Career-changers; what inspired you to get into teaching?

username196545

You're obviously aware that you may have a pay-cut, and you will need to spend time retraining.

What was it that inspired you to get into teaching?

I'm doing a presentation on getting into teaching for career-changers (and people with science PhDs), so any insight you can offer will be fantastic!

Thanks!

Reply 1

Findlay6

I was a manager for a range of Tesco Express stores in my area - one of the only managers in the area with 2 degrees. Often when people knew this they would think I was crazy for working in retail. I had volunteered and worked in other jobs in my field alongside this role too.

It took me a while to realise that although I was good at my job, I was never going to be promoted because I didn't know the 'right people' regardless of knowing the 'right stuff'. I knew this wasn't going to be a career for life but was unsure of what I could do.

One thing I really enjoyed was training new starters, from teaching them skills, creating resources to help them, sharing info. with them, helping them improve and seeing how they progress over the 12 week induction. They settled in well because of my training and support and many of them soon progressed through the company.

The job was taking it's toll, I decided to take some time off to think about my life and decided to give teaching a shot. Unexpectedly left my job, which had mixed reactions, applied for a cover teacher role and I'm really enjoying it. Looking forward to September.

Reply 2

VelmaStaplebot

I worked for Boots as a pharmacist for 28 years, spending the last 15 years in support roles at Boots Head Office (about an hour from where I live). For most of that time I was in learning and development including part-time teaching pharmacy undergraduates.
With two primary school aged children I felt it was time to look for work closer to home that was more community focussed. I did look for part-time work as a pharmacist a few years back but couldn't find a post that fitted in with childcare. Also, as a school governor and Scout leader in the last few years, I've realised that I enjoy working with children more than the 'day job'.

So a culmination of circumstance, a desire for a career change, the bursary, support for SKE and realising that I enjoy the 'teaching' parts of my pharmacy role rather than the 'pharmacy' parts of my role have led me to this point - currently doing SKE chemistry and starting ITT in Sept. The getintoteaching website and premium plus advisor were enormously helpful.

Bubbles - I'm curious - are you a teacher? And how did you get in education?

Reply 3

Robinsong

I currently run my own business as a graphic designer and illustrator.

In my teens I had wanted to be a Primary School teacher and I did my work experience in a Primary School. However, I had always been very arty, and because I was told I had a talent I then felt becoming a Primary School Teacher was somehow wasting that talent. I ended up in Art School and got a degree in Graphics.

Turned out that following the art path was a waste of time for me and I ended up in retail for years. I eventually set up my own business from home but it has not been easy to make money from. I had toyed with the idea of following the teacher path over the years, but as I now had a young family it wasn't possible. However, I decided once they were all at school I would absolutely go for it.

At the start of the 2015/16 school year I asked if I could volunteer 3 days a week at a local primary school to get some more up to date experience. I have absolutely loved every second of it and will be devastated to leave in July. My youngest starts school in August and I start my PGCE course in September at the grand old age of 36.

I have also come to realise that there aren't many jobs more creative than primary teaching, so I was wrong to think it wasn't the right career path for my artistic side. I do think, however, that waiting until now has been the absolute best decision for me as life experience, becoming a mother and having a child with SEN has put me in a much better position for teacher training than I would have been in my early twenties.

Reply 4

username196545

Original post by VelmaStaplebot

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. Yes I am, secondary English about to finish my second year. I did Teach First, but it was my first 'proper' job so I wasn't a career changer as such.

Reply 5

VelmaStaplebot

Thanks,
Good luck with your presentation.
Velma

Reply 6

maaash

I always wanted to do something with the fact I grew up in France. Through my teens and my degree, I always made sure to go through French qualifications and always had teaching French in mind for my career. In the last half of my degree though, I thought I wanted to go work in International Trade (Import/Export). I enjoyed it for a while but have found that there were always French people around me (I have an english surname) that tended to get assigned the work that involved the most French. I was unhappy about this as I wanted to use my French and had worked hard to ensure I would be able to get a job that involved speaking French.

Then, in the last year, I started coaching a sport and really really enjoyed it. I loved seeing people getting better day by day because of my help and guidance. It kind of gave me the kick up the bum to go and decide to do what I'd always wanted to do. The bursary this year also really helped as I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise ( I plan to save some money to compensate for the initial paycut).

Hope your presentation goes well!

Reply 7

sengupta

I was already a teacher but teaching in face to face class. As I shifted from one city to other I always wanted to do something so that my work base and access to the students remain the same. That is when I thought of teaching online. After all these years I feel I have found my vocation . Thanks to virtual classrooms (WizIQ.com) and few simple tools, now I enjoy teaching online as much as I did in real brick and mortar classes.