Going into Teacher from Well Paid Job

Matty0682

Hi All,

I wanted to post asking advise whether anyone has found a new career in secondary teaching, and whether it turned out being good decision.

Here is a little (or maybe a lot) of info about myself....I moved to London from Wales with my g/f 5 years ago. I qualified as an accountant and am now earning very decent salary, albeit long hours (50+ per week) for an I.Bank. I thought working long days would be the norm for the rest of my career, whilst earning good money. However my perspective on life/career changed because we have recently had our first child. Everyday at work all I think about is getting home as soon as possible. And weekends are just too short

It's amazing how having a child really throws a spanner in the works with yr previous plans. I subsequently decided it's “no life” working long hours for the rest of my career, and it was time to find a change of lifestyle.

I would have become a teacher after Uni, however I took the arrogant view by perusing a career in Accountancy/Bank solely because it was financially rewarding and I was good at numbers. Naive decision, but I guess many people are in the same situation driven my money being young. However what I have found is that once you earn a certain amount, you live to yr capacity whether you get paid 20k or 100k (i.e. more expensive house/car etc). So in effect yr standard of living isn't really better earning more and working long hours.

This is why I am considering teaching (maths). I am also a private gcse Maths tutor (only 3 hours over the weekend) and really enjoy working with teenagers, so it makes sense to at least give the profession a go. I am thinking about going through the GTP (Graduate Teacher Programme) where I would spend a yr in a classroom and gain QTS after it (it is aimed at more mature students who are leaving a career and want to earn an unqualified teacher salary).

I am not another naïve individual who expects teachering to be easy, my g/f has been a teacher for 5 yrs and I have seen her experiences. She found teaching difficult for the first two years developing new lesson plans (mainly in the evenings), getting to know the circirrulum and gaining teaching experience. Now in her 6th year of teaching, my gf is confident with the syllabus and has most of her prep work done. She leaves school before 4pm everyday, and only needs to spend 2-3hrs over the week to update previous year plans and marking. On top of that the great holidays.

As we will both be in the same profession, I think the career change makes sense for a lifestyle change and there will be plenty free time over the yr to spend with the family. Although I will experience a 70% drop in salary and I expect it to be difficult for the first few years. But the general consensus from my teacher friends & gf is that it gets better with time as you are not doing planning from scratch all the time etc

Has anyone had a similar experience moving into teaching? Did it work out? Do u believe it is an ideal lifestyle choice?

Another thing, I am also reluctant about a teaching career as I am basically starting my career all over again. I will be on a par, earning the same as a fresh grad out of uni with no real life experience. Although I think this is only a pride issue.

Apologies for the long, waffled post.

Matty0682

Any teachers about?

Thanks

richardw

Perhaps another Accounting job but with shorter days and longer holidays, or the option to buy more holidays, may suit.

trixietoes

I don't have any experiences of teaching, but I do know where you are coming from. I too am in the process of re-training to become a teacher. I am a few steps behind as I don't have a degree so that is my starting point.

It does seem at the moment that a lot of people are doing the same thing.... but fo rthe wrong reasons.

I would suggest you go for it. You know it isn't a piece of cake teaching, and that it isn't a cop out job... work till 3.30 and have loads of holidays. There is a lot more to it. Plus it can be very rewarding. If you have a better work life balance then that is the important thing.

I know money isn't a major concern as you are prepared to take a drop, but once you are a teacher, there are lots of other branches you can either move into or do aswell as. My mom is a teacher and she also marks exams in the summer time to boost her salary (she does supply teaching as she doesn't really want to work more than 2 days a week!).

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. But in my opinion, try it. If you don't like it.... you can always go back to accountancy down the line.

Matty0682

trixietoes wrote: »

I don't have any experiences of teaching, but I do know where you are coming from. I too am in the process of re-training to become a teacher. I am a few steps behind as I don't have a degree so that is my starting point.

It does seem at the moment that a lot of people are doing the same thing.... but fo rthe wrong reasons.

I would suggest you go for it. You know it isn't a piece of cake teaching, and that it isn't a cop out job... work till 3.30 and have loads of holidays. There is a lot more to it. Plus it can be very rewarding. If you have a better work life balance then that is the important thing.

I know money isn't a major concern as you are prepared to take a drop, but once you are a teacher, there are lots of other branches you can either move into or do aswell as. My mom is a teacher and she also marks exams in the summer time to boost her salary (she does supply teaching as she doesn't really want to work more than 2 days a week!).

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. But in my opinion, try it. If you don't like it.... you can always go back to accountancy down the line.

Thanks trixietoes! YOur right, I can always boose my income when I teach.....be it marking exams and tutoring.

I will prob get some experience in a classroom first before I take the plunge.

As you are thinking about getting a degree, don't forget to make sure it is related to what you want to teach?

U thinking about secondary or primary?

trixietoes

Primary ideally, but then maybe FE. I don't think I could do secondary... I'm still thinking about it and trying to be sensible.

I am currently living overseas so have to do my degree through OU, and only just started but I am enjoying it so far. I do want the degree to be in psychology but I'm not sure that will fit with my teaching aspirations. I need to do more research before enrolling on any more courses, and find something I'm interested in.

I would then have to come home for 9-12 months to do my PGCE. Then if we are still living overseas take my new teacher status to wherever we are. There are always English speaking schools around.

Have you had any more thoughts on the direction you are going to go in?

Since I moved out of the UK I've changed my thinking. Someone said to me...If you don't like it come back! I now apply that to a lot of my life.... if I don't like it I'll just leave or change etc etc (after a decent go at something of course, I'm not that fickle LOL)