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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I cannot keep this up and ask for your best ideas

32 replies

Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 16:37

I've name changed as this is all very outing. I apologise that it's long.

I am 35, 2 DC age 1 and 2. I have 10 years experience in my job - I am an English language tutor at a university pathway college. Formerly at a local FE college, previously at various private language schools including working abroad at a few different points. I have a masters from a respected university (achieved a distinction) in english language teaching. I additionally have a post graduate certificate in using ICT in language teaching. There are not really any further qualifications for me to gain within this profession, if you can even call it that. My current and previous line managers are full of praise for my classroom practice. I genuinely care about my students and enjoy my work.

I have never had a permanent or even fixed term contract, which is sadly very normal for the industry. I spent 4 years at the FE college on a sessional contract but our whole department was recently made redundant. Over summer, I applied for two jobs and received two offers and started at one in september. It has come to light today that due to changes in the wider university that were unforeseen, there will likely be no work for me in the new year. It is unlucky that this has happened so soon after me starting in a new place but the fact is it could be any month, after any amount of time working on a sessional contract. I cannot live with the instability. It is beyond stressful trying to sort out the childcare when I dont know when I'm working from one month to the next apart from anything else.

My problem is I am at a loss for what else to do. I have spent 10 years getting good at this job and achieving qualifications to show it. I had hoped that with masters level qualifications under my belt and a solid bank of experience I would be in a better position but I'm not and it's starting to feel like I never will be. Does anyone have any bright ideas? I am open to any and all suggestions.

OP posts:
BatleyTownswomensGuild · 14/11/2019 16:42

Sorry for your troubles, OP. It's shit. I work in HE and across the sector unions are going out on strike due to insecure working conditions.

Have you considered vocational support / training for post 18 apprenticeships. The apprenticeships levy seems to have directed a lot of focus onto that area and I'm regularly seeing roles for apprenticeship support when I'm looking for jobs....

Good luck Thanks

LadyLanka · 14/11/2019 16:48

Can you go self-employed?

JoJoSM2 · 14/11/2019 16:52

A friend was in a similar position and started her own language courses/school. She rented a permanent desk and a meeting room (paid by the hour) in a very central part of London. She picked up a lot of business quickly as there are many young, affluent international students about.

Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 16:57

Thank you. I have thought about going self employed and have done lots of private teaching work in the past. I am just not convinced I've got the headspace to make a proper go of it at the stage I'm at with 2 v young DC. And at the end of the day, it would not change my core problem which is lack of job security.

@BatleyTownswomensGuild thank you for the sympathy it is indeed shit. Where would you look for jobs like those you suggest?

OP posts:
JoJoSM2 · 14/11/2019 17:00

If self-employment isn’t the way forward, have you considered getting a QTS to work in schools? Or looked at independent schools - they often need TEFL teachers.

PaisleyPrintz · 14/11/2019 17:07

Enquire with your LEA for a suitable position for your level of expertise?

Apply for a role as English lead for sixth form or whole school?

Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 17:08

Independent schools is a good idea, thank you. There was a job that would have been perfect advertised at a renowned school locally but I was pg and i felt it would have been unethical to apply but I could / should look around.

QTS / state schools, the thought fills me with dread tbh. I hear nothing but misery from everyone I know who teaches in the conventional sense. I feel like it's a million miles from what I do (nearly always adults for a start). Maybe I need to reconsider though...

OP posts:
wherehavealltheflowersgone · 14/11/2019 17:11

How about looking at your local council run Adult Education centres? They always need teachers to teach GCSE English and literacy to adult learners

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/11/2019 17:16

Would you consider prison education? It's challenging and can be difficult but they are always looking for tutors (English/maths/ESOL) from absolute beginners to level 2

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/11/2019 17:17

Also should say: it's often Milton Keynes college you need to search for.

PersephoneOP · 14/11/2019 17:18

Work for yourself!

PumpkinPie2016 · 14/11/2019 17:18

I teach mainstream secondary (not English though) and would say have a look at teaching in schools.

Could you possibly arrange a day or two in some local secondary schools to see what it's like.

There are tough days (yesterday left me totally, emotionally drained) but there are so many positives. I teach science and did a practical with Y7 today which they said was 'awesome', had some really good discussions about Physics with my A-level group to mention just a few.

It's not for everyone but look into it -you may be suprised.

Simkin · 14/11/2019 17:23

Would switching to TESOL help? I do think tefl teachers get a hard time in this country. Are you currently working for a university? Do they no longer do permanent contracts for presessional etc teachers?

The other option is switching to exam writing and management - are you anywhere near Cambridge or Oxford?

Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 17:24

Thank you everyone, these suggestions are amazing. I am so flattened by the conversation I had today. It's somewhat cheering to hear these ideas.

OP posts:
Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 17:32

Apply for a role as English lead for sixth form or whole school?

Sadly I don't think I would be qualified for this. My qualifications / training are in teaching English as a foreign language, generally to adults. Sorry, perhaps that was not clear in the op.

Would switching to TESOL help? I am not sure exactly what you mean by TESOL as the term is used differently, but I already teach to speakers of other languages, see above.

The other option is switching to exam writing and management - are you anywhere near Cambridge or Oxford? I am not near either of those. I'm in Brighton. Lots of language schools, lacking job security for most. Do you have any ideas on how to switch to exam writing? I have taught cambridge exams and IELTS for years.

OP posts:
Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 17:35

@thenewaveragebear1983 I have never considered prison education... I didn't even know it was a thing. Where do they advertise jobs like that? What type of background to people normally have when moving into that role?

OP posts:
Kiwiinkits · 14/11/2019 17:51

What about going into corporate training? Big IT projects always have a training component after they’ve been rolled out. Good money, as the benchmark is IT rates rather than teaching rates. Search “change and training” or “IT training”

Kiwiinkits · 14/11/2019 17:53

Your sales pitch would be “for most people IT is a different language”

LellyMcKelly · 14/11/2019 17:57

How about taking a look at local universities themselves? There may be roles as a lecturer/teaching fellow in TEFL (I.e. teach others to be TEFL teachers) as well as providing support for students.

Original poster
Enoughisenoughhhhh · 14/11/2019 18:01

@Kiwiinkits that would be quite the sales pitch. Imagine I would need some kind of IT background for that?

OP posts:
Phineyj · 14/11/2019 18:01

I think you should CV all commutable local independent schools, especially ones with a lot of foreign students and boarding schools.

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 14/11/2019 18:07

HI OP,

I'd try looking on local authority webistes, Jobs Go Public and just general searches on Indeed.com and Totaljobs.

You could also try contacting local authorities and FE colleges directly and ask who their partner agencies are - usually the vocational support is contracted out to a private company or social enterprise of some sort. e.g. a few examples:
www.catch-22.org.uk/expertise/get-into-work-or-training/
paragonskills.co.uk/

good luck!

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 14/11/2019 18:09

Also have you considered offering tutoring and support to overseas students wanting to improve their English and understanding of English culture before coming to study in UK universities? I have absolutely no idea how you'd go about this, but I'm sure there's probably a market for it. Maybe you could give Skype lessons to young people in China or something?

Kiwiinkits · 14/11/2019 18:52

No you don’t need IT background. It’s teaching people about new processes. New steps they need to take to do their job. You don’t need to understand the IT/coding at all.

Simkin · 14/11/2019 20:39

My knowledge is probably out of date but it used to be that TEFL was for teaching people who wanted to learn English to travel/work whereas TESOL was for people who lived here already and were trying to integrate. There used to be money around for the latter at local colleges and adult education centres or refugee centres - I suspect this is no longer the case.

The type of jobs I was thinking of advertise on the OUP/ Cambridge assessment website but there must be freelance item writer jobs. I'm not sure how you would get those.

You don't fancy being a DOS or director at a language school? They're normally permanent aren't they?