I don't want to be a teacher any more!

[whatadrain]

Back to school on Wednesday and I am dreading it. I am a HoD in a secondary school and the GCSE and A Level results were bad... Very bad. Not just in my department but in the whole school. I am fully expecting special measures as a result of this.

I have three children. One is disabled and two are nursery age. My wages barely cover the nursery fees. I am completely broke and burnt out but I need the holidays off with my children, particularly the disabled one.

Is there life (work?) after teaching?

Yes I have, and I have been asked to apply for a job in a school near by. I really like my school and the staff in my department... Even SLT are fine! It's just the day in, day out stress of it all.

Supply? Tutoring?

Lose the management. I found that helped me. I then went part time, that helped quite a bit. Then I changed schools and that helped very much.

I agree with cece. If you can, just teach your subject without HOD responsibility. I realise this might not be an option because you will reduce your salary. I found doing this to be a great relief and liberating in giving me time for life outside school. A change might of school might work too. There are supportive forums on the TES website, and they would be worth a look.
Take care of youself!

Thanks everyone. I don't know if it's just the usual 'September' blues. I love my school, but it's the same old shit wherever you go.

I agree about the management thing... Last year I was running two departments with four free periods and it was a total nightmare. I've got more free time to do it all in so hopefully it won't be so draining! Fingers crossed our inevitable Ofsted won't be the final nail in the coffin for my career!

I won't ask 'what' to encourage DD2 in to teaching then!.

Have you considered switching to Special Needs? I find there is considerably less horror and more fun involved. There are still targets and paperwork but they manage to be about and for the children, not the school (so much).

I hated my job just over a year ago. I was a member of SLT, , but felt consistently undermined for a variety of reasons...one being that my DH had just left leaving me to bring up two DC, one with ASD. I wasn't able to dedicate the time they wanted on top of a two hour journey each day.

In the end I changed jobs, the new one is closer to home even though its in the RI category. But a year down the line, I'm happier, see more of my children, work with some great individuals and even though I now work full time at a lower rate of pay I have rediscovered the joy of teaching and find I have also rediscovered my smile!

Redtulip that sounds fantastic. Maybe I need to apply for the job closer to home. I'm currently doing a 1.5 commute every day so that doesn't help.

Cut the commute. Go for the job nearer home. Possibly cut the HOD as well.

absolutely agree about swapping schools. Shorter commute, not HoD, maybe even 4 days a week just to give a you a little breathing space. DH and I both teachers and we have combined a number of these measures since the DCs came along to make life tolerable. We still love the actual classroom teaching bit but are happy to hand the baton of extra stuff to others now.