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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really not e enjoying teaching?

117 replies

NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 10:50

Sorry - moany thread and I don’t think there is a solution although happy to hear any suggestions.

I was deputy head, stepped down after having DD, classroom teacher again and I thought I’d love it.

I hate it. I don’t know whether it’s being a mum now and not so career focused or whether it’s the relentlessness of teaching all day every day and the accompanied planning and marking, or whether these strange post covid times. But it’s exhausting me.

I’m already dreading Monday Sad

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 22/01/2022 10:51

YANBU

Make a plan to make a change.

DiddyHeck · 22/01/2022 10:51

Do you want people to suggest the obvious job change? Grin It sounds tough OP but other jobs are available.

Have you thought about what else you perhaps might like to do?

Howshouldibehave · 22/01/2022 10:52

You are not alone-have a search on the Staff Room board here or the Life After Teaching FB group!!

KatherineofGaunt · 22/01/2022 10:52

Like all jobs, if you're not enjoying it, look to change. I can't wait to leave teaching; currently locked into this job because of some paid training I can't afford to pay back, but otherwise I'm out!

superram · 22/01/2022 10:56

Me too, but I left and went back as the corporate world was so boring. Now I wish I’d stayed in the boring job…..

CoastalWave · 22/01/2022 10:58

GO freelance.

All the joy of teaching and none of the pointless paperwork.

Hankunamatata · 22/01/2022 11:01

Look for another deputy position?

Original poster
NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 11:04

What’s the obvious job change - going back to deputy? I definitely don’t want that and couldn’t really even if I wanted to. Too many late night meetings and it would mean a change of school which isn’t likely to reduce my stress.

OP posts:
myhousebuild · 22/01/2022 11:14

Yep...me too! Hated it so I left and I'm now doing a degree apprenticeship in another area I always loved and I'm delighted!

Howshouldibehave · 22/01/2022 11:16

@CoastalWave

GO freelance.

All the joy of teaching and none of the pointless paperwork.

Do you mean doing supply?

Last minute early morning calls, cancellations when you arrive, dirt poor daily rate, impact on pension, kids taking the piss and no pay over the holidays. Hmmm!

ChachiChichi · 22/01/2022 11:17

YANBU. Teaching just takes so much from you mentally and physically. After having my daughter, I just didn't have the energy for the performative aspect of it anymore.
I've taken a £400 a month pay cut to escape the classroom, although I know how much of a lucky position I'm in to be able to afford to do that. Must say, for me, 6 months on, it's been worth every penny.

Lemonweightloss · 22/01/2022 11:18

I was a primary school teacher for 25 years. I loved it for the most part but one day I realised I didn't want to do it anymore. Life's too short. I know it's a cliche but when you start dreading Mondays or even wishing you had an accident on the way to work ( my lowest point and my final straw), you just know its time to go. I'm a cleaner now and love it. I understand financial implications are different for everyone so sit down with your nearest and dearest and formulate a plan. Just doing that will make you feel better. ( Incidentally, I have so many friends who loved teaching then had a complete turnaround after having their own children or after travelling etc. It's quite common).

Viviennemary · 22/01/2022 11:18

Maybe try and get a job in a private school.

Original poster
NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 11:19

Yeah supply wouldn’t really be less stress, just a different type of stress!

OP posts:
Original poster
NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 11:20

I don’t think a job in a private school would make much, if any difference, to the sort of stress I mean. It’s the sheer relentlessness of it, kids in, kids out, grabbed twenty minute lunch, kids in again, kids out again, then the work starts …

OP posts:
LizzyD78 · 22/01/2022 11:41

Have you considered moving schools? Some schools allow for more life/work balance than others. However if you’re not enjoying it when the kids are in (as in the actual bit in the classroom) I don’t think it’s the job for you any more.

DaisyTheUnicorn · 22/01/2022 11:46

Absolutely agree. I doubt changing schools is the answer. I needed less full on performance and overstimulation every hour. Get out while you can. Would you retrain ? What would you do?

ilovesooty · 22/01/2022 11:47

Of course there is a solution.
You either continue to do the job and hate it, or develop a career action plan involving a move to something else. Only you can know what your financial situation is and how viable the latter will be.

Original poster
NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 11:52

@ilovesooty I get that tone can be difficult to convey but that post didn’t come across particularly supportively.

As I know you know, a complete career change entails a lot of money and often a drop in pay anyway. Doing that (especially when I’m not even sure what I want to do) with a very young child would be extremely foolish.

The solution you speak or is to continue in the job but I do think I am allowed to post about how I feel about it and get some support Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
NotEnjoyingTeaching · 22/01/2022 11:53

@LizzyD78 I do enjoy some of my classes, but I have a few with tricky behaviour which makes classroom teaching quite stressful. It also means planning takes forever as I have to plan for behaviour!

OP posts:
PonyPatter44 · 22/01/2022 11:58

I taught in prisons for many years. Minimal planning, tiny classes (max of 8), no peripheral stuff like reports or parents evenings, just teaching, and no behaviour management as such. If they kicked off, you pressed the button on the wall, and a couple of big blokes with sticks came and removed them from the room Grin.

On the down side, the money was terrible compared to teaching in schools and we taught 50 weeks/year so no school holidays off.

HowdyDudey · 22/01/2022 12:01

I hear you. I can feel myself falling out of love with it but the thought of starting again makes me feel uneasy. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. There’s a fb group called ‘Life After Teaching’ that might be useful. It talks about financial baselines amongst other things and might be the light at the end of the tunnel.

draramallama · 22/01/2022 12:04

How long have you been working in this post?

ilovesooty · 22/01/2022 12:10

[quote NotEnjoyingTeaching]@ilovesooty I get that tone can be difficult to convey but that post didn’t come across particularly supportively.

As I know you know, a complete career change entails a lot of money and often a drop in pay anyway. Doing that (especially when I’m not even sure what I want to do) with a very young child would be extremely foolish.

The solution you speak or is to continue in the job but I do think I am allowed to post about how I feel about it and get some support Hmm[/quote]
I apologise. I was responding purely to "I don't think there is a solution".

If you really only want support for your current situation and don't see any option to change it, that alters things somewhat. I do hear what you say about the feelings you have about it, but you might come to a place where it's too stressful to carry on and it makes you really ill, and I think that's worth bearing in mind.

Lemonweightloss · 22/01/2022 12:22

@ilovesooty, this is the thing. Of course money is important. We've all got bills to pay but if it's making you ill / depressed / constantly irritable ( I'm not saying op is ; I was !), it's not worth it. I think there's always a solution.