Who'd be a teacher?

Fruitflylady · 2017-04-13T18:47:47+00:00

I keep thinking of training as a teacher, secondary science, but I hear so many horror stories that I've not pursued it yet. Are there any teachers left who would recommend it, and why?

BackforGood · 13/04/2017 23:17

......... tumbleweed.........

Kind of answers the questions

HamletsSister · 13/04/2017 23:24

Love my job. Secondary English.

oklumberjack · 13/04/2017 23:29

It's not first hand but my cousin is a Chemistry teacher in Manchester. She works bloody hard but seems to really like her job.

Not very deep analysis

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 13/04/2017 23:32

Haha, yes tumbleweed indeed! Thanks Hamlets and lumberjack x

OP posts:

rollonthesummer · 13/04/2017 23:34

I wouldn't recommend it at all. Read through the many threads on the ataffrokm board on here to hear some reasons why.

Blackbird82 · 13/04/2017 23:43

I was a lecturer at an FE college (16-18) some aspects were good, many aspects were horrendous. My workload was really intense, I had some fantastic students and a lot of really difficult, unpleasant characters. I spent hours planning engaging lectures only to spend the entire time trying to crowd control.

I had students who were eager and willing to learn, I also had plenty of students who just wanted to disrupt and cause as much mayhem as possible.

It was really tough and I absolutely do not regret leaving. I would never teach again. It's too stressful, too many unmotivated students, little support from my department and every night/weekends spent working.

clary · 13/04/2017 23:44

If you're any good in science (and as a teacher more to the point) you'll have a pick of jobs; we are struggling to recruit good science teachers at my school.

I am a teacher OP and there are good and bad things about it. Sadly I feel now that the good things are periforal to teaching itself (start early, finish early which suits me; keeps me busy all day; on my feet so not sedentary; never boring - actually that one is about the job :))

The bad things are poor and worsening behaviour; endless marking and planning out of school time - I have been on Easter hols for a week and have worked at least 3-4 hours every day; grief or potential grief from all over (SLT/parents/Ofsted) about how well/not well you are doing; students ill-equipped and not interested in working; "why do we have to learn [my subject} miss?"

Sorry to be negative. A sensible piece of advice is to go and shadow a science teacher in a local school if you haven't done so already, to get a good idea of what you might be doing. If you are keen, talented and committed then we do need you.

bojorojo · 14/04/2017 20:27

Don't worry! There will be new grammar schools fairly soon after you qualify! If not, the nearest private school will snap you up! You don't have to put up with difficult pupils and poor schools.

hotwater · 14/04/2017 20:31

I love my job (secondary English). It comes with challenges but so do all jobs. I get to talk about my favourite thing all day :)

greathat · 14/04/2017 20:34

I'm secondary science and while I do like it (most of the time) if I could go back in time, I wouldn't do it again. It takes over your life and even when you're on holiday you feel like you should be working

Makingchanges · 14/04/2017 20:50

I'm primary and love my job. However I am at work from 7-6 every day, til 8 or 9 if in a governors meeting. I work most evenings and at least one day at weekends. Most of my wages go on resources, my 'holidays' involve working most days, including taking things away with me. I never get to see dd in school plays.

I also never have two days the same, live seeing the children learning and generally enjoy my days. Having a particularly bad time with parents at the moment which make me want to give it all in.

Littlefish · 15/04/2017 16:03

I'm also a primary teacher and whilst I love my job, and am good at it, I don't think I would recommend going into it at the moment.

I've been teaching for nearly 20 years and have seen enormous changes in the profession in that time (many of them, negative).

I absolutely agree with the suggestion of shadowing a current teacher in your subject. I also suggest volunteering in a variety of secondary schools, just to see the enormous variety of approaches and ethos.

jeanne16 · 15/04/2017 21:02

I retrained as a secondary school maths teacher after years in industry. However I work in a small private school which I mostly enjoy. We have smaller classes which means the marking is less and although the paper work is increasing, it isn't as ridiculous as in State schools.

tinypop4 · 17/04/2017 16:54

I love being a secondary school teacher and adore my subject , particularly teaching it at GCSE and A level. I did 6 years in a state school which I loved but the data and leadership nearly broke me- especially while juggling a family.
I moved to a private school where I can get back on with teaching and love it again. You would easily find a job in a private ad a science teacher- I would recommend this if you wish to remain sane.

TheElephantofSurprise · 17/04/2017 16:57

I'm out of teaching, it broke me. But if you can do it, they're desperate for science teachers and could probably name your price.
Be ruthless in protecting your own health and lifestyle. Don't believe the crap they give you about vocation. Don't take on board the idea that if you work harder, results will improve. If you have a positive innovation, stagger it's implementation to make it manageable. Don't work late and take all your holidays. Record everything and bull yourself up at every opportunity.
Good luck.

Candlelightnewf · 17/04/2017 17:09

I'm a secondary science teacher and I really like my job now that I'm in a nice school.

Hated it in other schools and was ready to resign and never return.

Pick your school wisely and it can be really great.

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 17/04/2017 21:31

Thanks for all the points of view. Interesting that people ave recommended private, and I can see why it would be easier, the thing is that I feel I'd rather go into a local school that is struggling a bit and feel that I'm making a difference to kids whose parents can't afford to give them any better. And I realise that then I'd probably have to put up with a large amount of the crap aspects of teaching; impossible targets, difficult behaviour etc....

OP posts:

MMMckenzie25 · 17/04/2017 21:38

My husband is a chemistry teacher and it breaks my heart how hard he works for such little recognition, he has fallen out of love with the job now and although we need the money right now, if he wanted to change job in the future I would support him. It's not about teaching anymore, it's about ticking boxes- no matter how detrimental to the children it is :(

tinypop4 · 18/04/2017 08:21

I feel I'd rather go into a local school that is struggling a bit and feel that I'm making a difference to kids whose parents can't afford to give them any better. And I realise that then I'd probably have to put up with a large amount of the crap aspects of teaching; impossible targets, difficult behaviour etc

I used to feel like that. It is more crap than you could possibly imagine, enough to break many a strong teacher! I

VintagePerfumista · 18/04/2017 08:29

Fruity- if you do join up, don't say that about going into poorer schools at your interview. I did. Because I was naive, innocent and really thought a) I could b) it really would make a difference. What it comes across as, is someone who has never taught thinking they can do something that so far, generations of teachers have failed at.

Was the response from the interviewing committee for my PGCE....

I'm also secondary English and love every minute. Even the bad minutes. Because they make me feel that I'm still growing as a person as well as the galumphin' teens in front of me. They make me laugh, they make me cry (not always for good reasons) and I just spend the whole Easter weekend marking essays because 150 of them have exams very soon.

I'm not in the UK. If I were, I doubt I'd be doing it. When I did still live in the UK I was a civil servant.

Traalaa · 18/04/2017 08:30

I'm not a teacher, but a couple of mates are. Both are working in state secondaries, both exhausted most of the time, but... and I have known these people since I was 18.. they both genuinely love their jobs and far more so than other old friends in different professions. They tell me all sorts and it often doesn't sound easy, but the rewards are immense in terms of satisfaction when it goes right. They've also both made a good circle of friends from the schools they're in too. I know they'd both say pick your school wisely (one definitely had a terrible time after a bad choice), but don't go private. Far from all state schools will 'break' a strong teacher.

youarenotkiddingme · 18/04/2017 08:33

I'm in same situation. Have enough degree credits now just to do a few more to then get into teaching.hiwever I've seen the job. Ha he so much over the years (I work in education) and I really don't want to become a paper pusher - I want to have the time to make a difference.

I think teachers nowadays make far more of a difference than is reported in the media - the working conditions are tougher and the targets higher. But it just seems it's never good enough.

AgentCooper · 18/04/2017 08:36

I'm not a teacher but DSis is - she is permanent with the region so not in a permanent post but AFAIK guaranteed a job each year until a permanent job comes up (in Scotland). She loved her two previous schools - they weren't in fancy areas or without challenges but the overall ethos seemed to be really positive and nurturing and there was good support in place. She hates her current school so much it's made her consider other work - the school is in no more deprived an area than her previous ones but it is really badly run and resourced. There are kids in her class (7/8 years old) who can't read or write but they were signed off in previous years as progressing normally, kids who are incontinent (this wasn't made apparent to her when she was given the class), one learning support person for the entire school. The HT doesn't care and all the staff are miserable.

So DSis would probably tell you it depends on the school.

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 18/04/2017 08:39

I'm a teacher - secondary level, in a private school. I love it: it's extremely rewarding, full of variety and intellectually stimulating. I get great holidays when I can spend time with family and loved ones. The occasional letter from a pupil written on some exercise paper and left at my door on the last day saying thank you - the best feeling ever.

SleepWhatSleep1 · 18/04/2017 09:41

I was a secondary chemistry teacher after years in the finance industry. I thought the finance industry was long hours and high pressure but it was nothing to teaching in the last few years.
Teaching combined with small children who don't sleep broke me and my mental health is yet to recover. I did 8 years and worked my arse off. I was a bloody good teacher (after the initial maybe 2 years), got really good results in a high achieving state comp, and tried to make a difference. But it's never enough, there's always another new initiative focussing on another target group needing more interventions - always on TOP of the existing workload. And don't mention getting bollocked by SALT for letting kids go to the loo in your lessons, or getting bollocked for suggesting to an ALevel student that perhaps the reason they got a U at AS was because of their lack of work, not because you "failed to make the lessons interesting enough".
Gah.
I'd rather stack shelves. It works out as more per hour than UPS1.