Changing career to teaching

[christmasboysx2]

Hi, I am a professional currently furloughed from my part-time job. I have been homeschooling my children and thinking more and more about my career long-term. I really enjoy mentoring, and feel primary education is so important. I love my job/career, but I don't know whether I will regret not trying teaching. My profession will always be there.

I know teaching gets a bad press, and it's high pressure, but I'd be interested in your thoughts.

When schools are back to some normality then go and do a month helping or volunteering. I love mentoring (pupils) but I have never, ever had any time to do it in 17 years as a teacher. You can only understand what it is like by going into a school. Maybe do a year as a teaching assistant if you can get a job. I have, this year, said I will not be responsible for taking on trainees. In the past I have had really good candidates, enthusiastic, wanting to teach and willing to take on the responsibility for developing into a good teacher. More recently (and I apologise for the very generic statement but it is what I see) we get people wanting a career change for a variety of reasons and having no idea what the job is like, expecting to be told how to do things and what works. The job really isn't like that - you have to find what works for you. The past 3 years I have had 3 trainees in 7 pass, the rest have dropped out somewhere along the training year.

Well, you will have read lots of negative comments on MN. However, it is a fantastic job. Lots of us are in the assessment/marking/report writing season at the moment so it is a bit full-on.

Bear in mind that there will be occasions when school will take priority over your own children eg you miss your child's parents evening because you are delivering parents evening at your school, you have to be in school for INSET days, hell will freeze over before your head lets you have time off to take your child to the dentist

You need to be committed to get through the training which is where many fail. I was a career changer and made it through but a few on my PGCE course didn't for a number of reasons.
1.underestimated the commitment
2.didnt like the constant observations and feedback

1. didn't like the rigidity of the timetable and rules imposed by schools
2. kept harking back to former jobs

Thank you both for your replies. I will definitely do some volunteering, and see if I can get a job as a teaching assistant. I'm at a crossroads - do I go back full-time to my previous role or take this opportunity to try something I've always thought I'd enjoy? I'm aware of the long hours, commitment and hard work, but feel excited about it.

I second volunteering - that's what made me decide to become a teacher. The experience you see in school will put you in good stead in terms of expectations etc.

It's an amazing job

I absolutely love my job, the time I have felt most disheartened about it is since March 20 when we have been completely vilified in the popular press, and on here. Family and friends clearly think I'm having an extended holiday when actually I've never worked so hard – been in school every week and also catching up with writing policies and the mountain of paperwork that you will find there is. We are also planning hard for the different scenarios that might occur in September so that we are ready to go with what ever we are directed. However despite all that I would never leave my job, I absolutely love it and the children I work with, I agree that previous poster said about trying to get some work experience – ask teachers to be honest about their workload with you. Good luck

I'm so sorry you've felt like that. I've had nothing but respect for my children's teachers over the last few months - in fact they've inspired me with their creativity and passion.