Need to escape the classroom

[stressedteachersos]

Can anyone help please?

I work 2 days as a primary teacher and I’m on UPS3. I earn roughly £1300 per month which is about £18k per year. My other half is a teacher too but in management ( class based) so has a lot of responsibility. I have three small children and I/we am/are really struggling to manage it all.

The lack of flexibility and stress of having such young children is really taking its toll on our stress levels and we simply cannot manage. I need to find an alternative job but I think I am going to struggle to find something that is paid similarly with the holidays.

Has anyone been in a similar position? I have the option of doing 3 days in a year or so.

It’s tricky with young kids. Life’s busy and it feels like there’s no time. I think if you quit then the chance of finding a similar level of pay for the same hours is virtually nil.

Im a nurse. I work 2 x 12 hour days. I get more take home pay than you (slightly) but work more hours. Childcare for 12 hour days is hard so DH does drop off and pick up. I can’t make the nativity if it’s one of my work days unless I swap shifts and then I’d lose the childcare. I have to work in the holidays. I like my job though.

Having said that there seem to be a lot of people ‘working from home’ now who do drop off and pick up every day. No idea what they do!

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my many posts. A bit of rambling I guess. As per my title, I want to escape the classroom for a a couple of reasons. One factor being the stress of balancing the three of them and one factor being that my job satisfaction is quite low. I don't really enjoy the job. Lots of posters have pointed out ( rightly so) that I have a very good deal and I'm really thinking about that this evening. However that doesn't negate from the fact that I don't enjoy the job and that I'm always surrounded by small children!

Thank you. That's a very good way of organising and structuring your life. How old are your children?

Thank you. Lots of respect to you! I don't know how you do it. 3 children is really really hard work!

I don't think OP said she had a cleaner. People suggested it could help.

I suspect you're not going to find so
something with the same money, 2 days a week, with equivalent holidays.

So are you prepared to compromise?

To be honest working 2 days a week should be easy compared to most mum's who need to work full time .Plus you won't get another job with all the school holidays off .

Anyone saying that they don't understand why you are so stressed clearly has no clue what it's like.

I was in your position. Although my DH isn't a teacher, he works in a job that carries an equal emotional toll and which involves lots of evenings/weekends. When my youngest started school I decided to go up to 3 days to see how we'd manage and to see if teaching was something I wanted to make my career out of.

I didn't even last the year.

I quit in April 2022 to join my dad in his business and hope to qualify as a chartered accountant in March next year.

I say get out. It's the best thing I ever did for my family.

I'm in a similar position. 2 days a week and 2 children under 4. I really want to leave the classroom but am aware there aren't really any other jobs I can do 2 days a week on a similar salary. I'm planning to stick it out until both children are at school and then change career - I'll be able to take an effective paycut as I'll be able to work more days then. I'm planning to use the time once the youngest is at preschool to do some training or useful volunteer work for experience. Obviously there are still a few years to stick things out in the classroom but I figure I can stick it out for a couple of years knowing there's an end in sight!

Once they’re all in school you won’t recognise yourself. It will get much much easier.

I would recommend looking at getting involved with ECTs and mentoring and ITT. It’s a way out of the classroom but using the skills you have.

I was in a similar position, also tried the EP route but couldn't get on the course. I left teaching on when I was on about £1300 for 2.5 days a week. I now work for a charity, 4 days a week 9-3 and earn £1000 a month. Totally worth leaving teaching for!

I'm sorry to say this but, if you move jobs, you'll not necessarily be happier in the new role. It could be more hours for less money and in an insecure Contract. And who knows if your new colleagues would be any less of a problem than your pupils are. I'd encourage you to investigate before you decide. Upthread, I suggested you could maybe apply for a Career Break for a few months to help you clear your head. I'd just suggest in kindness, try not to throw the baby out with the bath water - the grass isn't always greener. Your children will grow up before you know it (and you'll think fondly on the times they were wee, believe me).

It's 3 because they are at school, nursery and childminder. This will be a bit easier when my middle child goes to school in 2025. We have a brilliant cleaner who does make things a lot easier. Yes I think we need to look at distribution of jobs tonight. Thank you

Right. I stand corrected - I missed that

When I left teaching (part time) it was for a full time WFH role (charity). I was earning more but working more hours. I also have 3 DC but mine were all at school (only needed childcare for the youngest). I also didn't work for a few years when the DC were small but DH had a job where he could do overtime.

I wasn't sure if it was about working in a school or struggling with getting the kids out but you've cleared it up that it's just the school environment which hopefully you can find something that you enjoy

What do you do on the five days a week when you aren't teaching? Genuine question as a teacher working five days with two small children in two different settings. I do one's drop off and pickup, DP does the other one. Seems like your DP needs to step up on your work days but equally if I were working five days and DP only two I would absolutely expect him to do the bulk of the legwork with the kids and house etc

You need to make those two days you work be simply about eating, sleeping and getting everyone where they need to be on time. You've got five more days in the week to do all the life admin, housework etc. And the holidays.

Seems to me the main issue here is that you don't want to teach, which is absolutely fair enough, but is a very different question to one about actually making teaching those days work.

I don't know why PP are trying to work out equivalent salary and say it's good for 2 days, as it's not really a good salary full time for the additional hours and level of challenge required. OP said she has accrued UPS3, which is the top of the pay scale. She obviously has the experience and expertise to have successfully passed performance related pay over a sustained number of years.

She also acknowledges that it would be difficult to go in at that level elsewhere. It doesn't mean she wants to do the job or that it's easy so she has it good though.

I'd look into tutoring and maybe a day of supply to reduce workload and the cognitive demands of managing behaviour and progress of a whole class (often without a break, resources, or thanks).

I only have two. Three is a lot you’re right! I do think it’s easier to work more days and be more flexible career wise when they’re all in school.

When I was you, a part time teacher with a full time teacher DH (but only two children) I did realise to a point that I was lucky. But I only realised just how lucky, when my DD (a nurse working 13.5 hour shifts) and her DH (in retail, working evenings and every weekend day) had my grandchildren.

Seriously, much as teaching has become a much tougher job, you'll never find a job that makes family life easier, and on that money. Anything else is likely to make things much harder.

As usual, there's the, "I work 80 hours a week as CEO of a FTSE 100 company, have eight kids and still manage to all housework and cook from scratch" brigade on this thread. Please ignore them.

Experience is personal and you feel stressed and out of control because you're not in alignment with what's right for you. Focus on small wins that will make you feel better about the situation. Things that help the situation to flow and relieve some of the stress. Ask yourself, "What would me feel better?" when you come up against a problem or stressor. All of the answers are within you.

I suppose this is what I have tried to convey so OP investigates so she is happy with decision she makes. Nobody wants to be unhappy in their job but unfortunately moving job doesn't guarantee it'll be a happy move. It might be though but that's where good research comes in

Her initial post asked what could she do for similar hours and pay. The response was not a lot without a tonne of experience and/or specialist qualifications.

That's why people are looking at the total salary.

Do you live near to a university? Have you investigated the professional services roles on offer there? I left teaching to work in education tech/instructional design. I earn more than I did as a teacher. The job is less stressful and more flexible. I have 44 days leave a year, but can buy 10 more days. Lots of my colleagues left teaching to work here.

If school holidays are a priority then I would imagine your strongest opportunities would be in the education sector. Would you consider becoming a private tutor for 11+ or GCSE? It would still mean working with children and /or teenagers although you can set your own schedule.