If you left the corporate world to go into teaching what was the biggest shock?

[coodawoodashooda]

Just wondering. Usually we have threads from fed up teachers. Im a teacher, not looking for a fight. Just interested.

I'm not a school teacher, but I left the corporate world (financial consultancy) to go into the public sector (uni lecturer) and it's been good. Less money but a lot less stress!

An Ofsted inspection makes corporate external audits and FSA inspections look like a breeze.

Also so much drama over nothing. I have colleagues that wouldn't make it to breakfast in a corporate environment.

I remember the relentlessness of being ruled by the bell when I started my teacher training. No nipping to the loo or a quick chat by the copier. Really fast paced environment and little control over how you use your time.

So many things! The pay - I work double the hours for a third of the pay
The utter lack of respect for the profession - so many people seem to think teachers’ work is unimportant and just finger painting.
The parental expectations- I will do my very best for your child but I can’t “sort out his dyslexia”
Most of all, how “constant” it is - I used to leave the office, occasionally do a bit of work at home and then forget about it. With teaching, I’m constantly worrying and thinking about the children at all hours. If I’m on holiday I’ll think about buying stuff that might be useful for the next topic. Report writing takes forever. So many sleepless nights when there’s a safeguarding issue!
I sound so negative. It’s such hard work but still so rewarding. It’s amazing to see children learn and grow and I do laugh most days!

How much I enjoyed it.

The noise! And how deeply unreasonable people are (kids, parents, management). And echo relentlessness.

@100problems

An Ofsted inspection makes corporate external audits and FSA inspections look like a breeze.

Also so much drama over nothing. I have colleagues that wouldn't make it to breakfast in a corporate environment.

This. I could honestly never get over the fuss! That’s why I’m going back to financial services even though it’s a million times more back breaking and twice the hours!

@chippingin2

The noise! And how deeply unreasonable people are (kids, parents, management). And echo relentlessness.

Thats interesting. I think the smell of school dinners would put people off.

My sons had a teacher at their fee paying school who had been a lawyer in London and preferred teaching. I think he was quite happy. I wasn't too pleased he seemed to be putting people off doing law however!

Lucy Kellaway who founded that teaching group for late starters writes about it in the FT sometimes. She seems to love it despite the massive pay cut.

How lazy private sector workers are and how little fecking work they do.

The utter lack of respect - bordering on contempt - from the general public towards the teaching profession was the biggest shock, especially during the pandemic.

I came from a very high stress profession so the hours and the relentlessness were less of a surprise to me than to some other career changers. The salary in no way reflects the role, but that's obvious before you make the jump.

@Dejavuvuzella

How lazy private sector workers are and how little fecking work they do.

Oh yeah? You did, aye?

How low ability some mainstream kids really are. That was rather surprising. And how little teenagers care about exam grades and their future.
I went to a grammar school, and then worked in a professional well-educated environment. Going to work in a comprehensive (in a grammar area so the top 25% went elsewhere) and it was a complete culture shock

The authoritarian management. No one dares question the headteacher even if he’s clearly talking shite. Even department heads aren’t to be challenged. It’s really weird to have a load of really dedicated hardworking intelligent professionals that you don’t want to listen to.

I came from infrastructure contract bidding/engineering/banking.

1. That anyone was available at 3pm to collect children from school. 3pm was lunchtime for me.

2. How efficient teachers were/are. Suggested in a meeting... it's done.

3. The amount of work school staff, particularly massively underpaid TAs did at home.

4. How lacking in general knowledge primary school teachers were/are.

How much it is about crowd control.

Oh also, just how much time you spend on your feet. I remember lying in bed at night when I first started, and my feet throbbing. It's all so full on.

The pay. The smell.

How quickly you get utterly sick of the sound of your own voice and how unprofessional/gossipy a few are about their colleagues and the parents.

Nothing useful to add as I will happily stay in my corporate world, but loving the perspectives here!

I’m not a teacher, but I would imagine that getting 13 weeks off a year (or 16 in fee-paying schools) instead of 5 in the private sector would be a pretty major difference.

The main thing that put me off is the fact that you can't just take a day's annual leave whenever you fancy it. Long weekend? Nope. Best friend's wedding on a Friday? Tough luck.

(Also, and perhaps more pertinent, I don't like children very much.)

Every year I'm shocked how much effort I put in to Yr11 compared to how little effort they put in.

You're always"on". In corporate you have deadlines but not five per day to differing audiences with different needs.

For school Work before work so have work to do at work that creates more work for you to mark. Relentless

I'm 20 years into my current career and was considering teaching as a 2nd career. I then looked at the pay and conditions......and wow....it would means over 50% pay reduction and little help in the retraining costs.
Absolutely Not worth it.