Switch from cbt to teaching

[Millermillermiller232323]

Hello I have been a cbt therapist for over 10 years with a lot of mental health experience stemming over 20 years. I’m now 41 and want to train as a teacher, a primary school
teacher. Has anyone any experience of retraining? My little
one is two and I am a single parent with good support

Why do you want to be a teacher. What is your reason for doing it now? Have you had experience in a primary school?

It will be very difficult with a toddler. I trained fairly recently after working in a school for 2 years and have older children and I found it tough.

wanting a change to a different environment to help young people start their education and develop confidence

have had experience in schools

could work as a ta this year just to check!

I think if you have the opportunity to work as a TA then I would definitely do that before training to be a teacher. You will get the opportunity to speak to teachers and get a feel for whether you will be better suited to KS1 or 2.

Thank you 🙏 much appreciated 😀

I would consider working in a school as a home school link worker or even a counsellor ( lovely working hours 37 a week, term time decent wage) - this position helps vulnerable learners suffering from school avoidance to be reintegrated into school
Another role could be " pastoral lead" hugely rewarding and challenging

Training to teach is expensive and incredibly time consuming in addition to being very stressful - the amount of prep and lesson planning at primary will drain you
Sorry to sound negative.
I would consider working in a school using your existing skills in mental health and applying for a counsellor role/ pastoral lead/ home support worker in school

I don’t want to shatter your dreams but… don’t do it!
I have young children and teaching is not condusive to a young family. I’m getting out after 15 years!

I agree with a pp that I think being a counsellor in a school would be a great option for you. The workload in primary teaching is insane; I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China.

"...to a different environment to help young people start their education and develop confidence."

Sadly, you would just be bound by very stringent policies and do things 'their way' (I had to follow Wellbeing schemes/behaviour policies which I didn't agree with, the children hated it but we had to follow it). There's little freedom and flexibility and you are so stressed by the box ticking exercises and the incredible lack of resources and TA support that caring about the children is sadly, at the bottom of the to do list. The curriculum has become ridiculously over packed and OFSTED have put too much emphasis on recall and memory that children's wellbeing takes a back seat no matter how hard we try. I am now working in SEN where it's all about the children and I'm happy, despite the crazy paperwork - everything is for a reason.

Definitely use your experience to help young people, but i agree being a class teacher won't necessarily be the best way to do it, especially with a family of your own. Some schools have visiting counsellors to help children, could you research that?

Yes all kind of pastoral roles in secondary school particularly that would use your skillw well