Finished Primary PGCE at 50 and don't want to teach

[peebles32]

I have just turned 50 and finished a PGCE in primary teaching. My placement was ok but I knew I had made a mistake and did not want to leave halfway through. It was the physical demands as well as the mental demands. I have wanted to teach all my life and never had the opportunity to do it. I was a TA years ago and the classroom has changed in the past 15 years!! The amount of SEND children not getting any support is shocking.
I am shattered. I was the oldest on my course and all the lecturers kept telling me how much they admired me and I got swept along. Even the ones in mid forties were struggling so why did I not see it myself?
I did not think about menopause, back problems and even on HRT I am struggling, but I was embarrassed to say I had made a mistake.
I just don't think I will be able to hack it so looking to go into a more pastoral role.
Anyone got any ideas on what I could possibly do? I have elderly parents and young teenagers and never really gave that thought how I would cope with them too.

My family are all so proud of me and I feel like a fraud! I need to work as we cannot manage on one salary but don't know what to do.
Everyone has all these expectations of me and I feel like I will disappoint everyone.

Could you do supply work so you can work less hours? Or maybe look for a SENCO role or job share?

Could you look at roles for a children’s charity or education charity? Or something for your local authority? Family support work or a children’s centre or contact centre?

Most non-teaching school-based roles are pretty demanding, too, so I wouldn’t advise that.

Maybe look at working part time. Supply teaching is a good place to start. You can pick the days you want to work and increase them if you feel you want to. I wouldn't give it up completely especially as it's something you have wanted to do and have worked so hard for. All the best !

Pgce year is the hardest, honestly. Why not try supply for a while, as others have said? It's true that security is lacking but supply teachers are becoming like gold dust. You can take which jobs you want and maybe carve out some time for yourself to recover from the intense course.
You can then keep an eye on the schools you go to, and see which sort of school you'd like.

I'm nearly 50 btw, been teaching since I was 21 and I work part time in order to protect my mental health. I still love the job though!

Teacher in a pre school setting might be easier?

@TwoBlueFish being a Sendco is one of the hardest jobs in school!! And you can’t be a Sendco without doing ECT years.

Not being petty, I'd just hate you to be saying it wrong irl. It's SENCO not sendco

SENCO’s are experienced teachers and often have done further qualifications and training. A NQT would not get this role with the extra pay attached to it. You also teach with a bit if time off for the role.

Not sure what local authority role either. Subject advisers are experienced. Admin - you could try. You might get something, Do you have admin skills?

Supply teaching is a possibility but you are not a qualified teacher so that’s limited. What about working at the university? What jobs do they have? Or try for any job you ie the look of.

Have a look at Access and Participation roles in universities. Running events and creating relationships with schools to try and change perceptions and expectations of study. My university employs ex primary teachers for a lot of this as they are fantastic working with the schools and children.

It's very hard on the body, as much time is spent on the carpet, small chairs and bending over. It's also a slightly different training route, EYFS PGCE, as the style of learning is different. Teachers in my school would not appreciate being placed their, nor would the EY teachers appreciate their job being diminished as easier.

Would you be happy to work with older kids in secondary?

I know a primary teacher who finished teaching and started working in the same school as I do but helping with literacy.

I think secondary is more fun tbh. I've worked in both. But it seems to be personal taste as others say the opposite

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

You need both qualification and experience to be a SENCo, plus further training and study. Plus a lot of resilience.

What about online teaching? There is always lots of demand for online English (TEFL) teachers, and some roles doing other subjects too. It would be a different type of role, but a lot more flexible and using the skills you have learnt

I cannot believe you thought it would be a nice job for approaching retirement. Do you not watch the news?

i once saw a job working in education in a museum. That looked great. But you would need to complete training.

pastoral jobs in schools and TA / LSA jobs are very poorly paid.

IT technician in a school is decent pay.

or do connections careers advisor training?

It is sendco in some schools. D stands for disabilities.

Having taught KS2, reception and more recently in nurseries, I can categorically say that early years within a nursery is the hardest of all three, physically, mentally and emotionally. It's wonderful, but oh so draining with far longer hours. Don't underestimate how much hard work toddlers and preschoolers are! I'd work directly with the children for ten and a half hours, on minimum wage, then go home and work on their learning journeys and observations for a couple more hours, unpaid. I loved it, but teaching in a school was infinitely easier!

But it's amazing what you've achieved, congratulations.

Aside from the menopause which is a temporary situation, kids won't be teens forever, and trust me HRT, ups and downs are all a massive part of my current life.

What are all these lovely proud people doing to support you?

The issues you e mentioned are all external to your career? So who's helping with the teens? Who's supporting you.

Have you asked for help or said to your close family you thoughts.

If its any consolation I graduated from PGCE at 33 and haven't taught at all since I qualified. I've done training and development sessions and I do a lot of locum/supply work in the field, but like you I realised teaching wasn't for me.

Get a 0.5 teaching job. Yes it's exhausting but the holidays are a perk & it's never boring being in a school.

Whatever job you choose to do

You will still have menopause
You will still be a parent
You will still have elderly relatives

Some other chats are recommending one to one tutoring

Job share . My ds reception teacher did 2 days a week, also menopausal. She loved it!

Teaching adults? I believe teaching in prisons is very rewarding with far less stress.

Make sure you get your qts or whatever it is these days.

😂😂😂 Early Years is the hardest of the lot!