44 and training to be a teacher?!

[AmIinsane2023]

Name changed for this, as a bit different to my normal posts.

I'm 44, currently unemployed, and - after health problems and being a SAHM - I want to get my life back in track and start contributing again.

I've been looking at PGCEs (Secondary English) or Primary 7-11.

A few people said I'm insane to be considering it a) because of my age and b) the way things are in schools these days.

AIBU to be considering this?!

Would love to hear people's experiences/opinions, both positive and negative.

What part time hours do you work?!

You're never too old to try something new, that's what life is about.

You still have 20+years to enjoy a career and whilst some teachers don't enjoy their job, that can be said for lots of workers. Many do.

Good luck!

Don’t do it. Just don’t.

I was desperate to get out at 45. Had to keep going for another 12 years.

The kids are wonderful, but the rest is just shite. And the shite is like 90% of the job.

I did a PGCE for secondary school teaching in my early 30s and have been teaching 10 years now. I love my job.

There were lots on my course in their 40s.

The way things are in schools?! Schools have always been underfunded. I find the biggest hurdle is the parents that expect school to raise and parent their children rather doing it themselves.

Behind every "awful" child I've taught is usually an awful parent who has never taught their child boundaries, respect, or self esteem. Look beyond the bad behaviour and there is a child wanting someone to actually give a sh*t about them, which is what schools/staff generally try and do.

Im 46 and will train once my kids have left home and my elderly parents need less support. There’s a chance that I’ll end up training in my mid 50s.

Ive worked as an HLTA and untrained single-subject specialist in primary, so I already have a lot of experience and am going into it with eyes wide open. It’s a huge commitment - massive work load, but I desperately want to do it. However, I’m realistic that it’s just not something I can do while I have commitments outside of work. It’s just too all consuming.

In many ways, there are advantages to training when you’re older. For many people, teaching from age 22 til retirement just isn’t sustainable. I’ve seen lots of teachers burning out and leaving. Knowing that I’m only going to doing it for ten years will really change how I approach it the experience.

Echo other comments your age isn't an issue but go into it with your eyes open. Observe classes. Talk to teachers about workload. My neighbours are secondary English teachers and the marking amount is intense. Personally I am an ex primary teacher and leaving was a great decision for me - wasn't what I expected - so many children with additional needs and no support for them which made for a challenging situation for all.

Go for it, op. The best teacher my kids ever had was approaching 60.
She was utterly amazing and her age was insignificant.

Its a very physical job. Rushing up and down stairs, across big schools. On your feet all day. I was too knackered to have a life on work days. And as you get older it gets harder and harder to be that physical.

My SIL was around this age when she trained. She found it hard with 2 young kids but has enjoyed teaching and managed it through a difficult period family wise

Can only speak for primary but I'd go for it!

My mum did this when I was in secondary school, she must have been early 40s. She's head of 6th form now and really enjoys it (mostly).
She was a TA in a secondary school first though for a few years, so she had some experience of the environment, knew she'd like working with the children etc.

My friend did this at the same age, she was already a teaching assistant at the highest grade she could be. She now teaches at the same school and her salary has increased from 18k to 29k and she will earn
more once she’s qualified.

I would also like to know how @FoodFann is working part time hours. I worked about 60 hours a week in term time and at least 20 hours a week in the holidays, apart from perhaps five weeks across summer, Easter and Christmas (so roughly what most non teachers get). It was the hardest I have ever worked for sure.

I'd like to retrain at 52 or 53.

But I would go abroad with it.

Good for you. Go for it

If you're serious about it get lots of experience in a wide variety of schools prior to applying and understand that it is a life choice not a job. It will consume your life at times and the hours are long.

I recommend getting experience in a wide variety of schools because they can be so different depending on the area and you don't know what type of school you'll end up on placements and when you initially begin teaching. The experience you'll have in a school in a middle class suburban area is very different to the experience you will have in a school in a deprived inner city.

If you've had health problems I'd steer well clear of primary teaching. Utterly draining and ridiculous hours.

Good luck. Hope you have money for therapy after a year or two…

I wish I was simply being crass, but there’s a reason most new teachers quit within 5 years. They literally throw you in the deep end, there’s no easing in through training. In fact, most stories I’ve heard about teacher training seems to be giving the trainee to an in school mentor that would make the worst psychopath quiver. Especially in secondary, prepare for being given all the low ability/high poor behaviour classes then being constantly marked down for not getting them to meet the average standards. Of course, if you can survive having your will broken and any human emotions kicked out of you, you have a great chance at progressing. If you transpire to be a particularly bad educator but an excellent arse-kisser, you’ll be in management within three years. Because if there’s one positive of teaching, if you qualify and get a job then actively getting fired is near impossible.

I did a salaried School Direct (Primary) year at 44 after a year working as a TA in the same school. I have just completed my 2nd year ECT and am now starting a leadership qualification.

As others have said, when you have had a different career first, it gives you a different perspective. There are frustrating aspects to teaching, but it has been a brilliant few years. I feel like I am learning every day and that is very stimulating. The main issues I find are due to government machinations and the public perception of teachers.

To some, the salary does not seem great but it is better than in my former career. During term-time, it is incredibly hard work but I love being able to spend the holidays with my children.

Have you any experience in schools or working with children/young people. Definitely do some volunteering or something before making a commitment. It’s probably not what you think!

I trained with primary, but I'm secondary myself, and agree with the advice to get some experience so you go in with your eyes open.

From what I can see from my primary friends, primary teachers work longer hours, it's less flexible and you're expected to be in school more. Where secondary schools have free periods, and maybe not even your own classroom, it's a lot more accepting of you leaving at 3.30, provided you take your work home with you.

I agree that there's a lot of shit in teaching, a lot of people are unhappy and leaving. I know so many friends who have left, got 9-5 jobs, with similar salaries.

If you can afford it, consider working part time (again easier to find part time jobs in secondary). I do that, and find it keeps the workload manageable.

But you would be snapped up, you're older, more mature but cheap!

A lot of people are leaving teaching, but I love it. I've moved to college teaching now, and that's something else you could consider if you have sixth form colleges near you? Even more just focussed on classroom teaching and less of the other crap to deal with (but the teaching itself is more intense, obvs)

It depends if you have anything else in your life to enjoy.
The hours, pressures and workload make it all consuming. If you are prepared for this, aren’t social or in need of other interests then give it a try.

I taught in secondary for many years, now teach in sixth form. For me, sixth form is a much better fit: more interesting content (more depth), much more relaxed environment, older students are more engaged with the learning etc. I really admire good secondary teachers but they tend to have very thick skins and be tougher/more connected with teenagers than I was. For me sixth form teaching is, most of the time, a really rewarding job, whereas, at points, secondary was honestly hellish. The students are often very interesting and pleasant but there are too many (I taught some classes of 34) with little support and often the behaviour of the few ruins the learning of many. The truth is that it was too hard a job for me to do well and schools need teachers who can do the job well. You may well be one of those who can do it well so it is worth committing to an extended period of volunteering to give you more of a picture.

I have a friend who trained to teach secondary Religious Studies at 50 and enjoys it.
I’d wonder if your health issues would impact you it’s a role you need to be fit for.
Your home circumstances. If your children have left home will be much easier than trying to juggle them.
I’d get some experience either volunteering or as a TA and decide.

Primary and Secondary English are HUGELY different. I’m a secondary school English teacher and there’s no way I’d do Primary so I’d think hard about which aspects of teaching attract you. I’d also spend some time in both settings to help you get a feel for it. English teaching has become a bit beleaguered in some Academy type schools with very little autonomy in terms of how/what you teach. I absolutely love it and have been teaching now since 1994 but I’m in a really strong independent secondary school where I get to teach A level and IB and have lots of freedom. If you have health issues I’d factor that in as it’s physically pretty full on.