Would you train to be a teacher?

[Iwantacareerchange]

I'm currently working as a paediatric nurse (27yrs) but the NHS is now in such dire straights with serious lack of staff both nurses and doctors and equipment/medication that I and most of my colleagues now genuinely fear a child on our ward will die and we will loose our registration. Also the NHS is being broken down and privatised, lots of areas have been taken over by profit making companies this depresses me money is coming before the health needs of our children. I took a career break when my children were little and have a good class degree in area that apparently there is a serious significant teacher shortage and "Get into teaching" are always emailing me. Today I spoke to them and have arranged various visits to schools etc to see what I think.
So the 64 million $ question would you retrain as a secondary school teacher?

In answer to the thread title - NO! 21 years was enough. Nearly killed me more than once, destroyed my health permanently, caused so much heartache you wouldn't believe - no, that's no way to spend your time.

No

Thank you Me2017 I'm no business women, and although I'm not particularly left wing in my politics, I dont support any business that makes a profit out of someone else's poor health. Your right outside of London (where I don't live any more) thankfully there is little if any acute paediatrics in the private sector,
I have thought about working for MSF but we are paying to put two children through university so haven't quite reached that phase in my life where I could afford not to work at all.
I could and have worked bank in the past which does work but I feel in the long term it's not what I want. I have thought about tutoring but obviously 1. I'm not a teacher and 2. I'm not familiar with the national curriculum for my subject or have what the general requirement would be so that doesn't feel right either.
Up thread I wondered what nurses would say if a teachers was posting about a career change? Generally we feel passionate about the children in our care, that is what we are there for, we accept ridiculous hours, unsocial hours, as usual Im working through Xmas and New Year, hideous shift patterns which are known to have a very detrimenental effect on our health in the long term, terrible staff shortages, no equipment all because we are there for the children. We make life and death decision all the time, we are constantly having to check everything we do to ensure that we are doing the right thing, we put up with endless abuse both physical and mental from parents, but we also have moments of absolute joy when a sick child improves, a baby smiles, an anorexic eats, we work so closely with parents we feel all their worries and sadness deeply, we also celebrate with them when they're child is better and going home. But most worryingly for me is that I feel we are increasingly working in a blame culture, we are also constantly being audited by those looking to find fault, (who ctenophore have no medical training) they are unable to see the bigger picture; very satisfied children and their parents and the enormous pressures we're working under. I think nurses are very resilient (I'm not saying teachers arent) and that not going to the loo or getting a drink on 13 hours and being seen to cope with all of this is very much seen as part of the job. When I started nursing the ward sisters had sacrificed everything family, husbands, life outside of work to be nurses and that hangover remains. You stay late, don't get a drink, there are massive obstacles at every turn your exhausted but you battled through all of this and the patients are fine so that should be enough.
But eventually you get too old for this, unlike teaching perhaps nurses are lucky they can easily move into "easier" options, less pressured environments in terms of how acutely unwell your patients are be they adult or child, or they go into management roles. I've tried less acute stuff it's not for me, I don't see management in the NHS as something that's for me either after all all my training has been about looking after the children not managing other to do it.
It's a huge dilemma. I will continue to investigate all my options, including training to be a teacher, listen to all points of view, hopefully something will eventually come up.

Many teachers in their 50s up till now have taken early retirement. Lots have moved into SLT positions where they have a much reduced teaching timetable. Many quit teaching and take other jobs.

You'd be starting a teacher training, the most intense and tiring period of teaching, at the age where most teachers are taking options that take them out of the classroom.

I was a late entrant into teaching, but you are probably late 40s (?) and I think that's pushing it.
Also, though I wouldn't normally comment on a poster's written English on here, in this context your spelling and grammar are definitely not up to scratch.

I was giving teacher training serious consideration recently-my degree subject is very much in demand, I could train locally and probably choose where I wanted to work as there's a serious shortage in my subject.

What it came down to was my unwillingness to be tied to school holidays for the rest of my working life.

borntobequiet

My friend has dyslexia and her spelling is terrible. She is a fantastic teacher because she understands the struggles the children have. Also, spelling and grammar can easily be learned.

born thank you and your right what Ive written could be better, but then this is an informal forum and I'm thinking out loud. I understand I have to sit both a literacy and numerousy test. You may be interested to know that my paper work including its clarity has been repeatedly audited and has always found to be excellent. I'm a different person at work, I even surprise myself how different I am!
Also over the years I have been stunned by the appalling grammar and spelling mistakes made by teachers and also their inability to write with any sort of clarity.

Spelling and grammar can easily be learned?

Why do so many teachers not bother then?

numerousy

You've got to be trolling...

Sorry, OP, I was a bit mean. However I spent many years being seriously annoyed by the poor English used by many (not all) of my colleagues, having to rewrite their reports and explain to students that another teacher's "correction" of their work was not in fact correct, and it's made me somewhat unkind.
But another poster's point that you would be considering going into teaching at an age when many teachers are thinking about retiring or taking on a role involving less time in the classroom, is a good one. I started in my early 40s but at a much gentler time. I wouldn't have made it to 60 if schools then had been as they are now.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck. And as others have said, get some experience in school first.

HopeClearwater

I don't know why they don't bother. Maybe they have a reason why they can't, like my friend. Or maybe they don't realise it's wrong. I can't read their minds.

In short NO!

Any chance you'd move abroad OP? To nurse or to teach? Canada and Australia would bite your hand off.

"Its not just that money is being put before the needs of children, there isn't any money left, we have no staff nurses or doctors (they too are leaving), no specialist equipment, a"

Ditto education ....

oldbooth Canada and Australia aren't looking for teachers right now

"Tied to school holidays for the rest of my life".
You should try being tied to working every bank holiday in particular Xmas for the rest of your working life. As my children are now grown up I'm not allowed to take any holiday during any school holidays and no one is allowed annual leave during the two weeks of Xmas. I'm not bothered about the summer holidays but this also includes Easter when my children are home from university. This year we wanted to take them away at Easter but I was even allowed a couple of days AL.
The comments about many in their 50's leaving teaching very much applies to those of us working at the sharp end in the NHS, this is an age when many start looking for "easier" departments to work in. I completely understand this, but I personally don't want an "easier" life yet i.e. away from the more stressful acute areas. Frankly I'd rather stack shelves in Waitrose!

I am a solutions more than discussion person.
So still need an income to help the children at university (MSF could be for a few years' time). Not really into setting up your own business.

You could tutor. It is not that hard to do if you have mugged up on the topic and use that whilst also working in your current role or bank nursing. It depends if you are in an area where parents have the spare money to pay for it and if you can get a foot in the door with it. My son is a postman. That didn't require many qualifications and you are outside most of the time and it will not be as acute as A&E so might be a nice change. In London a good few women turn to tube train driving as the pay is quite high.

I personally don't want an "easier" life yet i.e. away from the more stressful acute areas. Frankly I'd rather stack shelves in Waitrose

Then why not stay in nursing? It's clear that you're needed there.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/31/four-in-10-new-teachers-quit-within-a-year

Don't do it!

I don't live in an urban area so no tube trains to drive. 😊 Our buses have all been taken away as our local council hasn't any money left..
most importantly I want to work with children, I seriously thought about children SW but that really is in a terrible state, there's no money left and the ones we work with don't last more than a few months and that really is doomed if you do and doomed if you don't. I suspect every area of the public sector is in the same terrible state I can't decide whether to use the sad smiley or the angry one. Colleagues have left and gone off to work for the private sector all full of enthusiasm talking about the great perks, and the regular hours but after 6-7 months I notice they don't talk with such enthusiasm, the shine has definitely gone off the job. My DH works in the private sector, he works at 60 + hours a week sometimes longer, running up to Xmas it will be more, he manages projects worth millions with clients with very high expectations, people paying millions expect him to be available 24/7, he only gets 20 days AL a year, he also frequently works at weekends in his own time, carries his work mob on him all the time even when we're on holiday, his staff and clients call at 10 pm at night at weekends, 6 in the morning, he technically gets no sick pay it's at his bosses discretion, he pays into the most pathetic pension scheme. Ok he earns good money and he's not in quite the same stressful situations I'm in but his job is not that much better than mine. I've also got a friend who's a senior partner in a big corporate law firm, she's earning lots of money but even when she's on holiday she has to check her emails and reply every four hours, she emails me from her office at 2 am and she only meant to be working "part time" she works full time hours but in four days. I understand we work the longest hours in Europe few I suspect have the right work life balance.
noble I haven't handed in my resignation and even if I did they'll happily take me back! I won't anyway till I've found something that feels right.
I talked to someone yesterday who is a teachers and she tells a different story, yes talks about the stress and the constant scrutiny and the amount of time she puts in in her own time but still recommends it as a profession!?

I am a secondary school teacher and DH is a nurse (A and E)

A few of the pros and cons of both of our jobs we would agree on:

Nursing
Pros
As he works long days only he works a 3 day week (with an additional short shift once every 4 weeks)
Having worked in the NHS for years he has accrued over 7 weeks holiday per year which (apart from Christmas and Easter) he can take whenever he likes. The result being that he works many days a year less than I do despite teaching being seen as a cushy number re holidays
When he's finished work, he's finished. No work to do at home.
His days off are days off. He never has work to do so can spend them as he wishes.
He works in a fast paced environment which suits him
He feels he is doing something worthwhile

Cons
Long days are tough, busy and exhausting
He has to work 2 weeks of nights every 6 weeks- as he gets older he finds it more and more difficult to make the transition between day and night mode
He finds the emphasis on targets and waiting times means priorities are skewed. There is little time to spend with each patient and very limited time to give emotional support to patients and their families, something he has always felt is hugely important
It can be emotionally difficult dealing with extremely traumatic situations
He always works Christmas Day- as a childless man he is bottom of the list for getting Christmas or school holidays off- pretty hard when your wife is a teacher. It is assumed he'd prefer new year off as childless but he's in his 40s- partying is much less important to him than time spent with family.

Teaching
Pros
Long holidays
I can leave work at 330 and work from home after that
I still genuinely enjoy the teaching aspect of it. Working with teenagers is a (sometimes difficult) privilege which I enjoy immensely
I love my subject (History) and helping others to enjoy it. I am proud of the fact that so many of my past pupils have gone on to study History in university
I work in a very deprived area- what I do is very worthwhile
The relationships and pastoral care in teaching help me feel I am making a real difference to students lives
I am paid more for teaching than my husband is for nursing

Cons
The actual teaching part of the day is exhausting. You are permanently in 'performance mode'. As you get older this becomes more tiring
The enormous amount of paper work means work is never ending. I could literally work 24 hours a day and still feel I haven't done enough
The emphasis on targets, grades and stats means management, government and the inspectorate don't see children any more just numbers. The things that you feel are useful (teaching love of a subject, building confidence, the moment a student 'gets it' helping a student through difficult personal issues, seeing a child with terrible home circumstances smile at their achievement or the knowledge that someone cares for them, supporting a parent who is struggling with a problem with their child) are put to the bottom of the list. The things you think are the key to the job are seen as having no value- that is soul destroying
In my case poor management- the retirement of an inspirational head to be replaced by someone incompetent has led to falling morale. The new head sees stats only and has allowed pastoral structures to deteriorate significantly. In the deprived area in which I teach this has meant increased behavioural problems and little support for pastoral issues such as drugs and mental health. Classroom teachers do what they can but there is little support from above.
The emotional difficulties of worrying about a child- we have many in care or in chaotic homes, many with drugs and mental health issues.
The fact that time off is never time off. There is always work to do at home
The public perception of our job is upsetting. I and my colleagues care deeply for the children in our care. We work ridiculous hours planning, marking etc. Yet the public think we are work shy sloths with fabulous holidays. That can grind you down.
The unpredictability of your day can be both good and bad. You can have everything planned perfectly and it can go very quickly off the rails due to an emergency/ a problem a child is dealing with/ poor behaviour/ deviation from timetable etc

Overall both of us love our jobs but both of us are exhausted both physically and emotionally. That's without having any children of our own. We are looking into working abroad as a way to keep doing what we love without it destroying us.

By all means try to get out of nursing but I don't think things are any better from this side.

Apologies for the essay!

Even with the essay I forgot the lack of resources and cuts to funding in both workplaces!

And the constant threat of inspection in mine- luckily I am in N Ireland so no ofsted- HMI are much more understanding of the job- but we are still judged on outcomes only- not even value added here which as a secondary modern is ridiculous that we are being compared to grammar school outcomes.

Ok he earns good money and he's not in quite the same stressful situations I'm in but his job is not that much better than mine. I've also got a friend who's a senior partner in a big corporate law firm, she's earning lots of money but even when she's on holiday she has to check her emails and reply every four hours, she emails me from her office at 2 am and she only meant to be working "part time" she works full time hours but in four days.

The difference between that and the public sector would be the good money. Not saying that teacher pay is shit (and I believe it's better than nursing), but not as good.