’ bit
8. when your own children or family take the hit because you have work to do at home AGAIN...

On balance, no I would not recommend it. My son is about to finish uni. He wouldn’t touch teaching with a shitty stick, because he’s seen it.

(I am a good teacher, dedicated, professional, hard-working, go the extra mile even for those that are being little shits because that’s what some teens are like and always have been, great team working, keep learning although I’m at the tail end of my career. Please don’t think I’m old and washed up. Just a realist.)