Teachers

I've been looking into the possibility of a career change and getting into teaching. But I want to speak to people in the job and see if its something they recommend, as I hear mixed views.

I'd be looking to do Primary School teaching if I did. So if anyone in the profession (but especially Primary) would like to share their thoughts with me on this thread or via pm if you prefer, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

My niece is a primary school Deputy Head after starting as a teacher and working her way up. She absolutely loves the job.

My sister has just retired after spending her entire working life as a primary school head teacher, she loved it.

UTM

Thanks guys.

The only concern I've got really is how much it would take over my life. People have said it takes up all their evenings and one day at the weekend, doing work required for the job. And even if the job is good, I wouldn't want it to stop me doing my football coaching (which is what's lead me to thinking of becoming a teacher), or having a personal life too.

I gave up a pretty good career to retrain as a teacher 5 years ago.  I'd always wanted to teach but had previously taken the corporate dollar to pay off my student debts.

I absolutely loved it but I also found it incredibly challenging.  I was working 16-18 hours a day during my PGCE and really struggled getting through to the lower ability kids.  In the end, I realised that I'd always be the teacher the kids didn't want to have.  I have the utmost respect for people who can take difficult concepts and explain them in interesting ways.  Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like my brain is wired that way.  

However, despite the challenges and the fact that I was utter garbage at teaching myself, it was the most rewarding thing I have ever done.  I'd say go for it.  Even if you don't ultimately make it, you'll have learnt a huge amount about yourself and developed some really useful skills that will help with your coaching.  Plus you'll have the genuine pleasure of seeing a kid having that light bulb moment where they finally "get" something.  That is worth all the hard work.

From teachers I know its a  lot of paper work ,targets ,assessment and it is a pressurised job now(high rate of stress problems ).Having said that primary is probably easier than secondary teaching for obvious factors.

My uncle is a primary school teacher over in Hessle and he said similar to what Rick says above... very stressful at times and basically he doesn't have a life due to marking and planning etc etc, he does like teaching and been a teacher for 30 years now but he is very much looking forward to retiring from teaching in 2 years time.

I know my Uncle is very precise in everything he does though so maybe he puts more work in than he maybe needs to though, i would go for it though tommy and good luck if you do.

A mate of mine is just finishing his first year as a primary school teacher and he loves it. He got into it through enjoying coaching as well.

My granddaughter is a Primary School Teacher,

It is not a 9 to 4 job though,

She has to get into school early and if she does not stay at school after lessons,

She is doing work at home,

So if you enjoy hard work and long hours, go for it mate,

On the plus side, you will get more holidays but even then you will be working part of them.

My wife has just finished her NQT year at our local primary (Yr 5 class) and (even after having worked in schools for the past decade, first as a TA and then as an HLTA) her opinion is that nothing could have prepared her for the work load she's had

She has been used to teaching already (as the HLTA) for the past 4-5 years and whilst she had planning to do, nothing on the scale that she had to take on once she took charge of her own class

I've seen her leaving at 7-00 in the morning to get in and have everything in place before the kids arrive and then coming home after 6-00 in the evening, to grab a bite to eat and then start on more planning and marking

Don't get me wrong....she loves the kids and they seem to have loved her being their teacher but the extra hours put in for 35 weeks or so term time are imho not being compensated for with their "long holidays"

A few years back I considered a change to teaching too but never got round to it...having seen what my wife's gone through I don't think I'd have lasted the pace

Seems to me that it's a personal choice that no-one can say would suit until you try it...

Good luck if you do give it a go Tommy because as everyone usually admits, it's really rewarding but on the other hand it has more or less has taken over my wife's life