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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is teaching really that bad?

441 replies

Cremeegg456 · 15/03/2022 22:39

I did a secondary PGCE and gained a pass with Merit, and 'outstanding', that was 6 years ago and I've never completed my nqt year.
I know the PGCE isn't representative of what actual teaching is like though but I remember it being what seemed like a lot of unnecessary paperwork, but we also had the assignments on top.

I've done various work with young and elderly people since which I've enjoyed, but I've never made a lot more than minimum wage. Had zero hours contracts, agency work etc.

I did enjoy teaching but I am just not prepared to work evenings and weekends as well, it's just not worth having no life for me. Not prepared to work more than 45 hours a week.

But truthfully if I want a higher and more stable income I think I would have to go into it, if I'm thinking of buying a house, children etc in the next few years.

Would be interested to hear from people as to what their work life balance really is.

OP posts:
TracyMosby · 15/03/2022 23:01

I had a ten minute meeting after work today that lasted two hours. I came home and continued to complete work that i need to have done for tomorrow and stopped at 10.30pm. I ate Dinner while working. Read a couple of threads here to break up the work occasionally. This wasnt a calendared meeting. That one was yesterday. Hmm Ive not even planned my 8.30am lesson yet because I'm now in bed as it is 11pm. Wednesdays are tough days with no frees.

There will only be £12k difference between a new teacher and one who has worked 30years soon. Theres no progression, except for the few.

Theres no way not to do evenings. Parents evenings are not optional. Open evenings and options evenings too. All the residential i ever went on were weekends. They are unpaid.

His much work you have to do evenings and weekends will massively change depending on your subject.

Imanidiotiknow · 15/03/2022 23:07

Run, run and run again!

WithRosesAroundTheDoor · 15/03/2022 23:08

A friend of mine was ranting about this the other day and it's just hitting me how right she is.
The whole culture around teaching is wrong and really takes advantage of the emotional connection that we have with pupils.
In no other job would you be expected to put in so much unpaid overtime. There are no other roles where you would be considered failing and put through capability without hours of unpaid overtime.
It's so bloody wrong and is reliant on us being afraid to let the side down.

AdoptedBumpkin · 15/03/2022 23:11

The teachers I know all seem overworked and stressed. Just my two pence.

Songsareliketattoos · 15/03/2022 23:13

If you finished your NQT there are a wide range of alternatives in teaching, eg part time, or private sector with smaller classes (though not everyone supports private, I know), or private tutoring. You don't have to go for full time, full on, and you'd still be on much better salary than minimum wage full time post.

Do you enjoy teaching? If so, why not complete your qualification; you've done so much already!

constantindigestion · 15/03/2022 23:15

Have you considered teaching abroad? Some international schools take in NQTs (or ECTs as they're now called). Worth it to perhaps to see the world and save a bit of money

BlueOysterCult · 15/03/2022 23:16

It's pretty awful TBH. Dropped to part time which is better but I'm now skint so not sure what to do! Can't face increasing my days!

Original poster
Cremeegg456 · 15/03/2022 23:19

Thanks everyone for the honest and informative replies

OP posts:
MediocrityIsUnderrated · 15/03/2022 23:19

It's a disgrace how the teaching profession is treated. Who is responsible? Is it Ofsted, the government, the general culture?

maddy68 · 15/03/2022 23:19

Actually you have to complete your induction within 4 terms of completing a pgce ((unless that has changed ) so sadly I don't think you can teach now

MediocrityIsUnderrated · 15/03/2022 23:20

Ps Not personally a teacher but disgusted at the way they are treated so poorly.

XelaM · 15/03/2022 23:27

I work in higher education (I lecture at postgraduate level) and love it! The students are all engaged and well-prepared, obviously no behaviour issues. I only have to be in for the hours I teach (which is between 2-4 hours with at least one weekday off). The salary is decent. Long holidays (less than school teachers but still very good)

Keepitonthedownlow · 15/03/2022 23:29

What about supply teaching or part time?

QueenOfHiraeth · 15/03/2022 23:30

I have several friends who are teachers and it seems to be very mixed.

One younger one says the first year is hard but, after that, you can edit and reuse resources, etc and she spends very little time on it outside normal working hours. She has just been promoted to a senior role so don't know if it will change.
One older one, close to retirement now, went into teaching late and insists it is no more pressured than previous jobs.
Others, however, claim to work far longer hours and suffer far more pressure

TracyMosby · 15/03/2022 23:31

Who is responsible? Is it Ofsted, the government, the general culture?
Yes

Purplepeoniesdroppingpetals · 15/03/2022 23:35

It is that bad. Sorry. Wouldn’t recommend it to anyone I liked at the moment as a career. So many teachers are absolutely done in at the moment - it’s pretty much the only topic of conversation, which is all in passing as we’re too busy. Bloody awful.

OwlinaTree · 15/03/2022 23:38

I enjoy it, I work hard during the school day but pretty much never weekends (except maybe some laminating).

I think it depends on your school though.

Meandmini3 · 15/03/2022 23:42

Primary. It’s bad. I’m getting out soon.

Macaroni46 · 15/03/2022 23:46

Currently desperate to get out but that could be because my school is in a terrible position. Been a teacher for nearly 30 years and have never worked so hard. I'm part time (3.5 days) but easily work 40 hours a week. It's insane. The pressure is immense. Constant observations and changes to curriculum and timetable so lessons have to be planned from scratch each time, lack of support for children with SEND, very negative atmosphere. Rarely leave before 6pm and am in school by 7.30! I don't sleep well on school nights as I get so anxious. Planning to leave. Not sure what I'll do next. Very sad as I used to love teaching but the relentless pressure and unrealistic expectations have ground me down along with lack of funding. Lost my confidence and feel nauseous at the thought of going into school each day. No way to live!

intheblightgarden · 15/03/2022 23:48

Teaching is a vocation. You have to love it. Even then, it's hard work but if you love it then it's worth it. The first few years are the worst, once you're settled in a school and know what you're doing and have your plans made etc you can settle down a bit.

Why did you do a PGCE if no real intention of being a teacher?

KnowingMeKnowingYouAhaaaa · 15/03/2022 23:50

I'm not a teacher but my husband is, he teaches secondary science (chemistry). I find the hours he does frustrating to be honest, he will start work 7.30am and is often only getting home at 6ish, later some days (he moved schools and thankfully has a very short commute now, before it was a 1 hour drive down the motorway, if he'd carried on with that job i dont think we'd have stayed married). He often gets work out at 9pm once our young children are in bed and Sundays he spends working. It's hard with young children. He does get the long holidays so we don't pay for holiday childcare so that is a plus and he spends time with them in holidays. I earn more in the civil service and do compressed hours over 4 days wfh. I start work at 7.30am and finish at 5ish, I never work outside these hours, if I did I'd be paid or claim back the time. My working days are shorter than his even though i do compressed hours. I don't have 13 weeks holiday though. My husband is often exhausted, tonight he went to bed when our children went up at 7ish and hasn't come back down, it's not much of a life in term time. If you teach an easier subject with less marking/planning I'm sure it'd easier, he's committed to his job, I'm sure many get by doing less.

noblegiraffe · 15/03/2022 23:51

It's not an NQT year any more, it's ECT and takes two years. By all accounts it's an utter ballache of pointless extra workload under the guise of 'support'. You should have done the NQT year when you had the chance.

Newtonred · 15/03/2022 23:53

My husband is a primary teacher and he says it all about the school and the management team, especially the headteacher.

After his PGCE he started in a school and left after 2 months. The pressure was awful, they wanted detailed plans months and months in advance and nearly every week his PPA time was taken away. He was up till at least 1am every night planning and all weekend. The head did her best to play the staff off against each other and undermine them so he made the hard decision to leave as he would have cracked up and never taught again.

He then went on supply for 18 months and worked in lots of different schools to see which was a good fit. He then got a job in a school he felt was a good fit for him after doing supply in there. He has been there a year now and loves his job. The head could not be more supportive and he had a good work life balance. I would say he works on average an hour a night and 3 of so hours at weekend. He does a lot of the sport in the school which is one of his areas of strength.

Incidentally most of the worst schools for pressure and lack of support he worked in were Catholic including the one he worked at first. He said out of all the Catholic school he worked in he would only have applied to one of the if a full time job had come up there
This may have been a coincidence. He now works in a C of E and says the ethos is so different even though it is still a religious school.

He would always advice an new NQT to supply for at least a year then you get an idea of what schools you would like to work in rather then applying for a full time job straight away and then being stuck in a school you hate.

Newtonred · 15/03/2022 23:54

Oh and he agrees the now ECT framework is bullshit. He says it’s just an excuse to keep teachers on the lowest pay grade for 2 years

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 15/03/2022 23:55

Have you considered FE? Inlay suited to people who want to be there of course! I’m coming to the end of my year’s training English and I start 0.5 role in August. I feel I’m going into it with my eyes open. I worked there as an LSA first for 2 years. I can’t wait!! I also can’t wait to get my last pesky assignments out the way! I love FE. I love English. I love the students. What more could I want for a job! It’s a calling! At the grand age of 52 😊

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