I don't want to be a teacher anymore

[harper30]

Hello all, I'm appealing to former teachers really, and others in the same position.

I've been a teacher for 10 years, at the same lovely school, I'm a head of department, working 4 days a week (have one DD3.5 so nearly at school so full time is an obvious option soon) I'm at the top of MPS and have some other TLRs as well as HoD but nothing hugely stressful.

But I've just had enough, which is ironic as I'm earning the most I ever have as a teacher (pro rata) my job isn't hugely stressful day to day, I have school holidays to spend with my DD and husband who isn't a teacher so he sometimes is off in the holidays but not much. So all those things on paper are fantastic?

BUT, school fills me with dread, I've got a minor physical disability which has been worse recently and makes me feel sad and pissed off a lot of the time. And after masking that at school all day, I'm knackered and a bitch to everyone in my personal life during term time.

So... ramble ramble ramble. What should I do instead? Friends and husband have said I could do anything I put my mind to, and I do believe that to an extent, but the TIME retraining would take is daunting. Going into a totally new sector would mean a big pay-cut until I could progress in that new career.

And it's not helped by not knowing what else to do. All the websites when you google it suggest tutoring?? Absolutely fucking not.

Is there anyone out there who loves their job? Can you tell me what it is and how you got into it?

TL;DR I don't want to teach, what should I do instead?

@Howshouldibehave

You are not alone. Look at the ‘Life after teaching: exit the classroom and thrive’ Facebook group-it has nearly 50,000 members!

And growing fast! I’ve gone down to 80% on one tlr but I feel just as trapped with two kids at uni. Difference is that tutoring is really easy and much more fun than other aspects of my day. It’ll do till I can find a route out. I’ve been teaching as long as you and I reckon 60% of my colleagues who have more than five years experience also want to go.

Do you thin you definitely want to leave ?
A few years ago I felt like this and I gave myself 6 months with a strict new work regime to see if I was just (as you mentioned) gaslighting myself
A long serving teacher at my school showed me his system, planning his frees carefully in terms of planning of marking so he never had to think about what set of books he was doing etc. I dont have kids so it was easier for me to arrive early one day which was like an extra free and also stay late one day (another hour added there)
I had to cut some corners (bought resources from tes rather than making everything of my own)
A big thing that helped me too was planning my breaks- I had my planner in 2 columns- work and home. I used my breaks religiously to get some life admin done (banking, Amazon orders for gifts , holiday bookings, quick family phone calls or WhatsApp friends) it helped me understand that I was a person in a job, as I was feeling like I was locked into this big sacrifice machine 'no time for lunch got to do photocopying' etc etc
Dont know if you are too far gone if you are feeling sick on the way in but if you can get it in perspective, it's a nice job with some good benefits .

I often wonder how much of the I hate teaching is actually I hate working. And how much is just hating your school.Most people hate work at some point. Be careful not to leave a secure job with good pay and pension without giving it another go in a different school and different role. Unless you know you can't stomach that either.

In my field (accountancy) there were so many miserable 20 somethings. All worked into the ground, all hating the pressure and the politics. Not paid enough to stay but paid too much to leave. At any age people crack and have time out. Most people just find a different role and that sorts the problem. Most people can't face the pay cut to leave entirely.

I thought it might help to realise a lot of people are unhappy with work. I've never felt it was worth working for less but you do have to have job satisfaction. If you've nit got that then a pay cut and retrain is on the cards.

I think specific retraining is a minefield unless you really wanted to do something specific.

I had a friend leave the dentistry profession (now that's a HUGE pay cut!) And she has started again in health care admin. She is loving the office life as a change of pace after years in the surgery. Might be that you could get into a role where your experience of teaching is a needed skill or your understanding of the education system will be valued. Being able to teach is a real skill. Don't underestimate it. You could find a training role out there or something that suited you down to the ground. I suggest making the leap but supplement with tutor income until you get back on your feet.

Worst case scenario, you hate not having the holidays and you apply to teach again. At least you will have tried.

@CaptainChannel

I've just left teaching after 11 years, HoD like you but the negatives just started to outweigh the positives. As you know, the holidays and pension are valuable but nothing is worth dread and a decline in mental health. First of all investigate a change of school type or key stage. Would you like to try private? Could your subject be taught at primary level (languages for example?). I'd try something different first. Failing that, there are other jobs out there that will value your skills and experience. I'm doing something else, pretty good money and from home which suits me at the moment.

Primary is typically longer hours and more work than secondary (not just my view it is what the annual teacher surveys show)

My friend has also recently handed in her notice from her PT teaching job (primary I think) covid has made a job she hated worse. I actually think there are much better jobs out there, holidays and pension aside, and if you take a long term view you should be able to get up to a decent salary with a job you like!

I left teaching and didn't take a paycut. I went into a job on the same money as my teaching salary (I was on M6, no TLRs). Any advice depends on what you teach and a qualified in, I guess.

Could you apply to work as an instructor/mentor for a SCITT?
Out of the classroom but still term time

Different school? Sometimes it's a change of setting that's needed.

@TheHoptimist I mean as a subject specialist doing PPA cover. I've done this for music before and I know sometimes there are posts for PE and languages too.
I know the general primary teacher has a very high workload

I've gone private, and I love it. Much longer hours, and a bigger extra curricular expectation, but the hours are so much easier! Smaller classes, no crowd control, lovely lovely kids who really want to learn. It's all the bits of teaching that I love- I'm having a great time.

I feel exactly the same! I dread going into work, I’m anxious and cry in the way to work. I’m part time but spend my days off stressing snd get short with my kids and husband. I’m giving my notice in this week.

Speech and language therapist?

[quote CaptainChannel]@TheHoptimist I mean as a subject specialist doing PPA cover. I've done this for music before and I know sometimes there are posts for PE and languages too.
I know the general primary teacher has a very high workload [/quote]
That boat sailed a long time ago
Most primary schools cant afford QTS for PPA- its the 1st area to cut from budgets.

My goodness OP, this resonates with me. I am sorry you are feeling so down about it.

I’m primary school teacher NQT+1 (last year was a doozie).

I am 49, 3 kids, lovely husband - but being an NQT last year nearly broke us.

I was so interested that a TES survey states primary teachers have longer hours (my PGCE was History/ Secondary - I am in via primary TA experience + PGCE + desperate times for schools looking for teachers!).

I am in at school for 7.30, pick kids up at 8.40. 50 min lunch break where we don’t always get to eat if resourcing for the afternoon. Kids go at 3.20. TAs at 3.30.

Teachers have meetings/ training/ displays/ marking/ IEPs/ parent calls/ EHCP reviews/ urgent forms to be turned round in 24 hours before safeguarding leads meets with social worker and parents about something. 2/3 of class EAL; 4 x National average SEN (12/ 28 in my class). Photocopying/ resourcing/ tidying TAs not around to do it, as hours cut and they are pulled into interventions.

I leave at 5.55pm as after school club closes and school shuts. Depending on how much of my afternoon was taken up with meetings/ training, I might have no work or a couple hours work. Weekends… ha!

I went to 0.6 to manage this. My HT hates part timers. He said ‘but you’ll just work on Thursday and Friday!’. I said ‘I know, but at least I’ll work 5 days for 3 paid, rather than 7 days and all evenings for 5.’

So it’s soooo much better this year - but less money, of course. And I love the actual being in class, even with my particularly challenging intake - but the pace, the admin, the book looks, the squishing so many subjects into 6 hours, so lunch is cut short, playtime cut short, PE cut short - fun cut short!

Sorry OP, didn’t mean to go off on one - just feel your pain. I hope you find something soon. The Facebook group others have mentioned is really helpful, def go and have a look.

How about something affiliated? There are jobs in education that aren't teaching, ofsted inspector? Working for DfE?

How about just trying a different school?

Or possible a different type of school e.g. private?

@sydenhamhiller your post really resonates with me and I'm still training! I also have three children (all primary) and I've already had to come to terms with the fact I'm not going to be able to do this job full time and still be a parent x

Not to say people can't do it full time and be a good parent!
I just know that while I'm still learning during my ECT and all of my children are young and need most everything doing or prompted.. I'm going to need to be part time

The problem with teaching is that there's (seems to be) no other job that pays the same yet with long holidays, good pension etc.

I left 3 years ago to become a civil servant. I am paid a bit less but I have a good pension and the flexi time is a definite benefit. They are a good employer and I like the lack of expectation that I will give up my free time to work additional hours with no thanks.
I don’t regret it one bit. I tried part time to reduce my stress but all it meant was expectations of working on my day off.
It was a lot easier to get a job than I thought it was going to be, I only applied for this. Also now is a good time to move as there are so many vacancies.
Life is too short to spend your days in a job that makes you miserable.

@LondonQueen

The problem with teaching is that there's (seems to be) no other job that pays the same yet with long holidays, good pension etc.

For me it’s not the holiday. I used to be a managed in Laura Ashley before going into teaching. I adored that job. Limited holiday (free clothes!!) but it was a job I loved; for some reason I felt I was too good to work I retain forever so went into teaching….. can’t go back as my mortgage is too high to work in retail

I worked in a good school but still dreaded it every day. Teaching is so brutal these days.

I got ill health retirement, and every day I’m so thankful l got out

I’m in the process of leaving teaching. I’ve been doing supply, and applying for lots of different roles - anything that sounded interesting basically.
I’ve got an insurance analyst role starting at £33k, I can’t wait to start. And if it doesn’t work out teaching will always be there.

I found updating Linked In and realising to recruiters on there for me a lot of interesting roles to apply for - easier for me with a Maths background mind you, what do you teach?

@OnceuponaRainbow18

Speech and language therapist?

I am a speech and language therapist and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone right now, at least not in the NHS.

@BlueSoul I’m interested in why you wouldn’t recommend being a SALT? I’m currently working as a TA at a special school but my long term plan is to retrain as a speech and language therapist or maybe an OT....