Hi there,
I can empathise with you fully. I went from being an engineering recruiter earning close to 6figs, to leaving to become a teacher.
As with any job, the ‘teaching’ part or the ‘recruiting’ part or the ‘engineering’ part is not the whole picture. You have to consider the other roles of a teacher. Are you going to enjoy planning lessons, marking books, dealing with parents?
In terms of salary, it was a no brainier for me. I was miserable. Doesn’t matter if I can afford a nice bottle of wine and do my shopping at Waitrose, I knew I’d be miserable if I stayed in the corporate world.
Teaching is VERY supportive. Your boss and colleagues are all rooting for you, and helping you. I never had that in corporate, where everyone was looking to scape-goat each other and blow out your candles.
I would also disagree with your comment about teachers being disrespected. They are, but only by ignorant folk, who probably don’t have the adequate GCSEs to enter the professional and are frankly, jealous.
New generation teachers, young ones basically, are highly intelligent, professional, no-nonesense people, like you and I. They have met much more stringent standards than teachers of 40 years ago, and that is very obvious when you meet them. I have really enjoyed working with my colleagues, and I have been very impressed by them all. They put the corporate world and older gen to shame.
You’ll make like-minded friends in no time, lots of whom were studious types also picked on at school. Plus you’ll have a secure job with 13 weeks holiday a year. ‘Who’s laughing now high-school bullies!’
Also, the teachers in my school arrive at 8:30 and leave at 4pm latest. The school is a ghost town after that. And that’s a huge secondary comprehensive, (ofsted outstanding). Don’t listen to rumours started by disgruntled teachers who were ineffective at planning and took on more than they were ever required to. Schools are very careful to avoid union action, and they don’t force you to work long hours. There’s been a lot of change in teaching, and that hasn’t suited a lot of the older gen IMO.
So, in a nutshell, I would say you're onto a winner with teaching. Go for it girl!
Sounds to me like you’re fully aware and realistic about the pitfalls of teaching, but you have also realised the immense benefits, and I think your mind is made up. Welcome to teaching! You’re gunna love it!