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AIBU?

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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:
roundtable · 30/03/2022 20:23

Back to the op, I think if your dad thinks it is a waste of degree- might not be the best idea.

Might be an idea for her to book an appointment with a careers advisor.

Astronaut79 · 30/03/2022 20:26

I wouldn't recommend it.
I get pissed off with the 'it's a vocation ' bollocks too. It's a job. It pays better than some and worse than lots, depending on who you're comparing yourself with.

I only went into it because I didn't know what else to do, didn't think I'd fit in to anything too officey and felt too much of an individual to do a 'normal' job. I was going to do it for a couple of years until I found what I really wanted to do.

Except, I discovered that what I'm really, really good is working like a dog. And after 2 years, I was used to the money and scared to jump. And I kind of liked it.

After 20 years, I'm now just sick of the grind and kids who don't really want to learn anything but feel you should be grateful to them for turning up and that you should be getting them good grades.

This has been gradually getting worse. I see a lot of colleagues v close to snapping.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/03/2022 20:31

Teaching kids is fun and about 5% of the job.

The other 95% is hateful, toxic, and stressful. Everyone likes the 5%, and people who aren’t teachers think the 5% is what the job is all about.

But it isn’t.

Viviennemary · 30/03/2022 20:34

No. For every teacher who loves their job there are probably at least 20 who hate it.

Libertybear80 · 30/03/2022 20:38

She sounds like she should work in the city and all that. Leave teaching to the folks that live in the real world.

Teenagedream · 30/03/2022 20:41

My DD Is in her 2nd year of teaching English at a secondary school. She did aPGCE straight after her degree. It was quite a surprise to me as she hadn’t particularly thought about teaching previously. She is enjoying it but it’s hard work and her social life has been affected as too tired to socialise during the week.
I think with hindsight she could have waited until she was a little older as she is now a very young teacher.
Time will tell if she stays long term. Her twin brother is earning more money with far less hours and stress.

Sparklybanana · 30/03/2022 20:42

I was looking into teaching and then I thought I'd google why people were leaving teaching.

I'm not a teacher because of that google!

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 30/03/2022 20:43

I think that if you enjoyed school, did well and had teachers who inspired you, it isn’t surprising that you have a positive impression of schools and teachers. People do lean towards things they enjoy, because we all want to do things we enjoy.

Would your DD enjoy Friday afternoon with bottom set year 9, who have no desire to be there, no interest or investment in the lesson, other than to disrupt it and prevent teaching and learning.

Very few teachers are long term. Very few would say they enjoy the data, constant scrutiny and ever increasing pressure. Most would say they enjoy the teaching, but it really now is the smallest part of it.

Tell her no.

Loopytiles · 30/03/2022 20:45

There’re loads of career options! She should access the services at her university and investigate some.

Law is high pressure and not family friendly, but can be v well paid. Teaching is challenging and badly paid!

dapsnotplimsolls · 30/03/2022 20:46

What were her other A levels? There are more History teachers than jobs so if she could teach a second, shortage subject, that would help.

Cakesnbiscuit · 30/03/2022 20:48

It’s doesn’t need to be now or never. Why not try the corporate world after graduation, work for 5-10 years. Then do a PGCE once she’s had some more world experiences? Teaching will still be there in a few years.

YingMei · 30/03/2022 20:50

I think it's a good career for 10ish years. I enjoyed it for that length of time but glad to get out quite recently. When I was young and child free I loved it. As my kids got to school age I found it harder because I had no term time flexibility, although of course the holidays were good.
In the state sector, many schools have a culture of getting rid of more expensive staff - this is a problem after about a decade for many too.

Thegirlwiththeeagereyes · 30/03/2022 20:53

I wouldn't recommend it. I had top grades but had wanted to be a teacher all my life and I now wish I had done something else for more money and less stress. Add in post-covid recovery to the issues that existed anyway and teaching (and any role in a school really) is pretty much an impossible job now. You can never, ever be good enough.

whyrusoangry · 30/03/2022 20:54

Yeah it's an awful idea IME. I lasted three years before I couldn't do it any more. Nothing like I thought it would be. Zero time to actually teach from the heart. Too much paperwork, observations, evaluations, lesson planning, buying own resources, etc. Awful.

Lamby1234 · 30/03/2022 21:01

Just about to leave after 20 years teaching. I can't wait. Behaviour, attitudes to learning and workload are all shocking. Previously was a lovely school. Can't recognise the place. Sad times.

FinallyHere · 30/03/2022 21:12

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.

Large corporates are not necessarily populated with soulless, cold people.

If she is interested in continually learning new things, looking for ways to be better then there are many worse places to work than a corporate which can be fast paced and well funded.

Teaching can be rewarding, but management is a lot about coaching and challenging people to reach their potential, too. Some roles (corporate law or project related work ) can be relatively family, well rewarded with great benefits, too.

Working with well rewarded, interested and engaged adults has a lot to be said for it.

FrownedUpon · 30/03/2022 21:20

I wouldn’t recommend it. I couldn’t wait to get out. There are so many better options open to her.

Thegiantofillinois · 30/03/2022 21:26

Tell her to get a feel for it by asking people, politely, to stop doing something they shouldn't, or to do something they should.
If she can continue to smile sweetly and not raise her voice in response to the following, she'll be fine:
"Why?"
"Nah, not for me, like. "
"What you following me round for? You a paedo?"
"Oh just fuck off."
"I CAN'T DO X Y Z BECAUSE I HAVE ANXIETY (shouted loudly down corridor)"
"Barking/meowing noises"
"Bleurgh!!!" Shouted in your face.
Having kids bang on your classroom door and run away.

surreygirl1987 · 30/03/2022 21:33

I'm a teacher in a very good independent school. It's great - pay, holidays and perks are brilliant. I have phd but feel challenged every day. HOWEVR, if I had my time over, I wouldn't go straight into teaching. It is very easy to get into teaching from other careers but harder the other way round. I'd encourage her to try something else first for a few years and go into teaching if she still wants to. Also she should choose her school very carefully as they vary massively. Workload is an awful issue. As a Head of Faculty, I'm desperately trying to sort workload out for my department, as they are currently working evenings and weekends and I don't think this is okay.

ellie21 · 30/03/2022 21:38

Ok. It doesn’t have to be an awful idea. But you very much have to want to do it. I have taught for over 20 years and I do not regret my choice.
I do get driven slightly mental by the never ending new initiatives and the ridiculous marking in multicoloured pens. BUT I have honestly had so many positive and rewarding experiences from teaching and I love my job.
If you are on upper pay scale and have management points and or TLRs the pay is not atrocious. I get 12 weeks holiday a year.
There are many many people who will say they have to work through the holidays but I honestly don’t always think that that’s the case.
It isn’t easy and a lot depends on the school and the culture at that school.
I’m proud of what I do.

violetbunny · 30/03/2022 22:01

I would advise her to do a bit more research on other types of careers available before she commits to teaching. If she enjoys explaining concepts to others, then teaching isn't the only occupation that would make use of this skill.

I work in a market research related role, and a key skill required for my job is being able to distill down complex information and explain it to people in a way that makes sense for them and makes it easy to understand what to do with it. It sure pays a lot more than teaching and as I work,client side (not for an agency) it's not particularly "corporate" either.

Fairislefandango · 30/03/2022 22:15

I'm a teacher in a very good independent school. It's great

Oh yes, totally different kettle of fish! I taught in a wonderful girls' day school for years. It was like a completely different job. Basically, think of all the things which make being a teacher difficult or unpleasant - not a single one of them applied to working in that school. God I wish I still worked there!

Talipesmum · 30/03/2022 22:17

My niece graduated a few years ago, did a masters then pgce and is now an English teacher at secondary. It’s v hard work but she loves it - she’s really really good at it, and she’s doing very well. She got work experience in TEFL in uni holidays to earn and to try out teaching. Work experience is the thing. But also worth finding out about other jobs - explore the world a bit too?

Newtonred · 30/03/2022 22:21

It all depends on the school. DH left his first school after a month it was awful but is now in a great one and happy. He said that all newly qualified teachers should supply for a year to find the right fit for them.

Wishihadanalgorithm · 30/03/2022 22:24

We need teachers. Actually we need lots of good teachers. The reality is young people don’t stay teaching for long and leave for other careers within the first 5 years. Older teachers are too expensive and so managed out. There are far too many vacancies. Behaviour in many schools is out of control and there is little work life balance.

Tell DD to get experience at a tough inner city school. It will cure her of any ideas of being inspirational or the job being rewarding.

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