Unsure I can see my future in teaching

[JeS10]

I've been in teaching for a total of 6 years. I had always wanted to do it, so it wasn't just something I fell into by default of my being useless elsewhere. I had the grades to do something 'more' but I was convinced teaching was my calling. And it is, or at least, it was.

I started at 22. I'm now 28. I've went from the basic salary of 21k as a Probationer to now earning £46k in a promoted position. I've obtained my Masters degree in Education and Leadership and I'm now doing a Doctorate on-the-side. Yet despite all this, I'm just losing the will. I work in one of the most deprived areas in the country and every day there's another welfare or child protection issue (that's the side of things I deal with) and it's just not what I see for myself.

My frustration is that I just can't see myself being considered for a role anywhere else, doing anything else. I've made my box and I now need to live in it. So I'm wanting to seek the collective guidance of people that likely don't hold the biased views of my education colleagues. Is there life beyond this box? Is it unreasonable to feel that my ambitions are beyond this? Or is it just a 'grass is always greener' scenario?

[JeS10]

rog007 said:

Advice

Yes, much as I thought but good to see it written down. I've considered a few of those avenues already. I have some involvement with Initial Teacher Education through a University but it's not a formal position. I've never considered some of the other sectors though. To be clear, my natural (and at the moment, default) progression will be to Depute Headteacher and then to Headteacher. My concern is whether I want to do that.

I've considered Private/Public schools but as a mere working-class peasant I don't think they'd be able to look past a) my accent b) that I currently work in a school about as far from the Private sector as possible.

rog007 said:

learning & development role

I would be very interested to know more about this. It's the one area you mention that I've never considered/really heard of.

popegregory said:

How on Earth have you got to £46k within six years and where have you got the term “probationer” from?!

In Scotland teachers are called 'Probationers' upon completion of their Initial Teacher Education (BEd or PGDE). They work on 'Probation' for a year at a reduced timetable and £21.5k. If they pass their Probation period they can then go on to apply for full-time vacancies. I'm ambitious, worked hard, and put my job before everything else (except family) no secrets really...

[JeS10]

sas62 said:

Would it be too late to look for a graduate scheme?

The jump down from £46k to £20k-something would be too great a leap now. Otherwise I'm sure graduate schemes would've offered me the sort of variety of choice I'm looking for.

MentalSarcasm said:

Do you actually get to do much teaching, or is it mainly paperwork and meetings regarding pupils and safety? I'm just asking as you mention becoming a headteacher no longer seems like a great option, would that be because you actively enjoy the teaching element and would rather have more time for that?

At the very least I'd suggest you try moving to a different school. It's easy to become disillusioned in a job when the place you're in is problematic, sometimes moving to do the same or similar job in a different environment is the change you really need.

My job is really meant to be about 20% teaching and the rest being responsible for the care and welfare of the pupils - attending multi-agency meetings and Children's Reporter hearings etc. Unfortunately, far too much of my time is taken up teaching classes, which I once enjoyed but now resent as it's getting in the way of making sure I can get all of the legal side of things done to the highest standard. What makes this worse is many of the classes I 'teach', I'm just baby-sitting as they're often classes that merely occupy a timetable slot for young folk that struggle to 'self-regulate their behaviour'.

I've found it difficult to have constructive conversations about this because it usually comes across as just another teacher moaning about pay and conditions.

Cooper2 said:

Have you actually apply for a position in a private school? I am pretty sure with your experience you shouldn’t have issues obtaining a decent position. I usually feel the same at the start of every academic year but the feeling goes away as teaching starts.

I interviewed for two very prestigious ones two years ago. I was successful with one and unsuccessful with the other. I only turned it down because my current employer offered me a pay increase and additional responsibilities that I needed on my CV to get a promotion. That turned out to be good in the sense that it allowed me to achieve that goal, but yes I often wonder how much more pleasant life would be had I opted to just stick as a classroom teacher in the rather nice private school.

v15ben said:

You are basically me.
TL;DR - I'm also a 6th year teacher, also unsure if I can see a long term future in teaching. Have you considered teaching abroad? Ignore your private school bias, it might be a good option.

I'm married with a 2 year old child and have only recently bought a house we're happy with, so I'm not convinced I could make that move now. I considered it in the past though!