To still want to pursue a career in secondary school teaching even though everything I’ve read warns me off?

[Overmydeadbody456]

I am in the finance industry at the moment, and have been for 15 years. I’ve been wanting to be a teacher for years, but got complacent and kept pushing it further down the line. Pay and bonuses in my field are good which I would say was the main reason, however the job is very stressful and I’m just getting tired of it

This year, I feel i’ve developed this overwhelming urge that I need to move into a vocation that I actually want to do. Teaching has always seemed so much fun and rewarding. But any teachers I speak to or any forums I read all are advising people not to move into it because of all the red tape and funding cuts.
Has anyone here decided to completely switch careers and move into teaching despite being warned not to?
My subject would probably be business studies/economics

Teaching is fun. Working in education is stressful. If you still want to do it then go for it, the sector needs people with passion but be prepared for a job that may well be as stressful as your last without the reward of bonuses.

Also, if you can teach economics then could you teach maths? That would help with getting a job.

I teach business and economics have done for 15 years. I (mainly) love my job but it really is all down to the school you’re in. Happy to answer any questions you have

Thanks Bobbiepin. I have read about the stress and how much pressure teachers are under, and I definitely have that at the front of my mind. What from your experience causes the most stress ?

No idea OP but I’m feeling similar to you.I did a science degree then went straight on to being a primary TA. I absolutely love it and feel so motivated to become a teacher. Perhaps we’ll be Ok if we’re going into it with a realistic view of the workload, pressures and general downsides of the career?

Teaching is a mixed bag. I really enjoy it but it has its ups and downs and challenges.

Before you make a decision, you need to get into schools for a reasonable amount of time. I career changed into teaching and didn't regret it, but school experience was key. Ideally you want to get in for a week block or one day a week for a half term etc and try to visit at least 2 different contexts.

If you're willing to learn, go in with your eyes open and don't fall prey to the "but in my previous job..." mindset then you will stand a good shot. If you go in without an informed decision and unrealistic expectations about what it will be like at the bottom learning your craft, then don't. On workload, I find career changers tend to find their own rhythm quicker, I know I did.

Teaching isn't boring, that's the best thing I can say for it in present conditions. Is it worth the multi-layers of pressure and stress for a much reduced salary though?

Classroom teaching is barely scraping half the job these days. Most work time is admin/ data/ marking/ remarking/ planning (on the bare bones of resources) etc.

Hi @myusername2015 - great thank you. Would you still say it’s a popular subject and have you found there is demand for teachers in this area? I remember when I was at school (late 90s) it was quite a new subject and getting more and more chosen by students, but I wondered if that was still the case

@bobbiepin - I would definitely consider maths (although would need to brush up heavily on my trigonometry and simultaneous equations!) - I saw the other day that a £10k bursary was being offered for a maths course

I second the idea of you getting lots of time in a school.
If you have time to have a week off and go into your local secondary.

There are challenges but I am a TA entering training next year to be a primary teacher. I have my eyes very open. I am excited.
Good luck👍

Two questions:

1. Have you been into schools for some shadowing days? This is essential for getting a feel of what it's really like. If not, you need to. This time of year schools are more likely to accomodate you as they are less busy, but bear in mind that this is the quiet, easy time, especially for the subject you're interested in as a large part of their timetable will be exam classes who have now gone.

1. Could you return to your current career after a couple of years if you decide it's not for you? I know so many teachers (and have read the same from loads on here) who are desperate to leave teaching but can't afford to. Having the safety net of a well paid career that you could get back into would make a big difference.

Have you been reading Lucy Kellaway's columns in the FT about retraining as a maths teacher? Definitely worth a read if you're considering it.

I've been looking into this too and have come across both Teach First and Schools Direct. These offer work placements in which you get paid while you learn.

I know someone who has been through Schools Direct and can't say enough good things about it (but was placed in a school with an amazing head teacher) and when you sign up they provide you with a 1-2-1 mentor to help answer any questions.

He also recommended a website called school-experience.education.gov.uk which you can use to get school observations.

Teaching is brilliant. Best job in the world.

All the crap that goes alongside it - essentially all the stuff that requires you to treat children as data - is absolutely souls destroying.

Business studies and economics are very popular subjects at sixth form. I think if you are able to teach KS5 that might take a bit of pressure off - depending on the school - sixth form classes tend to be smaller. Maths is hugely in demand as a subject so that would be a good choice.

I have a number of friends who retrained as secondary teachers - they are all still teaching and enjoying it

My stepdaughter changed career to be a teacher 6 years ago (science) and loves it.

The positive stories really just make me want to do it!

I would not be going into with my eyes closed,
I am fully aware that it’s a stressful career move, that I would effectively start from the bottom and sacrifice my personal time to do it justice - but the classroom and student engagement side of it really excites me and I think I would be prepared to take the “crap” half for the better half

I haven’t done any shadowing. My cousin teaches Design Tech in a local school and I will have a chat with her to see if she can help arrange something for me

I have come across the School Direct programme and it sounds like a no brainer to me - am I right in thinking that not only is it salaried but the fees are a fraction of the price compared to studying at a place of higher education, and you’re still “properly qualified” after it? I wondered why anybody would choose not to use that route

Thanks for link @riojahaze - what do you do currently and what are you hoping to teach?

@Duchess yes I think I could. I am in banking and the role I am doing at the minute is replicated at lots of different banks - and experience within the role is heavily sought, so if I wanted to go back I think I would be able to

No just no. 11 years in and currently signed off with anxiety and depression. Don't do it.

Headteachers run schools like their own personal fiefdom. It's irrelevant what's right or wrong. Stay away. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.

I'm a career changer teaching the same subjects...I echo PP who say get into schools before you decide as the reality from an adult view point is so much different from the rose coloured view when you were in school.

The subjects have become hugely popular however the reality is you will also have to teach another subject if in 11+ setting, usually IT or computer science as they tend to be in the same dept/faculty

I'll walk you through my general respinsibilities (keep in mind I am in a job that is FAR less stressful than any school I've worked in previously).

Plan lessons, including making sure resources are ready, and there is differentiation for high ability and low ability students.
Mark work. Marking is never finished.
Emails. All day every day. Most are notices of stuff to keep in mind, some are extra tasks, more data, deadline reminders and parent communication.
Data recording - this has to go in 3 different places for reports to parents plus my extra tracking so I know where all my students are at all times. This usually results in communication home.
Discipline stuff - managing and running detentions, making sure parents are aware when necessary, logging and reporting all behaviour and tracking down kids to talk to them as most lessons i'm teaching and can't hang around to talk after the lesson.
Following up with missed homework.
Workshops, either after school or lunch time. Usually groups but occasionally one to ones with struggling students.
Safeguarding concerns- ranging from "I'm struggling with my workload" to "I'm pregnant/my mum is dying of cancer/I'm being made homeless" (I work in post 16, these are not uncommon)
Extra things like UCAS references, especially at this time of year.
Curriculum meetings, department meetings (x2 as I'm in two departments), all staff briefings, many of which could be done with an email.
Making sure my room displays are kept up to date and not tatty.
Monitoring my SEND students and their TA (and I'm lucky to have TA support) and communicating with the SEND dept.

And that's all before I get in the classroom to teach.

I love it (14years here) but I'm the kind of person who loves stress. You have to be able to set yourself boundaries. Eg) I will work from 7-5.30 every weekday and 3/4 hrs on Saturday morning and if it doesn't get done in that time it will have to wait.
Don't be guilted into giving up the rest of your life for this job. I used to do everything I was asked but now I realise it will never be enough and most of the time SLT are so busy thinking of new stuff for you to do they don't even notice you didn't do the last pointless thing they asked.

When asked to do some box ticking Admin exercise always say 'how does this benefit the kids?' if the answer's not obvious it goes to the bottom of the list.

Good luck

You really MUST get a week of shadowing experience done before you make any further plans.

Schools Direct places tend to go to people with some form of prior teaching experience, such as TAs, coaches, etc. Someone with zero experience is going to struggle with being put straight into a classroom.

Headteacher fiefdom
Yes to this!!

Teaching can be fun. 90% of the children I teach really want to do their best & learn.

You MUST get into school somehow and observe. A friend did a 1 hr workshop (linked to their job) ) with only 15 children at a local secondary school and found it exhausting. They were shocked that they didn't go in to a quiet, captive audience and had to work hard to keep students interested & on task.

Oh how I laughed!