2 years out of teaching and work, not going back, any suggestions of what I could do?

[Suddengeekgirl]

I gave up my teaching job 2 years ago almost when we moved for dh's work. I'm not going back to teaching, which I'm fine about (although sad that it's not the job I used to love anymore).
But I have NO idea what to do now!

Dd is starting nursery school in September so I have a year before both dc are in school. I think I need to start thinking about what to do/ retrain in.

So where do I start?
What could I do?

I've only ever taught or had crappy summer jobs as a student. I have no idea what the real world is like to work in!

Oh and if you've got any fab ideas of what I could do to earn some £ while dd has her 3h a day at nursery that would be great too! :)

What do you fancy?

That's half the trouble!

Part of me has an urge to do something creative - but the world is awash with cake baking mums etc
Another part of me would like to do something publishing related - proof reading might be a good place to start?
Or even book keeping - I'm good with numbers.
Or something to use my organisational skills

Half the trouble is I feel like I have no experience (other than teaching) and hence won't get a look in anywhere.

Was about to post similar thread.... ten years of teaching but don't want to return. Keen to hear any ideas at all!

Would you ever consider working in an FE college or at a university as a support worker? Those are the types of jobs that I am applying for at the moment. I used to teach maths in a secondary school and no amount of money can ever tempt me back in it.

What subject did you teach?

I was an English teacher - seems like another life now! I'm not fussy about what I do, but it has to fit around school hours (which being a teacher doesn't weirdly enough!!)

Sorry for vanishing - been on holiday. :)

I was a primary teacher so Jack of all trades.

What exactly do support workers at FE colleges or universities do?

That's tricky, if you want to fit in with school hours I would imagine that some kind of self employed work was your best bet - start a business of some sort? I think book keeping might not be a bad idea, but publishing is shrinking and fiercely competitive. Have you thought about private tutoring or exam marking?

I'm not so hung up on hours (will work that wont when I need to!)

Private tutoring wouldn't work for me as I don't want to work evenings/ weekends which I guess is when the work is.
I know there is massive amounts of competition for exam marking for KS2 and it's very seasonal too. (I worked at the exam board processing SATS when I was a student.)

I need a careers advisor - but a good one - not a shitty one like at they had at our secondary school.

As I am not a support worker just yet, I can't say for certain exactly what they do as they seem to vary depending on what the support is for.
The one that I applied for as a HE support worker is specifically and almost exclusively note taking. Literally, turning up to the lecture and writing notes in a format that is suitable for the student in question.

For FE, I have worked with several and some better than others. The ones that were not effective were the behaviour support workers who were either not fair enough or strict enough but in a way I can't really blame them as the class they were meant to be supporting were notoriously difficult. The ones who I did get on with, took a genuine interest in the students that they were supporting, who had some learning difficulties, and were able to make class work and assignments more accessible to them.

Try googling for vacancies of support worker in an FE college then you'll get some idea.

I guess, it's the FE and HE equivalent of a TA. If you're not bothered about the pay being less than your previous teaching salary.

Sounds interesting but not sure it's me. I can handle 30 under 11s fine, but big ones make me nervous!

What about proof reading? Or what about trying a work from home job?

I have been doing both - proof reading and working from home for a beauty and wellness company - and it is interesting, different and fun and I am making money from both to sustain me.

I think you need to think about certain things - like do you want to invest a small amount to get a business up and running or just use your contacts to try and get something.....

I'd quite like to get in to proof reading - but heard it's super competitive Do you have any tips? :)

Working from home would be good - I'd still be able to do school run and fit hours around kids.

Hi geek girl,
I was/am a primary teacher. I did about five years (second career), then had dd, had a year and a half off, did a year and half teaching (tough and guilt inducing) before having ds.

I didn't want to teach after having him, arranging childminders for two of them, etc. seemed too much. I had two years off (totally broke) then trained to be a childminder. It cost probably £3-400 all in with courses, etc., but I earned that back in a month or two. I did it for two years and it was a mixed bag.....

I found it both great and limiting to work in my own home, but great to be able to do drop off and pick up for the children, no guilt! Also the paperwork etc. is fine really, bit of a pain but ok. It proved to be a great stop gap whilst my two were little.

My son starts school soon and I'm returning to work as a T.A. In my children's school! Very excited to be with children but far less responsibility. Very chuffed to be going back. And no childcare as they will come in and leave with me.

Just a couple of ideas!! I don't know if I'll ever teach again, I'm not cut out for splitting myself into work mode and always felt I wasn't doing my work job or my being a mum job properly. So those two options may be worth thinking about if you feel similarly about teaching?

Hope not too waffly! Good luck with your job hunt Ad don't worry about thinking outside the box.

Thanks!

I felt exact the same about teaching - I just couldn't do it well enough and be a good enough mum. Teaching had to go! (Ignoring all the politics and Gove-ification!)

TA work might be a possibility down the line - but I just feel like I cant go back in the classroom at the minute. I don't think I realised how much of a till teaching was having on me until I stopped!

Child minding is definitely not for me though! I need a lie down after having the dcs plus a friend or 2 to play! Multiple under 5s would leave me rocking in a corner!

Could you do something else in education?

Careers Advisor
Education Welfare Officer
Some type of mentoring or student support role outside of the classroom? (FE has lots of these types of roles)

Ugh. 1st September and I'm with you. 1st January and I'm out of there! Might to a bit of supply and marking for a while but I want something where I can work alone at a desk without having to be a performing monkey and an assessing automaton in one.

I quite fancy admin - or being a librarian (highly unlikely, I know!)

Private Tutoring! We pay £30-£35 an hour once a week term time (London) for Year 2-3 extra maths & English lessons. You can do in your own home after school/weekends/holidays. Apologies if this has already been mentioned.

Similar thoughts here. I have 2 degrees, one at oxbridge and one a first
... but I've only really taught and im too old to start most things from scratch.

I need more of an income than an at-home job but not sure where to leap!