is teaching right for me?
Hi I'm currently a uni student (studying international relations) looking for a future career, and teaching really stands out to me.
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
Reply 1
Teaching is very hard work. you have to plan all your lessons, set work, mark work, attend staff meetings and that's just the basics, i know it sounds nice having weekends and holidays off but a large part of that will be spent planning/ working for the following term. My Mum was a teacher for years, when i was little my Dad used take me and my brother out at the weekend so Mum could get her work done, sometimes she would take us to school in the holidays to take down and redo displays or clear out her cupboard, she did get some time off to spend with her family, but she worked her socks off, i also noticed as i got older that she struggled to not get too invested in her kids, the ones who were poor or dirty or hungry or SEN tugged at her heartstrings. You need a long fuse and a kind demeanour but also be a disciplinarian and authoritative and somewhat detached. I really believe kids are becoming more disruptive and resistant to authority, are you prepared for that? Parents will get at you for not challenging or overchallenging their little darlings, they will ask you how you could possibly teach them this or that or if you a even teaching them at all, why they aren't the centre of attention as if there aren't 20 other kids in your class cos their child is gods gift. Lastly there is the politics of the workplace, this was the straw that broke the camels back for my Mum, a new teacher came in and picked on everything my Mother did, accused her of teaching the wrong things, said she couldn't control her class etc. She left and became a housewife and was so much happier, looked ten years younger within weeks and totally focused on her own children. I can not tell you the amount of teachers i have heard of who had nervous breakdowns because they couldn't stand the workload.
If that hasn't sacred you off, its a very rewarding job. Good luck.
If that hasn't sacred you off, its a very rewarding job. Good luck.
(edited 12 months ago)
Reply 2
18
Original post
by AnonymousHi I'm currently a uni student (studying international relations) looking for a future career, and teaching really stands out to me.
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
For what it is worth, I would say hold off for a bit. I am not saying don't be a teacher, just don't be a teacher yet. You have a lot of career to get through and the only experience of life you currently have is school and education. The idea of going back to school seems bizarre to me and certainly doesn't put you in a very good position when it comes to advising your students about life outside of school.
Go and enjoy yourself. Go travel. Try different jobs. Even start a career in something. Do a 9-5 job and know you don't like it despite the excellent pay. Then, when you have got that all off your system, you can go into teaching knowing the grass is not greener on the other side as a fact.
Good luck!
Reply 3
Original post
by AnonymousHi I'm currently a uni student (studying international relations) looking for a future career, and teaching really stands out to me.
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
I took a gap year and taught children English abroad and loved it. Since then, I have loved the idea of teaching in the future. I love the idea of being able to create my own lessons and working in a people-focused job. I also love the idea of working in a team alongside the other staff and having a community with my colleagues. Teaching also gives me the option to work abroad, which has been a dream of mine. Plus the holidays are good for me as I enjoy travelling, and love to work incredibly hard for short periods, with time off to look forward to, similarly to being a student at school (as opposed to an office job where there is often a mostly-steady 9-5 workload). I am sure that I do not want an office job in the future, so I'm only interested in careers that avoid that.
However, I do have worries about a few things. Firstly, most teachers or student teachers online say it is incredibly hard work being a teacher, that's why so many leave the profession. I do not want to study for something and have a career plan only for it to be disrupted by the difficulty of it. Secondly, behaviour in schools. I would prefer to teach in a secondary school age-group, or KS2. However, I have seen myself and heard that behaviour is very bad. I do not want to go into a job to be shouted at by students or even parents for doing my job. I have looked into private school jobs which seem a lot better for me, but I think they would prefer if I got a subject-specific masters? As I would be teaching a different subject from my current degree and they obviously want to employ the most qualified of teachers. This is definitely an option, but I'm wondering if you can do a Primary PGCE with a focus on KS2, as I can't see myself teaching children under 8 years old unfortunately.
Just looking for some advice on if teaching is a good career for me. Or if there are any other jobs (albeit with a decent mid-career salary) that would suit me?
Teaching is hard work but very enjoyable too. I teach Maths in a state Secondary school - if you are looking at KS2 then please do work in the state system
You can do a PGCE for KS2 but far more unis offer 5 to 11. You can express a preference in a school and some people prefer younger children.
Good luck!
Reply 4
Hello!
I recently graduated from a BA Primary Education with QTS course, and while it has a different structure than PGCEs, covers the same overall content and career path.
I personally loved it, and am definitely with you in preferring KS2! Some universities may allow a specialisation, it would just require you to look into each individual course and uni. Even if you think/know you prefer KS2 now, there are definitely benefits to having a PGCE placement outside of this, as sometimes it can completely change your mind, or give you really beneficial experience and knowledge of curriculum progression. When you are applying for jobs, you can definitely be picky about the age phase you want to work in.
It is a hard job, however this can be very dependent on schools - some schools have policies and schemes which reduce overall workload and help with teacher wellbeing. Again something to keep an eye out for when choosing schools to apply to! I'd recommend trying to get into schools/working with children prior to the course, as this might help you make a decision - teaching assistant roles, volunteering or holiday camps can work quite well for this!
If you have any more questions, feel free to get in touch!
Beth
I recently graduated from a BA Primary Education with QTS course, and while it has a different structure than PGCEs, covers the same overall content and career path.
I personally loved it, and am definitely with you in preferring KS2! Some universities may allow a specialisation, it would just require you to look into each individual course and uni. Even if you think/know you prefer KS2 now, there are definitely benefits to having a PGCE placement outside of this, as sometimes it can completely change your mind, or give you really beneficial experience and knowledge of curriculum progression. When you are applying for jobs, you can definitely be picky about the age phase you want to work in.
It is a hard job, however this can be very dependent on schools - some schools have policies and schemes which reduce overall workload and help with teacher wellbeing. Again something to keep an eye out for when choosing schools to apply to! I'd recommend trying to get into schools/working with children prior to the course, as this might help you make a decision - teaching assistant roles, volunteering or holiday camps can work quite well for this!
If you have any more questions, feel free to get in touch!
Beth
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