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Original poster

Met an ex teacher who had moved to Library job.

23 replies

robingood19 · 13/07/2011 10:40

He said teaching was all pressure. It took over your life. Whereas working in a library when you clocked off you could forget about it. Is this a common view among teachers?

OP posts:
EuphemiaMcGonagall · 13/07/2011 11:15

The thing with working in education (primary, secondary or tertiary) is that there is always more you can be doing, always more you can learn, always more preparation you can do for lessons, always more the SMT/government want you to pack into the day. If you're passionate about education, you want to do your best for the children/students, so it's hard to switch off.

I have been struggling to get a teaching job the current economy, so I have been working in an office for a year. Pros: if I am having an off day, I can sit at my desk with MN a coffee and have an "easy" day: you can never never never do that when you're teaching, especially infants! In teaching you are "on" all day! I go home from my office job and never have any work/preparation to do at home. Ever. Cons: I am bored witless in an office. Smile I would rather be teaching and super-busy anytime!

Teachermumof3 · 13/07/2011 14:05

Oh yes! I agree about being busy at work being great as it means the time flies by, but what I'm increasingly finding about teaching is that I'm almost starting to wish away the teaching part of my day (8.45-3.30) so I can get on with everything else.

This was never the case when I started teaching; yes, we had meetings, planning, assessment and paperwork but this is different. The expectation to triplicate everything on different forms, organise LSA intervention groups for everything-all of which I have to plan for, assess, mark, set targets for (which can be a bit like planning for two days every day), APP, target setting every half term, endless new planning sheets, new frameworks, marking G+T, EAL, SEN, LO, WILF, WALT and endless other new acronyms on the right sheet in the right colour otherwise someone will come and tell me I'm rubbish!

There feels like there's no time left to put up lovely interactive displays as there's always something much more pressing to do-and I like doing that bit of the job!

I've forgotten what you asked! Right, have just read your post again; working in a library does sound lovely-does he enjoy it?

Original poster
robingood19 · 13/07/2011 14:33

yes he enjoys ithe library. Despite the reseverations he stayed with teaching for 12 years

Thank you for pour posts . I am starting to see teaching through different. Especially the bit about "There is always more you can do" That could turn into a nightmare unless you dispipline yourself about free time.

OP posts:
Dexifehatz · 13/07/2011 16:53

I almost wish that I had never trained as a teacher as I don't want to do it anymore,but still want to work with kids.I would rather be a mentor or teaching assistant but am over qualified.

ASByatt · 13/07/2011 16:56

Dexi - there are loads of teachers working as Teaching Assistants, it's pretty common IME so your qualification would not necessarily go against you!

Can work really well, but have heard of some schools taking advantage.

TheMitfordsMaid · 13/07/2011 17:06

Given that libraries are shutting down left, right and centre, it may not be the stress-free option for much longer.

FannyFerknackerPants · 13/07/2011 19:47

He can't be working in a school then! We deal with kids and teachers all day and I definitely bring my work home and think about it most evenings too.

The public library is also a people centred job, unless you are working in the back room. My friends who work in all kinds of libraries are finding their jobs very stressful at the moment because of all the cuts and threats of redundancy. His job is unlikely to be very secure, sadly.

ninah · 13/07/2011 21:51

I am just about to start my gtp and I'm petrified about time management. To think that half leave within the first 5 years is phenomenal - something must be very wrong.

Hulababy · 13/07/2011 21:53

I left teaching a few years ago. lots of reasons - stress, poor behaviour, lack of good management and workload were key features in that decision. For last 2.5y I've been a TA in a primary school = I do still take work home, so I don't clock off at 12:30 as such (I work pt) but the workload and stress is so much less and I love my job. The pay is pants though.

Hulababy · 13/07/2011 21:53

I taught for about 10.5y before that though - was a secondary school teacher.

Hulababy · 13/07/2011 21:57

Dexifehatz - you most certainly are not over qualified and your teaching qualifications and experience will not, ime, be held against you. If anything it could go in your favour. Although it was 3 years ago nearly now, I found that I got a lot of interest. I actually had a few interviews lined up after one round of letters. I only ended up going to the first one as I got that job. Where I am there are now 4 TAs who are qualified teachers.

exoticfruits · 13/07/2011 22:13

Absolutely. I left-loved the classroom but didn't like the rest-I wanted a life.
I have had many conversations with teachers my age (older) and they all have the same moans. Teachers will not have a whole career in teaching the way they used to. The workload was my reason for going. (and then people cite the holidays-a real laugh-I wish......)

exoticfruits · 13/07/2011 22:16

You are not over qualified to be a mentor or TA. I know lots of qualified teachers who are TAs, they like working with DCs without the stress-unfortunately the pay doesn't compare, but some find it worth it to have a life outside work.

Lucycat · 13/07/2011 22:17

tbh I can't see myself standing in front of 32 15 year olds when I'm 65 - I want to be folding towels in John Lewis by then or working in Lakeland selling nice things to ladies who lunch Grin

exoticfruits · 14/07/2011 06:40

I was talking to an ex teacher last week, she was early 60s and very sad about it, said that she loved the job when she started but couldn't wait to get out at the end. She was happily running a wool shop.

I find that older teachers are cutting down the hours, a friend of mine is taking a step down frm deputy next term and doing a 3 day week with SN. Many are changing to job shares, in the way that those who come back from maternity leave like part time. Job shares don't seem very popular with parents, but I'm sure they are on the increase in the primary school, it is the only way that you can ensure that you have your evenings free and can have a 2 day weekend.
I calculate that you need one hour outside the classroom for one hour in the classroom and that doesn't leave enough spare time.

CeliaFate · 14/07/2011 09:37

I left teaching last year. Whatever you did right, management would focus on what you didn't do so well, or what more you needed to do to get better results. It became all about setting targets and reaching them. If your end of year assessments didn't reflect significant progress, woe betide you. All stick and no carrot. It was becoming a drain on my health. The children in the school I taught at were mostly lovely, but came from backgrounds where a lot of parents didn't appreciate how important education was, so that attitude filtered into the classroom. Some day it was an achievement to get half of what you'd planned done. I wouldn't go back to it in a hurry.

Original poster
robingood19 · 14/07/2011 09:57

If I was guessing I think the library bloke will get bored within a couple of years and return to teching.

Changing tack...BBC TV tonight (thurs) 10.35 filming of kids at a Leicester school and letting the parents see the end product. Worth a look

OP posts:
WillowFae · 15/07/2011 23:30

I'd say it is a common thing. During term time I CANNOT switch off at the end of the school day. The only time I switch off is during part of the summer holiday. Other holidays aren't long enough as there is always something (marking, reports, planning) to do.

It does take over your life and this annoys DH!

Dexifehatz · 16/07/2011 00:13

Thanks for your positive comments folks! That's cheered me up no end! Perhaps I will apply for a few posts and see how it goes.Money is not an issue,well not that we are rolling in it,but why earn more money when you're too depressed to spend it? Work to live,not live to work.

exoticfruits · 16/07/2011 07:02

I'm not sure that you even switch off in the summer-you visit musueums etc and in the shop you buy things 'because they might be useful at school'. We all do it, I was talking to a teacher and admiring her display on space with lovely backingof wrapping paper-she said that she found it in the summer holidays and her DCs got cross because 'she was always thinking about school'!

Try supply Dexifehatz and see how it goes. It has it's own drawbacks, but at least you walk out at the end of the day and have finished. It will give a clearer idea of whether you want to do it.

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