To career change to primary teaching?

[RedYellowGreenBlu]

I am a qualified lawyer. I hate it. I have been trying to escape for four years but I am struggling to find another career I want to do. In part that is down to logistics – location, having two DCs etc (so cannot just start from scratch either). I am 41 and qualified in 2010. I earn well but not as much as you would think. I don't want to go inhouse etc etc.

I keep getting drawn back to teaching, again and again. I recently saw a career specialist who did personality stuff and teaching came up, again.
The reason I have not taken the plunge is family members, friends and friends of friends have all told me no. Don't do it - too stressful.

Does anyone teach who actually enjoys it? If you hate it – why? Where do you live?

I teach in a primary school in a rural village in Northern Ireland. We don’t have ofsted in NI which I believe makes it a more family friendly career here. I’m in school for 8.30 ish and stay until 5 most days. I no longer take books home and I don’t work at the weekends either. I never work in the holidays. I love my job and give 100% when I’m there.

I wouldn't be so sure. Based on what knowledge of teaching?

Makes me so fucking mad that people assume primary teaching is all colouring & counting. The stress is just as bloody hideous as secondary.

Doing something that you dislike is the most stressful thing of all, regardless of any other factors. I would think if you can cope with the stress of being a solicitor then you would cope well with a teachers stress, the difference is you will be doing something satisfying which will energise you. I went from a legal role (but not solicitor) into childcare and am 1000% times happier. When work gets stressful now I handle it much better than I used to because I feel fulfilled. On paper my old job was much better but it didn't feel that way for me. Many people thought i was crazy but i was so stressed and unhappy. I see now it was a personality mismatch, I love the creative outlet I have now and I have a deep sense of achievement I never had before. Getting little Christmas gifts and hand made cards is more than any Christmas bonus I ever got.

I have two friends who recently qualified as teachers and love it. One was 48 when she started and left financial services. In truth she never shuts up harping on about it but I let her off, she is just so much happier.

Do what you gut tells you!

I left teaching a long time ago now, so have no strong feelings about what you said above. I worked in a range of schools, up to SLT level.

But what I would say is that, as a primary teacher, you are at the very frontline of safeguarding for young and vulnerable children:

Children at risk of serious physical abuse - I can still vividly recall the strangulation bruises around the neck of a child (who was under the age of five).

Children with serious medical conditions, for example children with severe allergies who might need you to administer an Epipen in the classroom, or children who might have an epileptic seizure or diabetes.

Children at risk of neglect - you will be the eyes and ears necessary to build up a picture for social services, although sometimes you may find that no action is taken.

I don’t doubt that your present job is stressful, but this is a different kind of stress.

Pointing out that you don't know how stressful teaching is isn't 'abuse'. I wouldn't assume to know how stressful your job is. Why do you assume you know how stressful being a teacher is.

I kind of get an undercurrent of you thinking that the stress involved in teaching isn’t as serious as in law. When you say you worry about work and it being really serious things, there are really serious things to worry about in teaching and you will encounter no end of vulnerable children and VERY distressing situations. The pressure is unreal and the environment more often than not, toxic. The hours are relentless and what you do is never enough. You have to be ‘on’ all of the time. You can’t have a bad day where you hide behind a desk and computer screen. You’re in full performance mode all day. I gave up after 20 years and will never go back.

I am a secondary school teacher. I trained when I had 3 young children. I’m still enjoying teaching although consider and investigate other jobs frequently. You’re not unreasonable for considering a career change but I would look at the starting salary for teachers. Then look at how many days a week you’d need to work in your current salary to be the same. Would you prefer to work 3 days a week in your current position and reduce your burnout/stress feelings that way.
I would suggest that you go and spend some significant time in a few different schools and see what is best for you.
It is not a stress free job and I’m sure your job feels more stressful than teaching but honestly I think that it’s just a different type of stress and in a way not really worth comparing them.
There’s no reason why you couldn’t do it but it also might be an ‘out of the fire into the frying pan’ situation.
I had many people tell me not to retrain as a teacher but honestly I haven’t regretted it. I may not make it to retirement age teaching but the kids make me laugh every single lesson. I get paid a decent salary for talking and being passionate about my subject. I would never have considered primary though. I think it’s much harder.

Oh..I’ve read your updates…yeah…if you’re having a meltdown and thinking people are abusing you over pointing out that teaching is just as stressful then I don’t think you’re thick skinned enough for a classroom.

I left primary teaching last December after 20.years in. Mainstream education and the demands on teachers has been getting progressively worse for years and it's only going one way now.
I'm now an EOTAS Tutor 🌟

But the stress and worry that comes with the high stakes in my current job cannot be matched by teaching

How do you know the stress cannot be matched by the stress in teaching when you have never done it? I wouldn't presume to comment on the stress levels of other jobs.

I hope you do back to your thread and engage with posters.

Would you be able to get a job training new solicitors. At least the trainees would be interested in learning and studying. Lots of my friends are teaching and looking at other careers. Why not find out from teachers what the job is really like. My friends tell about management having a go at them, parents and the kids. I am glad I am not a teacher!

I left primary teaching and went into a compliance role which is far easier and much more lucrative.

Don't do it don't do it don't do it. I told my friend who'd worked in education recruitment for years not to retrain as a primary teacher. Didn't listen to me. Lasted a year.

You will be working 7am to 7pm plus weekends.
You will be dealing with kids who are lovely and interested but also ones who throw stuff at you if you turn your back, who disrupt the whole class and who stop you ever delivering more than 5 minutes of the amazing lesson you spent hours putting together.
You will be dealing with parents who don't back up your given consequences for bad behaviour.

I taught high school. 5 lovely classes and 1 that made it absolute hell to go in every day. I now do 1 to 1 outreach teaching and it's so much better. These are the kids who would destroy a class lesson but 1 to 1 is what they need and respond to. So it's so rewarding.

I now do 1 to 1 outreach teaching and it's so much better.

Can you tell me a bit more about this (by PM if you think it would derail the thread!). Do you work with a specific provider or through your LA? Do you work every day? With one child or multiple? In your house/theirs or a library type venue? What about pay? Holidays? Timings?

Thank you so much!