Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

[Ohdesireer]

Is this saying still relevant?
I only ask because I’ve wanted to be a nurse all my life, I never got my GCSE’S and didn’t think I was clever enough.

I’m now mid 20s with two DC (3&4)
I decided at the start of this year I was going follow my dream.
I’m halfway into my GCSE maths, if I pass this then onto an access course for a year then uni.

But I’m put off, I got myself a job in a care setting to gain experience for my application. It’s shift work and my partner also does shift work, he’s the main earner so his takes priority and probably always will.
Trying to figure out shifts is a nightmare, I also narrowly escaped having to work Christmas Day (some CF was going to call in “sick” and I would be the next person in)
The thought of missing out on Christmas Day with my kids is daunting. I know people do it, but they know they have to do it and still choose to work in that job.
I don’t know if I want to be the mum who isn’t home for Christmas.

As my partner already works shifts and weekends, I want the DC to have some stability and a parent who is there on weekends.

I think getting into teaching would be the best option for me, maybe a primary school teacher.

My partners mum is a teacher at a blind college.
She leaves at 8:30am and is home by 5pm Mon - Fri.
Once in a blue moon goes into work at the weekend and even then it’s not a must.
And obviously has half term off.

I’ve looked a lot into nursing and the further I look the more I’m put off. I live in a small city (I’m not even exaggerating when I say, most people think it’s a town) so jobs in nursing are hard to come by unless it’s with the NHS.

I’ve heard the saying “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”
I haven’t looked much into teaching yet, I’d just like advice if people still think this.

I’m not saying I believe it, I just want to know if others honestly do.

My family never expected anything of me.
My mum always said to me, I’m going to end up pregnant at 18, live in a council house and aspire to nothing. She was correct, this indeed did happen. But I now own my own home. (Nothing wrong with living in a council house, but 90% of them in my area are filled with druggies so not the best environment to bring up kids in)

I feel like if I go into teaching, my family will still think I’ve amounted to nothing. Yes I overthink, but the quote is just stuck on loop in my head and I think I need someone to snap me out of it.

I don’t mean to offend anyone, this is just what has been drilled into my head for years.

AIBU?

probably

I applied to do nursing at university but was put off by the shift work and now I’m a secondary maths teacher! I love the job and if you can be organised and stick to a routine you can make the hours work well for you. However if you are only half way through your GCSEs you will still need to do a qualification that will allow you to do a drgree. And if you don’t do a degree leading to a QTS then you will have another year after that. I don’t want to be negative and it’s fantastic that you want to do this but the financial implications would scare me! Also on a financial note if you can train to teach secondary, especially a subject in need you can get a very big tax free bursary with no limitations on you staying in the job after your training year. Therefore you could give teaching a go and if it isn’t for you do something else :) I know this seems the wrong mindset to have, but it works

It sounds like you have no frame of reference for what being a nurse or a teacher really means. If your friend’s Mum is telling the truth about her working conditions she is in a pretty unusual situation.

Why don’t you spend the next 18 months working out what you’d actually like to do for a career. Did your parents have careers? Often if they didn’t, people don’t have much exposure to anything beyond retail, care work, manual jobs (nothing wrong with any of those by the way) and that makes it harder to work out what is a good career for you. You could access careers advice and even do some work experience in a couple of different areas.

But please don’t ever repeat that offensive shite about teachers. Is that something your parents said too? It sounds as they know fuck all about anything and you’d be wise to ignore their opinions and truisms.

So you leave school without qualifications but worry about your parents thinking you have amounted to nothing if you become a teacher? Oookkkaaayyyy.

You would make a great teacher. Got so many qualifications under your belt, as it were. Good luck with that...

While you’re studying for your next qualification, have this to keep you going -

YABU

I worked hard at school, got all my GCSEs at top grades and A levels too and then a top grade in my degree and got my PGCE after that. My career of the last 23 years as a secondary teacher is not 'nothing'.

You don't have any GCSEs but think that teaching, based on one lady you know who teaches 'in a blind college' is a virtual doss and lacks respect, and will also suit family life?

Please don't do it. It'll take you years, as you have to have the maths and English GCSEs and pass the skills tests, plus the degree or equivalent and the teacher training (which is Master's level).

Also, I taught for a good number of years but only with a PhD in my subject, so obvs I CAN'T. Bollocks.

Who is your mother to think you’ve amounted to nothing? By her own admission, she had no higher sights for you than thinking you’d be a teenage mother on benefits. What does that say about her and her capability as a parent, and how does that make her opinion worth caring about?

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it, but you are so far off being able to be a teacher that you are in cloud cuckoo land at the moment, you couldn't work as a classroom assistant. I would suggest that you concentrate on getting those GCSEs. You need a C or whatever they call it these days in maths, English and science, without even thinking about the undergraduate degree. If for a nursing access course you only need maths you might be better with that, because you are years off becoming a teacher.

Teaching is a very hard and very respectable job!! And the quote is very offensive actually. There are people who can 'do' very well but struggle to explain or teach others.

I would focus on the GCSE's, do an access course, broadly deciding if science or humanities and then see how you fare and where you are at.

What has been drilled into your head for years, that teaching isn't a good job?

Not sir9e with that little saying has got it do with you deciding to be a nurse or a teacher. It's a stupid saying.

I always say those that can do, those that can't, teach and those that can't teach inspect! 😂

WTAF is a 'blind college'

I think you should think very carefully about the reality of both these careers op
Nursing is stressful long hours few breaks low pay ( for the job/ hours ) high expectations from those above you and your patients/ their relatives
I know a few teachers (secondary and primary teachers) they all work above and beyond their contracted hours and for no extra pay have little work life balance and high stress levels
Point is both these careers are admirable but do it because you have passion for it not because you think it’s easy
And do it for you. What your family think doesn’t matter in the long run
It’s your life

Well you're looking at 6 years minimum to get GCSEs, A Levels or equivalent, a full time degree and a PGCE, so crack on.

By the time you've got to the end you should be fully aware how damn hard a job it is. It's bloody marvellous, but long hours and grinding.

But 6 years full time study should give you plenty of time to work out whether hard work is for you.

ho ho ho

It doesn’t matter if you think teaching is a good job or not, you are SO far off having the required academics it’s funny you’re even worrying about how others perceive the status of teaching.

That saying is ridiculous but I think I know what you mean. My mother is a secondary teacher with a very low (old fashioned) view of primary teaching. That view put me off applying until last year. I am in my 40s.

I did an access course and my advice to you would be to go and speak to your local college and pick the best access course for you. They will be different for nursing and anything humanities focused. You're right about shifts and sensible to consider how it will impact your family. But... do not make the mistake of thinking that teaching is a nice 9-3 job and suitable just because you have kids. It's hard work and you've got to be really driven to do it. Children deserve teachers with passion not just any woman who wants a job she thinks will fit round her life.

Doing an access course (or a Swap course if you're Scottish) could very well take you in a completely different direction. Keep your mind and your options open and stop caring about what you think other people think.

You've a long long way to go. Maybe take it a step at a time, and see where it leads you.

Those that can’t get zero GCSE’s and those than can know that YABVU.

You will never be a teacher or a nurse with no GCSE’s so let’s hope that your new teachers that you will need to gain any sort of qualification ‘can’ teach you some sense!

I used to be a teacher- I worked from 7:30 am until late every evening, and weekends, and summer holidays, and half-terms. Add report writings, evenings, meetings, trainings.
It's a lovely, but family unfriendly job, and if you want to move up the ladder (head of dept, etc) you will work even more.

www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

Not convinced this is you, OP.

I feel like if I go into teaching, my family will still think I’ve amounted to nothing

Not being funny but what do they think now with your zero GSCEs? What do they do for jobs?

I’ve not heard that “saying” for years it’s pig ignorant and I don’t think it’s true in the slightest. You’ve got a goddam cheek to say that about anyone else’s profession with your half a GSCE in Maths so far!

YABVU and so are your family if they think that saying is true.

The premise in you title is wrong OP. If it were true no one would ever learn anything. Teaching is just as much a vocation and just as vital as nursing. You are working hard to improve youself, so what you want to do and don't worry what others think, especially your mum. It does not sound as if she gave you much support in the past and now you're letting her undermine you again.

My pal's DS has a first class honours degree in Physics from Oxford University. He's now a teacher.

So, the saying's crap.