To really not e enjoying teaching?

[NotEnjoyingTeaching]

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

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

Have you done any financial planning to work out how much you have to earn? Is it as much as currently or could it be less? That is a good starting point. Then think through what you enjoy about teaching and would look for in another role; what you find most stressful and would want to avoid in a new job .

I'd also say in the kindest way possible that the grass is always greener. I know teaching is full on and stressful, and most teachers don't count the holidays as recovery time as they work through most of them. But most teachers I know believe that people earn the same and more than they do 'for doing nowhere near the work that teachers do' (actual quote from a teacher friend - and I know it's a view shared by many others). Which couldn't be further from the truth certainly in my experience.

My husband earns 3x what I do (admittedly he’s full time and I’m 0.7, but still more than 2x my FTE) and I work more hours and have significantly more stress. Not just my opinion; he says so too. And I work fewer hours than most teachers I know. There ARE some jobs which are far less work/stress for more money than teaching. I just need find one 😂

Definitely, just have to last until august!

@modgepodge same with my DH!

Glad you got what I meant (is NOT greener!) - I only said that because I honestly know no teachers (and I know a lot) who don't think that they are more hard done to than any other profession.

But ignore that, and please do think thorough my other points, it might help you unlock some other solutions.

Freelance can mean tutoring, and tutoring can actually be quite steady work. I did a lot of teaching children who, for some reason, weren’t in school, when my children were small. It was really rewarding work, very well paid and I shaped it around my needs.

I also had a great time doing little bits of fixed term work in schools. They were grateful to have me, so expectations like duties / form group etc. were absolutely minimal. One of them turned into a permanent very part-time job which has been an absolute joy.

When the time is right, I will return to a leadership position.

Hold your nerve, resign but ask to be remembered if they need someone very part-time, fixed term or for a bit of cover (and send your cv round). You will be surprised by how many offers you get.

Supply is an option but it is terribly paid. I’d barely make a profit after childcare fees were paid for.

Nothing to add but I have been feeling very bored with teaching - I think covid ruined a lot of it for me. I am bored of teaching the younger years which I used to love. I’m in a school with only a few behaviour issues so haven’t got that excuse. I’ve been a teacher for years and years and every school it’s the same job. You are right it’s not financially viable or right to get a new job or train in something new, you basically have to get on with it…

In the last year I found myself staring out the window at times just bored out of my mind…

I have found saying two stars and a wish for my day with my partner (also a teacher so understands) is helpful. For example, I had a lovely coffee with my colleagues coffee machine, I found out some juicy gossip about the French teacher and a wish is I wish that boy in y11 would have to isolate for our next lesson.

Also treating your day as if it’s all about the coffee and chat rather than the actual work you get done. Kids quite like this too.

Also another way out is to have another baby. I’ve just done that so I’m on leave at the moment. A great way to have a year off.

Obviously the last one is a joke. Kind of.

Sorry this is useless but I think part of that is just life and realising you’ve got 30 years or so ahead of you of work and it’s boring. Nobody enjoys their job 24/7. But I think if you enjoy your job at times, I think that’s enough!

Well, I am hoping to have another baby!

One of the problems is boredom / loneliness. You know how sometimes people post they want to get back to work for adult company? I don’t get that at ALL. Kids, kids, kids!

Totally understand what you mean - I cannot stand it this year. We have the leadership team telling us that Ofsted could come ANY DAY, behaviour is getting harder and harder and the focus on early reading means that I just teach phonics and guided reading relentlessly. The pressure is crushing and for the first time in 14 years I am seriously thinking of quitting. Loads of staff already are. It's just joyless and all our goodwill and our passion has been ground down and gone.

Change schools? Go into the independent sector?

I found that having my own baby was a real watershed moment in teaching for me. Before that, I absolutely loved my job; afterwards I felt like I was using all my time and energy looking after other people's babies while somebody else was looking after mine. That did get a bit better over time, but I don't think I will ever get back to how I felt before I had my own children. Going part time definitely helped me too, but I think you have to go fairly part time before it makes a difference. I definitely recommend having another baby

I was literally looking at job postings out of teaching. I'm bored. The same thing day-in, day-out. I'm in a school where behaviour isn't a problem, but I just can't bring myself to do it anymore and I feel numb from the second I get in my car to the second I get home. I've started leaving at 4.30 and coming in at 7. Even if you exclude the unpaid lunch that I work through, I'm still working over my contracted hours. Anything that doesn't get done, doesn't get done now. I'm telling myself that they are buying my time to do a job and it's up to them how they utilise me during that time, but I'm point blank refusing to give up my life for a job.
I left on Friday knowing it was report deadline and I have only done half of my reports, because my school had so many meetings and other deadlines last week. I don't have any ppa till Thursday and after school meetings Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So they won't get finished any time soon. 🤷‍♀️

I wish I had the magic answer for you, but at least you know you are not on your own.

I don't enjoy being in a class of 28/35 kids - I've done primary and secondary.

What I do love is my current job teaching literacy and numeracy in special education

2/4 kids in person group and when I do teach a whole class it's 6/8 kids going swimming or to PE. I do a bit of science once a week too.

It's the best job ever, wee bit of planning (I get a whole day to do this) and I work 4 days.

I love it so much and the kids are awesome. Every kid has their own PSA so there is lots of support and the team are fab.

Worth looking into?

@NotEnjoyingTeaching

Well, I am hoping to have another baby!

One of the problems is boredom / loneliness. You know how sometimes people post they want to get back to work for adult company? I don’t get that at ALL. Kids, kids, kids!

Covid has definitely made this worse in my school. Staggered break times mean you are on duty almost every day, and if not then everyone else is, or is teaching, so no one to chat with. I used to love the 10 minutes in the staff room chatting with other staff, it broke the day up. Staff meetings are also now soulless teams meetings rather than in person, so no chance for a chat or a bit of banter.

Do you have a specialism? SEN? teacher training ECT mentor? - possibly LA jobs or teaching school roles for teacher training.

My LA is desperate for SEN case workers for instance. I have a friend working in teacher training.

It is just a whinge, to be honest. I think posters above have really helped because I can see it isn’t just me. I’m bored with it, and miss adult company.

Definitely not on your own!!!!

I’m just about to do the lottery……..

I left teaching and it was the right thing to do. I could do it for another 25 years. However I havent found my plan B and Ive replaced one problem with another. My temporary work in adjlt ed is incredibly badly paid and was only intended as a stop gap!

So many people change careers or branch out. We should be able to leave teaching!

Go part time.

There's not much that it's as well full time at entry level as teaching does part time.

Honestly, go part time for a few years while your children are small.

Then stay part time for a year or more after the youngest starts school and use that time to find yourself again. Develop some hobbies, do the things you love. Or even retrain on those days?

You need to step back, but you might not need to step out completely.

Go part time while you decide.

It was the best thing I ever did. It absolutely saved my life. (Not exaggerating)

We always joke out SLT wouldn’t survive in the classroom all day every day!

If you’re not enjoying it I would say it’s time to find a new career, as teaching is impossible when the love has gone

If you are on Facebook try Life After Teaching - Exit the classroom and Thrive - it's a support group.

I think your op is so interesting. The demands that SLT but on us mere teachers, google forms, random marking policies, almost daily ‘just one form’ to fill in by the end of the day (I'm looking at you senco), meetings and parents evenings in the same week, random data that nothing is done with, more and more analysis, weekly book scrutinies by the dept head who rarely marks his own books make me frequently say they have clearly forgot what having a full time-table is like.

I left. Life is too short

I totally get how you're feeling, though I'm not a teacher. I went through all the same feelings in my job, especially the feeling trapped. Changing career seemed impossible as I didn't have tons of money or a high earning partner and couldn't afford to go back to university. My industry also has the issue that someone mentioned with not valuing experience. I've watched so many people over 40 be managed out or made redundant and replaced with 25 year olds. Plus the industry itself is toxic. I knew I needed out.

It took me 3 years. Lots of dead ends, not knowing what I wanted to do, lots of rejections when applying for jobs.
I hit a turning point when I went on mat leave. I signed up for a professional qualification course, distance learning, for a related industry that I knew paid better and had better working conditions.
It cost £2k which was all my savings. But the cost wasn't prohibitive in the way a whole new degree would be, and the course was only a year.
I studied when DD was asleep or when DH took her for a bit. I also found a volunteering opportunity in that industry. I could do it from home and it was very sporadic work, but it looked good on the CV.
I joined my industry equivalent to the Life After Teaching Facebook group and learned a lot from it. Lots of great ideas and advice. I'd also recommend the Career Shifters website.
Crucially, I did a lot of work on changing my mindset. I'm not at all "woo" but realised that when you're stuck in a rut, you slip into a defeatist, negative mindset and that negative vibe puts people (including potential employers) off you and can really hold you back. People pick up on it even if you think you're hiding it well. That's what had happened to me and it's so easy to slip into when you're unhappy. Every time I had a defeatist thought like "I can't afford to start at the bottom again" I'd stop the thought in its tracks and counter with "this isn't helpful" and then focus on what small thing I could do that day that would help my career change (eg read one chapter of the course textbook, research one employer I want to work for etc). There are lots of resources online, podcasts etc. on reframing your mindset.
Eventually I was offered a job in my chosen industry. Yes, I'm starting at the bottom. But because the job has a tech element, and there's a recruitment shortage in tech, my starting salary will actually be significantly more than I earned as a senior in my previous job.

As a teacher you'll have lots of transferable skills plus subject knowledge that will surely have use outside of the classroom.

With respect to the suggestion to teach in FE/ Adult Ed. You would find there is a huge difference in pay, and there is just as much paperwork, target setting and planning. Furthermore, in the tertiary sector, jobs are often very insecure.