Thread for returning ex-teachers

[FlyTipper]

I will be moving back to UK after an extended period out. I used to teach secondary science (specialist degree + GTP year + NQT year + 2 terms employed) but became disillusioned. Recent talk in the news about teacher retainment and going back to the classroom have got me thinking about taking up the profession on reentry. But this makes my thoughts turn to why I left 12 years ago:

• the headboring numbness from discipline issues
• high quality prep and assessment (marking in particular) was not possible unless I dedicated all my free time. I now have kids so this seems even less likely to happen
• loving actual teaching but hating: teaching to tests, teaching topics of low value, seeing other teachers undermine school ethos (kids eating sweets in class, using IT to placate Y11, ignore poor behaviour e.g. verbal rudeness and insults).

As alternatives, I'm thinking about perhaps trying private ESL teaching - teaching French and maths (science is a lot of prep and marking + safely issues) - going into supply (is that even possible after such a long time out - would I have to pass a certificate or something?) - working in a private or grammar school - working in the LEA or in education more widely (uni, publishing, training).

I would be fearful walking into a classroom after such a long time out. I fear I would go back to old ways - sweaty armpits, facing a class of 30 undaunted, physically intimidating Y11s, wanting above all to turn about and run out the door!

What are your thoughts? Are you thinking about going back into schools? What are your fears? What will you do differently next time?

Science is a lot of prep - if you do a good lot of practicals that is
Science GCSEs do not have any practical coursework in them anymore.

GCSE Science has required practicals which all students are supposed to do and which are the basis for ~25% of the questions in the exams. A-level Sciences also have required practicals which the teacher has to sign to say the student has completed. Risk assessments should be done by the teacher taking the lesson - though using standard assessments as a starting point is fine.

I am a science teacher, and I don’t think our planning is any more or less than any other subject.

Have a look at this Fly. Some information for returning to teaching.

I have signed up for information. Thanks Cat. They sent me a telephone number and a link to the government website. Interesting to read a review of schools in the UK. I'm still gobsmacked how things have moved on in such a short time. However, I still can't find explicit reference to required retraining, if any, to go back into the classroom. Reading the teachers' standards, I'm reminded of how much stuff a teacher is expected to do. I'm sure if I were to return, I would go PT. In France, teachers are given an hour and half of prep time for every hour in front of the class which seems far more sensible (though pay can be months late so you don't get everything perfect).

The retraining routes are called SKE - subject knowledge enhancement.

Hth.

All subjects have their plusses and minuses. It all evens out in the wash.

As a Science Teacher, I am awash with resources, which not only includes lesson resources but also targets and tracking. You don’t always get this outside of core subjects, and it is a major timesaver.

I have a technician who is brilliant. She is so proactive with things that make the department run smoothly.

With lesson planning, I can manage on just the lesson title. I don’t need to plan starters and plenaries as they naturally fall into place. I do practicals for any feasible lesson, so I don’t have to plan lots of tasks or even do a lot of differentiating.

With practicals that are new to me, I will practice them with my technician during a free to work out the details and risk assess.

I tend to mark in lessons, so that the students do their corrections there and then. When I do take in books, I will pretty much skim read.

I could never be an English teacher.

And I could never be a science teacher crafty ! All that noise and energy (scuse pun!)

Looks like we are both in the right subject