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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Should I stay or should I go?

25 replies

Olive30 · 28/08/2019 14:00

I realise this can only be decided by me ultimately but would really appreciate some opinions to help me work this through.

Career teacher of 18 years and have loved most of it but last couple of years feel like I am losing that spark for it a bit. No one else would probably have noticed this (hopefully!) Just feel like I need a break. Think teaching is in my blood and can't imagine doing anything else but would like a year off to see if I miss it! Feel spoilt writing a year off as most people would probably love that too! I am responsible for my DC all week as DH works very long hours and this is unlikely to change. Just not sure if I can keep doing the whole planning/teaching/marking/scrutunising exam results as well as all the home stuff without losing it.

Would like to tutor/exam mark etc...to keep my hand in but mostly right now, would like to just be able to be a mum and housewife for a bit and NEVER thought I would say that! We could live ok on a single salary for a while. Would I be crazy?

Thanks if you have read this far!

OP posts:

Bearnecessity · 28/08/2019 15:30

Go...best thing I ever did.

SlightlySleepy · 28/08/2019 15:32

Do it! Your kids are only young once.

MaybeDoctor · 28/08/2019 15:42

Take the year off and see where you are. I think that teaching is such a treadmill, with the fixed resignation dates, that it is actually fairly hard to leave and move straight into a new career. Must be deliberate or something!

TantrumToddler · 28/08/2019 15:49

Go! I left after 13 years and my only regret is I have nowhere near the level of disposable income, but DH now makes more so it balances out. Most importantly in terms of quality of life, stress and health I'm so much happier. I always said when I started to feel/sound jaded I would go... so when I realised I had started to sound like the 'old guard' who'd been in the staff room when I first started my NQT year, I realised it was time to move on.

RobertSmithdoesmyhair · 28/08/2019 16:10

Go and do some supply work. Then you can work as much/little as you like!

Original poster

Olive30 · 28/08/2019 16:36

Wow! Thank you for the replies. I didn't expect so many 'go' replies tbh but it is nice to see others understand. I think most people out of teaching really don't get how much of a treadmill it can feel.

@tantrumtoddler I know exactly what you mean about sounding like the old guard...

In terms of doing supply work, is it possible to stipulate you can only work from 10 until 2?!! I would have to do drop offs and pick ups. That limits your options somewhat.

It is the disposable income I am worried about losing.

I think I will work as if I love it until half term and then really reflect, with DH too. It is a lot of pressure to put on him but I could always go back to teaching after a year if it is too much.

OP posts:

Original poster

Olive30 · 28/08/2019 16:38

For those who left, was it easy to find other jobs later if you wanted to/needed to? How would employers view career breaks?

Thank you.

OP posts:

astuz · 28/08/2019 17:11

I took a 2 year career break, and it was easy to get back in, but I'm chemistry, and most schools seem to have vacancies for chemistry teachers these days. I did do supply for a term, mainly to test the waters and get a recent reference, but I hated the control that the supply agencies had over me, so found my own temporary, part-time maternity cover contract, which turned out to be a lovely school, and I'm back working full-time there now.

sanityisamyth · 28/08/2019 17:21

I've given up. Starting uni next month to retrain as a pharmacist.

Have signed up for supply tutoring (when I'm not at uni but DS is at school), tutoring and exam marking as I've got experience and it's all income but I don't want to be a permanent teacher ever again.

I can't wait to start my new career!!

Areallthenamestaken · 28/08/2019 17:21

Go!

I took a year out because it was making me really unhappy. I've been back in for two years at a different school and I'm enjoying teaching so much more. Life is too short to be unhappy!

Helbelle17 · 28/08/2019 17:59

I didn't go back after having dd. I felt so relieved and did some invigilating work through a teaching agency and at our local university. It was great as it was fairly flexible and I had a bit of spending money.
I was offered a temporary 0.4 contract last September and took it as we needed the money. I'm doing a permanent 0. 4 contract from September as I really enjoyed it last year. Less planning and marking and time to step off the treadmill in between days.
I wouldn't ever teach full time again.
If you can afford it, go for it.

rosesinmygarden · 28/08/2019 18:11

I left teaching 18 months ago.

I now tutor and write for a living and do occasional supply.

I miss my teaching job and What I do now presents its own challenges but I'm far less stressed and 18 months down the line I'm so glad I stepped off the hamster wheel. I get less holidays but I have more flexibility and no longer spend time off recovering from going at 100 miles a hour for 6-8 weeks at a time.

Original poster

Olive30 · 28/08/2019 18:16

Thank you all. Will do some thinking and budgeting with DH. Nothing is permanent or irrecoverable. I need to remember that to counteract the fear factor.

OP posts:

PotteringAlong · 28/08/2019 18:16

I’m doing it. I’ve been made redundant so my Redundancy pay will fund a year off. I’m giving myself until Christmas to see if I miss it enough to go back or whether I look for something else.

Original poster

Olive30 · 28/08/2019 18:46

Best of luck everyone with all plans.

OP posts:

Boxachocs · 28/08/2019 19:43

I had 2 years off, just before my youngest started school, went back when she was in Year 1. Didn’t regret it at all and was easy to get back in. Best thing I ever did.

Phineyj · 28/08/2019 20:14

I switched from FT to 0.5 (now 0.6) and it has been a lot better. But I have been teaching less than 10 years and do not as yet feel jaded with it - but my DH is around a lot more than yours. Surely you've got to work till half term anyway?

NoProblem123 · 31/08/2019 22:48

Can you request a temp reduction to 0.4 or 0.6 ?
Sometimes a school will consider the Part-time hours if you are an expensive teacher as they can backfill with someone cheaper, even if it’s just for a year it will help their budgets out.
I know it’s not a full on sabatical from school but it would allow better work/life balance, DC pickup/drop offs, and still keep you hand in ?

Rufus27 · 31/08/2019 22:56

I did it!

Teaching for 24 years and just couldn’t face going back after becoming a mum. Went back 0.6 but hated feeling I wasn’t being either a great mum nor a great teacher, so resigned.

Have been surprised by how much work is around. Not so much traditional supply, but one to one interventions/tutoring, evening GCSE tutoring, exam marking, working with home ed students.

I miss (some of) my colleagues and the students, but not a lot else. It’s no longer the profession I signed up to.

Hattie78 · 31/08/2019 23:00

Just an idea... I was feeling like this - a bit jaded and like I was going through the motions. Couldn't afford to leave but instead I switched subjects. I'm still in the same school but I'm a completely new department with new subjects to teach and it's given me my zing back.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

srilankadreaming · 03/09/2019 10:44

@sanityisamyth I've left too after 20 odd years. I'm planning to do a Fast Track counselling level 2/3 qualification, supply teaching ( not v keen) and any other casual work I can get. Don't want a full time or even part time contracted job ever again. Did part time last year - what a joke- ended up doing FAR more than I was paid for, unsurprisingly as there was no time that my job sharer ( a not very well supported NQT) and I were ever in school together. It was the children who suffered due to a lack of continuity no matter how much I tried. SLT couldn't have given a stuff. So I left.

srilankadreaming · 03/09/2019 10:46

@Rufus27 do you mind explaining how you got work with Home Ed? Was it just a question of googling and seeing what was around or did you have contacts? TIA

Rufus27 · 03/09/2019 13:24

srilankadreaming
I'm on a local Mums in (place where I live) FB group. Found out through there that there are loads of FB groups run by home educators. If you're interested, it's definitely worth searching. I'm on a FB group for local parents with children who ahve additional needs and there are frequently pleas on there for tutors for children who are home schooled. There are also agencies who work with LAC/PLAC who employ teachers to provide tuition.

Taking the leap was so scary, but in reality, there's work out there - it's just not quite so joined up iyswim.

Girasole02 · 03/09/2019 17:46

I left and started supply 3 years ago after 18 years. Best decision ever.

MrsZola · 05/09/2019 17:58

I left mainstream after 30 years - it was a terrifying thing to do after so long. I now work in a teeny independent school (44 kids total, 8 in my class) and have fallen back in love with teaching.
In hindsight I left it too long, ignoring my gut feelings. Do what feels right for you OP.

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