RQT in desperate need of advice

[insecuregoose]

Hi all,

Please help me out :( I have just started my second year of teaching, so I'm an RQT. I teach at secondary level.

I REALLY don't feel happy at work and I don't know exactly why or what to do.

Here are the facts:

• I don't really have any friends in the department/don't really feel I fit in
• I find the head of department utterly unapproachable
• I love teaching KS3
• I feel a lot of pressure teaching GCSE content
• I want a job that gives the same holidays as a teacher

I don't know whether I just need to change schools, whether I need to quit altogether, whether I need to take a pay cut (and work below my qualifications) as a TA or similar.

I just don't know. Has anyone been in this position before? Any advice? I'm only young and I am just finding it's getting me down so much :(

Why don't you give it a bit longer? None of your reasons really seem any more an issue than what everyone goes through in every job on the planet. Boss a bit unapproachable, nothing in common with colleagues... Do you honestly believe any job will be any different? Take the good pay, take the excellent holidays, and just... Make your expectations more realistic.

Do you enjoy the actual teaching? Like being in front of a class? If so, I’d stick with it a bit longer.

Do you have many friends outside of teaching? If your colleagues are a bit cold, maybe accept that you’re just in school to do the work and concentrate more on nurturing friendships outside of work?

It's utterly miserable if you feel isolated as a teacher so I would be looking to move. I stayed far too long. I suggest you look for a new school. You can probably move at Easter now. Or hang in till summer if you can that would be better.

The comments from the above posters suggest they have never experienced this. It just made me really sad. Since then I have worked at 3 other schools and I have lovely colleagues in each of those.

GCSE is pressurised and always will be whatever school. Unlikely to get a KS 3 only job.

Firstly, you don't go to work to have friends or fit in - you need to nurture outside family and friendship relationships for that.
Secondly - unapproachable boss - yes, it happens in work places, but there are loads of other schools you could work in, so I'd move schools.
Thirdly: GCSE pressure - this is normal, and you may feel like this in any school.

Overall, if you are that miserable, then I'd move schools. If you can afford it, I would even consider just handing in your notice, then going on long term supply to get a feel for a few schools in your area.

Definitely move schools, and try a few different ones before throwing the towel in on teaching altogether.

I've worked in 6 schools, and of those, only 2 of them were bearable to work in. The other 4 either had psychopath head teachers and/or head of department, or behaviour was shocking, or in one case, the Head was in the process of having a nervous breakdown.

You have my sympathies- I worked in a dept once where I didn’t have any friends and it was miserable. Could you try making friends in other departments?
As for ks4- it’s early days. Your confidence with improve with time. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself.
I do agree with astuz about possibly moving schools (though leaving part way through the year is not something I would do). I’m in my 5th school and they have all been very different places to work (but I will say that all schools have some a-holes in management) I like my current school and have some good friends there but I can’t stand my line manager. Life’s a trade off though and no job is perfect.
Good luck x