Any teachers in?
Discussion
I know, I know.... Easiest job in the world right? Finish at 3 every day and have 13 weeks holiday. How hard can it be?
In all seriousness though, what are your thoughts. Do you enjoy it, is teaching what you thought it would be, do you make a difference?
I'm aware that teaching is hard work and kids can be very difficult. Often doing extra work after school and at home in the evening, parents evenings, extra responsibilities etc etc.
I have also heard that the ones who struggle with the workload are the people who have literally just finished school, university and then started teaching. I have experience of a job where I can be expected to do a lot of hours and work that cannot be done from the sofa with a glass of wine, I have to be there physically, so I'm no stranger to long hours and hard work.
I'm a way off this yet, but a year ago I started doing a degree alongside my job and there is quite a big shortage of secondary teachers in the subject. I'm enjoying the learning process so far and would like to be on the other side of it by helping to impart what I've learned, but I understand that this is just a thought at the moment and I will benefit from observing some classes.
I'm aware there are more lucrative ways to spend your working life, but I also don't think it's a bad screw for what's required (IMO, ask me again if I end up doing this in a few years time....) but I feel like Its something I really want to do.
In all seriousness though, what are your thoughts. Do you enjoy it, is teaching what you thought it would be, do you make a difference?
I'm aware that teaching is hard work and kids can be very difficult. Often doing extra work after school and at home in the evening, parents evenings, extra responsibilities etc etc.
I have also heard that the ones who struggle with the workload are the people who have literally just finished school, university and then started teaching. I have experience of a job where I can be expected to do a lot of hours and work that cannot be done from the sofa with a glass of wine, I have to be there physically, so I'm no stranger to long hours and hard work.
I'm a way off this yet, but a year ago I started doing a degree alongside my job and there is quite a big shortage of secondary teachers in the subject. I'm enjoying the learning process so far and would like to be on the other side of it by helping to impart what I've learned, but I understand that this is just a thought at the moment and I will benefit from observing some classes.
I'm aware there are more lucrative ways to spend your working life, but I also don't think it's a bad screw for what's required (IMO, ask me again if I end up doing this in a few years time....) but I feel like Its something I really want to do.
Not speaking from a huge amount of experience here (qualified earlier this year straight out of uni) but you've pretty much hit the nail on the head with all your points there. Be prepared for anything/everything to happen in the classroom whilst you're teaching, one lesson is never the same as the last! Patience is key as well, especially when a student asks "What are we doing Sir" immediately after you've finished explaining it 
But it definitely can be rewarding, some of my favourite moments so far have been watching the students light bulb moment as they understand a concept or example, or even them just thanking you for the lesson at the end can make you feel like all the work is worth it. Depending on where you teach and the senior leadership's preferences there will be varying levels of oversight and 'admin' you are expected to do, like how much feedback/marking/progress reports you should do for the students and how many times you are observed.
Two last things to bear in mind. The training year I found to be very hard, perhaps coming straight from university didn't help, but when you're balancing the academic work alongside learning a new profession it can get tough at times, especially if your mentor/course expect to see all the bells and whistles in your teaching. Also, Covid-19 is unfortunately (but rightly) a big factor in education currently and for who knows how long, so depending on the future you would need to be prepared for slightly different styles of lesson from usual (no pair work, no group work etc.) to accommodate social distancing as much as possible, and potentially virtual/remote teaching depending on circumstance.
Hope this helps a bit!
But it definitely can be rewarding, some of my favourite moments so far have been watching the students light bulb moment as they understand a concept or example, or even them just thanking you for the lesson at the end can make you feel like all the work is worth it. Depending on where you teach and the senior leadership's preferences there will be varying levels of oversight and 'admin' you are expected to do, like how much feedback/marking/progress reports you should do for the students and how many times you are observed.
Two last things to bear in mind. The training year I found to be very hard, perhaps coming straight from university didn't help, but when you're balancing the academic work alongside learning a new profession it can get tough at times, especially if your mentor/course expect to see all the bells and whistles in your teaching. Also, Covid-19 is unfortunately (but rightly) a big factor in education currently and for who knows how long, so depending on the future you would need to be prepared for slightly different styles of lesson from usual (no pair work, no group work etc.) to accommodate social distancing as much as possible, and potentially virtual/remote teaching depending on circumstance.
Hope this helps a bit!
I did if for two years at an FE college from 2008-2010. I was 36 when I started.
It is the hardest and most stressful job I've ever done and I would never go back to it. I was kicked in the deep end and, with no experience, and had to give lessons and design courses pretty much from scratch. I was probably doing well north of 60 hours per week. The only day off I had was Saturday.
I gave it my best shot, but it was totally unsustainable and I would without doubt have burnt out if I hadn't left.
When I left on my last day, the knot I had in my stomach for two years released.
On the plus side, I had a great relationship with the vast majority of my students and it's been great to see them go on and be successful. I'm still friends with a few of them on Facebook.
But I'd never do it again.
It is the hardest and most stressful job I've ever done and I would never go back to it. I was kicked in the deep end and, with no experience, and had to give lessons and design courses pretty much from scratch. I was probably doing well north of 60 hours per week. The only day off I had was Saturday.
I gave it my best shot, but it was totally unsustainable and I would without doubt have burnt out if I hadn't left.
When I left on my last day, the knot I had in my stomach for two years released.
On the plus side, I had a great relationship with the vast majority of my students and it's been great to see them go on and be successful. I'm still friends with a few of them on Facebook.
But I'd never do it again.
I've been teaching for nearly 15 years and worked in other areas before I became a teacher.
My first school was an inner city school in a deprived area. I taught there for three years before I "escaped" and now work in a good school in a rural area. I would not still be a teacher if I hadn't moved school.
The work load and pressure from the management team can be insane and is unsustainable. The only way I and other more senior/older teachers survive is by working out which work is essential or worthwhile and then ignoring the rest. This is the only way to avoid burn out but it does leave you open to the anxiety of being found out. I regularly see young, conscientious NQT's work themselves into a hole and then leave. There is a reason why teacher retention is so poor. Some people can relate to kids, some never get it and struggle.
A lot can depend on the dept. you work in, mine is really good and supportive. We have very low staff turnover and are all realistic about the workload.
Teaching impacts on your personal life like nothing else. I work every evening mon to fri and on Sunday afternoon. I will be cutting this back as it impacts too much on my time with my own kids. However, I put myself at risk of being placed on special measures if I get caught not doing everything that our management expects. It helps that my exam results are usually above average, and better than my head of dept.
However the rewards can make all this worthwhile. Working with kids can be fantastic and frustrating. Some years you get a fantastic time table with good classes, which aren't always the most academic ones, and some years you don't get a break. School behaviour and back up from senior management is key. I think it takes about 3 years to get "known" in a school, where you can walk into a room and know the majority of students, this makes life a lot easier.
If you are thinking of working in a practical subject, like DT or science then go for it. I would not work in English, humanities, MFL etc.
Before you start teacher training you would be expected to spend time in a school to get the general idea. Get in contact with your local school and arrange to go in to observe, they should be used to this. Remember, if you observe in a good school your first job will probably be in a more challenging school as they tend to need more staff.
If you have any direct questions please ask. I'm a third generation teacher, my wife, brother and sister-in-law are all teachers. Between us we've seen most things.
My first school was an inner city school in a deprived area. I taught there for three years before I "escaped" and now work in a good school in a rural area. I would not still be a teacher if I hadn't moved school.
The work load and pressure from the management team can be insane and is unsustainable. The only way I and other more senior/older teachers survive is by working out which work is essential or worthwhile and then ignoring the rest. This is the only way to avoid burn out but it does leave you open to the anxiety of being found out. I regularly see young, conscientious NQT's work themselves into a hole and then leave. There is a reason why teacher retention is so poor. Some people can relate to kids, some never get it and struggle.
A lot can depend on the dept. you work in, mine is really good and supportive. We have very low staff turnover and are all realistic about the workload.
Teaching impacts on your personal life like nothing else. I work every evening mon to fri and on Sunday afternoon. I will be cutting this back as it impacts too much on my time with my own kids. However, I put myself at risk of being placed on special measures if I get caught not doing everything that our management expects. It helps that my exam results are usually above average, and better than my head of dept.
However the rewards can make all this worthwhile. Working with kids can be fantastic and frustrating. Some years you get a fantastic time table with good classes, which aren't always the most academic ones, and some years you don't get a break. School behaviour and back up from senior management is key. I think it takes about 3 years to get "known" in a school, where you can walk into a room and know the majority of students, this makes life a lot easier.
If you are thinking of working in a practical subject, like DT or science then go for it. I would not work in English, humanities, MFL etc.
Before you start teacher training you would be expected to spend time in a school to get the general idea. Get in contact with your local school and arrange to go in to observe, they should be used to this. Remember, if you observe in a good school your first job will probably be in a more challenging school as they tend to need more staff.
If you have any direct questions please ask. I'm a third generation teacher, my wife, brother and sister-in-law are all teachers. Between us we've seen most things.
BigMon said:
I did if for two years at an FE college from 2008-2010. I was 36 when I started.
It is the hardest and most stressful job I've ever done and I would never go back to it. I was kicked in the deep end and, with no experience, and had to give lessons and design courses pretty much from scratch.
This is pretty much me, but I started in March this year as an engineering tutor.It is the hardest and most stressful job I've ever done and I would never go back to it. I was kicked in the deep end and, with no experience, and had to give lessons and design courses pretty much from scratch.
It’s hard work especially as I’m doing a teaching qualification on the job. However I’m enjoying it. I’ve worked in design/engineering for 12 years or so, and been self employed for 3, but, I’ve no desire to go back to them! I still feel like a square peg in a round hole but once I’ve got the content for the year sorted it should become a bit easier.
ADogg said:
This is pretty much me, but I started in March this year as an engineering tutor.
It’s hard work especially as I’m doing a teaching qualification on the job. However I’m enjoying it. I’ve worked in design/engineering for 12 years or so, and been self employed for 3, but, I’ve no desire to go back to them! I still feel like a square peg in a round hole but once I’ve got the content for the year sorted it should become a bit easier.
The second year was defintely easier (though not that much) but the main problem was my heart just wasn't in it and I knew that almost immediately. It just took me two years to get out!It’s hard work especially as I’m doing a teaching qualification on the job. However I’m enjoying it. I’ve worked in design/engineering for 12 years or so, and been self employed for 3, but, I’ve no desire to go back to them! I still feel like a square peg in a round hole but once I’ve got the content for the year sorted it should become a bit easier.
I did PTTLS and became a qualified assessor and, if I'd stayed, would have done DTTLS.
It probably didn't help that my closest colleague there was an 'old sweat' who really told it as it is. He'd been in the Merchant Navy for ten years, then did the rest of his career in the FE college teaching electronics then ICT.
He was a fantastic teacher and won a very high level lifetime award from Pearson, but he pulled no punches and told me exactly what it was like so I knew I had to get out.
It really is a vocation and, if you really want to do it, you'll put up with all the crap because of the love of the job. Good luck!
Hey,
Primary school teacher here, 6 years in.
To be honest, a lot of teachers I’ve met / worked with seem to love being a martyr. They do work for doing works sake. I have one colleague who will always answer ‘did you have a nice weekend?’ With ‘what weekend, I worked 12 hours each day’. I find it bizarre and can’t fathom what on Earth she is doing.
There are times when the workload is demanding (reports, lesson observations, parents evening) but there are also times when I’m being paid to play rounders or make hedgehogs out of leaves.
The job is wonderful, I love the kids and believe that I have had a positive impact on all of them kids I’ve taught.
The holidays are fantastic. The pay is decent enough (£37k p/a).
The key to being successful is to avoid the bulls
t, learn how to play the game and remember the ‘why’ you are doing it.
Oh, the training year and newly qualified year are genuinely tough but it does get easier!
Primary school teacher here, 6 years in.
To be honest, a lot of teachers I’ve met / worked with seem to love being a martyr. They do work for doing works sake. I have one colleague who will always answer ‘did you have a nice weekend?’ With ‘what weekend, I worked 12 hours each day’. I find it bizarre and can’t fathom what on Earth she is doing.
There are times when the workload is demanding (reports, lesson observations, parents evening) but there are also times when I’m being paid to play rounders or make hedgehogs out of leaves.
The job is wonderful, I love the kids and believe that I have had a positive impact on all of them kids I’ve taught.
The holidays are fantastic. The pay is decent enough (£37k p/a).
The key to being successful is to avoid the bulls
t, learn how to play the game and remember the ‘why’ you are doing it. Oh, the training year and newly qualified year are genuinely tough but it does get easier!
A few friends in the higher education. I would say stay away, its not worth it. Massive issues like being burnt out, stress and career progression. I've visited one of them a few years ago, as a visitor lecturer to give a presentation about my work (mostly computation). I've assumed the students would be interested in the subject, as being young, but it was a total waste of time really, and the attitudes some of them had was shocking. Hats off to all teachers out there all I can say.. 
Quick CV - 10 years in various HR and IT project roles round the UK after leaving uni, then 11 years as a computer science and business teacher and managed to get onto the senior leadership team. I taught at a secondary school in one of the most income deprived areas of the UK therefore huge behavioural issues within a very non supporting community...
...and now I'm back to being a project facilitator but this time within the public sector.
The role depends massively on your energy levels and the head teacher. The head makes it either a good school to work at or a toxic one. I've seen both in the same school.
It also depends on the type of school you want to work at as different schools have different pressures. When I started the pressure was just to get through an hour without a fight breaking out. As we moved into being the top performing school in our area and OFSTED loved us, then the pressure was purely about being an exam machine. Results, results, results. Often at the expense of the pastoral side.
If you've got high energy and a great head teacher as I mostly did, then it's hugely rewarding. The hours are initially long, but with experience you do less and less planning and figure out ways to give useful feedback/marking rather than writing paragraphs the kids won't read. You're on it all day with no real let up until 4/5pm...it can be an emotionally draining job if you're at the rough end of the scale.
If you've got an attitude of 'pupils should automatically respect teachers' then don't bother.
If you believe that all pupils deserve a fair chance to improve their lives and they are a product of their environment (they aren't born evil) and have an adaptable attitude to human behaviour while trying to get them to understand binary addition, then go for it.
It can be the most rewarding job if your heart's in it, but you don't survive in a school like my old one going in half arsed or with any kind of superiority complex. Never forget they are just kids and don't take anything personally. (If you go to a Grammar school things are different'ish)
I'd had enough after ten year...my energy was sapped and I didn't want to become one of those teachers that's waiting it out (I've still 20 odds before retiring so it would have killed me!)
When the hours are long around assessment, exams, coursework submission then you need to be disciplined and focussed. You can't wing it in other words. I sit here feeling guilty as my Mrs is still a teacher and started marking coursework at 10am, won't finish before 6. And that's with her working four out of the five days off. Half-terms are usually write-offs, the longer holidays you do get most of. except if your school does Saturday school and/or holiday school e.g. Easter holiday school. Summer is good until the results day in which you spend the prior week worrying about it.
You're first sentence is telling because it's a stereotype perpetuated that isn't true...neither is the idea that all teachers are lefty propaganda machines. They're not, they don't have time to think about that stuff never mind squeeze it into a lesson plan.
I'm back to having a "real"
job which means I've a window of time I need to be in the office (at home), I can take the dog for a walk, drop the girls off at school, make a pot of coffee before I fire up the laptop. I stop at five and don't think about it once I close the laptop. My evening and weekends are my own and I can take a piss whenever I want.
I've taken a big pay cut and don't have as many holidays obviously, but it's been the right choice for me.
The job is very different to anything I've done previously. There's a lot I miss like the banter with the older kids, the awesome moment when you hear "Oh I get it!" and feeling like I'm contributing to greater good. There's a lot I don't miss...my time being my time being the biggest.
If you've any specific questions I'll be happy to answer them as best I can. There are some really good teachers on here so hopefully they will chip in as well.
...and now I'm back to being a project facilitator but this time within the public sector.
The role depends massively on your energy levels and the head teacher. The head makes it either a good school to work at or a toxic one. I've seen both in the same school.
It also depends on the type of school you want to work at as different schools have different pressures. When I started the pressure was just to get through an hour without a fight breaking out. As we moved into being the top performing school in our area and OFSTED loved us, then the pressure was purely about being an exam machine. Results, results, results. Often at the expense of the pastoral side.
If you've got high energy and a great head teacher as I mostly did, then it's hugely rewarding. The hours are initially long, but with experience you do less and less planning and figure out ways to give useful feedback/marking rather than writing paragraphs the kids won't read. You're on it all day with no real let up until 4/5pm...it can be an emotionally draining job if you're at the rough end of the scale.
If you've got an attitude of 'pupils should automatically respect teachers' then don't bother.
If you believe that all pupils deserve a fair chance to improve their lives and they are a product of their environment (they aren't born evil) and have an adaptable attitude to human behaviour while trying to get them to understand binary addition, then go for it.
It can be the most rewarding job if your heart's in it, but you don't survive in a school like my old one going in half arsed or with any kind of superiority complex. Never forget they are just kids and don't take anything personally. (If you go to a Grammar school things are different'ish)
I'd had enough after ten year...my energy was sapped and I didn't want to become one of those teachers that's waiting it out (I've still 20 odds before retiring so it would have killed me!)
When the hours are long around assessment, exams, coursework submission then you need to be disciplined and focussed. You can't wing it in other words. I sit here feeling guilty as my Mrs is still a teacher and started marking coursework at 10am, won't finish before 6. And that's with her working four out of the five days off. Half-terms are usually write-offs, the longer holidays you do get most of. except if your school does Saturday school and/or holiday school e.g. Easter holiday school. Summer is good until the results day in which you spend the prior week worrying about it.
You're first sentence is telling because it's a stereotype perpetuated that isn't true...neither is the idea that all teachers are lefty propaganda machines. They're not, they don't have time to think about that stuff never mind squeeze it into a lesson plan.
I'm back to having a "real"
job which means I've a window of time I need to be in the office (at home), I can take the dog for a walk, drop the girls off at school, make a pot of coffee before I fire up the laptop. I stop at five and don't think about it once I close the laptop. My evening and weekends are my own and I can take a piss whenever I want.I've taken a big pay cut and don't have as many holidays obviously, but it's been the right choice for me.
The job is very different to anything I've done previously. There's a lot I miss like the banter with the older kids, the awesome moment when you hear "Oh I get it!" and feeling like I'm contributing to greater good. There's a lot I don't miss...my time being my time being the biggest.
If you've any specific questions I'll be happy to answer them as best I can. There are some really good teachers on here so hopefully they will chip in as well.
Another viewpoint if you like.
I am married to a teacher, so I have no working experience to offer, however...
International teaching is very different from anything you will encounter in a UK comprehensive.
My wife is head of Humanities in an International school in Singapore.
Pay will vary depending on experience, but we have a great Expat package including; Close to double UK average pay, £25K housing allowance, family health insurance, free places for 2 children, (worth 20k each) paid flight home once per year and 8% tax rate.
Students come from good homes where parents have good jobs and generally want to learn, get good grades, go to Uni and get a well paid job.
This will not be an option straight after qualification, but a few years hard work could lead to an amazing career pretty much anywhere in the world.
Oh and not to forget 13 full weeks plus 8 additional days holiday.
I am married to a teacher, so I have no working experience to offer, however...
International teaching is very different from anything you will encounter in a UK comprehensive.
My wife is head of Humanities in an International school in Singapore.
Pay will vary depending on experience, but we have a great Expat package including; Close to double UK average pay, £25K housing allowance, family health insurance, free places for 2 children, (worth 20k each) paid flight home once per year and 8% tax rate.
Students come from good homes where parents have good jobs and generally want to learn, get good grades, go to Uni and get a well paid job.
This will not be an option straight after qualification, but a few years hard work could lead to an amazing career pretty much anywhere in the world.
Oh and not to forget 13 full weeks plus 8 additional days holiday.
ARFBY said:
My wife is head of Humanities in an International school in Singapore.
Pay will vary depending on experience, but we have a great Expat package including; Close to double UK average pay, £25K housing allowance, family health insurance, free places for 2 children, (worth 20k each) paid flight home once per year and 8% tax rate.
That's fantastic. On a different topic today here, we were discussing the horrible pay and obvious tax issues/burdens in U.K. I mentioned that there is no incentive to stay in U.K. for good talents;Pay will vary depending on experience, but we have a great Expat package including; Close to double UK average pay, £25K housing allowance, family health insurance, free places for 2 children, (worth 20k each) paid flight home once per year and 8% tax rate.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Lady Balfour was a primary school teacher in an independent school until recently.
It was hard work.
Forget the "easy job, 13 weeks holiday" stuff, she was leaving home at 07:30 and working until midnight most nights. Plus a good part of the weekend. The last few weeks of summer holiday were often interrupted with school meetings, dressing the classroom and doing prep work.
She also had to do a lot of evening stuff without pay.
I teach Primary in a pretty deprived area, been a qualified teacher for over 25 years.
I do appreciate the creativity it allows me when developing lessons, although I imagine this would be different in a Secondary position. I don’t appreciate pointless paperwork and some of the behaviour I’m expected to tolerate. I guess it depends where you work but the behaviour of some is appalling and it really impacts the learning of others.
What keeps me going is being part-time and I totally applaud my colleagues who are there full-time, there’s no way I could do it.
A few younger relations asked my opinion before they applied for teacher training. I told them to maybe rethink their options. They went ahead anyway.
None of them lasted longer than 2 years in the profession.
I would advise getting some experience in a school before you decide. Although with Covid precautions this isn’t as easy as it used to be!
In fact Covid gave me a chance to really think where I want to be in 5 years time. It certainly isn’t in a classroom! I have my “get out” strategy planned but don’t tell anyone.
I do appreciate the creativity it allows me when developing lessons, although I imagine this would be different in a Secondary position. I don’t appreciate pointless paperwork and some of the behaviour I’m expected to tolerate. I guess it depends where you work but the behaviour of some is appalling and it really impacts the learning of others.
What keeps me going is being part-time and I totally applaud my colleagues who are there full-time, there’s no way I could do it.
A few younger relations asked my opinion before they applied for teacher training. I told them to maybe rethink their options. They went ahead anyway.
None of them lasted longer than 2 years in the profession.I would advise getting some experience in a school before you decide. Although with Covid precautions this isn’t as easy as it used to be!
In fact Covid gave me a chance to really think where I want to be in 5 years time. It certainly isn’t in a classroom! I have my “get out” strategy planned but don’t tell anyone.
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