Anyone have some time to help me decide what to do with my life (job-wise)? - long

[saadia]

Basically, I stopped working in 2001, when ds1 was due and have not worked since. I decided earlier this year to look into training as a teacher, got some experience in a school and have now applied for courses starting in Sep 09. When I contacted my previous empoyer for a reference he mentioned that if I had been looking to return to work I should call him. So, I could actually go back to that.

My quandary is that I can't decide what to do now. From what I have seen, I like teaching and I think I would be good at it and enjoy it. However I think I could only manage a part-time course so that means studying for 1.5 - 2yrs before starting work, and as I am now 40, that means I will be 42/43 when I apply for jobs.

I'm sure it will be rewarding but obviously a lot of hard work, which I am prepared for, but on the plus side, I will have holidays when the dc do. Also, as dcs are 4 and 6, I really want to be around for them at this age so a part-time course will allow me to do that.

OTOH, going back to previous job will be fairly easy and I could probably dictate hours - would only do part-time so I could do school pick-up and drop-off. I did enjoy the work, and it would be a safe option as my employer has a high regard for me. But, it wasn't really progressing and there would be no pension. Also, as it is a small company and from what I can recall,I wasn't terriby happy there although not exactly unhappy either. Also, there would be the question of school holidays as with dh and I both working we would either have to take turns or find childcare for school holidays.

Any insights or words of wisdom would be gratefully appreciated.

Also, just remembered that I have had many dreams in which I am back at the office and feeling really horrified at being back there and wondering what I am doing there - so that many be siginificant.

saadia... you will need to follow your heart in the end, but just to offer some insights as you've asked for...

First of all, 42/43 is hardly old!! Even if you started your first teaching job at this age, then you'd have a good twenty years ahead of you. And the way things are heading in the UK, I wouldnt be surprised if in 20 years time people are generally working til beyond current retirement age anyway. Times have changed. The days when people retired at 65 and then pottered around quietly for the next 5 years have long gone. People expect to be active and healthy for longer. Just think you need to bear that in mind, as your post implies that you feel old to be entering a new career phase.

I am a trained teacher, and was teaching while my kids were young, though am now in a different career. One thing you need to be really clear about - don't do it just because it 'fits around the kids'. For a start, unless you are in the very unlikely position of landing a job in the same school your children attend, and then sticking with that same job, you will need childcare. I was in school by 8 in the morning, and rarely left before 5/5.30, so in fact you generally need more out of school care than a lot of other jobs. Certainly my non teaching friends were often the ones who could do the school run in the morning and then get into the office for 9 o'clock, which is about an hour or more after most teachers start work!

The holidays are an advantage, I agree. So it's worth considering that. But don't underestimate the long hours and hard grind of teaching. It can be the most rewarding career in the world - but go into it with your eyes open.

Your old job sounds as though it would be flexible and family friendly, so I can see why you're tempted to go back. However, although you didn;t hate it, you clearly didn't love it either. Personally I think life's too short to be stuck in a job that doesn't energise and interest you.. so it sounds as though you are ready for a new direction.

Good luck!

P.S also the lack of pension in your old job would worry me. I know pensions are a boring subject but I have no desire to live my retirement in poverty, and I suspect a lot of people would be horrified if they really sat down and looked at their lack of provision for pensions. You won't get the full teaching pension, but even so, the teachers pension is a good deal.

well something in your old job doesn't hit the mark as you are looking for another vocational career

do the pgce.see how that goes

change is scary but maintaining one comfort zone could be scary too

good luck whatever you chose

Thank you findtheriver and Scottishmummy, that is very helpful. I agree that whatever I decide now is probably what I will be doing until retirement, and although I probably could plod along in the old job, it will be a job as opposed to a career. Dh also thinks I should try something new.

I think that because it has been so long since I left my job I don't remember exactly how I felt about it, and part of me thinks that the passage of time might give me a different perspective. At the same time, it will feel like a step backwards.

The long hours in teaching will be an issue but by the time I start I think the dcs will be OK going to a CM in the mornings and after-school club/CM when they need to hopefully they will adapt to that.

from a current teacher a part time teaching job is never parttime!! even if working 2.5 days a week you will always have more than half of the workload!! as they say teaching is a way of life not a profession! I am just in the process of moving out of teaching as I want my evenings and weekends back! Yes the holidays are nice, but inorder to manage work/life balance in term time I spent at least half of the holidays doing planning and preparation for the follwing term! Money not that great either (saying that is a national pay scale - with top up in london area - but workng in berkshire dont get that and the pay doesnt go far!)

Thank you fairimum, that is helpful. Can I ask how long you have been teaching? I know there is a lot of work but my uderstanding was that the first few years are the hardest. But I suppose if you start teaching a new year group you will suddenly have a new load of resources to sort out.

I think I will wait and see what happens with the application and then contact my old employer to say that I am available for part-time work until August (if accepted onto course) or long-term (if not).