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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is retraining as a teacher a bad idea?

41 replies

SheldonSaysSo1 · 04/05/2020 21:46

I've been considering retraining as a teacher after working in childcare for a long time. It's always been something I've been keen on but I'm put off by the fact everyone seems very negative about teaching (mainly the workload and hours). I'd ideally be looking at KS1/EYFS if possible, I just want to know if anyone has a positive view on it? Happy to hear the negative too.

OP posts:

Maryjane3227 · 04/05/2020 21:53

Yes. I'm secondary by the way. It's rewarding, interesting, varied. Also you have great holidays, which you will work partly though but not totally. There are bad days and it is physically and emotionally exhausting when you deal with certain extremes but you learn gradually how to navigate those times. SCITT routes, PGCE, and Tap open to people with degrees or B. Eds for people without--all give you a lot of work experience, not just theory. Why not arrange to spend a day or more observing at a local school to see what you think?

Tunnocks34 · 04/05/2020 21:55

Look, teaching is hard work, there are lots of vocal teachers who will tell you that they never have a break, work 100 hours a week (which they may well do) however, I don’t and I won’t. I have three kids who will always come first so I work teaching around that. I leave early in the morning - 6.15am and get into work for just after 6.30am. However, I insist on having dinner with my kids so I leave as soon as the school day ends at 2.50 (except Wednesday which is CPD day and I stay until 4pm). I don’t spend excessive hours working at home, maybe 5/6 hours a week. I get all the holidays with my sons because actually, I don’t work them, other than one day per holiday.

Teaching is one of those jobs where you’re literally never, ever done. You can spend your life finding different things to do, so you need to make your own boundaries.

My classes all make excellent progress, I am an outstanding teacher and I love my job but I won’t die for it.

Also - I did my teacher training with a new baby and then my NQT year pregnant and again, hard, but doable!

TerrifiedandWorried · 04/05/2020 21:58

I would speak to EYFS teachers. Secondary is very very different and I think both the above posters teach secondary (correct me if I'm wrong!).

Tunnocks34 · 04/05/2020 22:01

No terrified is right - I teach secondary maths, no clue about early years or primary! It could be a completely different kettle of fish!

Disabrie22 · 04/05/2020 22:01

I’ve taught both and left after 12 years - I freelance now but debating supply. Some people love it - many leave because of the huge amount of work and stress. Try it and find out.

Atomsaway · 04/05/2020 22:10

I’ve been teaching for a looonngg time. The job has changed considerably in that time. However, I would still choose teaching.

Like a previous poster said, it’s a job that is never done. You could work yourself into the ground. I don’t. I get to school early and leave early. I do work in the evenings, maybe two to three times a week. I usually have weekends free unless it’s a pinch point in the year for assessments. I very rarely work in the summer holidays but I do sometimes work a couple of days in other holidays.

Teaching is a very varied job. I love the kids and my department. In fact, I love my school! However, I might not have had such glowing feedback in previous schools. You must choose your school wisely and that is the main bit of advice I have. Stay away from large multi academy chains!

QueenofLouisiana · 04/05/2020 22:11

I’ve been teaching nearly 23 years- I love a lot of the job and find other bits flipping irritating. Kids- love it! Marking- it’s generally fine. Dat- don’t like it but I can see the point, so I do it.
Like a PP I’ve Learned to set boundaries so I can have a life. I’m at work 8-5 most days and mark on a few evenings a week too. Not every day, not all weekend (although I do work on Sunday afternoon). It can become all consuming, DH (deputy head) and I were both emailing about work at 9pm tonight, and you do need to decide what is reasonable for you and your family.

JustOneMoreStep · 04/05/2020 22:12

Secondary here too but I truly believe it is a vocation not a job. I work a lot of hours and many hours into the night, but I'm performing arts and run a very very full calendar of extra curricular so I think that is in part the nature of my subject. My pay is good, but it is not good enough for the bad days, which can be plentiful and seemingly never ending, but equally the highs are so incredibly high and so rewarding. Schools are underfunded and I cant do loads of the things that I want to do as a result and those kids that fall through the cracks of the system make me feel sad every day, but I wouldn't not teach for anything. It truly is the best job in the world. It's a long hard slog, but for me at least, so so worth it.

I've met a lot of colleagues who havent been able to stick at it, but I think in most cases its the paperwork, box ticking, endless meetings and parents that drive them away in the end, not the teaching. If it's your dream go for it. You only live once, and it may change your life and if it doesnt work out, you tried, and you can try something else. Good luck.

KILNAMATRA · 04/05/2020 22:16

I did it and now work as an assessor in healthcare, can work from home, adult learners, I manage my own diary and like it alot. Turns out I only needed taqa qualifications and not full pgce. Look at that first , 1to1 teaching lot easier than seating plans for teenagers!! I found that very stressful, worked 3 days and spent every other waking hour figuring out what would happen in those 3 days...

2007Millie · 04/05/2020 22:16

Primary teacher here.

During my degree I constantly heard from others "wouldn't go into it now" and even my DH who is a teacher tried to stop me

But honestly, like PP has said, you make it work around you. Do not be the person who stays at work until 6 marking, don't be the one who always does jobs for others etc (not in a bad way)

There are a lot of people who put tooooooo much in with no return.

Both my partner and I get in at 8:15 and leave at 4pm, only ever worked through the holidays twice for a few days.

It's very good pay for the amount of time off you get, although very few teachers will admit that.

KILNAMATRA · 04/05/2020 22:17

Is there lots of jobs for childcare assessors?

Nectarines · 04/05/2020 22:42

I teach primary. Have taught from Nursery to Year 6.
It’s hard work but I absolutely love it and wouldn’t do anything else.
With experience, I’ve learned to work smarter and create boundaries between work and home life.
I have mentored loads of student teachers and my mission is to make sure they see what I see in terms of the up sides of the job.

BogRollBOGOF · 04/05/2020 22:57

I think workload can vary a lot from school to school depending on senior management and the school's situation.

I finished a few years ago because I was struggling with balancing the workload and being a good parent (it turns out DS has ASD which was why he struggled with school plus wraparound care, he was fine at nursery). My first year in the school was managable like my previous schools. Then due to special measures it was taken over by an academy chain. A little difference the second year. The marking policy became more rigourous. The third year, the chain were on constant red alert for OFSTED, striving for Good, constant forms of observation and scruitiny, and masses of data analysis. There were not enough hours in the day to meet expectations and have a life.

It's difficult to know what a school is like to actually work in, and it's nothing to do with reputation or catchment.

StripyHorse · 04/05/2020 23:13

How flexible are you about where you live? Some areas have an abundance of primary teachers and it is hard to find work... I have applied for jobs with 100 applicants. It's not to say don't do it but just bear in mind it is not as secure a job as you would imagine, especially with school budgets as they are.

Lilyamna · 04/05/2020 23:17

Yes, if:

You are not a perfectionist
You have really strong work/life boundaries
You are an optimist

Go for it!

If on the other hand:

You are pernickity about your work
You are a people pleaser
You have mental health fragilities

Then it’s a big fat NOPE!

wenders4 · 04/05/2020 23:26

Sorry jumping on this thread - what would you recommend as the best way to train as a teacher with a toddler? I have no prior experience and do not currently work in a school

HeffalumpsCantDance · 04/05/2020 23:26

Go for it, they need fresh blood all the time. Most teachers have got a 3-5 year limit teaching full-time, so the turn-over is quite fast.
You often won’t get the choice of year group, the head puts you where she needs you. I got bumped from YR to Y5, and a friend from Y1 to Y6.

pinkrocker · 04/05/2020 23:31

@wenders4 I volunteered at Rainbows & Brownies for 2 years, helped and listened to readers at my DCs first school then did a 3yr full time degree and came out with a first, aged 43. Used wraparound childcare and had a lot of financial help from the government and a tremendous amount of emotional help & support from my DP and parents. Go for it, I absolutely LOVE it and wished I'd done it 25 years ago.

pinkrocker · 04/05/2020 23:31

@KILNAMATRA my pal would be very interested in what you do! Can you tell me some more details?

SallyLovesCheese · 04/05/2020 23:32

I really loved the years I taught Reception, it was by far the happiest time in my ten years of classroom teaching.

I'm not one of those teachers who works all the hours god sends, but because of this I will never be an amazing teacher with all-singing, all-dancing lessons. The only teachers I've met in the last few years deemed as "wonderful" by their SLT are those who are prepared to work long, long hours, creating everything from scratch and spending their own money. So you either won't mind doing those things or you will be happy just being an average, dependable teacher.

But if I had the chance, I would go back and not choose teaching. By the end it sapped my confidence, my happiness and my passion, mainly because I ended up in the wrong school. Personally, the damage the profession has done to me isn't worth the joy I had for a few short years of Reception teaching in an amazing school.

B0bbin · 04/05/2020 23:44

Been a TA for many years and have seen so many teachers new and old get completely screwed by the system. It's hard work.

Lolliloo1234 · 04/05/2020 23:51

I’d say yes - I’m a primary teacher and my job is bloody hard. Long hours, ridiculous parents (not all but some make your life hell for no reason other than they desperately need validation/attention), stupid paperwork, internal politics (very rarely are these not present in a school) and Jesus the tiredness knows no bounds sometimes.

BUT, teaching is in my blood, it is my passion and my reason for living sometimes. That moment when a child gets the lightbulb moment, or for the first time displays real empathy or confides in you because they trust you. It’s unbeatable. I adore my job and I adore the children.

Basically, if you are really passionate about it then definitely do it. The hard work definitely is worth it for me.

Howaboutanewname · 05/05/2020 00:12

It's difficult to know what a school is like to actually work in, and it's nothing to do with reputation or catchment

This. I have a couple of PPA contracts in very contrasting schools in very different areas. The outstanding, middle-class catchment school is awful to work in. I hate it with a passion! The staff are friendly enough and the kids are nice on the whole but there is something about the atmosphere in the place. I dread working there. On the other hand, school in deeply socially and economically deprived town that is RI is the happiest place I’ve ever been in. Far harder to work in than the other school but goodness, it’s fab!

Original poster

SheldonSaysSo1 · 05/05/2020 13:12

Thank you, this has certainly made an interesting read. I'd be looking to probably do schools direct (although wasn't aware of TAP). I will definitely look at volunteering in a local school once everything settles down.

I am getting the feeling that you need to put in strong boundaries and know when things are good enough in teaching. I'm prepared for the first few years to be intense but I'd like to think I could get a better balance after that. Quite a few people on here seem to manage some semblance of it!

OP posts:

Thehop · 05/05/2020 13:31

Can I shamelessly jump on to follow please Op? Exactly the same situation. Am 1 year into my degree in the hopes of making the same jump.

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