To dread going back to teach

[Golhaw]

Just that! The holidays went by wayyyy too quick this year and I am dreading the start of term on Wednesday 😩
please help me to get into the spirit (somehow!)

(For context me and my DH went away to Canada for the whole summer (he’s Canadian) and I was going to spend sometime looking for a new role but I procrastinated too much and am dreading it now. It’s my fault I know!!!!

I totally understand, I taught for 10 years (no longer do). I always found the apprehension about going back was worse and once you started it wasn't so bad, hopefully that's the same for you!

@kezziegrey yup this time I’m hoping to really work hard at retraining into another career as I cannot face this role for much longer!

Hats off to you, 10 years is a long time!

Give notice now, that will force you to get out sooner

That didn't take long. 🙄

I agree. It's drastic, but if you really want to get out then handing in your notice will be the only thing that will spur you into finding something else.

I've been on my laptop today and created a "Welcome To Year 5" PowerPoint.
Thinking about my expectations and routines, slides that briefly explain the things we'll do has got me ready and excited.
That said, I still love teaching as much at 40 as I did at 22.
Yes it's got harder but I still honestly believe it's the best job in the world. If you don't have the passion anymore then find the thing you are passionate about.

I think otherwise there's a risk of just getting stuck

And I feel like I’m already stuck

I been teachin nearli 30 yrs and whilst I'm not dreading it, I'm feeling meh about it all. It the BS abd indiscipline. Like the contact with the kids- mske me smile. Considering earli retirement and a part time job soon.

When I went back to school in September and a colleague said to me ‘welcome back to the real world’ I knew it was time to find something else. I love teaching - but I discovered I loved teaching adults, not children. Also, who knew that staff rooms behaviour was just like being a kid at school complete with bullying?

I think it's normal to get the fear before going back. It's like starting anything new, you have to leave behind the old and familiar routine and start all over from scratch with a new bunch of pupils. It's always the hardest at the beginning, getting to know the abilities and the personalities and the challenges of your new class/classes. I've been teaching almost 20 years and still dread the beginning of term. I need the timetable and routines up and running and then I'm fine. I often daydream about what else I could do for a living but I love when you get to the end of the year and you see how far the children have come. I know it's cheesy but it really is a very rewarding job in that way. There are lots of shit things about the job too but I still think our long breaks help to balance that out.

Get out as soon as you can. I used to feel like this. I left teaching & have been so much happier since. Teaching is an awful job.

Same- plus do you have the anxiety dreams as well? I've struggled sleeping for the last week (dreaming I can't find my classroom or that I'm being observed and haven't prepped!) 14 years teaching and the first day back still fills me with dread.

Me too. I’m dreading the poor behavior, mainly from SLT.

We've been back for training and preparation (basically INSET days) last week. The kids are starting back on Monday. I'm excited about a new year, even though the last one has been difficult for different reasons.
I already know some of the kids and have taught them previously. Some have come up to me to hug me, given me pictures and expressed their excitement about being in my class again.
I've been doing this job for close to 20 years and I still get all giddy and excited about the first day back. However, and I think that's the big difference, I left the UK a few years ago and don't teach there anymore. Before we moved, I was close to walking out and leaving teaching completely. I wouldn't go back to being a teacher in England. It's soul-destroying.

If you feel that you need to get out, quit. Perhaps try another school. If that doesn't work, think about other stuff you'd like to do. Is tutoring an option? Could you move abroad, even if it's only for a short while?
I moved to an independent alternative provision school for a short while. It was Montessori-based and while it had its own issues, it allowed me to just breathe and get back to enjoying my job.
Good luck.

Leave. I left at Christmas, I don't even miss the holidays because I can actually enjoy my holidays, haven't been ill since I left.

Civil service / arms length bodies are good to move to as once you are offered a position they will wait for you to work your notice. I have met many ex teachers in my new role, I took quite a pay cut for my initial role but have already been promoted and one more jump and I'll be on more than I was teaching. I think the trickiest thing when leaving teaching is you don't tend to have line management skills unless you've been HoD and lots of jobs at the same rate as a more experienced teacher require evidence of those skills so you need to think carefully about how you sell yourself.
Positives I have with my role are that I work flexi so can start anytime between 7am-10am, can take 2 hours for lunch and need to complete a minimum of 5.30 hours a day, I can use up to 2 flexi leave days a month on top of normal annual 25 days + Bank Holiday days. This means I can actually get outside during daylight for a walk or go to the gym etc in the winter and run errands. I WFH most of the time so everyday just feels like a teaching Sunday. When I've worked my hours I shut my laptop and that's that, if I do more than 45 hours a week I get 'told off' (reminded to keep to 37 for my wellbeing). It really has been a game changer, I'm much less stressed, the things I thought I'd miss I don't, I help out at DDs rugby club which I enjoy which gives me that 'teen' hit I miss from teaching Secondary.

Get a new job!

What do you do now?

Why are you anxious?

I love teaching. But it's the workload that gets me (especially relation to pay - i wonder about becoming a driving instructor).

Sorry you feel this way OP. I had a corporate career before teaching, working 7am - 7pm, with 5 weeks holiday, in a miserable, masculine, crude, explicit ‘banter’ office culture.
Now I have 13 weeks holiday, work 8am - 3:45 and have lovely, kind, supportive almost all female colleagues.
There are good schools out there. Maybe a change of school could make things more enjoyable.
Good luck this week everyone x

I am sooooooo glad I’m not going back to school o. September. The thought of dealing with another parent literally makes my blood run cold.
I started a full time job out education at the beginning of the summer and took three weeks off as opposed to counting down daily to going back.
I also get paid more.