Anyone quit teaching?

robbiewilliams

Are there any teachers out there who have quit? What have you gone on to do? Any advice? Any regrets?

Crazy_Jamie

A good friend of mine took up teaching and then quit after finishing her NQT period. She was a modern languages teacher, and is now a freelance translator. As far as I am aware she loves her job now and has no regrets. She did enjoy the actual teaching aspect, the problem was (at least from her perspective) seemingly the last thing that the powers that be wanted to do was to actually let the teachers teach. I certainly know that she was working ridiculous hours, and the difference is that now being self employed she gets paid for the hours that she works.

All that said, I expect the answers to the question across the board may well depend on what you teach and what your viable alternatives are. Clearly my friend's linguistic ability transferred very easily to freelance translation (she actually did have a Masters in Translation anyway which she took before doing her PGCE). I would imagine that other areas of teaching have less obvious alternatives.

What is it that you teach, and why are you considering moving on?

elisebutt65

I'm, quitting teaching as I'm off on long term sick with BC and not due to return until July. I do 2 roles at work and I'm keeping the other role, which is that of personal tutor. I teach in a college not a school though and it is so stressful due to having to meet the targets set. Basically if we don't meet the targets of passes etc then we don't get the budget and then the hours for the following year.

Plus they are now starting Performance related pay but it's not related to the results, but flipping nonsensical annual inspections. One inspection determines your pay for the following year. Thankfully the union are kicking off. I have brilliant results from my students but I always have crappy results on my inspection as I refuse to do an all dancing, all singing, bells and whistle lesson, that they expect. I'm there to teach and I do teach bloody well and my students all learn. I haven't had one student end up on the dole after 7 years(that I know of). They've all gone into good jobs or onto Uni, which I reckon is the biggest measure of my success not a namby pamby 'Oh lets look at your lesson for 1 hour and mark you down because you forgot to mark your record book last week'! Aaargh!!

So you can see why I'm quitting - Waaaay too stressful! Instead I'm looking after the student's pastoral care, doing all the induction paperwork, making sure they have no barriers to learning, transport problems or assisting with budgeting and money issues. I also see them all every term for 1-1's where we discuss life, the universe and everything . I talk to the parents a lot when grades are slipping or absence rates go up and it's a much closer role as I get to know each student for the following 2 years very well.

I was so upset when I had to leave for my op in December, and each student group 'surprised' me with little presentations of flowers and cards. So touching and I really miss them. I'm hoping that I get better so I can return before they all leave at the end of June, to go off to careers and Uni etc.

CKhalvashi

I left teaching to pursue, what was a part-time hobby at the time, and turn it into a full-time business. I was a Chemistry teacher with a passion (and .4 teaching commitment) in music. OH owned a local taxi firm at the time, so whilst we lived comfortably, I was working a minimum of 60h a week, and she was working 6x11h shifts on control, so 66h a week.

I do occasionally miss it, however I'm sat now on an extremely specialised record label (Yes, I'm still working with kids) worth approximately £40m, but it's led to the same problem; I was being pushed into management in teaching (and sat 2 terms as Acting Assistant Headteacher, at 25 :eek:), and wanted more time to spend with my young children. I'm working 60-80h a week now, means that I'm still not spending as much time with them as I'd like!

The only advantage, is that I'm starting at 4am, finishing at about 4pm, and OH is working evenings, so we are both spending time with them, but I'd still like more. We're taking as much time off in school hols as possible, but like this week, it's not always possible

CK

ntb1

My wife is leaving teaching at Easter, currently working for a worse than useless head teacher. She's got a role running a charity shop so total change.

dramarama

I left at Christmas, although circumstances mean I haven't worked since October 2012.
Since being out of teaching I have found it VERY hard to get work in alternative jobs from teaching. At the moment I am a private tutor and this is good as it is flexible. I am also looking to work self employed part time as well as supply teach part time...to pay the bills!

Ideally I would like to work for a charity full time or in a Theatre.
Having stopped teaching full time has had such a positive effect on my stress levels...although job hunting is pretty stressful.

I think if you have the thought that you want to quit you should pursue it but try your hardest to have something lined up workwise or a cushion of savings.

mongmoney

Due to being treated poorly by a cr*p headteacher, I left a full time position last summer. I've been applying for lower level jobs, much to my own detriment. I signed up with a supply agency in August but didn't get much work. I thought that I'd had enough of the teaching game completely so got a warehouse job for the christmas period. Two months of extremely physical work for just above minimum wage made me think!
I left the warehouse in January, signed up with another agency, now I've been into different situations, PRU, primary and secondary. I realise that my skills are with young people. I'm loving teaching primary after spending 16 years in the secondary sector. Supply means that I still get to do what I'm good at but don't have the stress anymore. I wish I'd have done it years ago tbh. I feel like a different person.
Mongy