I am officially on the scrapheap.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

I used to be a teacher.

I stopped to have my children.

Last year, I did a refresher course with a view to going back to teaching.

I didn't like what has become of the job and so did not look too seriously for regular work but registered to become a supply teacher on extremely dubious references - by which I mean, one was from someone who barely knew me and one was from someone who knew me in my career heyday 13 years ago - so hardly current.

I did a few days of supply but was not much in demand.

My supply teaching registration lapsed through lack of sufficient work. The only way to renew it would be to apply all over again but I can't as my referees are now even less linked to me.

I apply to be a scribe or reader in my son's secondary school (for special need children doing GCSEs)

I get back an offer to be an invigilator which is not quite the same thing but ok, I don't mind, anything to earn a few pennies and feel useful.

Today I find out although my CRB check is still valid, because I have had no contact with students for over 3 months (actually about 10 months) this may have in some way affected the validity of my CRB check.

I am buggered.

I give up.

I hate being on the scrapheap. It is an awful long way to go before I reach retirement age and all my contemporaries are at home like me.

What would you really like to do for a living?

I don't really have any idea. Something quiet, something I can leave behind at the end of the day, something that uses my brain a bit. I am not career orientated though dh reckons wherever I worked I would end up running the place as I am pretty competent and hard working.

LOL I sound like I am at an interview!

Thanks for caring enough to ask Bumperlicioso. I feel so unwanted by the outside world.

Aww, you welcome. Sometimes you just need to stop and channel your thoughts into what you really want to do.

I know how difficult it can be going back to work. I had a job to go back to fortunately but have found it incredibly difficult to settle in, and while my job is great at offering flexible working, they don't really help you learn how to manage it. None of my colleague have kids and they just don't 'get it' and think I talk about DD too much .

So, back to you. Can you have the CRB check updated so you can take the invigilator position? Do you still want to be a teacher?

Do you want to retrain? Do you still want to work with children? Would you like to work for yourself? How about a library? Or a children's centre? What are your interests? What are your key skills? What hours can you work?

Hoew about some voluntary work? would get CRB check and refs sorted if you chose wissely and make you feel useful and does help with getting back on career ladder also.

Bumperlicioso: I can understand your difficulties managing your flexible working. I once worked part-time when I had children and it was hopeless as I just was not ready to divide my time between family and work - family won out every single time. I know I would handle that better now but it was a lesson I had to learn.

The CRB check can be updated but not in time for this year's exams, and tbh, it does not need updating - they said so themselves. I don't actually have a clue what they meant about it being invalid if I had not had contact with students for 3 months. I either have a criminal record or I don't (I don't!)

I don't want to be a teacher anymore no, although it is hard to accept that sometimes after all the years of training and work I did.

I don't mind retraining although I don't really see myself doing anything that needs more than a day or two's training, perhaps on the job.

I don't mind working for myself but I think that it would be better for me to work for someone else as ideally I see myself in an office environment.

I don't want to work with children anymore.

I have no idea what my key skills are - whatever skills a teacher who once reached senior management level has!

I can work any hours during the day as all my children are at school, but like most mums, I would ideally like to work 9 to 3 and have the flexibbility to not work all through the holidays!

Peachy: I am not sure how voluntary work would help me. If I could see how it might help, I would be willing to do a certain amount although I really need to earn money in the long run.

I have come to this at the worst possible time I know. I saw recently an article in the local paper. 2 jobs were advertised, one as a chef in a pub and one as a gravedigger. The first received 50 applicants and the second, over 200! What chance have I got? (not that I would want either job I hasten to add).

Oh and I do know how to spell flexibility!

I left teaching and now work in a university developing their virtual learning environment. While I do have a computing degree, the main reason I was hired was for my teaching experience.

More and more schools and colleges are getting these nowdays and there's a lack of people with the skills to develop and admisnister them. Try looking at Moodle. It's an open source (free) virtual learning environment. The Instutute of Education do an MA in IT in Education if you are interested in that direction.

DG- a lot of voluntary jobs could offer a reference that was up to date, and /or update your CRB clearance for you. Good way of trialling jobs you might consider commiting too as well.

Forever giving references for vollies I was, most got into good obs and used it as a mutually useful stepping stone

Slug, your job sounds interesting but not for me as I am virtually computer illiterate.

Peachy, what sort of voluntary work are we talking about here? I can't exactly walk into an office and say "hey how about I do a bit of free filing for you?" can I? Can I?

Should be a bureau or summat near you that could match you up with so,ething- most charitioes would appreciate help with filing or whatever it is you fancy.

I found something similar near you here

Dumbledoresgirl, have you thought about being a tutor the Open University?

The vast majority of your student support is online so it does not matter where you live.

You could use your experiences in education (but apply it to adult learning)

If you have experience at senior management level then you could tutor on a management course, or you coudl tutor on an educational course.

You could work from home. They support your development. You could do a lot of work (marking assignments etc) during your children's school days.

You need online access, but the technical skills required are no more difficult than those you use on mumsnet.

this is a link

How about a support role in a school? Not necessarily a TA - learning mentor, year group/guild manager, attendance officer; something where you get to work with the children but also get the advantage of the school hours rather than the hours of prep in the evenings? I teach in secondary and we have almost as many support staff as teachers.

EWO or youth offending? Both here want teachers and offer more flexible working hours. EWO can be term time only

Peachy, that is a great site, thanks for showing me it. I looked up my local area (I am not actually in Bristol and it would be too horrendous a commute to contemplate) and the only vacancies were ones I know about already in the local charity shop. Retail is definitely not my thing! But I will keep looking at that site.

Notsoclever, I have also looked at the OU site. Forgive me if I am being dumb, but don't tutors have to teach to degree level? I only taught to primary level!

Thefallenmadonna, well your idea was what I was trying to get into in a vague sort of way, but it seems to have fallen flat. TBH, I am not keen on staying in education of any kind, although the familiar is tempting.

EWO?

Education Welfare

The CRB thing isn't an issue at all. If you got a permanent job in a school they would need to apply for a new one anyway. Wouldn't necessarily work out for a short term thing like invigilating. And I wondered if you were aware just how many different roles there are now. I wass outfor 5 years and it has changed beyond recognition.

Anyway, if you're not interested in education at all, then that's all academic, as it were

Yes, imagine the changes for me after 13 years! I couldn't be bothered with it all. I remember lots of people leaving the profession when the National Curriculum came in and I guess I am now the dyed-in-the-wool, unable-to-adapt old dinosaur!

you sound like me.. but, i work in the voluntary sector, having done lots of volunteer work, and if i was lucky enough tot get the job i wanted, once i kno w what i want, then references would not be a problem as i would get good ones from volunteer place.

How about education officer in a museum?

Yes I would enjoy that, but I don't live near any museums regretably.

Private tutoring?

Hospital tutoring? Long term sick kids in the school room at the hospital?

I really want out of education altogether. I have been through all the educating options - adult education, private tutoring etc - and always come down to the feeling that I am fed up with teaching and just want a quiet job where I do as I am told and don't have too much responsibility (initally anyway - not sure how long that would last).

I wonder if, had I known about this economic downturn, I would have had the sense to get into employment earlier?

what did you like about teaching ? did you go into teaching for a reason in the first place or did you fall into it because you werent sure what else? what do you like doing in your spare time (not something you can make money out of, just something that gives us an idea what you like?) what do you miss about working?
i think you need to think about transfering your skills/interests to a whole new area, and instead of trying ot think of that area from scratch think about what you liked about what bits of your job and then how else you could get that in a different field.
do you REALLY not want too much responsibility and not to do any training and stuff or are you a little tiny bit saying that because you are scared of going back into world of work (not criticising, i was scared after nine months of mat leave nevermind a longer break).?
maybe look at something like this womenlikeus.co.uk esp if you are near london, they do career coaching as well as pt working. sounds like you could do with a session if money permits with a career coach to talk through what you might like to do>