Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Awful idea to go into teaching?

126 replies

PrintingPatterns · 30/03/2022 19:39

DD is in university and is beginning to think about career options.

Originally she was considering a law conversion. Now she isn't so sure and is rethinking. She is at Bristol reading History and is doing well in her degree so far.

The other day she asked me for some advice and told me that she is considering going into teaching as she has suddenly had a realisation that a city type career might not be for her.

DD is in two minds as on one hand going into law and ideally going into a corporate job like DH's appeals to her but on the other hand she isn't sure that she wants to do something which may be interesting but not as rewarding or inspirational as working with people. She is now looking into teaching and is thinking about something like Teach First and perhaps working in a secondary school.

The issue is that she isn't sure if it would be a 'waste' (her words, not mine!) of her hard work at A level to get into a really good university, only to do something which is underpaid and under appreciated. However, it really appeals to her as she loves to explain concepts to people and had a brilliant time at school due to some really inspirational teachers she had.

Does anyone have any advice? I am really not too sure what to suggest as it has been a while since I have worked full time and don't know too much about teaching.

Mainly aimed at teachers on here. Just wondering if any of you would recommend?

OP posts:
Stressedandtiredx · 30/03/2022 19:42

Honestly no. If I had my time again I probably wouldn’t. I love teaching and planning lessons but the admin and 1000 other things I have to do don’t make it worth it. Pension is okay though

PurpleDaisies · 30/03/2022 19:42

The issue is that she isn't sure if it would be a 'waste' (her words, not mine!) of her hard work at A level to get into a really good university, only to do something which is underpaid and under appreciated.

If she thinks teaching is beneath her, she should stay out of the classroom.

Duracellbunnywannabe · 30/03/2022 19:43

Sounds like DD was in top sets with lovely other students. She needs to get into schools to find out the reality of classrooms while remembering only half of the work happens in the classroom.

I’ve left teaching and wouldn’t recommend it (long hours, pointless activities and toxic environment) but others love it.

thesandwich · 30/03/2022 19:44

Could she arrange some work experience in a school to experience the reality?
The careers service could also help with options.

Dreambigger · 30/03/2022 19:45

Yeah I don't think it's the right career for her

whosaidtha · 30/03/2022 19:46

I would suggest taking a year out and working as a teaching assistant. She'll get good experience in a school and can see if it's for her. She's still young so doesn't have to decide straight away.

Bessica1970 · 30/03/2022 19:47

Teaching is a vocation rather than an amazing career. There will definitely be jobs out there that pay more and require less.

I absolutely love teaching, and wouldn’t do anything else, but I do it despite the work life balance and pay - not because of it.

GivenchyDahhling · 30/03/2022 19:51

Teaching in a bad school is pretty awful. I’ve just left. But kids, education and learning really aren’t. It’s the culture around teaching.

I’ve now set up as self-employed doing a host of things related to teaching. I’m a senior examiner; involved in content creation for Ed tech companies, some tutoring - and I’ve just today found out that I’ve been appointed as an Ofsted inspector.

None of those things would be possible (except the tutoring maybe) if I hadn’t done my time as a teacher, and I’m working half the hours for double the pay. So I struggle to say that I wouldn’t recommend teaching because it opened doors for me, just not necessarily the ones I expected!!

LizzieVereker · 30/03/2022 19:52

Teaching is about 5% explaining concepts and being inspirational.

It’s also about assessing and reassessing what the students can do and giving feedback which is meaningful to secure progress.
It’s also about delivering subjects like PSHE and careers which may or may not inspire you, but because they are very important for the students.
It’s about pastoral care and safeguarding which is paramount but sometimes distressing.
It’s about meticulous record keeping and administration.

This is what I’d realised before I became a teacher. It’s not about you, it’s about the students and what they need rather than what you love. Sometimes the two meet, but rarely.

Stellaroses · 30/03/2022 19:54

That is pretty much the exact situation I was in...drawn to teaching because of my inspirational teachers, everyone else going into high earning city jobs, maybe all my achievements would be a waste...Still here (happily) teaching 15 years later! Job satisfaction should be more important than money or status, surely.
But even if it doesn't end up suiting her, what has she wasted? One year during which she's probably learnt some valuable life lessons? Doesn't seem much of a waste to me.
I thought the whole point of TeachFirst was to give people experience of teaching for a year before maybe going on to another career - surely that would be perfect? She can stay in teaching if she enjoys it, or not.

Vegansausageroll · 30/03/2022 19:55

I was going to suggest doing some work experience in a high school and meeting the history teachers to find out more.
However, as she thinks it’s beneath her skills and talents I would strongly advise she doesn’t go into teaching Hmm. All teachers have a degree as the minimum and most have post grad and/or masters so her comments seem misplaced to me!

Palmtree9 · 30/03/2022 19:55

I'm a teacher. I really wanted to be a teacher, couldn't see myself doing any other job. I've taught for about 6 years now.

It's bloody tough, and I personally have a good work life balance, it's one of the things I made sure I had from the start. Throw in having your own kids, and life gets a while lot tougher.

If she's not fully committed to the career, then it's not for her. The last 2 years have been the toughest yet, and many experienced teachers say that and are looking to leave the profession. For me, it's not covid making it the toughest yet. It's education as a whole, the unreasonable expectations, the ever increasing work load.

If she thinks it would be a 'waste' of her a levels and uni, that's not going to be inspirational for the young people she'd be teaching.

Original poster
PrintingPatterns · 30/03/2022 19:55

@PurpleDaisies
I didn't mean for it to come across that way at all. She absolutely doesn't see it as beneath her. If she did, I would have failed as a parent.

She was merely talking about how as lockdown proved, society doesn't appreciate teachers. She isn't saying that is right, in fact she was appalled by it and absolutely loved her time at school. Her teachers were nothing short of brilliant.

OP posts:
zarek · 30/03/2022 19:56

Advise her to try to get some classroom insight by sitting in lessons. I was able to arrange this with a school for 3 days, seeing a range of classes, when I was considering a career change. My view is that it is a good option IF you have an aptitude for it. It can also be well paid if your career progresses. I decided it wasn't for me

WhiteWriting · 30/03/2022 19:59

Secondary school teacher here, 20 years experience. I would not recommend teaching as a career currently - endless govt meddling, top down micromanagement, mountains of paperwork, increasingly unworkable demands from SLT, new initiatives that take you away from the business of teaching, lack of autonomy, real terms wage freeze, having to go part-time just to 'slim down' to a 60 hour week, your accountability for pupil progress rather than the actual pupils themselves, Covid catch-up piling on the pressure, everyone having a (usually negative) opinion of teachers..I could go on. Counsel her against it!

Fairislefandango · 30/03/2022 19:59

Most teachers at the moment would probably advise even someone really keen to go into teaching not to. And tbh your dd doesn't really sound like she has a vocation for it. You need to really really want to be a teacher to have a chance of sticking at it and being happy. And even then it's a bloody nightmare a lot of the time.

Notdoingthis · 30/03/2022 20:01

I love teaching and I think the pay is ok after a few years, considering the holidays. I am part time and earn more than my dh who is full time in another sector, and he gets a lot less time off.

JeffThePilot · 30/03/2022 20:08

@thesandwich

Could she arrange some work experience in a school to experience the reality? The careers service could also help with options.
This is what I did.

I then ran away from the idea very, very fast.

DogsAndGin · 30/03/2022 20:10

No. It’s a brilliant idea. I went from corporate to teaching. It is the cushtiest job in the world! Don’t listen to the media hype, I work 8:30-3:30 and get a pay rise very year, plus gvmt inflation payrises. Zero stress, the kids are hilarious, I’ve never been happier!

Xpologog · 30/03/2022 20:16

School experience will help her decide. And I’d advise going to a “ much room for improvement” school and see first hand the behaviour she’d be expected to manage daily. If she can cope with that then she should think of being a teacher.

FarFarFarAndAway · 30/03/2022 20:19

Bristol, indeed most unis, have options to do placements or volunteer work in schools during the university years, and then offer conversions/Teach First type courses afterwards. She should do the volunteer/charity work now and get some experience with the age group she'd like to teach, and to see what it's like in the classroom. There are usually specific courses/modules set up for this, our university (not Bristol but similar) has a credited module you can take as part of your degree to gain Teaching Experience. She should look at the work placements at her uni, and the Careers Service, make an appointment with them, explore the options, do the volunteering/placements now and then make a decision.

So many students just try to guess what they would like without gaining any relevant experience- there's no need for this, there are tailored specific courses to allow taster sessions for teaching, modules offering teaching, volunteer teaching, and she should do some of these!

Flicc · 30/03/2022 20:20

@DogsAndGin

No. It’s a brilliant idea. I went from corporate to teaching. It is the cushtiest job in the world! Don’t listen to the media hype, I work 8:30-3:30 and get a pay rise very year, plus gvmt inflation payrises. Zero stress, the kids are hilarious, I’ve never been happier!
Haha, nearly had me there...😂
roundtable · 30/03/2022 20:20

@DogsAndGin

No. It’s a brilliant idea. I went from corporate to teaching. It is the cushtiest job in the world! Don’t listen to the media hype, I work 8:30-3:30 and get a pay rise very year, plus gvmt inflation payrises. Zero stress, the kids are hilarious, I’ve never been happier!
Grin nice try Grin
Fredstheteds · 30/03/2022 20:22

I love it but you have to - it doesn’t pay brilliantly and yes you have the holidays there is much more than just teaching. A pgce is always a great skill but with a law degree surely she could find similar

WhiteWriting · 30/03/2022 20:22

@DogsAndGin

No. It’s a brilliant idea. I went from corporate to teaching. It is the cushtiest job in the world! Don’t listen to the media hype, I work 8:30-3:30 and get a pay rise very year, plus gvmt inflation payrises. Zero stress, the kids are hilarious, I’ve never been happier!
Don't forget the uninterrupted lunch breaks!