Is it really such a terrible time to go into teaching?

[paperdreams16]

Hi all,

Looking for some honest advice and hoping it's okay to post this here! Since I was very little I have always wanted to teach. I was set on doing my degree in Primary Education until the last minute when my English teacher convinced me to do English Language and Literature (I now hold a 2.1 in the subject from fairly well respected university)

Towards the end of my degree I set about applying for PGCEs and was accepted onto one for primary education last year, which was meant to start at the beginning of last September. For various reasons, I decided to postpone the year and now currently work as a TA in a special school. I fully intended to reapply for PGCE courses starting this September and have completed my application, but haven't sent it yet. I'm seriously considering giving up on the idea of teaching at all. All I seem to read or hear these days is 'don't go into teaching, it's a mess' and all the teachers in the school I work in say that the hours they are putting in is absurd.

I have always wanted to purse a career in education, but working in a school has opened my eyes to the politics of it all. The children at our school are fantastic and I care deeply for them, and I and the other TAs are so excited when they make progress. The teacher, higher leadership etc however only seem interested in the children meeting their targets and getting it down on paper. I don't know if I want to work in an environment where the actual teaching comes second to the endless paperwork, policies etc.

So, is it worth doing a PGCE or should I abandon it entirely? I am still receiving emails about completely my application but assume I am running out of time to make a decision. I'm young (21) and have only recently achieved my BA so am looking at potentially applying to graduate schemes come September instead of looking at QTS. I've had my heart set on teaching forever but it doesn't look like something worth going into at this time. Are there any perks, or is it really so awful now?

Thank you, this turned out a lot longer than expected

Don't do it! I have just got out of teaching after 8 years, and have had to go down to a 22k starting salary to get a job. Yes teachers have lots of skills (I also have been head of dept so have management experience) but my last 6 months of job hunting would strongly suggest that no one in the world outside gives a shit about that!

Go for graduate schemes, see what happens. It will be far, far easier to get in to teaching in five years time if you still want to do so, but it is really, really tough to get out of it.

I don't see the point in going through the motions if you're only intending to do it for 5 years. The skills are not easily transferable- as the endless threads on the TES entitled 'what else can I do with a PGCE?' show.

The people I see leaving teaching in droves aren't enthusiastic, happy and bushy-tailed- ready to use their teaching experiences to go and 'knock em for 6' at their next (non-teaching) interview either. They are generally broken. On anti- depressants, with variable references, rock-bottom self-esteem and no self- confidence.

Couldn't agree more roll on.

However, international teaching is full of ex-UK teachers whose eyes are brighter & tails bushier than they've been for years.

I get to teach now.

& when I tell long term overseas colleagues about quaint British customs like 'data seating plans' & 'pay based on progress from the key stage 2 SATs results of a cohort who are now 16 & whom you have taught for 3 months since their last gcse teacher had her breakdown'...they chortle merrily at the madness.

Teaching is great. It really doesn't have to be the lunatic miseryfest currently killing UK schools!

I do think the particularly high levels of stress in teaching is seen more in England.
I teach in Scotland,am a deputy head at a large primary school. Honestly I don't find it that stressful.
I had a previous career in child protection,that was horrifically stressful.I always feel as a teacher,nobody dies! I am also not a perfectionist ,don't always do as I'm told,and I go home not feeling bad everything isn't done.Its my job,I do it well but it is a job.
I am also a single parent this helps me stay focussed on doing the basics and the rest has to wait.If I start to hate teaching I will leave,just like I did social work.Life us to short.

Here is the second LTW article featured in the BotWatchBlog website here. Scroll down a bit to read in full.

Two more pics to follow.

I always feel as a teacher,nobody dies!

Sometimes they do. Sometime they get raped or abused or try to commit suicide or have cancer or life-limiting illnesses or their family members die. And you still have to try to teach them.

The emotional strain of being a teacher isn't something I considered in the slightest before I started training.

Other two pics from LTW article.

Oh dear, have posted in wrong thread .

Noble giraffeof course those things happen they happen in all jobs.I also teach those kids,the difference between this career and my previous is I am not responsible for their life or death.
Its not a rule to find teaching stressful I work hard in a demanding role,and do a good job.I just leave it there .That's my experience it does not negate anyone else's.

of course those things happen they happen in all jobs

Not really. My previous job involved stressing over whether the program I had written worked correctly, not whether the kid in my class who just walked out was about to attempt suicide in the toilets.

Like I said it's not something I considered before training to teach. I thought I was training to teach maths to children, actually I teach children maths.

noble we are different people with different experiences,of life and teaching.Your experience is just as valid as mine.

This thread asked for experiences of teaching, this is mine,I dont find it unbearably stressful, it is not a judgement on others,nor does stop it being horribly stressful for others.

OP - I'm just about to finish my NQT year as a state primary school teacher in England. I'm 41 and a single mum to 2 primary aged dc's. Do I find teaching stressful? Yes. Sometimes. But no more than I did in my previous profession (totally different kind of pressure so difficult to compare but overall, I'd say the stress levels are similar). The work I do outside hours can be a bit ridiculous and if I broke down my salary by the hours I actually work, it probably wouldn't even be minimum wage . Having said that, I love teaching. I genuinely can't think of anything I'd rather do. I absolutely agree that your experience will very much depend on the school and your personality (perfectionism is not recommended!). I know that if I were to have to work in one of the schools I did my training in, I wouldn't have lasted 6 months.

Give it a try. There were 11 of us on my School Direct course and we're all happy we chose teaching (one had to change schools halfway through her NQT year, but she's fine now). Of course, the novelty may wear off and we may become more jaded after a couple more years!

Its not a rule to find teaching stressful

No, of course not, and as you pointed out, you have different life experiences, it's certainly not going to be as horrendous as working in child protection. Nonetheless I feel it is worth pointing out that teachers that do find it stressful aren't simply being drama llamas because it could be worse. It's a stressful job, it's an emotional job, and there is a huge workload attached. Some people cope better than others, for various reasons, but those things are there to cope with, they won't not be a feature of teaching.

I know that if I were to have to work in one of the schools I did my training in, I wouldn't have lasted 6 months.

The problem comes when you have taught for a while and find yourself in one such school, but also find yourself too expensive to move or find there aren't jobs in your area.

That's another type of stress as well. Choose your first schools very careful and hope a new head doesn't come along and turn everything upside down.

I am doing School Direct in a secondary school at the moment and getting paid (a pittance) for the training. If you can avoid the fees, find a different way in!

I'm in my 40s and can see how the job could easily take over your life and then some, especially in primary with their daily marking madness.

I am very rigorous about working after hour or at the weekend and fiercely protect my work life balance. I would never stay up to silly o'clock to mark, but you need to be very organised and ruthless.

So far, so good. I have an NQT post for next year and hope that I can stay on top...

fiercely protect my work life balance. I would never stay up to silly o'clock to mark, but you need to be very organised and ruthless.

But what about the children?

Sorry to be the cynic. But wait until someone thinks you are not pulling your weight. Wait until your job depends upon it. Those of us who fiercely protect our works life balance can't compete with the people who live their jobs.

God, I've become so cynical!

That's why I am aspiring to be "just" a teacher. As soon as you take on more responsibility you are trapped...
This only works because dh is the main breadwinner. Teachers pay is a joke.

And, sorry to burst anybody's bubble, my children are my priority. I do care about my students very much, but not that much

I wouldn't do it again. I work 3 days a week. HAve worked most of the day today, work every evening. I know so many people who are leaving and I don't know how much longer I can do it

God, I've become so cynical!

This. Is why I had to leave.

That and the no life/work balance bit. And the futility of most of the shitey paperwork that was taking up so much of my time.

Other than all the shite that comes from overbearing political interference, it's the best job in the world.

I know two new primary school teachers, one in second year of QTS the other an NQT, both work with younger classes and love their jobs! My oh is currently doing his maths secondary PGCE, he was almost put off by his mate going on and on telling him how awful his PGCE was, and I think OH only did it because he couldn't think of anything better, he found it difficult in his first school and was terrified of the increase in teaching time in his second placement as he was already spending ages on his lesson planning, he is now is near the end and loves it! His great department and mentor have helped and he's become more organised in planning, I've never seen him so enthusiastic and motivated about anything in the 4 years I've known him he's usually lazy and doesn't bother organising with bills/holidays etc. He still complains about workload but mainly the fact he has uni work on top of his teaching workload.
Prepare for it to be hard work but give it a good go, you can always never teach again after completing it as OH's friend did and even still do a grad scheme.

Another one saying don't do it.

I've technically done three years, moving up to MP4 on September. IME schools (lots of them) dick NQTs around because they are cheap.

This year, following inspection last year and coming out with adequate, the amount of paperwork I was expected to take on meant I almost never saw my class, and I was mornings only nursery. Bearing in mind now that I was contracted as a part time teacher, supposed to finish at 12, I was regularly there till 5.

Out of four teaching staff, two (the whole senior leadership team) were signed off long term sick. Me and the remaining teacher, both with less than four years experience, were expected - unpaid - to pick up the slack. I've never worked so hard in my life and it resulted with me being monitored for preeclampsia and signed off work at 31 weeks pregnant. Within two weeks of being away, my blood pressure dropped and the monitoring ceased.

I'm going back in September when my DC WILL BE 3.5 months old. I begged to stay on my part time contract and this time I will be making sure I leave at 1 at the latest as I don't want to prioritise other people's children over my own. I've done full time teaching and I know without a doubt that the only way I can be the parent I want to be is if I stay part time.

TwllBach- are your two SLT teachers now back?

I did my PGCE last year and wish I hadn't... I left with the academic qualification and no QTS, despite teaching until the final week. In my last lessons I was regularly in tears (while teaching), staring at walls in exhaustion between lessons and not eating or sleeping properly. I've since become a TA and got my life back. Confidence is still rubbish though. So I wouldn't recommend it. I wish I'd listened to all of the teachers who warned me before I started.

No, it isn't the wrong time. You'll be fine OP, as you've no prior frame of reference.

Good luck x