Anyone else wanting to give up teaching?

[Changeofsceneryisgood]

Has this pandemic made anyone else think that they don't want to go back to teaching? The constant bashing from other people and lack of work life balance.
Has anyone decided not to go back in September?

I'm going back in September, but if it all gets too awful, then partner has agreed that I'll leave at Christmas. Time to do an MA.

I don't want to leave teaching but I've decided to go part time. I think being at home so much more, with my own children has made me realise what I'm missing out on - well I knew it before but this really brought it home.

I'm going down to .6 next year. I was going to travel but that's out of the window now so might as well work.

But if the sums are right I'll retire instead.

I am part - time and have been wanting to leave for years. It's the sheer relentlessness. I am permanently exhausted.

Working from home and not working 12 hours a day since March (although still working far more hours than anyone else I know in other jobs who work three days a week) has made me want another job even more. The only thing keeping me in teaching is I can't find anything else I want to do that pays enough. It's so depressing.

I cannot believe the posts about teachers on here over the past three months and the way we have been treated in the media. I have so had enough and wish I could afford to pack it all in once and for all. Been doing this shit for 17 years now and the thought of many more years fills me with dread.

Not really, but given the new info I'm going to start looking for something else. I'd feel safer in a care home.

I have already handed in my notice. 14 days left.

I am ditching my part time for full time. I need to crack on with my pension and build it up like nothing on earth so I can fuck off as soon as is humanly possible.

Thank you for the replies, its interesting.

@phlebasconsidered yes that's something I'm looking at, the future, mortgage repayments, savings and pension for that reason too.

@ohthegoats that's good (also sad) but at least you know you have a time frame in mind and a positive plan.

@Gremlin78 absolutely. I have a child in year 2 and I've loved spending time with them and have enjoyed the home schooling part too.

@pooiepooie25 I hear you! Don't get me wrong, I love the teaching part but this year has really shown me how much teachers are disliked! There's a few supportive people on here though that see what we have done / do and recognise our work.
I've been doing this for a long time too. I'm not sure there's anything else I could do!

I have seen lots of jobs I like the look of- but they pay half of what I am earning. It's shit.

It's so sad to see/hear so many who are leaving or want to leave

The job is absolutely relentless though. I am trying to get ahead with planning for the Autumn term because I want to have my weekends free. Whether or not that will be possible remains to be seen!

The teacher bashing has been awful during the coronavirus situation. It's hard not to take it personally.

I manage during term time as my husband is mainly a SAHD but I am enjoying being able to take my son to/from school at the moment and having more time with him. Plus, time for myself - I have really got back into my running again recently.

I suppose the problem is that once you have been teaching for a few years, it's hard to find another job with similar pay.

I took a £60k pay cut to become a teacher. I don't care about that really. Which I get is privileged.

I will go back in September and take it a term at a time. Even WFH has had weeks of a horrible work-life balance. I feel committed to my current Year 12 but after that I will leave if things do not improve. I could go part-time next year and step down from TLR.

I too took a pay cut to become a teacher and I enjoy teaching. I could tutor as I keep getting requests.

I am going down to 0.8 after the summer and looking to retire in a couple of years,
I know we pay much more for holidays, but I was so pissed off to look at a nice holiday that was £485 in May and £1225 in July.

Getting to my age and seeing some colleagues not living long into their retirement has made me re-evaluate things.
There's more to life than teaching. It's not an easy job and there is virtually no respect or understanding from the general public.

I am currently part-time and have been since ds was a baby (he's nearly 24!!). I enjoy it in the main and will continue on these hours until I don't.
The plan is to reduce a day at a time, and then ditch completely at some point in the next few years.
I could walk out tomorrow, which is a privileged position to be in, I know. Mortgage is virtually paid off, kids have finished Uni, we have had a couple of large inheritances to fund our retirement so.... watch this space.
Would miss having MN spats with current knowledge though!

It's not the vitriol I've witnessed on MN recently that puts me off, as it reflects nothing I've experienced in real life. Our parents have been nothing but lovely and appreciative.
But dh and I have had a glimpse of how retirement might look in the last few months (only better, I hope, as we'd be allowed to travel) and it's been really rather nice. I've still had work to do, of course, although I hold my hands up to say it's been nothing like some of you have had, but I can set it into manageable boxes and have time to relax too.

I've been part time 0.6 for 12 out of the 16 years I've been teaching and have no intention of changing that anytime soon. I find it's an almost perfect work life balance tbh! Like pp, if there were alternative part time jobs that paid the same and were term time only, I would consider them. But they don't!

Rara, I was 80%for years - but having spoken to the tps because of when I started it's worth me being full time and paying extra into it for a while so I can get out. Part of my pension is still final salary.I'm contacting the Weslyn? people to see if they can help too.