To want to train as a teacher

[UnrealCity]

I am thinking about training as a primary school teacher, I already have a degree so I would be applying for a pgce or similar. I spoke to a teacher friend about it who told me she regrets becoming a teacher and advised me to rethink. Is teaching really that bad? AIBU to think I could enjoy it? I have thought about secondary as well but I've always preferred working with younger children. I would also consider working in a special schooI. I've worked as a support worker for children with special needs for 7 years so I have plenty of experience working with children, and I have volunteered in a primary school, but that's obviously quite different than being a teacher.

No, no, no, no. Worst thing I ever did. Cost a fortune to train and the job is a nightmare. I volunteered previously too.

Edit: I also ignored people who advised me not to. I thought "it can't be that bad". It really is that bad. Probably worse.

If you want to be overworked and underpaid forge ahead. Ask me how I know.

I trained 35 years ago. I had a love/hate relationship for years but got out 8 years ago and hell freezes over before I go back.

It has the potential to be a wonderful job but the systems in the UK are not conducive to a sensible work-life balance.

There is a reason why 1/3 of new teachers leave within 3 years.

I’m going to say do it because we have a massive shortage of teachers and need people to train and be enthusiastic and care about our young people.

As a teacher of 25+ years experience, I would advise you to rethink: teaching can be the best job in the world but. with average length of service only being 5 years, don’t expect it to be your career for life.

job is a nightmare, i left due to burnout and stress and I had been teaching for a number of years. Ridiculous workload, unsupportive leadership with ever increasing demands and daily extreme challenging behaviour. Don’t do it.

A lot of it will depend on the school you work at. I’m about to go into my 5th year of teaching primary and I absolutely love the job and can’t imagine doing anything else BUT there are a significant number of challenges, so you should be aware it can be an extremely hard job.

Depends on your school and head.
Mine are great and I love my job but it's intense, full on and often tear inducing

If you want a life outside work - DON'T.

What is it that is attracting you to teaching?

I'm sure you could do it but why do you think it will be a good job?

I've been teaching for 24 years and it is not the job I trained for any more. The only benefit left is the summer holidays and in 5 years time both my kids will be grown up and at Uni or their next steps so they won't be so much of a benefit to me and I am trying to keep going until then.

I was attracted to making a difference but I don't feel I can do that any more.

I like my current job working with children as a support worker but it's not very intellectually stimulating, I want to carry on working with children but in a more challenging role and I suppose teaching was the obvious choice. I also had some really lovely primary school teachers myself who really made a difference to me as a child. I did wonder if working as a special school teacher would be better in a way as the classes are so much smaller, and I do have plenty of experience working with children with sen.

Im a teacher at a SEN school and its waaaayyyyy better than working in mainstream schools. Less politics etc. Do it.

And smaller classes, no pressure on grades etc

You can PM me op - I can give you some honest advice and yes I would say do it but only in the right school

I'm a Primary Headteacher and have been in teaching for twenty years, so I'd be a hypocrite to say don't do it. But it's HARD. In this current climate we are being asked to work actual miracles and I'm quite certain every one of my staff has been sorely tempted to literally stop what they're doing, walk out the door and never come back.
But it's very bloody rewarding much of the time. If you can cope with a job you never switch off from during term time, I'd say go for it.

That's great to hear thanks. Do you find the workload more manageable because of the smaller classes? What kind of SEN do the children you teach have if you don't mind me asking? At the moment I mostly work with Autistic children as a support worker, some have physical disabilities and a few are classed as having PMLD.

Thankyou all for the replies this is all really helpful. @Paradoes that would be great thanks, how do I PM you?

I’m a HLTA and I’m often told to train to be a teacher as I don’t get paid much but teach classes. BUT, I don’t have to plan and I walk away at the end of the day. I see the burn out, the lack of respect from chn and their parents and the constant goalpost shifts from the government and Ofsted and I don’t want that. It already affects me but not on a personal level as I’m not a class teacher.

I do find the workload manageable, and I honestly dont think the teacher pays is bad! (Like everyone else says) its Autism/SEMH, boys only - which makes things easier, the kids are absolutely awesome, obviously there is difficult staff but that's everywhere right? I'd say if you are an empathetic nurturing type then work at a SEN school 😊

Staff in special schools are often very supportive of both students and one another. Special schools can be incredibly life enhancing places.

SEN support in mainstream is so often the opposite.

If you have SEN experience, have a look at OT training as well as teaching.

Thanks! 😃

Definitely, I worked in mainstream for about 10 years the SEN Provision is too depressing.

Is teaching really that bad? AIBU to think I could enjoy it?

Yes is that bad. I enjoyed some of it like teaching children to read, curriculum design and organising school trips but the relentlessness of it, parental neediness, constant busywork because policy says so, displays, the constant feeling that you must do better to the point where nothing you do is ever good enough etc etc did me in and I left mainstream primary teaching less than four years after qualifying.
Do it if you have no family, friends, hobbies or life and can devote every evening, weekend and at least half of your holiday time to work.

Thanks! 😃 funnily enough I have vaguely thought about OT, but the training is two years and I'm not sure I can afford it.

Thanks, that's pretty much what my friend said, I suppose I just need to work out if the positives can outweigh the negatives for me.