A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Is anyone on here a teacher? Did you have a different kind of job before you took up teaching? I am seriously sick of office life, the politics, bullying (especially the bullying), the slavish hierarchies, the sociopathy of the culture and the lack of creativity. For the past year, it has made me physically and mentally ill. I am looking for a new direction. I love people, I love learning, I love sharing, and I'm good at public speaking. I am investigating it as a new career. What are your experiences of teaching? Is the training hard - both in terms of the course, and returning to being a student (with its lack of money)? What are the pros and the pitfalls of teaching in your opinion/experience? Edited March 10, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 No personal experience but my sister gave up journalism at forty, did a two year BEd and fifteen years later is assistant head at a junior school being head hunted for a headship. Good pension too. She loves her job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I changed career to teaching and I love it BUT. There is still a lot of politics and backbiting. Last year I worked with a couple of women who did their best to get me into trouble at every turn. The final act being 3 days before I left when my laptop mysteriously disappeared from my LOCKED classroom and was found later having been put out with the rubbish.... As for the kids. I watched that comic relief programme and saw Vicky Pollard doing her stroppy teen act. It's not funny. You might find it funny but when you've had THAT attitude all day from kids who don't want to do their work, listen to you, stop putting make up on, put their mobiles away etc etc it stops being funny. Parents - some will phone up to complain at the drop of a hat. You give their child a grade lower than they expect they complain. Give their child an effort grade lower than an A they complain. Others are silent except when you treat their child "unfairly" their child does no work, causes a lot of disruption and is rude to you so you give them a detention. They phone you to complain its "unfair" and their child can't do after school becasue they have to get the bus/pick up younger siblings from primary school/go to their sports club etc. Of course if you give their child a lunchtime detention they also can't do that because they only get 35 mins for lunch and won't have time to eat. This type of parent will NEVER complain about the low grades though. And then there is the swearing. You will be told you are "pathetic" but that word is not the first one (this is a family forum!). You will be told to something off if you try and confiscate stuff and generally spoken to like you are something that they have stepped in. I'm in secondary but I know some of this happens in primary too. What is rewarding is when it clicks with them and they start to enjoy learning. There are some great kids who will congregate around you. You can inspire loyalty and dedication. I'll never forget having to discipline a boy who had just decked another boy - because the one he decked called me fat! I have a picture on my wall that was drawn today - a quick sketch of me with Thank U 4 teaching us written on it (year 10!). I have others like that too. I have an email from a kid telling me how much they miss me as their teacher because I left their school. I have kids coming up to me in the street to say hello. The look on their faces when they get their passing grades can be priceless too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Me too, also in secondary, after a PhD and deciding that research definitely wasn't for me. Eight years teaching science and then a move to SEN. I love it. But it is a very stressful job, and the changes in curriculum and assessment have changed it to be very data-focused. In some ways that takes the emphasis off the children and on to measuring the progress and results they achieve. I find this part difficult to stomach! I too have been spoken to like I am a piece of dog dirt on their shoe; I have also been hugged by delighted teens many times, been written the most lovely letters of thanks, been treated like cotton wool by teenage lads 3 times my size when I was very pregnant and a bit wobbly, the same students held a sweepstake on the baby's weight and used half the money to buy him a gift. I have students who left eight years ago, who pop in just to say hello and tell me what they're up to, and I've been invited to quite a few weddings! The thing that always reminds me that we do a good job is that in 13 years of teaching I have 15 students who have gone on to be teachers. I always feel that we must have done something good for them, if they aspire to do our job later on. 3 of them are now my colleagues and that is lovely. In many ways the parents are far more difficult than their children, as Pengy rightly says. Some are wonderful, supportive even if their children may be letting them down badly, and work with you on everything they can. Others can't get past their own bad experiences in school and treat you as the enemy from the word go; they back their child whatever they may have done and this makes it very hard to make any headway with the child as they simply don't care what you say or do. Another thing to consider is, are you aware of the inclusion that is now part of every mainstream school? As a child I experienced a school where there was no-one with any kind of disability or special need; now you will find children with quite extreme needs in mainstream school and you will be expected to deliver the same curriculum to them as to the rest of their peers, in a way that is adjusted to make it accessible to them. This can be hard work - many of my colleagues find it very difficult, especially where the SEN affects the child's behaviour. I work directly with a large number of students with quite extreme behaviour problems and I know that they are very difficult to cope with in mainstream lessons. I have them in smaller groups and it's still often very hard work! The pay these days isn't bad at all and the pension is good (a rarity these days!). There are endless opportunities to train and move on in the right school, in fact there is a lot of pressure to do so. My training year (in the dim and distant past now) was tough, but the best year I had of my nine at university, so much FUN was had. Funding it will be an issue, have you looked at the GTP (Graduate training programme)? That pays better than the PGCE route although I hear on the radio that these days it only takes six months to be a teacher. I laughed like a drain at that. I'm 13 years in and still learning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I am a teacher and I love my job but totally agree with Pengy that there are some rotten ones out there who would stab their grannies for a promotion. I originally trained at art college and was a freelance animator. I was never going to be a teacher...I thought that I hated children for a start! Whilst I was at art college, we had to do one day a week teaching animation as a sort of gifted and talented thing at the local high school. I didn't want to do it and even complained to the head of the college. However, I loved it and really missed the teaching when it finished. I went to work as an animator in London but hated working there. I started thinking about retraining, gathered some info and that was that. I have been teaching for 17 years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I taught primary for 12 years before becoming stay at home mum. Loved the job itself, sounds really cheesey but can be really rewarding and lots of fun, holidays are also great, but can be really hard work - lots of paper work which will need doing in your own time, lack of flexibility with hours, and soooo much politics! Can also be heartbreaking, my last job involved a lot of "social work" as well. Don't think I will be returning to full time teaching when I return to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Can also be heartbreaking, my last job involved a lot of "social work" as well. I forgot heartbreaking. It can be. Kids go through some awful things and as a school we have had a few students' deaths to deal with too. My rule is to do as much as I can for the child, no more and no less, and accept that I cannot change the world single handed. Then I shut the lid tight on my mental 'box' of work and DO NOT open that lid at home, because it's not fair on my family. This trick took a few years to perfect and my OH put up with a lot of me moaning about work, because I needed to unload at night. These days I can empty my head of work with no trouble at all, it's very rare that worrying about a student keeps me awake now, but it used to happen often. I work in an area where I am in daily contact with our most vulnerable students, and for some people it's too much to cope with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 teacher here too *waves* I love my job, on most days, but some I hate it I hate the paper work, the politics, the dealing with "anxious" parents. today, I was talking to a girl - never taught her, but I have spoken to her. anyway, I saw her today and asked if she was ok and how was her back (she hurt it playing some sport or other) she looked at me and asked how I knew - then she said "oh miss, you remembered, thank you" its times like these that you love, love, love your job why dont you try it out for a week, many schools will let you in on a short placement, but you will need an up to date CRB check good luck what ever you decide cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 omg Pengy - that's awful. Thanks for the advice though everyone. Will have a mull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riane Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I too am a teacher of 17 years experience. I work in primary and now have management responsibilities. I do not know of anybody who has gone into teaching for the money. The pay whilst reasonable, when compared to other graduate professions is quite poor, especially in the higher bands. I really enjoy my job and I wouldn't want to do anything else. Yes there are days when I feel totally stressed and exhausted but the underlying satisfaction is there. I teach children to read and write , skills they will have for the rest of their life. I work as part of a team and enjoy sharing a close relationship with other professionals and parents. There is a great feeling of trust and involvement. I am lucky I work in a great school with good relationships. I have worked in schools where there is a lot of distrust between parents and staff. That is hard work and frustrating. I think the best thing is go and spend some time in a school, try different age groups , you might be surprised which you enjoy. My parallel teacher taught secondary for 12 years and one day had had enough,. I encouraged her to spend time in nursery and reception as a volunteer, then a job came up and four years later she is very happy as a reception teacher. I remember on the PGCE course the tutors saying that only half of us would make it through the year and end up as life long teachers. We all thought they were wrong, but actually only a quarter of the original year group stayed in teachimg more then three years. It is not for everyone and lots of people think they know what it is all about because they went to school. ( like you think you knjow how to be a hairdresser because you get your haircut!) the reality is quite different. BUT if you do feel right and enjoy it then its the best job. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I am a full time primary teacher in a Reception class. I love the actual teaching, it's amazing nurturing these children and watching them learn, grow and develop a whole range of skills. I hate the paperwork though and I loathe report writing in May/June time. And of course I love the holidays. Over the years teaching has changed, paperwork has increased. Data analysis sheets, planning, results, targets, moderators, ofsted, report writing, curriculum coordinator role, risk assessment form, violent incident forms, accident forms to name but a few. I resent working at home but I ask, have you ever known a teacher who is not planning or marking on a Sunday afternoon? This week I have had the first of three parent's evenings, I am so tired. Tonight I had a late staff meeting and tomorrow is directed time team planning late night. Three late nights out of five. I spend two lunch times changing library books and one lunch time running an extra curricular club because I don't have time after school with my own children's commitments. Next week two parent's evenings . . . long and mentally exhausting with some difficult to please parents. Some will insist on making another appointment to continue to talk and that really equates to half an hour extra on another night. I could go on but I think you'd tire of me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I am looking for a new direction. I love people, I love learning, I love sharing, and I'm good at public speaking. I am investigating it as a new career. Ditto! I'm a full time mum and my youngest child has just gone to school full time. I have a degree and an MA in Literature and had a successful career until I had my eldest son when I was 30. I've been toying with the idea of teaching - largely (and apologies to you teachers) because I've seen some mediocre teachers and thought i could do it better than that and also because the hours would fit in nicely I've been volunteering in my sons' school a lot lately, helping out with reading and with events and I can honestly say I don't have the right personality to be really good at it. I don't have the patience necessary to deal with children who don't understand something the third or one hundredth time it's explained and I don't understand why children don't want to sit and listen to lessons. I really do have a new respect for teachers (apart from ds1's teacher who spends her whole time shouting ) and definitely don't see it as an easy career choice anymore! I would really recommend that you see if you can volunteer in a school to get an idea of what it's really about Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I have only ever taught. 25 years in total so far. Had a brief flirtation with accountancy as in I got graduate placement back in 87, then found out I was pregnant with OS hence never took it up. Best decision I ever made, but then that is me. Chemist by degree, but after 3 years uni knew I thrived on people not test tubes Lots of great advice from Pengy and others on here already. I curently have a pastoral role in an independent school but prior to this (23 years worth) I taught state sector in some good and some challenging schools. I loved my previous job (Head of Science) however I was bullied by my previous head. It has taken me a while to admit that publically really. Schools are under so much pressure to achieve and meet targets that some people will stop at nothing. To be sure you need to approach a school or two and do some observations/visits. The holidays are great, but you will have earned them well and truly. The kids can be fantastic. They will make you laugh and cry. They are incredibly loyal. I ended up tutoring my sixth form class after I had left as they had no confidence in my replacement. Equally, kids stand no ***t (am I allowed this mods? sorry if not ). most kids can see very quickly through teachers that they feel are not interested in them and enjoy running rings around those they believe to have little control. I think there is perhaps a little of that in all of us? Bottom line? I love my job, even if I do spend most nights marking ( and I have a reduced timetable!) I think teaching is a far more demanding job than when I first started in 1983(OMG!) back then we were very poorly paid - in fact I used to waitress in a local bistro 3 to 4 nights a week. Couldn't do that now and keep my head above water. Good luck with your decision. Sorry for rambling on about me so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Not a ramble at alll Ms Marple. Very useful info. How do you know how to find a school without a bullying head? I don't want to go from frying pan into fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris70 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Hi, I too am considering teaching - after being a SAHM for a while. I've research all avenues already, but need to find a school where I can volunteer in first, just to make doubly sure. I find making any decision difficult at the moment - so I think this will stay on the back burner for a while (It has been for the past 10 yearrs!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I am looking for a new direction. I love people, I love learning, I love sharing, and I'm good at public speaking. I am investigating it as a new career. Ditto! I'm a full time mum and my youngest child has just gone to school full time. I have a degree and an MA in Literature and had a successful career until I had my eldest son when I was 30. I've been toying with the idea of teaching - largely (and apologies to you teachers) because I've seen some mediocre teachers and thought i could do it better than that and also because the hours would fit in nicely I've been volunteering in my sons' school a lot lately, helping out with reading and with events and I can honestly say I don't have the right personality to be really good at it. I don't have the patience necessary to deal with children who don't understand something the third or one hundredth time it's explained and I don't understand why children don't want to sit and listen to lessons. I really do have a new respect for teachers (apart from ds1's teacher who spends her whole time shouting ) and definitely don't see it as an easy career choice anymore! I would really recommend that you see if you can volunteer in a school to get an idea of what it's really about Jo I am with Jo on this. I have done some assisting in primary school and go in to help a certain group at my children's secondary school. The studetns that I work with are amongst the brightest in their year group but I just would not be able to cope on a regular basis with the fact that they think it is perfectly acceptable to have their own conversations whilst I am trying to speak to them. To be fair, they have now learned that I will not tolerate that and this lot do now shut up. However, I think that I would completely lose my rag if I was with a less amenable group! I have the utmost respect for good teachers as a result but know that it is not something that I would be able to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I re-trained as a teaching assistant a few years ago - I think it has some of the best bits about working with children, but none of the headaches that teachers get, and great job satisfaction. Money's not great though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I sort of fell into teaching after having my family. My husband decided to retrain after leaving the RAF and then I joined him. I have been teaching for 8 years this year and have also been a Learning Manager (Old Head of Year) for the last 4 years. There are some fabulous parts to teaching eg. the student in my borderline C/D science class who found out today that she had achieved an A grade in her module GCSE exam and was visibly stunned! However, there is a lot of paperwork, marking, coursework marking, meetings etc that several others have mentioned. You also have to complete threshold applications to pass into the higher pay brackets and have a continually changing curriculum. Work/Life balance is very hard to achieve. Go and visit a few schools, many are keen to have potential teachers come in. Only you can tell if you have the personality to do the job. Good luck and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janepie33 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 I trained as a Nursery Nurse and among a host of other jobs, I have been working in a reception class ( 4 & 5 year olds) for the past 14 years. I love it! I support the teacher and I don't have the headache of the paperwork and parents evenings. I love being with the children I work with and I am sure they know that. A few weeks ago I read some quote or other from America that said something along the lines of " No child should be brought up by someone who does not think that that child is an absolute miracle". Children quickly suss out who is on their side! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
