A question - how many teachers on here are thinking of quitting due to Gove?

[bronya]

Everyone I know who teaches and can afford to SAH with their children is going to hand in their notice this year. Many others are looking for new careers. Is this as widespread as I think it'll be?

Since when did 'the lights off' mean they were not working? I have recently come into teaching from industry where people routinely work long hours, just not necessarily in the office. I am far less stressed in teaching than in industry (HR) where it really is entirely performance-based. This is a doddle in comparison. I do think some teachers ought to take reality check sometimes - yes it is hard work, but it is hard work everywhere!

When we have queries at 4.30pm that we need to ask the SMT which we can't do during the day because we are teaching and they aren't there, when parents ring to speak to SMT and they aren't there, when there are problems that only they have the authority to deal with and they aren't there. They might be working at home, but I think somebody in management needs to be there after school!

I agree, my husbands job involves much longer hours and a different yet high level of stress. However he's paid five times what I earn.
I could earn nearly as much working in a shop, not such good holidays but much less hoop jumping.
I'm thinking of leaving, not because of the pay for hassle ratio but because what were all being told to do does not help the children learn any better.

I could earn nearly as much working in a shop, not such good holidays
precisely! No other job has the holidays, and I think if you have only ever been in teaching you do not realise what an enormous perk that is.

My DH is quitting at the end of next week. 10years have pretty much broken him.

For me the holidays aren't a perk, children grown up and at uni. In fact it's a disadvantage cos have to pay for term time holidays. I missed out on a big extended family holiday last year because I was the only one tied to term times. Any way if you're in it for the holidays..........

I've just resigned today (for Easter) and feel hugely relieved. I have no other job to go to but will be looking for jobs in private schools or non-teaching jobs for September. Am not going back to a state secondary again if I can help it.

MrsYoung I know the holidays are a perk but I do like the idea of a job where I would be able to walk out at the end of a working day and not have to start work again in the evening when my kids have gone to bed. Pretty much every day.

Have you ever worked outside teaching? Maybe if you are flipping burgers (on a lot less than a teaching salary) you can leave work behind at the end of the day. Outside the public sector, any professional job with a salary commensurate to teaching does require more than a 9-5 mentality.
I have come from a business career into secondary teaching in a very tough school, and it is a doddle compared to the world outside! Yes I am planning lessons right now, but not anywhere as stressful as being in a business where real people's job and livelihoods depended on the decisions I made. the teenagers I deal with on a daily basis can be difficult, but we are the adults and really ought not to be cowed by them - nowhere near as tough as running a team of salespeople. if you think the world outside consists of people going home to long evenings of leisure, think again.

Ah well I have never wanted a business career. And I don't have a problem with the kids. The job just isn't what it used to be. The workload has increased massively, with no discernible positive effect on the kids' education, as far as I can see.
You seem determined to imply that any teacher wanting to leave the profession because of the current state of the education system is doing so because they think that teaching is the only hard job, that kids should all be angels and that having a business career is a doddle. I don't think any of those things. I have also met many ex-business people who have come into teaching and found it very tough.
Fortunately I am very much the second earner in the family and can afford to stop work for a while why I consider my options.

Apologies - I didn't answer your question. No I have never worked outside of secondary schools. I quite fancy doing tutoring, translation or something. Most likely I will go back to teaching in a private school though, if I can find a job in one. If not, I wouldn't mind earning a lot less in order to do something less stressful.

I've just acquired a new PhD student - an ex-teacher who has just taken (very) early redundancy.

Fascinating Aida are on your side and have a in their current tour - watch and weep!

Apologies if someone has already posted it - I read the thread but didnt spot it.

an ex-teacher who has just taken (very) early redundancy

What's early redundancy and when can I take it?

Most depressing thing is the age I see at bottom of the annual pension statement....

68.7 years.

I started teaching at 21. I'm 35. FFS. I'd get less for murder

Love the kids. Love the teaching. Hate the paperwork. Hate the hoop jumping. Hate Gove.

I stopped teaching when I had children and I'm really not sure I want to go back. It's changed so much in those 5 years. I didn't even get an interview for the recent job I applied for.

But what else? I've considered psychologist, OT, social work... but all will cost a lot to retrain and then work up again.

I keep seeing very well paid people in graduate careers on mumsnet and thinking, "what did I miss"?

A real pickle...can be hard to get a job. If its class teacher you want I know joints of people who have offered a job when in supply.

It's still a great job if you can cope with even more hoop jumping than you'd have had to do 5 years ago. In part time now after my dd's and think that helps me keep sane!

Joints? Lots of...typo!

Fedup, prob it means early retirement which you can take at 55. If you want to take your teacher pension earlier than aged 60 , it is reduced by 5% for each year. So if you retire at 55 you can have your pension, including tax free lump sum, but reduced by 25% . I did that at 55, converted as much as possible to a tax free lump sum which paid off my mortgage and left me with a small monthly pension which I supplement with supply teaching.
Less money, not particularly fulfilling but........... A million times less stress and being somewhat apart from the everyday live of school it really highlights the nonsense that is going on and the awful treadmill.
However I am becoming increasingly aware that I dont think I can do it until Im 66. Really grateful that I have adult children and therefore less commitment to having to bring a certain amount of monthly income in.
Met an old ex headteacher at the weekend who left teaching very disillusioned about 20 years ago. He said if ever anyone tells him they are thinking of becoming a teacher he replies, go and lie down in a dark room until those thoughts have gone away.
If you are really unhappy though I still think having a go at supply might be an answer.

I did mainly sixth form so I did supply b it would be secondary. It scares me...

I need a nice challenging office job if there is such a thing for disillusioned 40year olds.

There is no such thing as a nice challenging office job that pays well, and has long holidays - the world outside has just as many frustrations. Those graduate you see who are well paid had to work long hours to get there - life is not about walking into an easy situation. People in 'nice, challenging' office jobs are vulnerable to restructuring and tough targets and far more likely to be made redundant.

Yup looking at retaining and starting again as I said up thread. I've got an oxbridge degree and an OU first (wanted to keep busy when home with baby.) I'm clever but not from a middle class back ground and never had good careers advice or knowledge really of the better paying roles (other than doctors).

The one I'm seriously considering is psychologist but again it's very people focused. I want to use my brain, it works well, but I've not got the social back ground to even have a clue where to start. I obviously missed the boat with graduate training schemes etc.

Hmm. I'm not even interested in a challenging office job. Never fancied office work. I wouldn't mind a job in a nice friendly local shop of some kind, even if it had low pay. I'd do tutoring but if I were tutoring school kids it would have to be evenings. Pays quite well though.

ARealPickle - I did a bit of secondary supply last year. Some of the kids were pretty tricky but it's amazing how little that bothers you when you are not there on a permanent basis!

MsMiggins, I completely agree. We should support people to make sensible decisions regarding their defenceless babies if they are struggling to manage, not condone actions that are harmful to babies - the child's basic welfare should be paramount, and certainly should be prioritised over any convenience of the parents.

sorry, wrong thread