Leaving teaching? Cannot decide what to do next? Help me decide!?

[Sev124]

I have started my 3rd teaching year in my 3rd school. Each time i moved the workload seems to progressively get worse. There's always so much workload. Like next week is assessment week and we need to asses, mark on same day then asses and mark on same day again in same week and then assess their writing which has to be marked and all data on system in the same week.

I just don not see myself teaching anymore, everyday I am dragging and forcing myself in.

I am considering - working as a- librarian, admin or officer.

I am lost, ive been searching for past 3 months now and cannot decide which route to go.. i need some guidance.

It’s been a few years but I found there was a careers advisor at my local college when I was looking to go into teaching (which I actually changed my mind about, long boring story).

or maybe talk to an agency to see what sort of jobs there are that use your existing skills. My sister did a bit of temping to get a feel for what she thought she would like and ended up staying on at a company she enjoyed working for.

@Sev124 do you live near a university? There are lots of opportunities in university administration. Try this website: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/ or else the vacancies page of your local.uni.

Or else if you're numerate you could try this: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2500-new-places-on-artificial-intelligence-and-data-science-conversion-courses-now-open-to-applicants

Well there’s a bloke in the telegraph financial pages today who left teaching to become a 90k a year train driver. How about that?

I don’t think Librarian or admin is going to earn you much of a living. Civil service? Accountancy? Data analysis? Plumbing?

Sign up with some online agencies, and work very hard on your CV to emphasise your transferable skills and the useful experience you gained while teaching - being good at managing varied workload, achieving objectives under pressure and so on. Also, emphasise being a team player, because teachers are often seen as being loners. Then see what happens.

Leave now before you move up the pay scale, the job is only going to get worse. I am top pay scale and am desperate to get out but am looking at at least a 10-15k paycut and having to work my way up again at 46 years of age.

Now is the time to get out. Workload may well be worse elsewhere but pay better.

Suggest accountancy. If AI doesn't completely screw us then its pretty good wages. Not much holiday.

There's a Facebook group called 'life after teaching' where you might get some ideas. I left teaching 10 years ago and now work for Children's Services

Ooh, that sounds interesting, can I ask what your role is?

Do you mean should you retrain as a librarian or a police officer? It's not clear from your post if you are asking about short term options or a total career change.

What about private tuition?
I haven't looked into a private tutor in years, but £35ph was the going rate about 7 years ago.
I'm actually considering it for DD for the subjects she's really needing top marks on in her gcses...so there still are people considering private tuition despite the col crisis.

Wishing you all the best OP, I hear from teenage DD how under pressure all her teachers are.

I went into HR, as did a couple of others I know. Some went into work place training, one is an accountant, one opened a restaurant. I never want to go back into teaching.

I left teaching a few years ago and now work supporting children in a residential care home. The home I work in is for children with disabilities, but I started off in a mainstream home. The career progression is good for those with aptitude - I have already been asked if I would consider applying to be a Team Leader or Senior.

I also recently saw a teaching literacy in a local prison position and am considering applying.

I am sure you had your reasons to move on from each of your teaching jobs but FWIW there is always a workload bump when you start in a new setting and you have seemingly experienced this three times. Things do settle down when you stay for another year or more and you won’t have experienced this yet. Nevertheless it is very very tough at the moment and I am not going to try to talk you around.

Are you willing and able to retrain or undertake further study? I don’t think most people realise how highly qualified librarians are. You would need to do a postgraduate qualification in information management in order to become chartered and work in university or civic libraries.

I know a couple of people who have left teaching and gone into corporate training delivery roles, where their skills were highly valued.

Follow Penny Rabiger (penny_ten) on X. Every Sunday she does a big thread of ‘edujobs’ which are not classroom-based. There is also a Facebook group called ‘Life After Teaching’ but be warned that it is largely comprised of some very angry, disillusioned former teachers and I find it quite bitter. They do have a lot of knowledge and experience, however.

I work in a minerals and waste planning team. Our monitoring officer used to be a teacher. She visits minerals and waste sites and checks they are run according to their planning permissions.
Maybe check what vacancies are available with your local council.