Can you see yourself teaching until you're 68+?

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

I stopped teaching last year (sec English) and have been working in the NHS. Problem is that without going back to uni which isn't an option financially, I can't really see a future in it.

Obviously there's high demand for my subject and opportunities keep coming up. There's one I really need to make a decision on by Friday. My biggest struggle recently has been behaviour even though I have a lot of experience. This school is also in monitoring so that's an issue but potentially also a chance to make a contribution.

Realistically, we need me to teach financially and also to cover school holidays. I much prefer having professional autonomy as a teacher compared to the hierarchy I'm at the bottom of now. I love teaching more able and talented and A level, and most kids are fine. It's just the horrors that grind me down.

Would I be mad to take it? Is it possible to keep going until 68?

We had a talk from the pensions man at my last school. There was some statistic like if you are a teacher and retire at 60 on average you live another 12 years. If you retire at 65 you last 18 months
I'm 35 and a HoD In a prep school. There is no bloody way I would have the energy to do my job in 30 years time, it's exhausting physically and mentally. My plan is to continue until Ds leaves primary school and then see.

There was some statistic like if you are a teacher and retire at 60 on average you live another 12 years. If you retire at 65 you last 18 months

I have heard this anecdotally (and from pension guys too) but have never been able to actually find the figures.

The figures are patchy re death rates after retirement. There was some evidence a good few years ago that suggested that teachers and nurses were only second to vicars in dying shortly after retirement age.

On a purely anecdotal level, I have known an uncomfortable number of teachers die in their early to mid 60s. For all sorts of reasons.

I read an article, think it was in the guardian, a few years back, it said the shortest life expectancy post retirement was for head teachers... Someone died of a heart attack before returning school in their classroom when I was training...

It's plainly bollocks. After all, if so many teachers peg it soon
after retirement (whatever that means as it could be 50, 55, 60, etc.), then there would be no uproar about the pensions drain they are, because so many would be dead.

The lack of hard research evidence argues it's shite.

I'm willing to bet that basic health is at the centre of popping off.

On a purely anecdotal level, I have known an uncomfortable number of teachers die in their early to mid 60s. For all sorts of reasons

How depressing! Especially since I'm 62 this year

People retire early for health reasons and they die soon after...
Hardly compelling evidence.
Sure if you have no energy ad have lost your mojo you won't be good in any job. And hardly surprising that people who are moany and negative aren't sought after by employers - especially if they are 'expensive' but resist innovation.
People are coming into the job from other professions tho' so there will still be a range of ages, young and energetic, and old and energetic - just maybe not the ones who wanted an easy life from 22-55, coasting till a comfortable pension.

The trouble is though, if you have been a teacher for all or most of your career and continue to need the income, what other options are there post-55/60? I am not even 40 and have already been in a school where I was clearly not wanted because of my age/experience (and salary). Luckily I found a new job in a school where I feel valued but I genuinely worry about similar things happening as I get older. DH is also a teacher so I worry about what happens as he gets older too. Teaching has become such an ageist profession and it's so difficult to do anything about it.

I have a financial plan to leave teaching by 55. I might still need to work, but it won't be in teaching.

I'm old in terms of teaching-43- and been teaching for nearly 20 years. When I started I did roll my eyes at the older teachers who, for every new initiative, were a little cynical and been there done that sort of thing.
Well, I have now been there done that and lived through countless new amazing initiatives and seen the cycles of what was meant to change the world thrown out when the next best way comes in.
Ive been in senior management for a good few years and was super keen to rise through the ranks. However I realised that the impact on my and families life just isn't worth it and over time stepped down from responsibility.
As others have said, the bare bones of teaching is great- it's all the ever-changing crap on it.

MrsGuy I came from another profession myself - albeit quite early on on my career.

To be honest I have worked with lots of people who have come into the job from other professions at various ages. They have been amongst the most vocal in their 'negative' criticisms of the expectations and conditions, so forgive me if I don't see this as a panacea for the problems in education today.

I am a lone voice, but yes. I don't think I could do any "extras" but I could teach. I am 35 now though, so ask me again when I'm 60!

I know what you mean blueiris - I sort of coped until 59 by not doing evening stuff I thought I could get away with - like not going to evening concerts or the Year 11 Prom (unless I had a tutor group in that year) or to prize giving evenings - I just felt I had to conserve my energy for, you know, my actual job - I was knackered enough as it was.

OK you have the holidays - but that doesn't help you when it's full-on term time with full teaching days (with prep and deep marking), lunchtime stuff (another thing I used to cut down on - I needed that break), after school classes and then an evening event. However, it was made clear that it was frowned upon not to attend these voluntary activities - which were not directed time.

On the weeks when we had Open Evening or Parents' Evenings (at least one for each year group) by the time Thursday morning came I was on my knees - and remember I left at 59, not 68.

I can only hope for the sake of my younger colleagues that either the powers that be see some sense or that they have better health and higher energy levels than I had - they'll need them.

Looking around at the 68 year olds I know, even the ones I'm currently good health have had health issues that would have meant leaving teaching or a prolonged period out of the classroom. My mum is fit and active, loves gardening etc, but has arthritis in her wrist which would make writing on a board impossible.

Nooooooooooooooo!

I hope I'm not doing it next year!

My in laws (not teachers) and my parents (teachers) all retired between 55-59-pretty exhausted. They are now all 67-69 and there's no way they could still work/teach! All have significant health problems!!

If teachers now over 50 are already being driven out-who is going to employ them in their 60s?! What will happen if they can't get a teaching job but are too 'young' to draw their teaching pension??

Nope! Pension or not, DH will be getting his 'early' (at the moment!) as he has one of the best pension pots still going! And he is private sector.

He envisages retiring at 60 (I will be 57). Am already part time as I have two little horrors and quite frankly I can't see me going back full time.

I honestly think I would have burn out by the time I am 54 and would be quite happy having a 16 hours a week job at my local grocery store to keep me sane!

By the time I am 57, our mortgage will be paid off (and hopefully no other debts - though will have a 26 and 23 year old!)

Hoping to have a less stress, quieter and slower pace of life!

Oh the dreams!

Not a fucking chance. Not full time anyway. Could maybe manage one or two days. Currently 40 and 0.8. It takes so much energy to teach well. Am planning for this, though, so I tutor with out and have dabbled in some other things, too.

I'm 56, been teaching since 1984.

There is no way I could carry on for another 12 years

I think will be one of those who dies around 62 - 64

Isn't it partly attitude of mind - not how old you are chronologically?

I teach alongside a 69 year old lady. She's incredible, I don't know how she does it. Kids (teenagers) really don't like her though and I'm pretty sure her age has something to do with it. I certainly have no plans to still be teaching at that age! I'm knackered enough as it is and I'm onl 24

I have heard some parents be so horrible to (and about) teachers who they think are 'past it'

I'm going to take a break from teaching. I'm not 'negative and moany' or scared of new things. I'm a teacher who questioned why we were having a gazillion new initiatives thrust on us. One does not question management, no matter how much they say "If there's a problem, tell us". I love teaching, I'm super enthusiastic and bouncy, my pupils all make good progress. I'm just not a yes-woman!

I left to teach overseas, & yes, can now see me coping into my 60s. Smaller classes & much lower timetable load (we're going to 66% teaching time next year & people are grumbling about that! Different world.)

However, it's problematic to get a teacher visa here much after 60, so I'm planning a gentle semi retirement with lots of lucrative tutoring.

By then my 3dc will be off to uni etc - it's only having them at my school that makes a FT management role doable now in my mid 40s, really. Lots of juggling.

Definitely not sustainable to be FT in the classroom in the UK in one's late 60s, I don't think.

I don't think i'd be doing a good job at 68. A lot will have changed by that time and I don't think that realistically I'll have the energy to keep up with younger teachers/new ideas/ advanced in technology etc.