Any secondary teachers here?

heretolearn_2

I'm mulling over a career change in 3 years time, when I'll finish a degree in English Literature and Creative writing, I've just been doing for fun (!*&£!) alongside working.

Teaching English at secondary school keeps coming to mind and I've done some research on how to go about it.

But I can't decide if I'd like it or hate it.

Pros
1 Better hours and holidays (yes, this will be true for me!)
2 Always loved English, used to work using it more but got sent off down another route almost by accident a few years ago ago.
3 Would be very satisfying if I can do a good job of motivating and interesting the children in it
4 Reasonable salary
5 Good career prospects? I am quite ambitious and would like to progress up the scale/

Cons
1 Bit scared of not being able to keep control of a classroom full of bored teenagers who just don't want to be there. And that's going to get worse in 2 years time when compulsory leaving age goes up.
2 Not actually that keen on children - I don't hate them but I'm not an 'ahh cuddle the baby/play with someone else's kids' person. But then I think it's mostly the primary teachers who are really into kids, isn't it? I can be a 'Grantly' grump if I want?

I do have experience as a voluntary worker every summer (for last 20 years
) where I deal with school groups and teach them all sorts of things. I actually do quite enjoy the more challenging groups like the inner-city teenagers that send half the other volunteers running for the hills, but I only have each group for about 10-15 minutes before they move on to someone else. So it's not quite the same. I do enjoy teaching and training as part of my job as well, but that's for adults.

So it's the teaching aspect and the interest in the subject, plus the career side that appeals to me, rather than 'oh I want to be with children all day'. Would that make me a terrible teacher?

ilovemydebts

Best thing to do is get classroom experience, the more the better in different schools then make your mind up.

heretolearn_2

That's true. I didn't know if that would be possible this far in advance?

thegirlintheattic

I second ilovemydebts. I wasn't sure about teaching as I'm not overly maternal but I love it now.

Do research the job availability in your area and weigh up if you'd be prepared to move. Even in English and Maths jobs at the moment are thin on the ground and the competition can be fierce.

As for control - I'm absolutely tiny and look like I'm 14, I'm quite a shy and quiet person but you learn fast and I've taught 11-18 (including one bottom set of year 11 boys who wanted nought to do with school) and only had 1 time when I've felt out of control, and still managed to deal with it. Most kids in most schools are fine and just need a little prompting to do their work and a reminder not to natter so much. You'll get the really bad ones in any school but you are usually taught how to deal with those individuals. So I wouldn't let this put you off.

Career prospects depends on area, school, yourself and the school management. Some schools/areas it's easy to move up, others it isn't. Teaching is still a bit in the dark ages and in lots of areas you're waiting for someone to leave so you can move up. It's much less of an issue if you are prepared to relocate several times. Also depends on how good you are at politics. Those who can do the management talk and the networking move up much faster than good teachers - and you have to consider what you want out of teaching. If you like the thought of being in the classroom then consider most career moves will take you out of the classroom for much of your time.

Salary - depends on your current job. Not bad but not great. At the moment we're on a two year pay freeze and pensions are going up.

Hours/Holidays - Holidays are second to none but hours are not so good. I easily am at school by 8am and don't leave till 6:30pm, I then end up doing another two hours or so after school and most of Sunday. In the short holidays I'll spend several days working, and in the summer about two weeks. I'm only part-time so have less work load! I know full time teachers who work much longer hours than I do. It depends on the type of person you are, teaching is a job where there is always something to do, to improve, if you are committed to it there's a little voice in your head going "Oh, I could just make a worksheet for...". It gets easier as you get more experienced (reusing lessons) but as an English teacher you're going to have a heavier workload in terms of marking and coursework due to the subject.

Motivation - This is key but you have to be resilient as well. Many of the kids will not love English anywhere as much as you do. For some, this will not change. You have to be prepared to teach often the driest bits of the subject and see your hard work (hours spend preparing that interesting lesson that will make them love your subject) ruined.

I realise this sounds overly negative but I've seen people start a PGCE thinking oh short hours, good pay, lots of holidays, I love the subject etc. then dropping out when they realise that it's not all roses. I love it and wouldn't change it for all the money in the world. So if you get some experience and still think it's for you then do try.

Get yourself some work as a cover supervisor or ask to observe at schools (explain you are thinking of a PGCE), do it Nov-Feb time when they will not have so much work in terms of exams, nor lots of PGCE students doing their pre-course experience. These are also the most depressing months in schools so will give you a good picture. It may be quite hard to get into schools though, we I had to do my compulsory week for my PGCE before the course I struggled to find any school that could take me, especially without a CRB.

heretolearn_2

Thanks, thegirlintheattic, you don't sound negative, just realistic. It's nice to hear about someone who isn't really the maternal type enjoying teaching and you've given a very balanced view, thank you.

I probably could 'play the game' to get into the management side as I have 20-odd years experience of that out here in the rest of the world, if I decided I wanted to. It's an option, anyway. I'm in the south east and with commute distance of London so I think there is plenty of jobs - but some of those London schools sound quite scary, that's what putting me off a bit, the thought of only being able to find a job in the sort of school that gives new teachers nervous breakdowns! Teenagers being a handful I can cope with, but trying to stab each other/me, rather not go there.

Currently I'm studying from 6am-7.30am, then going to work for 9am, leaving work at around 7.30pm, and then also studying evenings and weekend, so the hours for teachers don't scare me too much, and I do understand it's a lot more than just the classroom hours.

The only way to find out is to try it, you are all right there, thanks for the hint about the best time of year. Without a CRB I don't suppose I can do much but I'll start trying the local schools. There must be something useful I can do for them in exchange!

singlestep

Teaching is the best job in the world but you do need to go in to it with your eyes open. A very few people seem to be natural, very gifted teachers who never seem to put a foot wrong but the majority of us really have to work at it.

A few random thoughts:

I wouldn't worry about being tiny - it's all about your personality. My cousin (height 6'4") gave up on teaching because of kids' behaviour while I've had colleagues of less than five feet who are in complete control. I agree that you should get in touch with your former school or a school local to where you are now and ask if it would be possible to come in and observe lessons and get a bit of experience. I am a teacher and part of my degree is in English literature. However, after two weeks on teaching placement, I realised right then and there that if I were to teach English it might totally kill my love of reading and writing. Also, in English, there tends to be a horrifying amount of marking to do compared to other subjects but, at the same time, it's a subject that most pupils (albeit reluctantly) and parents would deem as necessary and you won't have to listen to moans of 'Why do I have to take French/RE/Spanish/Whatever anyway?' still three days before exam leave begins!

Sometimes it's really only in school that young people get to experience discipline in a positive way. While there are some vulnerable children who do really need a mummy to follow them about all day (others are clearly products of homes where nobody really can be bothered being a proper parent) it's really not part of the job description and, as a secondary teacher, you're not really with each class long enough to do that. You learn how to deal with behaviour issues and head them off before they start.

There are opportunities to move up the career ladder but you really have to be flexible about moving. It seems to me that some, but not all, of my promoted colleagues have forgotten about why they ever went in to teaching in the first place because it seems all they talk about are targets and statistics and not the individuals we have in front of us.

Pay is reasonable. Or it was before the pay freeze and the pension increases (I'll be paying £90 extra per month) - I'm not complaining as it's tough for everybody. Holidays are undeniably great but once they arrived you really, really need them - partly to ensure that you're organised for the term ahead. There are times in the school year when my friends and family barely see me and all I seem to do is work and sleep. It is worth it in the end, though!