Would you honest recommend primary teaching to someone starting a career.

[Balula]

I'm at a crunch point.
I want to teach either way but originally I thought I wanted to teach further education English OR function skills or adult GCSEs. This comes purely from my experience in these classes and how much I loved going to back to education and having those people teach me. It really changed me as a person, for the better. (Wanky I know)

However, I can't help that fact that every time I spend time at my kids school, be it helping in class with a project, listening to a child read or simply being there for parent evening, assembly, performances etc I feel like I really want to be a primary teacher, having my own class every day (and I know that these aren't a true representation of what a teachers life is like, I'm not daft!)

Secondary teaching has never appealed so I know that's not where I'll go, teenagers are savages!

The thing is, I need to make a decision. I need to pick a course for uni and accept an offer. I can either do English Literature for 3 years and then do a PGCE or I can do a primary teaching degree for 3 years.

I know it's a really bad time to ask because teachers are leaving in their droves and the workload is insane and covid has had an impact on everything. However I'd really like some honest opinions on teaching, would you chose it again if you had a time machine? Would you recommend it to people? What are the best and worst bits?

I did a 3 year English degree and after a gap year did a 1 year PGCE. Over 20 years or so I have worked in 2 private schools (as a junior class teacher and as an English teacher up to 13+) and I've also taught functional skills to adults as evening classes.

I've also taught in a couple of state schools, as PPA cover and as a class teacher. Overall, I feel that I've had a varied career that has fitted in very well with family life (I worked part time when my own kids were growing up, gradually increasing the hours as they've got older).

I've been lucky enough to spend most of my career in a very pleasant private school which completely transformed my idea of teaching (my parents were both state school class teachers so I was under no illusions when I chose my career!) and to be honest, that's the reason I've stayed in teaching.

Overall, I wouldn't change my career choice. If you did the degree first it will give you more options as you could then go into teaching later (and you can now train on the job for a year, which is a much better option I think).

Good luck with your choice!

Honestly, I would choose it again. Even though I'm struggling with workload and lack of support (and I work part-time in primary so these factors are much worse for others). The actual teaching in the classroom, when you are confident and not completely distracted by whatever else is going on, can be incredibly fulfilling and fun. I'm never bored.

It is a bad time to get into it. But I don't think circumstances are likely to improve in the very near future and in the meantime, schools and children continue to need good teachers who are in it for the right reasons.

Worst bits for me - workload, lack of empathy from senior leadership (varies from school to school of course), utter lack of understanding from government and media about what it is actually like and what it involves. Best bits - the children, the children, the continued intellectual challenge, and the children.

If it was just the children then yes but I'd give it a NO because your stuck with the parents and their worse than any kid!

These replies have been really helpful thank you.
It seems I have some deciding to do!

I wouldn’t recommend it. The workload is ridiculous.

It is worse than it’s ever been, I think, with all the bad bits (magnified) and very little of the reward (I don’t mean monetary).
I qualified in 1998 and have taught ever since. I can’t, at present, see anything that has improved in that time. If I think about what I was doing with my year 3 class in 1998 and what they were learning, it was no worse (and a hundred times more enjoyable) than what I see now.

Teenagers are not savages. In 24 years of teaching I’ve only had tables thrown at me by primary children.

Seeing your kids’ school is no experience, do some proper work experience. I would do something, anything else if I had my time again and I mostly like my job.

@CarrieBlue the comment about teenagers was tongue in cheek, I have 2 myself and the one in secondary is very a well behaved mid ranger and I happen to adore him!
Thanks for the other feedback though, I'll bare it in mind.

Thanks to everyone else's feedback too.

@Balula - teenagers are constantly referred to in those terms and primary is perceived as this bastion of calm and good behaviour - it really isn’t that way. I’m sure you’d hate your children being thought of like that.

Honestly... a big fat no. If I had my time again I'd avoid Primary teaching like the plague. I qualified in 1991 and the first 12 years or so were fantastic. I should have got out then. I had a break for children and came back in 2009 and it's been steadily downhill ever since.

I currently work more hours a week than I ever have, am under so much pressure, and feel so disillusioned in that what/how I have to teach really isn't suited to the children's needs. The curriculum is ridiculously over-loaded and OFSTED want a Secondary model level of content and leadership. SEND funding is at rock bottom, despite a huge exponential rise in the number of children I teach who have additional needs, many that are really complex. The pandemic has made everything worse and the public and media's perception of teachers as lazy and workshy is draining and demoralising.

My perception is probably warped as I work in a single form entry primary in a deprived area with a decimated budget. I bloody love the children and my incredible colleagues, am considered an 'outstanding' teacher by whatever measures are thrown my way, and still have occasional days where I feel the old joy but the job itself is making me ill and unhappy. I'm a few years away from retirement so have to stick it out, but would I train now or recommend it? No way. Sorry.

No.

No, I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy.

[quote CarrieBlue]@Balula - teenagers are constantly referred to in those terms and primary is perceived as this bastion of calm and good behaviour - it really isn’t that way. I’m sure you’d hate your children being thought of like that.[/quote]
I think there is some truth in this comment. The children with the most severe behavioural problems have often been removed from mainstream by secondary; in primary you might have them in your class with no other adult to support you and no option of isolation or whatever. The behaviour of some primary children is just astounding, as is lack of support available for them.

I love being a class teacher but I'm now UPS and the lack of career progression is bothering me. I don't want to be a head teacher but I also don't want to be stuck on £40k for the rest of my life - I know I am capable of doing more than my current role but aiming for headship doesn't appeal at all.

I wouldn't recommend it and I thoroughly hope that my own DC do not consider it. If you are going to do it I would do the degree plus PGCE. They way you can get out later if you want to. If you do a teaching degree it would be tricky to find something else later

Pick the English degree with PGCE. I was a TA and cover teacher (unqualified) for over ten years and am now in my first year of proper teaching. The workload is insane and I hate this mentality that it’s fine to be burnt out because “it happens to all new teachers”. My SLT is overall pretty good but it can be hard when you are expected to do so much in so little time. I am at school 7.30-5 most days and then work for at least a couple more hours at home. Parents are mostly a massive PITA and I dread it when (at least two or three times a week) I’ll get messages to call them. I have a really supportive DH who has taken the brunt of childcare and housework otherwise we’d have been screwed. Occasionally I have moments where the kids say something lovely or I see them understand something after weeks of learning and it’s great. But mostly I’m stressed and tired and have already considered what else I could do with my teaching degree because there is no way I could be living like this for years to come. Are you in the UK? What used to be the NQT year is now two years of ECT training (which in reality equates to less money and more training for two years) so factor that in too. I’m going to stick out my two years and then seriously consider what to do after that.

I wouldn't choose primary teaching if I had my time again and I would discourage my own children from joining the profession. I've been teaching for over 20 years and the workload just seems to get progressively more unmanageable year on year. The children are generally lovely and they keep us going but the job really does take over your life, and sometimes you feel that the children in your class take precedent over your own children. Long days in school are almost always followed by a couple of hours work at home. My DH also takes on the lion's share of childcare, housework, cooking and after school activities during the week and this has enabled me to stay in the job for so long. I won't be able to continue to retirement though I don't think. I've watched many highly skilled, experienced teachers walk over the past few years and I completely understand why they've done so!

@thebookeatinggirl

Honestly... a big fat no. If I had my time again I'd avoid Primary teaching like the plague. I qualified in 1991 and the first 12 years or so were fantastic. I should have got out then. I had a break for children and came back in 2009 and it's been steadily downhill ever since.

I currently work more hours a week than I ever have, am under so much pressure, and feel so disillusioned in that what/how I have to teach really isn't suited to the children's needs. The curriculum is ridiculously over-loaded and OFSTED want a Secondary model level of content and leadership. SEND funding is at rock bottom, despite a huge exponential rise in the number of children I teach who have additional needs, many that are really complex. The pandemic has made everything worse and the public and media's perception of teachers as lazy and workshy is draining and demoralising.

My perception is probably warped as I work in a single form entry primary in a deprived area with a decimated budget. I bloody love the children and my incredible colleagues, am considered an 'outstanding' teacher by whatever measures are thrown my way, and still have occasional days where I feel the old joy but the job itself is making me ill and unhappy. I'm a few years away from retirement so have to stick it out, but would I train now or recommend it? No way. Sorry.

This I'm afraid. Could have written this myself.

I'm a secondary teacher and wouldn't teach primary for all the tea in China, BUT if that's where your heart is then I would go for it. I spent 10 years resisting the urge to train as a teacher because everyone told me how awful it was, but I just couldn't get rid of that desire and I now wish I'd trained as a teacher when I first knew that was what I wanted. I am happier as a teacher than I ever was before, despite all the negatives.

@MsGoodenough - How do you find secondary?

@thebookeatinggirl you could be me. Sorry it's a big fat no.
Since qualifying 30 years ago things are at an all time low. We are losing so many amazing teachers because of the ridiculous workload. If I could do sunshiny else I would, but it unfortunately I need the money.

I qualified in 2004 and have taught part time in the same primary school for most of my career.

I echo what lots of other posters have said in that things have got worse in that time in the drive to ‘improve standards.’ This includes workload and I feel like the curriculum has become so narrow. I think we’re being asked to do so much more with less - less time, lower levels of parental support and a reduced budget. There is less time to reflect and enjoy learning with the children and constant scrutiny (book looks, learning walks, mock deep dives etc) averaging a couple of these a week in a normal week. It feels like we can never celebrate successes as there is always something more we should be doing / children should be doing to improve and all children need to get to the ‘expected’ standard which for many is junpring through hoops and setting them up to fail time and again.

However, there are still times with those magic moments when working with the children and the fact that you are having an impact on the children. For some children the interaction with adults in school is the only positive adult interaction they get each day.

We need great teachers who go into teaching for the right reasons. I would advise anyone interested in teaching to go into it with their eyes open. They need to speak to existing teachers and get some real experience in schools beyond the part the children experience in the classroom.

The individual school can massively impact a teacher’s wellbeing and experience. I have seen how poor management has driven some great teachers out of the profession so if you do choose teaching, choose the school carefully once you qualify.

All the best with making your decision!

Couldn't you do the English degree and then a primary PGCE if you're still hankering after it then?

It would give you more options if you were to leave teaching and with teaching abroad (e.g. Australia will only acknowledge 4 year training).

Never in a million years. If I had my time over again, I'd do anything but teaching. All the holidays and "only working from 9-3" don't make up for the stress. There are innovations every 5 minutes that I've seen come and go and none of them are beneficial.

I am really looking forward to retiring and being able to go on cheap holidays and go to events any time of year.

@Cookiecrisps very good points - I totally agree with you.

As someone who is in their ECT year I would say, don't do it. I've had a particularly bad experience and I handed my notice in today.

Whilst don't think everyone's experience will be anywhere near as bad as I mine, I think careful consideration needs to be given as to wether the long working hours are compatible with your current lifestyle.

I couldn't cope with 70+ hours a week, the constant scrutiny and the additional work of being an ECT.