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.

Depends totally on your school/SLT and as such I would always urge anyone who feels dissatisfied with teaching to try another school first (especially if they have only ever worked long-term in 1 school).
I have been teaching for 17 years and love it, so I would always say it’s worth training as it is so fulfilling if it does happen to suit you. Even if it doesn’t, I would say it provides valuable transferable skills.

There are 3 half terms, one in February, one in May and one in October. So you get13. Plus a bank holiday for May Day.

I thought it was only certain subjects eg Maths that have a shortage? Where i live i believe its difficult for primary teachers to find jobs

Primary mainstream is very much oversubscribed in my area and you won’t get a job in teaching if you don’t have family or socialise with teachers a lot. Skills don’t count for anything. Plenty of TA jobs going because it’s low pay for the workload: try it is my advice. You can always go back to support!

SEN schools are always looking for staff. With a background in support you could get a Ta job in SEN schools relatively easily. Consider though, you must know the kids: how will they respond to being told what to do every day? There’s a high turnover of staff because most get fed up of being beaten up every day, again for low pay.

I never considered secondary as a female who got sexual harassment from lads back in primary school. Teachers are now reporting regular bad and worsening behaviour on secondaries, including sexism . You might be ok with that coming from SEN, you might not. It might be ok if you have a girls school locally.

There is a reason why teaching and health/ social is mostly women workers (with men at the top naturally). Women do shit work for low pay that men don’t even notice and still aren’t noticing as it fails with more women leaving. In summary I’d give it a try - you can always go back to support, it’s the other strongly female profession - but if I had more years ahead of me now I’d look at trades or driving or rail for now.

I’m in my 10th year. I have never found it too bad (apart from the parents were a nightmare in the private school I worked at), but since going back into state, it’s been fine. Obviously there have been issues such as poor behaviour and less than supportive SLT, but i do think every job must have its bad bits. It’s also not flexible in any way - if you need a day off/time off during term time it’s a nightmare!
It’s not easy, but I’m not sure many careers are. It really does depend on the school you work for though. Good luck.

@DancingsquirrelsI think a lot of teachers if they get a good school stay there! I can't vouch for primary but in secondary it is hard to recruit. When I first started teaching there would be loads of applications - whittled down to a few for interview. More recently for a job at my old place (my job as I am moving on) there were 6 applicants (English) of which 2 were overseas teachers without the correct qualifications, one had been out of teaching a few years and three were trainees. One trainee turned up in jeans and trainers and was sent away almost instantly. One got the job - but in an ideal world they would have sent them away too but know that supply can be a nightmare. They made the comment in the staff room that they were looking forward to a much easier time when they were teaching rather than training. Hmmm.
I wanted to move on to nearer to home, applied for three jobs and was offered interviews at them all. First interview got the job and UP3 without question - which is no longer a guarantee. Supply agencies are crying out for teachers.

Before long there will be a crisis.

I've been a primary teacher for nearly 30 years, 27 in the same lovely school.

The job is so very different nowadays than it was when I started, but I still wouldn't do anything else.

Do not do it. I lasted 10 years, 2 of which were off on (different) maternity leave.
Out of my cohort of 30 only 2 still teach.

And mainstream primary. Not sure if that is what you meant.

I do have experience of doing support work with children with SEN, but that's easier in many ways I think as for one thing where I am we work 1:1 with most children, and any children who have significant behavioural issues have 2:1 care. I've never been injured at work (so far!). The likelihood must vary depending on the type of special school and the needs of the children though? Say a PMLD class you would be much less likely to be injured than an SEMH one?

Difficult to generalise, as you say it very much depends on individual needs. I’ve known some pmld be very violent, some with no warning. Where I was, on the school side we also had 1:1 and 2:1, rarely a 3:1. It’s why I preferred SEN in special schools rather than mainstream, there were physically more adults around in a crisis, and team working is real. But everywhere is cost cutting, minimal staffing levels and gaslighting / bullying to make you accept it.